AB's 2007 log

[anotherbutters]

AB's 5x5: Week 2, Mon

Bodyweight: 174lb

All weights in kg, previous weeks in orange.

1. Squat (3x5)
Week 1: 96 x 3 x 5 - hard, just about ok (211lb)
Today: 102.5 x 3 x 5 - hard, just about ok (226lb)

2. Bench (3x5)
Week 1: 63 x 3 x 5 - ok (139lb)
Today: 67.5 x 3 x 5 - hard, but ok (149lb)

3. Rows (3x5)
Week 1: 52 x 3 x 5 - ok (114lb)
Today: 55 x 3 x 5 - hard, but ok (121lb)

4. Accessory
Week 1: Decline situps: bodyweight x 3 x 15 - easy
Today: Decline situps: 2.5kg x 3 x 15 - ok
Today: Reverse hypers: bodyweight x 3 x 15
Today: Curls for the girls: bar x 12, 25kg x 10 (these are so gay)


Comments

A good 'little' workout. I probably could have squeezed out 5x5 on squats if I tried. I'll start increasing squats and deads by 2.5kg (5.5lb) and the other lifts half as fast from this week.

I wish I was better at rows. I have quite a bit of body english already.

EDIT: added accessory stuff

 

[anotherbutters]

AB's 5x5: Week 2, Tue

Cardio - hill intervals on the stationary bike, previous weeks in orange
Week 1 Tue: 30 mins @ level 14 (of 25), max HR: 166 bpm
Week 1 Thu: 30 mins @ level 15, max HR: 176 bpm
Today........: 30 mins @ level 16, max HR: 180 bpm

 

[anotherbutters]

AB's 5x5: Week 2, Wed

Bodyweight: 176lb (up 2)

All weights in kg, previous weeks in orange.

1. Front squat (3x5)
Week 1: 80 x 3 x 5 - hard, but easier than last time I tried 3 weeks ago (176lb)
Today: 82.5 x 3 x 5 - not as hard as last week (182lb) PR!

2. Overhead Press (3x5)
Week 1: 41 x 3 x 5 - v hard (90lb)
Today: 42.5 x 5/5/4 - failed on last rep (94lb)

3. Deads (1x5)
Week 1: 125 x 5 - hard, but slightly easier than 2 weeks ago (275lb)
Today: 127.5 x 5 - hard, but better than last week (281lb)


Comments

Front squats were easier than expected. I nearly choked myself for the first time today .

Overhead press, I had to dip and use leg drive for the final rep of sets 2 and 3. Not quite enough on set 3. I think I'll repeat this weight next week.

Deads, my grip's getting better. I managed 4 reps with hook grip today and felt much more pressure on my thumb, which is good (doing it properly). Mixed grip for the final rep, all chalked.

Not a bad workout.

 

[anotherbutters]

AB's 5x5: Week 2, Thu

Cardio - hill intervals on the stationary bike, previous weeks in orange
Week 1 Tue: 30 mins @ level 14 (of 25), max HR: 166 bpm
Week 1 Thu: 30 mins @ level 15, max HR: 176 bpm
Week 2 Tue: 30 mins @ level 16, max HR: 180 bpm
Today........: 30 mins @ level 17, max HR: lots - QUIT

I should have done another level 16 cardio session today, but I wanted to see what level 17 felt like. Silly me. There's a big jump in between each level and I had to quit before attempting the final 1 minute interval. I think I'll stick to levels 15-16 for a while from now on, since this is only to support the weights after all.

EDIT: I didn't really mention how completely and utterly debilitating this workout was. I could barely stand after getting off the bike and it took me a good 15 mins before my breathing calmed down. At the point at which I quit, I couldn't breathe any harder, my heart wouldn't beat any faster and I was yet to start the hardest minute. I nearly made it! I don't think I've any chance of making a level 20 workout in the near future .

I did some accessory stuff in the evening as I probably won't do it tomorrow night.

Accessory
Decline situps: 5kg x 3 x 15 - grinding them out at the end
Reverse hypers: BW x 2 x 15 - 2 sets gave me enogh of a pump in the lower back

 

[Czar87]

Keep it up, you have gotten stronger than you were when you ran korte.
Have you done something after Korte ?

 

[anotherbutters]

That's a keen eye you've got there czar Yes, it looks like my squats are better. Bench and deads are still a little behind.

I took a couple of months off after the Korte (holidays and stuff), then spend Nov and Dec getting back to where I am now.

 

[anotherbutters]

AB's 5x5: Week 2, Fri

Bodyweight: 176lb

All weights in kg, previous weeks in orange.

1. Squat (1x3)
Week 1: 100 x 3 - was that it? (220lb)
Today: 105 x 3 - heavy, but no probs (231lb)

2. Bench (1x3)
Week 1: 67.5 x 3 - easy (149lb)
Today: 70 x 3 - heavy, but ok. 3x5 might be hard (154lb)

3. Rows (1x3)
Week 1: 55 x 3 - ok (121lb)
Today: 57.5 x 3 - fairly hard (127lb)


Comments

My original plan was to hit the same weight on Friday as Monday, but it's been too tempting to jump to next Monday's weight as per the SF5x5, so I'm going to carry on like this.

I meant to increase bench and rows by 1kg but didn't have my microplates today. I'll use the 1kg increase on Monday though, so bench and rows will be lighter than today. I'm being a little cautious because I'd rather keep them increasing than for them to get too hard too soon.

 

[anotherbutters]

AB's 5x5: Week 3, Mon

Bodyweight: 177lb

All weights in kg, previous weeks in orange.

1. Squat (3x5)
Week 1: 96 x 3 x 5 - hard, just about ok (211lb)
Week 2: 102.5 x 3 x 5 - hard, just about ok (226lb)
Today: 105 x 3 x 5 - hard, just about ok (231lb) PR! - a YEAR in the making

2. Bench (3x5)
Week 1: 63 x 3 x 5 - ok (139lb)
Week 2: 67.5 x 3 x 5 - hard, but ok (149lb)
Today: 70 x 3 x 5 - hard, but just ok (154lb)

3. Rows (3x5)
Week 1: 52 x 3 x 5 - ok (114lb)
Week 2: 55 x 3 x 5 - hard, but ok (121lb)
Today: 57.5 x 3 x 5 - hard, but ok (127lb)

4. Accessory
Later tonight...


Comments

Squats were good. I had a short 2-3 second breather after reps 3 and 4 of each set, but got them without (that much) doubt. This was a PR for number of sets at 105x5 and it's taken me about a YEAR to get here, lol. It will be good to write PR against a new weight next week, fingers crossed.

I had to grind the last bench reps a little, but not that much in doubt. I have quite a bit of body English on the rows, but I'm happy to keep it consistently, er, 'English' from week to week and increase the weight.

 

[Cynical Simian]

Nice work! I've been following along, but there's not much to comment on during the first few weeks of ramping.

Are you intentionally bumping the calories up a bit now that you're getting into the PR weeks?

 

[blut wump]

That'll be PR months rather than weeks, BTW.

Congrats, AB.