Crak's 5x5 Journal

[Buddy_Christ]

Thought i'd join in with all the "big boys" and start my own journal every week i'll add to it. i'm hoping that as far as a 5x5 routine and progression, this looks good and continues to look good. i'm only on week 3 as of right now. if anyone sees room for improvement in the routine or has suggestions, please toss them my way.

As of now i'm starting to get my weight right on my failure sets. my goal is to have the right weight that i get 10 reps the first set and 8 reps the second set, both sets to failure.

On with the fun!


Week of Jan 12, 2004

Day 1 - Chest/Calves
Flat Bench - 5x5 - 135
Incline DB Bench - 2x10 - 45lb db
Standing Cable Flies - 2x10 - 40 lb/side
Standing Calf Raises - 2x15 - 135lbs - (OUCH!)

Day 2 - Back/Shoulders
Seated OHP - 5x5 - 85lbs
Side Laterals (using cable, one arm at a time) - 2x10 @ 30lbs
Deads - 5x5 - 105
Pullups (overhand) - BW 2x8
Shrugs - 2x10 - 80lb barbell
Seated Cable Rows - 2x10 - 90lbs

Day 3 - Arms
Close Grip Bench - 5x5 - 105
Standing BB Curls - 5x5 - 65
Dips - BW 2x10
Incline Curls - 2x10 - 25lb db
Skull Crushers - 2x10 - 40lb BB
Preacher Curls - 2x10 - 65lb BB

Day 4 - Legs
Squats - 5x5 - 165lbs
Hack Squats - 2x10 - 105
Stiff Leg Deads - 2x10 - 105
Seated Calf Raises - can't remember weight or number of sets


Week of 1/19
Day
Flat Bench - 5x5 - 140lbs - up 5 from last week
Incline Bench - 2x10 - 40lb db
Flies and Standing Calf Raises - worked out at home, didn't do them

Day 2
Seated OHP - 5x5 - 90lbs - up 5 from last week
Side Laterals - 2x10 - 30lbs
Deads - 5x5 - 110lbs - up 5 from last week
Pullups - BW 2x8
Shrugs - 2x10 - 50lb db
Seated Rows - 2x10 - 90lbs

Day 3
Close Grip Bench - 5x5 - 120lbs - +15lbs from last week
Standing BB Curls - 5x5 - 70lbs - +5 from last week
Dips - BW 2x10
Incline Curls - 2x10 - 25lb db
Skull Crushers - 1x10 @ 45lb BB, 1x10 @ 50lb BB - +5 & +10lbs, respectively
Preacher Curls - 25lb db - 2x10 with assist from other hand to complete sets

Day 4
Squats - 5x5 - 170lbs - +5 from last week
Hack Squats and Stiff Leg Deads - 2x10 - 125lbs - +20lbs from last week
Leg Curls - 2x10 - 40lbs
Seated Calf Raises - 5x10 - 90lbs


Week of 1/26
Day 1
Flat Bench - 5x5 - 145lbs +5 from last week
Incline Bench - 2x10 - 45lb db +5 from last week
Standing Cable Flies - 2x10 - 45lbs/side +5lbs from 2 weeks ago
Calf Raises - 2x15 - 145lbs +10 from 2 weeks ago

Day 2
Seated OHP - 5x5 - 95lbs
Side Laterals - 3x10 - 30lbs/side - added a set from last week
Deads - 1 RM 225lbs - feel i could do more
Deads - 5x5 - 115 +5 from last week
Pullups - BW 2x8
Shrugs - 2x10 - 60lb db +10lbs per db
Seated Rows - 2x10 - 100lbs +10lbs from last week

Day 3
Close Grip Bench - 5x5 - 125lbs +5 from last week
Standing BB Curls - 5x5 - 75lbs +5 from last week
Dips - 1x10 BW + 15lbs; 1x10 BW + 25lbs (and feel i can do more!)
Incline Curls - 1x10 @ 30lbs; 1x6 +2 assists @ 30lbs
Skull Crushers - 2x10 - 55lbs +5 from last week
Preacher Curls - 1x8 + 2 assists 25lb db; 1x6 + 4 assists 25lb db

Day 4
Squats - 5x5 - 175lbs +5 from last week
Hack Squats & Stiff Leg Deads - 2x10 - 125lbs
Leg Curls - 2x10 - 45lbs
Seated Calf Raises - 5x10 - 140lbs

Felt real wobbly for about 20 minutes after the leg workout. after that, my leg strength seemed to be fine....i was walking normal again at least

 

[Tom Treutlein]

Crak, is it okay if my friend and I also join in and place our logs here? We're around the same area... I'm on the 3rd workout (out of 4) or my 2nd week into the program. My lifts are near yours. Most of yours are higher.

 

[WalkingBeast]

Awesome brother!!! Great to see youve started a journal!! Keep posting up the results!!!!

