Djeclipse's Intermediate 5x5 take 2.

[Cynical Simian]

Nice! Congrats on the PRs.

My digital timer for Needsize abs shipped from Amazon today.

 

[solarclimax]

Cant you lot count to 5 ? lol

 

[blut wump]

I usually ask all the gym members to count me out. I reckon that I can take an average to balance out the inaccuracies in the individual chronographs.

 

[Jim Ouini]

Congrats on the PR's, especially double BW deadlift. Good stuff.

 

[iggy]

your ambition and gains are very motavating.
keep up the good work man.

 

[djeclipse]

Thanks to all that replied...

Cant you lot count to 5 ? lol

No, I only got up to 3, we are learning 4 and 5 next week in school...

Counting to5 is one thing, counting to 5 at the same pace/rate as your abs are burining and you're wanting it to be over ASAP is another thing...

 

[xblitz44x]

Thanks to all that replied...



No, I only got up to 3, we are learning 4 and 5 next week in school...

Counting to5 is one thing, cunting to 5 at the same pace/rate as your abs are burining and you're wanting it to be over ASAP is another thing...

Haha, "cunting".

 

[djeclipse]

Haha, "cunting".

lol, I guess I should proof read more...

 

[BiggT]

Nice deadlifting

 

[djeclipse]

Week 5 Day 3 (FRIDAY)

BW today (monday) was 181.0

I really got into the squats friday and 245 x 3 seemed easy, I am positive I could get 245 x 5 for a PR today. Unfortunately my lower back is still a little sore so I think I will stay away form stressing it till it's 100%.

Squat
120 x 5
150 x 5
180 x 5
210 x 5
245 x 3
180 x 6

Bench
110 x 5
135 x 5
165 x 5
190 x 5
220 x 3
165 x 8

Rows
95 x 5
120 x 5
145 x 5
170 x 5
195 x 3
140 x 8

Dips
25 x 9
25 x 9
25 x 9

Seated dumbell tri extension
70 x 9
70 x 8
70 x 7

Barbell curl
75 x 9
75 x 9
75 x 8

So today I will go in and do my pressing but i’m not sure about rows as I don't want to stress my lower back at all.

Should I still to the weighted hypers or should I leave it and let my lower back rest?

I am not happy about missing squatting and probably deadlifting on wed as I am really ready mentally to start making PR's on my squat again.

 

[Tweakle]

a little time off & some active rest should do wonders for your back.

btw, nice bomb message.. some people really do have their heads up their own flabby arses, I like the 'how dare you' bit especially. You need to show respect to valuable members of elite, especially those who don't workout.

 

[Protobuilder]

Lol . . . that foreigngirl is one tough customer. LoL

If I were you, I'd remember that squats are the key here and I'd let the rows go for right now, maybe do chins instead or something. Better to rest the lower back for a day or two and get ready for that big squat PR! I just went through that this week, and I'm in week 6 of my run too, so we're kinda' tracking here.

Just something to consider: I’d originally planned on doing the DF version as well, but I’m finding that I can keep some SF progress going here if I make small adjustments on the fly. Maybe you’re not comfortable with that and prefer the hard and fast “plan” but its just something to consider. I feel like I’m going to continue making progress for awhile here just by going a little more intuitively, backing off a lift here, a lift there, dropping/adding volume here/there, and keep the PRs moving without really following the DF plan. You may be able to as well. I really didn’t like having to reramp b/c I lost a bit of strength and feel like taking two steps back isn’t very helpful in the long term. I’d rather pound away for weeks on end, taking little breaks when I feel the fatigue/back aches, etc. and not have to drop down to sissy weights and run back up. I mean, you may find that you can make a few adjustments and get into weeks 7-8 no problem, setting records, and then take a little break, and keep going rather than having to reset or arbitrarily drop into triples in weeks 6 & 7, you know?

 

[djeclipse]

a little time off & some active rest should do wonders for your back.

