Ray's Training Log

[Ray]

Hi guys, my name is Ray and I'm pretty new to the forums here and to 5x5. I started getting in shape at the beginning of 2008. I had a gym membership before that but just B.S'ed around... but then my niece being born really made me get real about being healthy so I could be around and in good health for my family.

At the beginning of 2008 I weighed 200 lbs. and was pretty much all flab. I'm only 5' 8.5" too so it was pretty bad. But I stuck with it and by July 1st, 2008 I was down to 155 lbs. This was just doing generic stuff, 3 sets of 10 like everyone is told in the beginning.

The next thing I moved on to was a book by Chad Waterbury sold from Men's Health called "Huge In A Hurry". It was a lot like StrongLifts... get stronger by lifting heavy weights! It's a simple principle but it's a great book and I made some great gains while doing it. My dumb bell bench press went from 55 lb. dumb bells to 70 lb. dumb bells in about 5 months.

And just a few weeks ago I found StrongLifts. I was doing a google search for proper Squat form, because even before finding SL 5x5 I liked doing compound exercises and freeweights. I can't stand machines! And I just don't like how unpractical isolation movements are.

So that's enough for now. Here are my stats.

Age : 22
Height : 5' 8.5"
Bodyweight : 164 lbs.
Body fat % : 11-13% (Got a caliper and it says I'm 11%... I think I'm a bit higher than that)

Weight Stats (Still new and I don't really have 5RM or anything, so I'll just post what I've been lifting)

Squat : 125 lbs. (When I first started I did 135lb. 5x5, then dropped down.)
Deadlift : 210 lbs. - 3x5
Benchpress : 95 lbs. - 5x5
Overhead Press : 60 lbs. - 5x5
Pullups : 10 - 1 set max - dead hang with pause at top
Pushups : 30 - 1 set max

Goals

Pushing (Definitely my biggest genetic weak spot)
Bench – Bodyweight (164 lbs.) for 5x5 by September 2010
Overhead Press – 80 lbs. (.5 bw) for 5x5 by June 2010
Pushups – 80-100 in one set by July 2010 (quickly, without leaving position)


Pulling (Genetic strong point. Can deadlift 210 for 3x5, haven’t been regularly deadlifting for even 3 weeks)
Deadlift – 1.5x bodyweight for 1x5 by May 2010 (246 lbs.)
Pullups – 15-20 in a row by May 2010 (from a dead hang, pause at top)

Squats – 165 (bodyweight) for 5x5 by July 2010

Weight – No specific goal. Happy where I am, so as long as I keep getting stronger and my body fat stays at a good level, I don’t care what my weight is.

So I guess that’s about it. I’m not sure how accurate those goals will be, I think they are all very reasonable and within reach and I am determined to meet them.

Once again, I’m glad to be here, looking forward to getting to know the community.

[Ray]

Along with my starter post, here's my workout from today.

Workout B

Squats - 125 lbs. - 5x5
Overhead Press - 60 lbs. - 5x5
Deadlift - 210 lbs. - 3x5
Pullups - 1x8, 1x7, 1x8, 1x4
Prone Bridges - 3x1 minute
Pushups - 1x30 (had to wait for the squat rack/deadlift box for deadlifts, didn't know how long it would be)

Everything felt pretty good! Was really glad I got 3x5 for 210 on deadlifts.

[Ray]

Workout A

Squat - 130 lbs. - 5x5
Benchpress - 100 lbs. - 5x5 (Did dumb bell press because all of the benches were taken.)
Inverted Rows - 1x10, 1x8, 1x7
Pushups - 1x30, 1x15, 1x11

I was feeling really tired today, even before I went to the gym. My squats felt great, starting to get tough, but they felt good. Dumb bell benchpress went up easy too. But for some reason I crapped out on the rows and pushups. Last time I went I did 1x11, 1x10 and 1x8 on the rows, and 30, 20, 12 on pushups. I was feeling so pooped I skipped out on the crunches.

Back is still very sore from deadlifts on Monday.

[Ray]

Workout B

Squat - 135 lbs. - 5x5
OHP - 65 lbs. - 5x5
Deadlift - 220 lbs. - 1x5 (PR!)
Pullups - 1x9, 1x7, 1x4
Prone Bridges - 3x 1min.

Squat felt good. Before starting light with SL 135 was about as much as I could do 5x5. It felt a lot easier now that I scaled back and worked up to it 5lbs. at a time. I feel confident that 140lbs. on Monday won't be hard.

OHP was tough but good. Definitely one of the hardest ones for me. I think it's tough for everyone, but especially with my genetics... I have a pretty weak chest and tri's. Not settling for it, I'm going to work on them hard, it's just tough.

Deadlift! Today was the first time I only did 1x5. Last time I did 3x5 at 210, so I wasn't really sure what to aim for at 1x5. I warmed up at 135 and 205. 1x5 at 220 was actually pretty easy. Used chalk... next time I know I can get 225.

Pullups felt good... it's always a bit tough to hang on to the bar after deadlifting that much. Pullups are frustrating but the only way to get better at them is doing them!

