Zentinel's log

[zentinel]

  Ok, so I'll see if I have the wherewithall to keep on top of a log like this
Height: 5'6"
Weight: 145 lbs
Age: 33
 
  I've tried to get into bodybuilding for many years, with varying success at keeping at it, but never changing my lifts or body the way I want it to be.    A few years ago I decided to gain some weight, and brought myself up to 165 by eating nonstop and lifting.  I was stronger, but felt tired and still wasn't strong (strongER but not strong).
  I have a slim build, and have never been athletic.  I suffered asthma as a child.  Weight training has never been successful for me, but I started yoga 6 months ago and it's going very well - I now do twice to three times a week on off days.  I've discovered that my upper body is quite flexible, but my lower body is not at all (no thanks to years of bicycling, likely).
  Recently I've made modifications to my diet  based on paying attention to my body's responses to certain foods.  Based on this, in June I mostly stopped eating red meat, pork, wheat, and dairy, and lost 10 lbs (mostly fat and water).  I'm naturally allergic to eggs.  For protein, I eat a lot of fish, chicken, and tempeh.  I've had my blood tested, and the doc days I have the healthiest blood she's ever seen.  My iron levels and calcium levels are great.
  Recognizing the need for protein, I've allowed one whey isolate shake on the days I work out (for the high bioavailability).  Every day I start out with a hemp protein smoothy (w/ 26 g of Protein), which agrees with me much more.  I also take a green supplement, a multivitamin, and I've taken Tribulus (which may or may nor raise testosterone levels naturally). 
  I started stronglifts 5x5 on Dec 28, so and about 6 weeks in right now.  The bench weight was too low, so I skipped up 15 lbs mid-January.  I just hit failure with the overhead press last week.  I'll be starting the deload this Saturday unless I miraculously am able to press 85 lbs.
 
  My recent lifts were: (all weights in lbs)
Thursday (Feb 14):
Squat: 145 x 5/5/5/5/5
Overhead Press: 85 x 5/5/5/5/3
Deads: 185 x5
Chins: 20 x5/5/5/5/5
 
Saturday (Feb 16):
Squat: 150 x5/5/5/5/5
Bench: 115 x5/5/5/5/5
Bar Row: 100 x5/5/5/5/5
Dips: 22.5 x5/5/5/5/5
 
  That's all!  Comments and suggestions are welcome.

[Mouse]

Good bodyweight squats - very impressive dips and chins.
Welcome to the posting side of life on stronglifts !

[Mehdi]

Welcome Zentinel. Good progress strength-wise. Do you want to gain weight?

[Rob]

Wow--you seem pretty strong for your size and experience. Keep up the good work!

[zentinel]

   Thanks for the comments. 
  Mehdi:  Gaining weight?  I don't know...  I'm enjoying being kinda svelte right now (I suspect my BF% is lower than it's ever been), but really would like to put on some muscle.  My shoulders are narrow, and my hips and ass a bit broad, making me seem skinnier than I am.  I'm uncertain how to approach the situation.   I think I'ld just like to be strong, and if that requires putting on some muscle weight, that's ok.
   Rob:  Am I strong?  I don't feel like it... I've never benched my own bodyweight, and it seems like a benchmark for "strong" to me.
 
  Anyhow' today's lifts:
Tuesday (Feb 19):
Squat: 155 x5/5/5/5/5
Overhead Press: 85 x5/5/5/5/5 (to my surprise, with much resting between sets)
Deads: 195 x5 (starting to have trouble with grip strength)
Pullups: 22.5 x5/5/5/5/5 (hit failure on my last one; next workout will be rough as hell)
 
Overall I'm hitting failing on a lot of things at once one "Workout B".  I'm growing to dislike this day,
Thankfully, only another few sessions before I hit week 8 and switch things up.

[Mehdi]

I suppose the 195x5 were deadlifts if grip is limiting factor, use a mixed grip on the last set : one palm facing you, one palm facing away.
For the looks: just continue getting stronger, you'll grow muscles everywhere.

[zentinel]

  Ah, I was already using an alternating mixed grip on deadlifts.  Should I be using an overhand grip on all BUT the last set?

[Mehdi]

Use normal grip (both palm facing you) as long as possible. When grip starts to give out, use the mixed grip. Last set mixed grip is fine indeed. But try to use the overhand grip as much as possible (good for grip strength).

[zentinel]

Whew.  Today was rough:
 
Squat: 160 x5/5/5/5/5
Bench: 120 x5/5/5/5/5
Rows: 105 x5/5/5/5/5
Dips 25 x5/5/5/5/5
 
Hitting maxes fast.
I am curious about one thing: I don't see how I can bring my workout to less than 1 hours 30 minutes.  Between the warm up, dynamic stretching, warm up sets, work set with 3 minutes between sets, ab work, cool down, and stretching, my work out is at least an hour 15 min, sometimes going to 1:45.  The supposed 30 minutes 3 times a week is a far off dream at this stage.

[Mehdi]

The weigth lifting itself is still around 30-40mins. Dynamic stretching, posture work, soft tissue work, showing, etc, all of that are extras.

[zentinel]

Hmmm... dunno if I agree with your math.
Let's say I start hitting max (which is now).  I take 3 minute rest between sets so I can get full reps.
So each of my sets will take 12 minutes of resting.  Between 4 exercises, that 48 minutes... not counting the actual time to lift, or warm up sets.
The program might take 30 minutes when you start, but there's no way way it takes less than an hour later on, and that not counting warm-up sets and cool down (which people would be foolhardy to avoid, given the massive weights being lifted later on.
I like the program, but I just feel it's a bit misrepresented.

[Mehdi]

My weights are higher than yours, meaning I need more warm up sets, and I'm done within 40mins usually. Never one hour.
Ask to other members how many time they put in to the weight lifting routine itself.
 

[zentinel]

  Hmmm, ok then.  Can't see how my math fails, if you're taking long rest between sets.  Now, if you're only taking 1 minute between sets, that changes things considerably.
Today's lifts...
Squats: 165 x5/5/5/5/5
Overhead Press: 90 x3/5/5/4/4
Deads: 205 x5
Chins: 25 x5/5/5/4/3
These were rough.  My hatred of  Day "B" grows.

[zentinel]

  Nearly failed on squats today.  My upper body was trembling as I cranked out the last rep os the last set.  I'll take longer rests between sets next time, but I may have hit max.  Came close to failure on the dips as well.
Squats: 170 x5/5/5/5/5
Bench: 125 x5/5/5/5/5
Rows: 110 x5/5/5/5/5
Dips: 27.5 x5/5/5/5/5
Someone asked me if my rows should look so much like deadlifts.  I had to think about it, and decided I have to look over the exercise description again.

[zentinel]

  Brutal day, I'm having a hard time finding a balance between finishing my squat sets and keeping my form good (because it's easy to mess up on squats).
 
Squats 175 x5/5/5/5/5
Overhead Pr: 90 x5/5/4/4/3
Deads: 215 x5
Pullups: 25 x5/5/5/4/3