Thanks for the quick replay and could you explain "active rest". What should I be doing/ not doing?

So far I've just stayed off it since friday, I won't be going to soccer practise tomorrow but would like to play in the game thursday. It is my only cardio.

What is active rest?

btw, nice bomb message.. some people really do have their heads up their own flabby arses, I like the 'how dare you' bit especially. You need to show respect to valuable members of elite, especially those who don't workout.

I know, I got a nice laugh at that also. Go ahead take away all my gay ass karma, unlike some people form the C&C forum my life doesn't revolve around something as lame as karma on an internet forum. "look at how many internet friends I have, they give me karma so I must be cool in real life... lol"

foreigngirl here's a message, stop crying like a little bitch and get a life...

 

[Protobuilder]

Go ahead take away all my gay ass karma, unlike some people form the C&C forum my life doesn't revolve around something as lame as karma on an internet forum. "look at how many internet friends I have, they give me karma so I must be cool in real life... lol"

You'll never be a part of the Iron Angel's Club w/ that attitude.

 

[djeclipse]

Lol . . . that foreigngirl is one tough customer. LoL

If I were you, I'd remember that squats are the key here and I'd let the rows go for right now, maybe do chins instead or something. Better to rest the lower back for a day or two and get ready for that big squat PR! I just went through that this week, and I'm in week 6 of my run too, so we're kinda' tracking here.

Just something to consider: I’d originally planned on doing the DF version as well, but I’m finding that I can keep some SF progress going here if I make small adjustments on the fly. Maybe you’re not comfortable with that and prefer the hard and fast “plan” but its just something to consider. I feel like I’m going to continue making progress for awhile here just by going a little more intuitively, backing off a lift here, a lift there, dropping/adding volume here/there, and keep the PRs moving without really following the DF plan. You may be able to as well. I really didn’t like having to reramp b/c I lost a bit of strength and feel like taking two steps back isn’t very helpful in the long term. I’d rather pound away for weeks on end, taking little breaks when I feel the fatigue/back aches, etc. and not have to drop down to sissy weights and run back up. I mean, you may find that you can make a few adjustments and get into weeks 7-8 no problem, setting records, and then take a little break, and keep going rather than having to reset or arbitrarily drop into triples in weeks 6 & 7, you know?

I hear ya. I guess this is part of the learning process for me right now. I was planning on using next week as a "deload" anyway as I would be missing fridays workout. So I guess now it will be a 2 week deload.

I do realize that the squat is the heart of the program and don't want to miss it at all.

Should I still be doing the weighted hypers or leave them out for now?

 

[Protobuilder]

I don’t know what to tell you for sure re: weighted hypers. IMO, if they’re not that taxing, and if you’re not really pushing them hard, they’ll probably be OK. But if your back is really beat, better to let it rest and save it for your next squat workout. I could see doing them AFTER your squats though without much trouble b/c you’ll have at least a day of rest before your next workout.

I’m no expert, but I started running the DF template, and it’s sort of morphed a bit into a SF program but w/ a little more volume (I’m doing 5 straight sets of 5 on several exercise right now at least one workout). I’m doing 5x5 squats on Monday and 1x5 squats on Friday, pushing PRs on both days. This last week (week 6) I was feeling pretty tired (due to outside stressors + heavy squatting) so on my Wed. workout, I only did one set of front squats, and skipped deadlifts altogether. Took a few extra naps to catch up on sleep . . .result? 10 pound squat PR. This week, I’ll add the volume back in and see what happens. My point is, it’s more of a “feel it out” kind of thing. If I were “sticking to the plan,” I would’ve set another DL record on Wed., but I would’ve been so buried that I wouldn’t have gotten my Fri. squat PR and would’ve been on the brink due to being tired already. So, I just tweaked the workouts a bit. And now I can keep going. I feel good. I’ve also done what you’re talking about re: low back. I dropped rows this week due to a tired low back and just did chins instead. No biggie b/c I’m realizing that I simply can’t expect to hit PRs on 5-6 lifts each and every week (squat, bench, row, DL, front squat, push press). So, I’m prioritizing right now, putitng energy into squats and DL and willing to back off bench, rows, front squat if I need to. And some weeks I hit ‘em all. But some weeks I’m tired so I’ll back off on those other lifts. If you know what you’re doing, I could see you making progress like this for years on end, literally. And I guess it’s implementing the ‘fitness-fatigue’ model, just not in a regimented fashion. Frankly, you could probably just add in a nap every day for a week or two and be recovered enough to go on. LoL Call it your deload week. I’m only half-joking.

