Tomtomtoms training log

[tomtomtom]

Ok, here I go...

I'm not a complete newbie, but I figured I would give the program a try. I haven't tried this type of program before and all of the articles I've read on this site make a lot of sense to me based on what I know from before, so I'll try it out for 12 weeks and see what happens. I've been idle for a while, so this seems like a good start before maybe advancing to the intermediate program. I've decided to use version 2, which is bent-over rows and dips instead of inverted rows and push-ups. The reason for this is that I know and like these exercises and I like the "weights paradigm"; it gives me visible and measurable results.

Me:
Height : 174cm/5'9"
Weight: 84kg/185lbs
BF: can't be bothered measuring - a bit chubby. I'm not in it to lose weight. Strength and mass all the way!!!

My starting weight:

- Reading the FAQ, I used my current 5x5 in the various exercises - 30%. This is the case for all but the squat which I start of a bit lower since the increase is 30kg a month. I haven't used the overhead press much since I have had some trouble with my rotator cuff so I need to start of low on this one to ensure proper form

- I'll also be adding exercises for infraspinatus and supraspinatus on both days which are 25-30 reps at 1,25-2,5kg to avoid shoulder injuries. If I don't do these I'll get tendinitis in both shoulders relatively fast.

Squat - 50kg
Bench press - 50kg
Bent-over rows - 30kg
Overhead press - 20kg
Deadlift - 70kg

I can do 3x5 pull-ups BW and 3x8 dips BW

My schedule (diet/workout/sleep):

05.50 AM - wake up (horribly early)
06.00 AM - Oatmeal w/fruit or berries + milk + flax seed + multi vitamin/mineral - omega3
09.00 AM - apple and/or banana and/or grapes + almonds(hand-full)
11.00 AM - huge pasta salad w/veggies + 3 eggs + cottage cheese/cold cuts/regular cheese + milk or juice
01.30 PM - Brown bread with egg or ham/cheese (maybe some mayo)

- on workout days I train at around 03.30 PM and have a maltodex + whey shake afterwards - otherwise I'll probably eat dinner 30 minutes earlier. I try to keep my workouts to around 45 minutes

06.00 PM - Chicken breast/ground beef + rice/pasta/potato + veggies
09.00 PM - flax seed oil + cottage cheese or eggs
10.30 PM - sweet sweet sleep

I drink a lot of water and 1-2 cups of green tea + 2-3 glasses of pineapple+orange juice/day on weekends.

Goals:
- If everything works out according to plan, I'll be squatting about 1,5xBW, deadlifting 2xBW and benching 1xBW by the end of this (and do weighted dips and chins). I have no real goals when it comes to the overhead press. I have to take it slow to avoid injury, but I'll push it as far as I can, hopefully past the 60kg mark for 5x5.

Please critique my plans, I'd love some feedback.

TOM

[tomtomtom]

By the way... I'm 29 years old

[tomtomtom]

Ok, so I started the program today and everything felt good. Nice and easy, good form and speed.

Squats felt good
Bench - good - the hardest of the exercises today at 50kg 5x5
bent over rows at 30kg felt very light.
dips 3x10 failure on the last set
reverse crunches felt very good, but kinda hard. First time I tried this exercise... nice one

First time training in the morning as well, felt good. Happy happy joy joy

[tomtomtom]

Just adding a post to enable "Notify me when a reply is posted"

[MrWalk]

Ride the wave tomtomtom! Looking forward to seeing your rapid progress.

I wasn't a complete newbie when I started either, but I was regarding strength training and compound exercises. I've been and continue to be really happy with Stronglifts, blowing away any gains I ever made in the gym pretty early on.

I've also got the rotator cuff "watch out" condition on my right shoulder. Bench is worse than overhead press for mine (but aside from pain while doing them, the exercises have increased the flexibility and decreased the overall pain in that shoulder). My tendancy toward rapid tendinitis is in my elbows, though.

I don't actually admit to either one of those conditions, so please delete your whole training log now.

[tomtomtom]

Ride the wave, indeed. Things are feeling very good at the moment.

