Please Scroll Down to See Forums Below 
anotherbutters
New member
AB's 5x5: Week 4, Mon (heavy day)
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)
Week 3: 105 x 3 x 5 - hard, just about ok (231lb) PR! - a YEAR in the making
Today: 107.5 x 5/4/5/5 - a little harder than last week (237lb) PR!
2. Bench (3x5)
Week 1: 63 x 3 x 5 - ok (139lb)
Week 2: 67.5 x 3 x 5 - hard, but ok (149lb)
Week 3: 70 x 3 x 5 - hard, but just ok (154lb)
Today: 71 x 3 x 5 - hard, ok (156lb)
3. Rows (3x5)
Week 1: 52 x 3 x 5 - ok (114lb)
Week 2: 55 x 3 x 5 - hard, but ok (121lb)
Week 3: 57.5 x 3 x 5 - hard, but ok (127lb)
Today: 58.5 x 3 x 5 - hard, but ok (129lb)
Comments
There was absolutely no way on this earth that I was going to accept failing at squats today. I was trying to help a work buddy out, trying to get him into the 3x5 and my concentration wasn't there. I also became conscious of quite a bit of a bounce in the hole and I probably came out slow on the second set, so I failed. Whatever the excuse, at least I've tried the spotter bars out in the gym - the drop was about 3" from my shoulders once I dropped back into the hole, so it made a nice racket. Anyway, I set up again, angry, and got two more sets in. I didn't realise just how close I've been to failure when I'm at the sticking point just out of the hole until today. I waited a good 3 minutes before the final set, which is long for me. It's funny, because I was so confident after the first set, I was gagging to put on 110kg.
Bench and rows, I used the microplates. Bench was ok, but I probably couldn't have done much more, so today's weight was a good choice. I was checking my form with rows and wasn't sure how much weight I'd end up with. My form wasn't as bad as I thought, so I worked up to last week's weight plus the microplates. Good sets. I seem to raise my upper back a few inches at the end of the row, but it's not too bad, so I'm not going to sweat it. I also grabbed the bar about 3" wider than usual and pulled higher up, to the top of my abs rather than my navel. No erector pain at all today (1 plate height from next week).
All in all, a long, tiring workout, but a successful one, so I'm happy with it. I'm feeling fresh now, so I might beat the hell out of my legs with a hard cardio session tomorrow, prior to setting a new front squat PR on Wed
.
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)
Week 3: 105 x 3 x 5 - hard, just about ok (231lb) PR! - a YEAR in the making
Today: 107.5 x 5/4/5/5 - a little harder than last week (237lb) PR!
2. Bench (3x5)
Week 1: 63 x 3 x 5 - ok (139lb)
Week 2: 67.5 x 3 x 5 - hard, but ok (149lb)
Week 3: 70 x 3 x 5 - hard, but just ok (154lb)
Today: 71 x 3 x 5 - hard, ok (156lb)
3. Rows (3x5)
Week 1: 52 x 3 x 5 - ok (114lb)
Week 2: 55 x 3 x 5 - hard, but ok (121lb)
Week 3: 57.5 x 3 x 5 - hard, but ok (127lb)
Today: 58.5 x 3 x 5 - hard, but ok (129lb)
Comments
There was absolutely no way on this earth that I was going to accept failing at squats today. I was trying to help a work buddy out, trying to get him into the 3x5 and my concentration wasn't there. I also became conscious of quite a bit of a bounce in the hole and I probably came out slow on the second set, so I failed. Whatever the excuse, at least I've tried the spotter bars out in the gym - the drop was about 3" from my shoulders once I dropped back into the hole, so it made a nice racket. Anyway, I set up again, angry, and got two more sets in. I didn't realise just how close I've been to failure when I'm at the sticking point just out of the hole until today. I waited a good 3 minutes before the final set, which is long for me. It's funny, because I was so confident after the first set, I was gagging to put on 110kg.
Bench and rows, I used the microplates. Bench was ok, but I probably couldn't have done much more, so today's weight was a good choice. I was checking my form with rows and wasn't sure how much weight I'd end up with. My form wasn't as bad as I thought, so I worked up to last week's weight plus the microplates. Good sets. I seem to raise my upper back a few inches at the end of the row, but it's not too bad, so I'm not going to sweat it. I also grabbed the bar about 3" wider than usual and pulled higher up, to the top of my abs rather than my navel. No erector pain at all today (1 plate height from next week).
All in all, a long, tiring workout, but a successful one, so I'm happy with it. I'm feeling fresh now, so I might beat the hell out of my legs with a hard cardio session tomorrow, prior to setting a new front squat PR on Wed
.
.