 

[djeclipse]

Week 6 Day (mon)

yesterdays workout sucked, my back is still feeling a little sore so it loks like I won;t be squating, rowing or deadlifting for the rest of the week.

I failed on my 220 x 5 attempt (got 4) and did some lamer strength cable thing for my pull.

Tomorrow I will go in and do chin ups for my pull and not sure about if i should try the military press as I usually clean the weight up.

Not happy.

 

[BiggT]

That is gonna happen. I wouldn't squat or pull from the floor the rest of the week (or do stuff like light clean pulls, overhead squats, bodyweight hypers etc), if your pressing is moving, keep training it, and then you should probably feel good Mon next week.

 

[djeclipse]

I forgot to add that I did do 2 sets of BW hypers, sets of 10.

Today I will go in and do light cardio followed by some light hypers and needsize crunches.

You really think clean pulls are ok?

The thing is it's not very bad but I can feel it and it hinders my play in soccer. If I wanted to I could probably train through the pain but I don't want it to be a lasting injury.

 

[djeclipse]

BW today was 180.4

I think I think i ahve to buy new pants as none of them fit in the waist anymroe. I hate clothes shopping.


Yesterday I did 20min on the Elliptical, burned roughly 300cals.

The did 2 sets of hypers at BW, I held the last 3 reps at the top, are static holds god for hypers like they are abs?

4 sets of needsize crunches with 5lbs (with stop watch).

 

[Protobuilder]

Pants don't fit in the good way, or the bad way. That's kinda' my cutoff point. No new clothes. LoL Actually, I just took about 4 pair of dress slcaks in to get fitted b/c my waist has come down so much. I really hate shelling out money for that crap.

Good thinking w/ the stop watch. LoL

 

[djeclipse]

Pants don't fit in the good way, or the bad way. That's kinda' my cutoff point. No new clothes. LoL Actually, I just took about 4 pair of dress slcaks in to get fitted b/c my waist has come down so much. I really hate shelling out money for that crap.

Good thinking w/ the stop watch. LoL

In a good way, I've lost about 15lbs, my waist and gut have become a little smaller in the process...

 

[Cynical Simian]

Good thinking w/ the stop watch. LoL

So my timer arrived in time for me to try to use it yesterday for Needsize abs (I do my core work on off days rather than after my primary workouts). I say "try" because the timer got to 5 seconds in the middle of my "slow 5-count" from Needsize's description. So it's back to the 5-count; at least I know I'm getting well over 5 seconds even on those last holds. Bleh...maybe I'll be able to use the thing for rapid-fire singles if I do a WSB run or one of those brutal "20 lifts in 20 minutes" workouts Glenn described in T's journal.

 

[djeclipse]

So my timer arrived in time for me to try to use it yesterday for Needsize abs (I do my core work on off days rather than after my primary workouts). I say "try" because the timer got to 5 seconds in the middle of my "slow 5-count" from Needsize's description. So it's back to the 5-count; at least I know I'm getting well over 5 seconds even on those last holds. Bleh...maybe I'll be able to use the thing for rapid-fire singles if I do a WSB run or one of those brutal "20 lifts in 20 minutes" workouts Glenn described in T's journal.

So that's a good thing, you're holding for way longer then 5 seconds.

Maybe stick to the 5 real seconds and start adding weight?