 

[Buddy_Christ]

Week of 2/2

Flat Bench 5x5 - 150
Incline 55lb db - 4x8, 1x10
Cable Flies - 45lbs - 4x8, 1x10
Standing Calf Raises - 155lbs 3x20

Seated Mil Press 5x5 - 100
Side LAterals - 30lbs 2x10, 25lbs 1x8
Deads 5x5 - 125lbs
Pullups - 1x8, 1x10
Shrugs 2x10 - 70lb dbs
Rows 2x10 - 100lbs

Close Grip Bench 5x5 - 130lbs
Standing BB Curls 5x5 - 80lbs
Dips - BW+35 - 1x10, 1x7
Incline Curls 2x10 - 25lb
Skull Crushers 2x10 - 60lbs
Preacher Curls - 25lb db 1x8, 20lb db 1x9

Squats 5x5 - 180lbs
Hacksquats 2x10 - 135lbs
Stiff Leg Deads - same as hacksquats
Leg Curls 2x10 - 50lbs
Seated/reverse Calf Raises - 150lbs

 

[Buddy_Christ]

week of 2/9

some rep schemes changed this week, but not all. we're going 10, 8, 5-6 reps on non-5x5 exercises now, going up in weight every set. my old routine was 12, 10, 8, 5, and i made good growth. i dropped the 12 rep set though, as it was usually real light.

Flat Bench 5x5 - 155
Incline Bench 10, 8, 5 - 50, 55, 65lb db
Flies 10, 8, 5 - 40, 45, 50
Calf Raises 2x20 - 135lbs

Seated Mil Press 5x5 - 105lbs (Barely)
Side laterals 4x10 - 25lbs
Deads 4x5, 1x12 - 135lbs
Pullups - 1x10, 1x6
Shrugs 2x10 - 50lb db
Rows 2x10 - 110lbs

Close Grip Bench 5x5 - 135lbs
Standing BB Curls 5x5 - 85lbs (Barely)
Dips BW+25lbs - 1x10, 1x8
Incilne Curls 10, 8, 6 - 20, 25, 30
Skull Crushers 10, 8, 6 - 55, 65, 75
Preacher Curls 10, 8, 1 (with 4 forced reps) - 20, 25, 30lb db

Missed my leg day and couldn't make it up

 

[Buddy_Christ]

added exercises this week, but there's too many on some days. Back day and arms day needs to be cut down, it runs too damn long. the 10, 8, 5-6 rep scheme is in full effect except for BW exercises.

Flat Bench 5x5 - 160lbs
Incline Bench - 55, 60, 70lb db - 1 rep on the 70lb, lost control on 2nd rep, finished off the set with 65s
Flies - 40, 50, 55
Dips 2x10
Incline Curls - 20, 25, 30
Skull Crushers - 60, 70, 75 (4 reps)
Preacher Curls - 20, 25, 30
Calf Raises - 155lbs 2x15, 160lbs 2x15

Mil Press 5x5 - 110lbs
Side LAterals - 25, 30, 35
Deads 5x5 - 145lbs, last set 1x10
Pullups - 2x10
Shrugs - 45, 55, 65 (6)
Hack Squats - 125, 135, 145 (6)
Rows - 90, 100, 110 (6)
Leg Curls - 40, 50, 70 (6)
Seated/Reverse Calf Raises - 180lbs 5x10

Close Grip Bench 5x5 - 140lbs
Standing BB Curls 5x5 - 90lbs - - only hit 4 reps on the last set, partner forced the 5th, i'll stay @90lbs for next week
Incline Bench - 50, 55, 60 (6)
Dips 2x10
Incline Curls - 20, 25, 30
Flies - 40, 45, 50 (6) - - getting dropped from arm day
Skull Crushers - 60, 70, 80 (6)
Preacher Curls - 20, 25, 30
Standing Calf Raises 2x15 - 165lbs

Squats 5x5 - 185lbs
Hack Squats - 125, 135
Stiff Leg Deads - same as hack squats
my back was hurting REAL bad. i could not continue with either of these exercises. back was not hurting due to improper form or whatnot, i do have back problems. sucks.
Pullups - 2x8
Shrugs - 45, 55, 65lb dbs
Rows - 100, 110, 120 (6)
Leg Curls - 45, 55, 65 (6)
Seated Calf Raises 5x15 - 165lbs

i'm only stalled on 1 lift right now. in the past 5 weeks i've been growing too. i measured my bis/tris tonight and i'm seeing almost 1/2" gain. i'll have to take measurements in the morning and take some pics as well.

i'll admit, the first few weeks i didn't think that 5x5 was going to do anything for me. in the past 2 weeks, however, i've really seen a difference. lifts feel just as hard as the week before, yet they're heavier. that's the type of progress i like to see

 

[Dial_tone]

I hear you. I didn't read enough so I started with the weighs way too low. I'm going to make bigger jumps next week to get where i should be.