Tomtomtoms training log

[tomtomtom]

So what was your DL/SQ/BP at that time? It seems strange to me that you are as strong as you are in the squat and deadlift compared to your benchpress. Well, maybe it's just me... benchpress was the first real exercise I learned... and the reason why I fucked up my shoulder too. Hehe...

[tomtomtom]

So what was your DL/SQ/BP at that time? It seems strange to me that you are as strong as you are in the squat and deadlift compared to your benchpress. Well, maybe it's just me... benchpress was the first real exercise I learned... and the reason why I fucked up my shoulder too. Hehe...

[holvoetn]

Take into account I stopped at 75kg because my form was all over the place. Had to deload down to 60kg to get it spotless again. Slowly but steadily moving up again ...

Last June I was not even thinking about SL5x5. I was still on the stupid machines (I did not know better). I started SL5x5 in October '08 and til now only have an average of 1.2 sessions a week !!
(I am a busy guy and can not always make it to the gym or the gym is not always open when I have time. That's why I am so eager to set something up at home. That way I am sure to be able to workout AT LEAST twice a week)

So I have no clue what the numbers on SQ/DL/BP would have been back in June 08.
I know I was leg-pressing 3x15x150kg and doing the pectoral-machine-thing with 3x12x60kg when I moved to SL5x5 (again, I did not know better then ...)
Squatting with a free bar the first time was a real eye-opener, I can tell you that.

As far as the squat numbers are concerned, I think that is largely a left-over from playing competition volleyball for over 16 years (but that ended also already 10 years ago)

[tomtomtom]

So, second workout: My knees have been really "stiff" this week, and this morning they were very bad. I think the reason for this is

Squats:
2x10 - 20kg
5x5 - 52,5kg all sets feel about the same as last time - easy

Press:
Doing some "circles" with my arms for warm-up
5x5 - 20kg - easy, but I'm keeping the weight there

Deadlift:
2x10 - 20kg - warm-up
1x5 - 40kg - easy
1x3 - 60kg - ok
1x5 - 70kg - hard, but good form

I'm dropping to 60kg next time, this felt harder than I feel comfortable with. It felt good for now, but I don't want to stall after a month... I'm surprised that it felt so hard, I did 3x6-80kg three weeks ago... oh well. Monday is the next deadlift day and I'll have two nights of very good sleep before I do it.

Pull-ups:
6/5/4 - I'm surprised I got number 4 on the last one, it was very slow, but I got there. I hate this exercise... hehe. Gives me a nice pump though, I'll love it once I can do 10 the first set:D

Prone bridges:
3x30s - feels like I can do more. I think I'll try one of the exercises where you moce 2,5kg weigths from one side to the other next time. I'm shaking profusely at the end by the way... hehe... but it doesn't hurt and I could keep it there for longer. Should I advance or stick to it?

Did 3x25x2,5kg external rotation on each shoulder and 2x15x5kg internal rotation at the end and some stretching.

My knees feel a bit painful, thinking I might skip squats on friday to heal completely over the weekend.

[holvoetn]

You might need to watch your form if your knees are hurting.
Are you pushing them out enough when squatting ?
Are your toes/feet in line with your knees as well ?

[tomtomtom]

My form is good, I think the problem is that I did 4-5 running sessions last week, which I hadn't done for like a year or so... My knees were bad before I started squatting this monday, so I think the problem is that they haven't recovered from running. That's what I'm hoping anyways...

[tomtomtom]

Yesterday I did like two hours of gardening followed by three grilled hot dogs with potato salad (I like junk ). Soooo tired, collapsed at around 21.15 and woke up this morning at 7.40. Knees felt a whole lot better, back feels very good, shoulders fine, everything is great. hehe... a very good nights sleep is fantastic!!!

[tomtomtom]

Third session of stronglifts 5x5 :

Knees still feel stiff and painful, I tried some very easy squats, but they were still painful.

Squats: 2x10 BW 3x5 20kg ---what a waste, I should have skipped it. I'm unsure of what to do, because I have this relay race I have to run a week from tomorrow and I don't want to fuck up my knees really bad.
- I ensured I was using correct form on these btw, feet are shoulder width apart(+), approximately 30 degree angle and me knees are pointing in the same direction as my feet. I'm thinking the right thing to do here is to rest completely until they are completely healed. Once I get back to business on the squats, I'll try to record it so I can get some feedback on the form

Bench press:
2x10x20kg
5x5x52,5kg - easy, good form and speed ( set two was 6 reps because I cheated on one of the reps... didn't go all the way down)

Bent-over rows:
1x5x20kg
5x5x35kg (set three was actually six reps, I was focusing on technique and oups...) - I added 5kg instead of 2,5 since last week was so easy. It's still very light, so I'll add 5 kg next time too I think.

Dips:
warm-up - 30kg dip machine
1x15 - BW - failure (I might have been able to pull off one more, but probably not)
1x8 - 5kg (first time I've ever tried weighted dips) It felt heavy, but very good
1x5 - 5kg - Last two reps were very slow. My face looked like it was going to explode

I'm looking forward to see if I can keep my heavy dips in a months time when the bench press reaches 70kg. Next dips session I'm doing 3x5x7,5kg. I'm not counting the weight of the belt and the chain holding the weights btw... I'm guessing 2,5 kg. In that case, I'm doing 3x5x10kg next time

Reverse crunches:
15/12/12 -- forgot how many to do the first time They didn't feel nearly as hard as last time. I used a 17,5kg weight.

Shoulder rotation exercises + stretching

All in all a pretty good workout. The knee thing is really depressing me though... I want to me killing those muscles, damn!!! If I can't squat for a couple of sessions, should I still keep on going with the other ones?

[tomtomtom]

Back again after the weekend. Got some good rest and also I did daily "shoulder dislocations". I also did shoulder dislocations for my warm-up before squatting. I have to say I love these early morning work-outs.

SQ:
2x5xBW
2x5x20kg
5x5x55kg - Still a bit painful, but better. Knees feel ok now because I'm still warm. Looking forward to seeing how they will react during the afternoon. Weight is still fairly light...

Press:
1x5x20kg
5x5x22,5kg
Feels good - My shoulders are definitly my weakest link. This is going to be hard in 2-3 weeks

Dealift:
2x5x30kg
1x3x40kg
1x2x60kg
1x5x75kg
Felt a whole lot better than last week, I'm very glad I didn't drop the weight like I sais I was going to. Can't wait to put on more.

Chin-ups:
7/4/3 - felt heavy like always... I feel heavy Maybe I need to lose some weight, because this feels hard. Bæææh, no way. I like my food.. hehe. I should probably skip the chocolate on weekends though.

Prone bridges - check...felt heavier than last week, maybe I'll just stick with regular bridges after all.

[holvoetn]

Good going
Maybe good to know, overhead press is the difficult for MOST people (am also struggling with it)

[tomtomtom]

I know... first exercise that stalls etc.

Hard is a good thing though, right? I love to get that pump/burn!!!

[MrWalk]

Yeah, but I feel like a beast struggling against a squat, dead lift, or bench press that I can't pull off. I feel like a scarecrow underneath a failed overhead press.

[tomtomtom]

I get your point. It looked kind of silly with that big olympic barbell and two tiny plates (1,25kg) on each side. Hehe...

[tomtomtom]

Morning after, knees feel bad, wrist feel bad...funny, they didn't hurt when I was lifting

So most of my joints are sore except for my shoulders, which are fine.... funny

[tomtomtom]

Actually, quads, forearms are sore... which is a good thing I guess, It's the first time I've gotten sore since I started... hurray!