 

[djeclipse]

Week 6 Day 3 (wed)

BW this morning 182.0lbs

After taking it easy and not squatting, deadlifting, or really rowing and failing on my Bench, it's been a pretty crappy week. But finally I have something to be happy about. I was able to make a PR in Standing Military Press. The last rep took a little to lock out but I got it.

Squat
N/A

Standing Military Press
90 x 5
105 x 5
125 x 5
145 x 5....PR!

Chins
10 x 5
10 x 5
10 x 5
10 x 5
10 x 5

Needsize crunches
5 x 5
5 x 5
5 x 5
5 x 5

Wrist curls (seated)
70 x 8
70 x 8
70 x 8

It's weird to be saying it but I really miss squatting every workout. It seems to warm me up and get me in the mind set for lifting. The first 3 sets of squat get me warmed up for the rest of the work out... not having them feel strange.

 

[djeclipse]

For friday I think i'm going to goin and just do some heavy singles for bench and some chins or something, one set of dips at BW and that's it. Next week I will continue my "deload" as I have to miss friday anyway.

I hope by monday I can at least do some light squats.

 

[Cynical Simian]

Maybe stick to the 5 real seconds and start adding weight?

Eh, this was already with a decent amount of weight.

Honestly, I'm not sure where the "5 seconds" thing came from, since Needsize's description just says "slow 5-count". I guess I just randomly assumed that anything shorter than a second definitely doesn't qualify as "slow" which would make 5 seconds the minimum acceptable standard. I think I'll keep doing what I've been doing - my counts are consistent, I'm progressing, and I just don't really feel like switching to what I'd see as an inferior exercise (shorter hold). Wanna buy a large-digit magnetic timer?

 

[Cynical Simian]

Oh, and congrats on the OHP PR.

Nice job making the best of the injury by turning it into a deload. Will you be continuing with the cut after the deload and, if so, for how long?

 

[djeclipse]

Eh, this was already with a decent amount of weight.

Honestly, I'm not sure where the "5 seconds" thing came from, since Needsize's description just says "slow 5-count". I guess I just randomly assumed that anything shorter than a second definitely doesn't qualify as "slow" which would make 5 seconds the minimum acceptable standard. I think I'll keep doing what I've been doing - my counts are consistent, I'm progressing, and I just don't really feel like switching to what I'd see as an inferior exercise (shorter hold). Wanna buy a large-digit magnetic timer?

I hear ya, i guess I assumed you were using minmal weight like me but I guess your abs are much stronger, lol. I just assumed 5 seconds, I wonder if it would be worth it tohold for say 6 seconds, I don't know if I'd make it to6 seconds...

Post the stop watch for sale as a "needsize crunch timer" and I'm sure someone will buy it...

 

[djeclipse]

Oh, and congrats on the OHP PR.

Nice job making the best of the injury by turning it into a deload. Will you be continuing with the cut after the deload and, if so, for how long?

Thanks, I wasn't sure if I'd get that PR, I failed at that weight last time through.

I had planed for a deload week next week so I guess the injury just forced meto start earlier.

I will be cutting till I get rid of my gut. I realize now it's going to take a lot more weight loss then I initially thought to get rid of it. There is just so much fat around my abs.

I figure after I loose the fat I can add weight properly and keep the BF at a manageable %. And then hopefully start making decent strength gains again. I really want that 225 x 5 bench.

 

[mm107]

Nice 375x5!!! GREAT WORK BRO!!!

Very good, i love seeing improvements on the 5x5 plan, it reasures me that my plan IS working =]

Very nice bro!!

What i did for abs the other day was greatt!!!! I did it strapped to a decline bench with a big ass blue band. Basically needed help getting off the becnh. DID NEGATIVES, and my partner HAD TO PULL me back up literally. Did 1 set of 5 negatives, Did 1 set of 10 negatives. Then did decline with purple band wrapped around me.

This really burned my abs, decline wise, Same as needsize idea.

