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

[solidspine]

New to this form

where can I learn about this 5x5 program, I will start searching.

 

[silver_shadow]

try the training sticky... not just 5x5 but lots of other goodies too.

 

[thesuaveone]

Week 4
Day 2
12/04/06 - Monday

Squat:
225x8
290x5x5

Ahhhh, needed the light night, my ass is making it tough to walk, lol, so tonight helped stretch things out again.

Deadlift:
225x8
320x5x5

This week I went without straps and had no problems. Nice smooth motion throughout. I love these things, and really didn't do them very frequently prior to this year.

Incline Bench:
135x12
230x5x5

Much easier on the chest than the flats from the other day. I may widen my grip on these on the next program to work a little more on the outer/upper portion of the chest.

Assistance:

5x5 WG Pullups (BW)
3 sets of 12 rep Situps
5 sets of 15 rep Seated Calf Raises (135)


Overall, a good night, the lighter nights on squats are nice, I will say, looking forward to next week where I drop the second night squats all together, I think my quads will thank me, and my energy level will too. I get home from the office at 5:30 and usually don't leave for the gym until just before 8, I may start leaving a little earlier to hold onto some of my energy.

 

[thesuaveone]

Week 4
Day 3
12/06/06 - Wednesday

Squat:
135x12
280x8
300x5
325x5
345x5
365x5

Good lifts, extended my time between sets to 3.5 - 4 minutes. Nice way to start off the night

Bench:
135x12
225x8
315x5x5

LOL, it appears as if I should have been lifting 305, not 315, lol, miss read my notes, but still got all of the 315x5x5.

GP Row:
135x12
225x5x5

Still felt good, but wanted to call it night without doing my assistance work. Dummy me, I did the assistance anyway.

Assistance:

Barbell Curl (Full length EZ curl bar) - 3x8 (140)
Standing Tricep Extention (Full length EZ curl bar) - 3x8 (160)

Alrighty, week four is over, as you can see, I am writing this on the 10th. LOL, after This workout, I got home and crashed, the next night after i got home, I laid down to get a little nap, LOL, I woke up at 3 in the morning. Oh well, I got up had a protein shake and went back to bed. This week absolutely kick my ass.

 

[thesuaveone]

Week 5
Day 1

12/09/06 - Saturday

Squat:
225x8
340x3x3

Ok next phase of the program. I guess my question will be, why 9 weeks, not 8 or 10? After last weeks crash, I can understand why the deload. The body can only havndle so much before it basically shuts down. Squats felt great, and with only three sets, I made sure to drop as far as my ass would let me.

Bench:
135x8
265x3
300x3
330x3

After last weeks failure at 335, I was a little concerned, but got all three of the 330 lifts, felt good, and I know I could have gotten another one if I were to have pushed.

GP Rows:
135x8
195x5 (oops, forgot I was only supposed to do 3)
220x3
245x3

LOL, got a little carried away on my first set and did 5 reps. Wow, 245 felt like butter. Have I mentioned how much I love this program?

Assistance:

3 sets of 12 rep Weighted Hyperextensions (+35)
4 sets of 12 rep Weighted Situps (+35)
5 sets of 20 rep Seated Calf Raises (90)

Ok, deload took about as long as the last phase, only because I added a little time between sets, but this helped out a lot on the final sets. I'm looking forward to hitting some PR soon.

 

[ShowKidd]

why dont they do much with the biceps in this routine? is it based on the fact that your arms will still grow a little from all the GH that is being released from doing a lot of squats??

 

[thesuaveone]

I asked the same thing early on. I have learned that these compound movements are plenty of work for your arms. I only have about 6 sets of arm isolation a week, and my arms haven't lost any size at all. Then again, they have not grown either. Still 19" - 19.25".

 

[ShowKidd]

thats a good set of pipes bro! in your opinion is it worth doing this program?

 

[thesuaveone]

Without a doubt. First couple of weeks might have you thinking twice about the call, but once you hit weeks 4 and 5, you'll understand how worth it the program is.

 

[ShowKidd]

sweet thanks for the help!i am going to start it next week, cant wait!! sorry to hijack the thread.