I've found that what works well for me against tendinitis is in general is omega-3 and multivitamins + some antioxidants (which you should probably be taking anyways) - in addition to eating lots of fruits and veggies. One table spoon of flax seed oil every day is good

[MrWalk]

Yeah, good calls all, and what I apply too. I also take fish oil. I'm trying Glucosamine right now too, but I haven't been able to tell a diff, so I'm not sure on that one and will probably just quit injesting it. I'm a drummer and that plus lifting plus another grip-intensive repetitive motion activity or two just add up to overuse that I have to watch.

You've been around a bit, so I'm guessing you know how your diet works. I'm a little heavier on the meat and lighter on the carbs than your layout above. I'm not on the anabolic diet, as such, but I try to watch my carbs all but post-workout for 2 meals.

Your plan looks great to me. I prefer and do the bent over rows too. I'm incorporating dips in now as well, but I don't have a proper setup for them yet so I can't add weight.

Good luck on your goals. Mine are similar and I'm sure we'll hit 'em.

[holvoetn]

Squats felt good

What weight ?

dips 3x10 failure on the last set

Should go to failure on every set

[tomtomtom]

Yeah, I was meaning to ask about that actually. So it would probably have been something like 15/11/8 I'm guessing... I'll do each set to failure next time!!!

So the detailed version:

All exercises were done with about one minute of rest in between sets (more or less)
Squat:
- technique practice without weights (about 10 reps)
- 2x7 - 20kg - warm-ups
- 5x5 - 50kg - all sets felt good, it kills me not putting on weight, but I'm going to be patient this time

Bench press:
- 2x10 - 20kg warmup+technique practice
- 5x5 - 50kg first three sets were easy, last two were also quite easy, but I was feeling them more than the others today, but still far from hard.

Bent-over rows:
- 1x7 - 20kg warm-up
- 5x5 - 30kg - all sets very easy. I got really warm, but that's about it. I feel like I should have started at 35 or more. Maybe put on 5kg instead of 2,5 next time???

Dips:
3x10 - to failure on last set only. I'll do it to failure on each set next time... I didn't like the feeling though, felt like my shoulders weren't warm enough or something. I think I'll do 10 reps of -30kg assisted reps in the dips machine next time. Question: wide or narrow dips? I did wide btw...

External and internal shoulder rotation:
3x20x2,5kg/each

Reverse crunch:
- My new favorite!!!
- First set was ok, started feeling the last 2-3 reps. The last two sets were "painful"...the good kind. Love it! I used a 20kg dumbell

Looking forward to wednesday

[tomtomtom]

Another question... When should I start putting weight on for dips?

[holvoetn]

Another question... When should I start putting weight on for dips?

When you can do 15 on the first set.
It's all in the faq

[tomtomtom]

Oh... should be pretty soon then I guess. So how much would I typically put on? I'll have a look in the faq

[holvoetn]

Oh... should be pretty soon then I guess. So how much would I typically put on? I'll have a look in the faq

As for the other exercises.
Start with 2.5kg. If you are able to complete 3x5, add 2.5kg next session.

When and how should I add weight on Pull-ups, Chin-ups, Push-ups & Inverted Rows?
As soon as you can do 15 reps with good technique on your 1st set. Then start adding resistance and do 3 set of 5 reps, adding weight each workout.

[tomtomtom]

Ok, thanks for all the help dude!

Looking forward to deadlift and press tomorrow. I'm reading Rippetoe's "Starting strength" at the moment and practicing my DL technique with a broom stick Videotaping it and watching to see if I'm doing it right. Might actually post it to get some feedback. Not sure I want videos of me deadlifting broom sticks on youtube though I'm looking forward to seeing how many pull-ups I can do too... I'm guessing 5, maybe 6.

[holvoetn]

I'm looking forward to seeing how many pull-ups I can do too... I'm guessing 5, maybe 6.

Last year in June I was only able to do 1 single pullup and 2 or 3 chins.
Now I can bang out multiple sets of 5 pullups a day, most I have done this was 15 times in 1 single day
Last time I tested my max was 7 BUT that was after deadlifting 5x147.5kg

Give it time and dedication, the numbers will go up