Also did stabilization work, where u hold your knees to your chest. and lean back and lift your hands off your knees to above your head. This kills my abs.

Just an idea =]

 

[djeclipse]

Nice 375x5!!! GREAT WORK BRO!!!

Very good, i love seeing improvements on the 5x5 plan, it reasures me that my plan IS working =]

Very nice bro!!

What i did for abs the other day was greatt!!!! I did it strapped to a decline bench with a big ass blue band. Basically needed help getting off the becnh. DID NEGATIVES, and my partner HAD TO PULL me back up literally. Did 1 set of 5 negatives, Did 1 set of 10 negatives. Then did decline with purple band wrapped around me.

This really burned my abs, decline wise, Same as needsize idea.

Also did stabilization work, where u hold your knees to your chest. and lean back and lift your hands off your knees to above your head. This kills my abs.

Just an idea =]

Have faith in the program, come week 5 you'll be making some nice PR's...

Thanks for the ab ideas.

 

[djeclipse]

Week 6 Day 3 (friday)

I guess it's not really week 6 any more as I'm on a injury recovery/ deload.

BW this morning (monday) 178.0lbs. It' coming off slow and steady so hopefully I haven't lost to much muscle.

I finally got a benchmark on my 1 rep max bench. My 5 rep max is down about 5lbs so I wonder what it was back when I was at my strongest (and fattest, lol)

I tried squatting and got back into it. I think i did too much to soon as when I was finished my back started to hurt again. I wonder if it's a form issue. I worked in with this guy doing squats (doing 1/4 squats with 225lbs) and he made a comment like

"you do all your workouts right in this little area right?"

I siad "yup, a squat rack, a bar and a flat bench is all you need".

Squat
115 x 5
145 x 5
205 x 2
225 x 1
245 x 1
155 x 8

Bench
110 x 5
145 x 5
190 x 2
225 x 1
245 x 1
255 x 0... the 245 went up pretty steady and I got greedy I guess. I think today I will go for 250 and see if I can have a nice round number. 200 x 1 was my max in mid Jan before starting the 5x5. +45lbs in 6 month's isn't bad, I'd be really happy if I could add even 30lbs to that in the next 6 month's.

Chins
BW x 11

Dips
BW x 18

Seated Dumbell tri Extension
70 x 9
70 x 9

Barbell curl (strict form)
75 x 9
75 x 9

Needsize abs
5 x 5
5 x 5
5 x 5
5 x 5
5 x 5

Hypers
BW x 12
bw x 12

I had the best spot ever for bench, he is the only one in the gym that dose full squats and he uses a decent weight 315 x 5 x 3. He let me get to my sticking point and fight it until I said it ain't happening. Then he helped just enough to keep the weight moving but still making me do it.

I think this week I will save squats for wed. and I'll take friday off (I can't make it anyway), then hopefully next monday I'll be back to the 5x5 100%.

 

[blut wump]

Looking good. That's great progress on the bench.

 

[xblitz44x]

Awesome bench. And is that right?? 255x8 for squats?

 

[djeclipse]

Awesome bench. And is that right?? 255x8 for squats?

Good catch, I wish 255 x x8, it was a back off set of 155 x 8.

Looking good. That's great progress on the bench.

I am happy with the bench press, thre is still a mental block thing for me as even before I made the attempt I already assumed I wouldn't make it.

 

[xblitz44x]

Still some great progress brother! 250 is certainly a respectable bench.

 

[djeclipse]

Still some great progress brother! 250 is certainly a respectable bench.

245, I haven't done 250 yet and every time I assume I'll make an easy PR for bench I usually fail, lol.

 

[Mercere]

6 weeks on taking pounds off of yourself and putting them on to the lifts
Great progress man! I'm sure you'll gain muscle very quickly when bulking after the strength gains on your cutting process.

 

[djeclipse]

Week 7 Day 1, monday... deload

BW this morning was 179.4lbs

My lower right back is still hurting, it's not a bad pain but I still feel it even sitting. I am beginning to worry it may be something more serious. I am wondering if I need to take a complete week off from the gym? I am kind of lost as to what to do.

