An old dog learns a new trick - TSO’s first 5x5 journal.

Well, this 37 year old has been holding out on trying this type of workout, but things have been getting mundane at the gym, and I don’t want to lose my interest, so here I am. I’ve lifted on and off for the last 5 years, but since my wife left back in April, I’ve been at the gym, just about every day, whether it’s being lifting or doing cardio.

Fyi, I used Sarge’s current journal as a template to help put this thing together.

Maxes Plugged into the Bill Starr 5x5 Excel Spread:
Squat: 315x8
Bench: 315x5
Row: 225x6
Dead: 315x6
Incline: 225x6

Body Weight: 230 lbs
BF%: 15%
Height: 6'0"

Goals & Misc. Info: Increase strength, Increase LBM, loose a bit of BF by way of keeping diet as clean as I can, 1 or 2 cheat meals a week on the weekends I have my kids. My diet will fluxuate from 3,500 - 4,000 cals. Typically following a 40 pro/30 carb/30 fat composition. Cardio will be done on off days when my knees will allow it.

Supplements: Multi Vit, Fish Oil, Ibprophen, Creatine Monohydrate, and Glutamine.

Week 1
Day 1

11/11/06 - Saturday

Squat:
260x5
260x5
260x5
260x5
260x5

Very smooth motion down below parallel No knee pain (which is very uncommon these days), so I look forward to increasing the weight on this exercise.

Bench:
195x5
210x5
225x5
240x5
255x5

Using this light weight did allow me to concentrate on form.

GP Rows:
145x5
155x5
165x5
175x5
185x5

This is something new to me, but I am looking forward to this exercise. I have always been a 45-degree rower; maybe just because it’s all I had ever seen in the various gyms I’ve worked out in? Who knows, but this went very smoothly, but did get some weird looks thrown in my direction while I was resetting after each rep. By the end of the last set, I could definitely tell this was hitting my lats differently than my standard rows.

Assistance:

2 sets of 12 rep Weighted Hyperextensions (+25)
4 sets of 10 rep Weighted Situps (+25)
3 sets of 30 rep Seated Calf Raises (45)

Calf raises are always added to my workout. Calves have always been my weak spot, so I try to hit them at various angles and lifts on a regular basis.

Feel free to add any type of comment or suggestion. Like I said, this type of program is completely new to me.

You're gonna love the program about 6-8 weeks in, best of luck to you!

subscribed. good luck, I will be following along

Week 1
Day 2
11/13/06 - Monday

Squat:
135x12
235x5
235x5
235x5
235x5
235x5

Again, very smooth, felt good, but at 5 reps I wanted to keep going, even on set 5.

Deadlift:
225x10
245x5
245x5
245x5
245x5
245x5

Using this light weight did allow me to concentrate on form. But again, light weight left me wanting to do more.

Incline Bench:
135x12
175x5
175x5
175x5
175x5
175x5

I hope this turns out to be the days that these muscle groups are given a little break, because after this workout, I really felt like I should have lifted more. But since this is my first 5x5, I have promised myself to stick to the program.

Assistance:

5x6 WG Pullups (BW)
3 sets of 12 rep Situps
5 sets of 25 rep Standing Calf Raises (90)

I have always had weak pullups, so for this go around I chose them for my day 2 back assistance exercise.

Well, as I have mentioned a few times, I left the gym with a little more energy than I am accustomed to, I'm sure the program will get more difficult, just tough for this old dog to get used to.

Give it 5-6 weeks and you won't be leaving the gym with any energy....stick with it!

ZGzaZ said:

Give it 5-6 weeks and you won't be leaving the gym with any energy....stick with it!

Click to expand...

LOL, yeah, I just looked ahead to week 5, that looks more like it...har.

It's good to know my journal provided some help, and maybe some inspiration That's why I do it.

I believe you're using the Bill Starr 5x5 Advanced template though, nothing wrong with that... I used the Intermediate Template.

You'll love it in about 4-5 more weeks

Yeah, if I'm going to kill myself with a new routine. I might as well go all the way

Like was already said, enjoy the easier times while they last. I'm doing an intermediate 5x5, now several weeks into new PRs, and it's definitely harder.

The advanced is really supposed to get you into overreaching by about the 3rd-4th week, so you'll really be ready for the drop in volume when it comes time for it.

Good luck, I've subscribed.

I'd say the biggest thing I am going to have to get used to is the time off. I have been hitting the gym 5-6 nights a week for a while now, so these days off seem odd, but I can tell later on they will be needed.