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Xlajbf's Intermediate 5x5 Training Journal

Xlajbf

Xlajbf

New member
I fell into a real training slump a few weeks ago after months of boredom with the programs I've been working with and progress not even remotely similar to the kind I had years ago. I'm hoping the Intermediate 5x5 program will alleviate both the boredom and the lack of results. After reading everything I could about it two weeks ago, I was excited to start. I gained a lot of good information and an idea of what to expect from reading others' training journals, so hopefully someone will benefit from this one. I'll continue updating it as long as an interest exists.

--------------------------

Code: 
[b]My Stats[/b]   (12/26/06)

[b]Age:[/b]       25
[b]Weight:[/b]    178lbs
[b]BF %:[/b]      11.3% (calipers)

[b]LBW:[/b]       157.9lbs
[b]FW:[/b]        20.1lbs

[b]Waist:[/b]     34.5"
[b]Chest:[/b]     42"
[b]Arm:[/b]       14.5"
[b]Leg:[/b]       24"
[b]Calf:[/b]      15.25"

My goal obviously is to get bigger and stronger, but for now I have my sights set on 190lbs with ~10% bodyfat. 190lbs would be the most I've ever weighed. I'm not planning on any special dieting or cardio regimen for the bodyfat since I'm naturally pretty lean and will probably be close to that % when I hit 190lbs anyway. If I could hit 200lbs and still be lean sometime in 2007 that would be great.

Code: 
[b]Intermediate 5x5 Inputs[/b] (all weights in pounds)

[b]Squat:[/b]            275x5
[b]Bench:[/b]            185x5
[b]Row:[/b]              155x5
[b]Deadlift:[/b]         260x5
[b]Military Press:[/b]   115x5

And now for my first 3 workouts.

Code: 
[b]Week 1 - Day 1[/b]   (12/26)

Squat -          130x5, 160x5, 190x5, 225x5, 255x5

Bench -          85x5, 105x5, 130x5, 150x5, 170x5

Row -            75x5, 90x5, 110x5, 125x5, 145x5

Decline Situps - 20x4x8

Code: 
[b]Week 1 - Day 2[/b]   (12/28)

Squat -          127x5, 160x5, 191x5, 191x5

Military Press - 67x5, 80x5, 92x5, 107x5

Deadlift -       151x5, 181x5, 211x5, 241x5

Decline Situps - 25x3x8

Code: 
[b]Week 1 - Day 3[/b]   (12/30)

Squat -          127x5, 160x5, 191x5, 225x5, 261x3, 191x8

Bench -          86x5, 107x5, 130x5, 150x5, 176x3, 130x8

Row -            72x5, 90x5, 108x5, 126x5, 147x3, 108x8

Dips -           25x3x8

BB Curls -       70x2x8, 70x5 ([i]attempted: 70x3x8[/i])

Skullcrushers -  70x2x8, 80x8

Questions and comments are both welcome and appreciated. Thanks for reading.
 
Don't expect to lose much bf if you are going to be on a bulking diet. I'm not saying you will get fat, but there is a good chance the bf percentage will go up a bit if you are eating big.
 
Oh I know that's a possibility. I'm just not overly concerned with it. If it turns out that I have a few extra percentage points after I reach 190, I'll probably just keep going till 195-200 and then do cardio for a few weeks. Staying lean isn't a problem for me... it's growing that's the trouble.
 
Week 1 Link

Missed yesterday's workout due to excessive festivities on New Year's Eve. Fortunately my schedule is somewhat flexible and I'm back on track.

Code: 
[b]Week 2 - Day 1[/b]   (1/2)

Squat -          131x5, 163x5, 196x5, 228x5, 261x5

Bench -          88x5, 110x5, 135x5, 155x5, 176x5

Row -            75x5, 95x5, 110x5, 130x5, 147x5

Decline Situps - 30x4x8

Comments:

I'm hoping that I didn't do the wrong thing by guesstimating my 5RMs rather than physically attempting them. That is, in my last routine I benched 175x3x6, so I figured 185x5 would not be far off from my 5RM... or squatting 250x3x8 putting my 5RM around 275lbs. The reason I'm concerned is because the lifts feel quite easy. Even the bench press, which is my poorest lift, was fairly effortless.

I suppose I will know for sure in Week 4/5.
 
The first couple of weeks will be like that. Don't worry, once you hit weeks 4 and 5, you'll be glad you ramped up to those weights.
 
If anything, I thought you were starting a little high, but if the weights feel easy, they're probably just right for the first week. It's better to start too low than too high. If you start too high, you'll probably end up stalling and having to restart everything, wasting a lot more time than if you'd started too low.
 
Code: 
[b]Week 2 - Day 2[/b]   (1/4)

Squat -          130x5, 165x5, 196x5, 196x5

Military Press - 70x5, 80x5, 95x5, 110x5

Deadlift -       155x5, 185x5, 215x5, 250x5

Decline Situps - 30x3x8

Comments: Happy overall with this workout. Not bothered so much by the fact that the weights aren't really taxing yet. I wouldn't be complaining if the PRs I'm going to hit in a few weeks weren't taxing, would I?

Next workout Sunday. Can't wait. =)
 
Code: 
[b]Week 2 - Day 3[/b]   (1/7)

Squat -          135x5, 165x5, 195x5, 230x5, 270x5, 195x8

Bench -          90x5, 110x5, 135x5, 155x5, 180x5, 135x8

Row -            75x5, 92x5, 115x5, 130x5, 150x5, 115x8

Dips -           35x1x8, 40x2x8

BB Curls -       70x2x8, 70x1x6 ([i]attempted: 70x3x8[/i])

Skullcrushers -  80x2x8, 80x1x4 ([i]attempted: 80x3x8[/i])

Comments: I screwed up! Apparently in my rush to get to the gym, I accidentally wrote in my training log that I was to do 5 sets of 5 followed by 1 set of 8. It was supposed to be 4 sets of 5, then 1 set of 3 with the new highest weight, then 1 set of 8... so I ended up doing 5 reps of the new highest weight on all 3 exercises instead of 3. The good news is that I had no trouble pulling it off whatsoever, even on the bench which is one of my weakest lifts. This is great news for Week 3.

I do have a question, though. Is it assumed that one should be doing warm-up sets prior to beginning these working sets? If I were following a program where I used the same weight for all of my working sets, then I'd definitely do warm-up sets beforehand. With 5x5 I'm ramping up to my 5RM weight, at which point I'm already warmed up. As such, I normally do a quick set of 8-10 reps with the bar alone to warm-up and then I get started. Is this correct or should I be doing a few warm-up sets before beginning?

Thanks.
 
Code: 
[b]Week 3 - Day 1[/b]   (1/9)

Squat -          135x5, 170x5, 200x5, 235x5, 270x5

Bench -          90x5, 115x5, 135x5, 160x5, 180x5

Row -            75x5, 95x5, 115x5, 130x5, 150x5

Decline Situps - 35x4x8
 
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