I am happy that I now have a 1rm max bench mark, I repeated fridays bench work out and got up 250 x 1. At the sticking point the spotter started to reach for it and I had to tell him not to touch it. It's weird, I knew on the way down that I would make the lift.

This is 50lbs over my 1rm before starting the 5x5, I’m getting anxious to get back to the program. I remembr telling madcow that I'd be so happy if I could just get 200 for a set of 5, lol

bench
115 x 5
145 x 5
190 x 2
230 x 1
250 x 1.... kind of a PR I guess


seated cable back pos machine
55 x 5
100 x 5
145 x 5
165 x 5
190 x 5

Chins
BW x 11
BW x 5

Hypers
BW x 15
BW x 15

Needsize crunches
7.5 x 5
7.5 x 5
7.5 x 5
7.5 x 5

At the end of my workout I ended up talking to a guy that I see every once in a while doing the typical one body part per week type workout. We’ve had conversations about training in the past and he keeps saying he’s been in a rut for a few month’s now, no gians etc. I’ve mentioned to him that he needs to change things up in the past but he wasn’t interested. Today (yesterday) he seemed like he was finally ready for a change so I told him that he should loose all that isolation stuff, pick a few core lifts and focus on adding weight to the bar every week. I told him about EF, the 5x5 and the gains I’ve made so far. Hopefully he’ll join as he has some dedication, to still be at the gym after staying stagnant for over 3 month’s is dedication.

 

[djeclipse]

6 weeks on taking pounds off of yourself and putting them on to the lifts
Great progress man! I'm sure you'll gain muscle very quickly when bulking after the strength gains on your cutting process.

I still have a lot of fat to loose, but ya, I am looking forward to being able to put some of it back on once I reach my cutting goals.

 

[Cynical Simian]

250 x 1.... kind of a PR I guess

"Kind of"...what the hell are you talking about? Congrats!

Not sure what to say on the back other than the decidedly unhelpful "you're probably the best judge since you know how it feels."

Maybe you should make a t-shirt pimping EF/the 5x5 to save yourself the trouble of talking to people about it.

 

[anotherbutters]

A t-shirt saying "squat, eat, sleep, repeat" in big letters running down the back would be cool

 

[djeclipse]

"Kind of"...what the hell are you talking about? Congrats!

Thanks, it is a nice round number

Not sure what to say on the back other than the decidedly unhelpful "you're probably the best judge since you know how it feels."

I'm not sure what to do either, it's more of a nagging pain that just won't go away. I will take the rest of the week off and hope I can get back into it by monday.

Maybe you should make a t-shirt pimping EF/the 5x5 to save yourself the trouble of talking to people about it.

A t-shirt saying "squat, eat, sleep, repeat" in big letters running down the back would be cool

Maybe,

SQUAT
PUSH
PULL
eat
sleep
REPEAT

Isolation is for chumps

I don't think it will fit though.

 

[djeclipse]

I'm back after taking 6 days off form lifting. My lower back feels a lot better, but still not 100%, i’d say like 95%.

I am down to 177.5lbs or so BW.

For a while I've been contemplating changing the rep scheme up a little and I think now is the time. I will try a 3 x 8 instead of the 5x5.

1. The weights will be lighter so my lower back will have more time to heal/ get stronger.

2. I should be out of the gym faster a it is the summer and I need my tan .

I am not sure what to do with wed though. I think I will stay away from deads for a while and was thinking of subbing in powercleans for deads. Is this ok or should I really try to keep deads in there.

With the deads I think my lower back needs at least a dayto heal and it's not really getting that with playing soccer the next day. I think that was the casue of the "injury". it sucks becaue I relaly like deads and was still making progress on them.

Anyway I will start a new journal and link it to this one as it has all my diet and progress info in it.

 

[djeclipse]

Here is the link to my new journal..

http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?t=493969