Overall, I'm just really psyched about the deadlift. It won't be long 'til I reach 1.5x my bodyweight. And I'm feeling good about the squats too.

[atypical1]

Good work and welcome to SL. This should be a fun log to watch as the months go.

james

[Ray]

Thanks for the comment James. I'm excited to be part of the community. Starting a log really does help keep the motivation up to go and improve.

Looking forward to getting to know the whole community better.

[Ray]

Sigh... today was a bummer of a day at the gym. It was a bummer because all weekend I was watching videos and reading about proper squat technique, and proved today that my form is off. I'm committing what seems to be a very common mistake, I'm sitting down instead of sitting back. Starting the movement with my knees. So, it's back to square one for the squat. I don't have an ego about doing light weights, it's just a bummer because I was almost to the point of squatting my body weight, and now I have to start over.

Workout A

Squats - 140 lbs. - 5x5
Benchpress - 105 lbs. - 5x5
Inverted Row - 1x12, 1x8, 1x7
Pushups - 1x34, 1x16, 1x11
Reverse Crunches - 3x12

I'll be honest, I realized before I started my 3rd set of squats that my form was off. But I decided I was going to finish off all five because I was pissed about some other stuff that happened earlier today and I just wanted to move some weight.

Everything else felt good... noticed a pretty good improvement on my first set of pushups, even while doing them after benchpress.

P.S. - Did my part to support Stronglifts. I just got my two Stronglifts.com t-shirts (one army green, one white sleeveless) in the mail today. Look forward to wearing them to the gym.

[atypical1]

Don't sweat the deload as it just means you'll be lifting more in the future and your knees will thank you!

Very cool on the shirts.

james

[Ray]

Thanks James. I know it's best in the long run, it's just a bummer when I was so close to my first milestone of squatting my bodyweight.

So do you think I should go all the way back to an empty bar? Or can I start at like 80 lbs.?

Sitting way back like you're supposed to do just feels so unnatural compared to what I've been doing. I looked in the mirror and did it correctly so I know what it should feel like now. And I can go past parallel still doing it correctly, so my flexibility won't get in the way.

[Ray]

Workout B

Squats - 80 lbs. - 5x5 (deloaded, correcting form. Need to work on initiating with the hips, not knees)
OHP - 70 lbs. - 5x5
Deadlifts - 1x135, 1x205, 2x 225
Pullups - 1x12, 1x6, 1x5
Bridges - yup

Alright, so started out frustrating cause I deloaded on squats. I think I have the form now though. Is it normal for your back to ache a bit when you first start really sitting back and starting with your hips? It might have been just because I was going so slow at first, it wasn't very fluid. When I moved a little better it felt better.

OHP felt good. I'm weak on pushing things, so 70 lbs. is starting to get heavy. Finished it full out though.

Deadlift! hit 225 today. I felt so good that I did 2 sets of 5. I think my form is perfect, Mehdi says you should feel most of the pull in your upper back, and not like you're pulling with you're lower back. I don't feel like I'm *pulling* with my lower back but it does feel worked, but it's going to feel llike that even if you're doing it right, right? I don't see how it couldn't. And my back feels great afterwards. After doing my 205 warmup, the 225 went up no problem, and my back feels amazing when I'm done.

[Ray]

Workout A

Squats - 90 lbs. - 5x5
Benchpress - 110 lbs. - 5x5
Inverted Row - 1x12, 1x9, 1x8
Pushups - 1x20, 1x20, 1x15
Reverse Crunches - 3x12

Everything felt pretty good. Lower numbers on the pushups because I was a bit rushed, my gym closes at 8 on Fridays. I did my bench/row/pushup sequence out of order and didn't have as much rest.

I took a few videos of my squats to post for critique on my form, just to make sure I get it right this time.

[Ray]

Workout B

Squats - 150 lbs. - 5x5 - Turns out the biggest problem with my squat form was I was going too low. It's harder not going down as far as I usually do.
OHP - 75 lbs. - 5x5
Deadlifts - 1x135, 1x205, 1x235
Pullups - Weighted 25 lbs. - 4x4
Bridges - yup

[Ray]

Workout A

Squats - 155 lbs. - 5x5
Benchpress - 115 lbs. - 5x5
Inverted Row - 1x14, 1x10, 1x8
Pushups - 1x40, 1x15, 1x11
Reverse Crunches - 3x12

Squats are getting hard. Really hard.

Bench press felt pretty good. Getting a bit tough but I pushed it out confidently.

Pushups!!! 40 in a row! That's a personal record by far. I felt so light. But they dropped off quick... that last set I felt reallllly heavy.

[Ray]

Workout B

Squats - 160 lbs - 3x5: 100 lbs. 2x5
OHP - 80 lbs. - 2x5, 1x4, 2x2
Deadlifts - 1x135, 1x215, 1x240
Pullups - Weighted 25 lbs. - 3x4
Bridges - yup[/quote]

[Ray]

Workout A

Squats - 145 lbs. - 5x5
Benchpress - 120 lbs. - 5x5
Inverted Row - 1x14, 1x10, 1x10
Pushups - 1x36, 1x15, 1x10
Reverse Crunches - 3x12