Dposey's SF 5x5 Journal

[Dposey]

Hello again everyone.

My Rippetoe Program went well for awhile but, unfortunately, I was stalling bigtime with adding weight (Squat mainly) every single workout. It was suggested that I just do a SF 5x5 instead and I'd have to agree, since I'm no longer a raw beginner. So here it goes!

Stats: Age 18, 5'11.5", 180 pounds, 20% (I'm guessing) BF

Background: I just came off of a Rippetoe run and it was short-lived. I had a feeling that there was no way I'd be able to put weight on the bar every single workout for more than a month, mainly because I'm not 140 pounds and I'm not eating myself crazy. I also do cardio, which isn't part of the Rippetoe program, which is why I'm transitioning into a SF 5x5. Here are my current 5RMs:
Squat: 170
Bench: 140
Deadlift: 145
Power Clean: 95
Push Press: 90
Since I only stalled on my squats, I'll be putting my current Squat max at the end of week 3 and I'm just going to start with my current maxes on all the other stuff. Hopefully this won't prove to be a mistake, but I want to milk the linear progression for as long as possible, right?

Goals: I just want to gain strength and muscle without gaining a whole lot of fat. I want to lift more, run faster, have more endurance, look better, etc. I've got until July before I enter basic training, so I'm going to take full advantage.

Diet: I'll be eating around 3300 calories a day. It's a pretty clean diet with 26% fat, 35% carbs, and 39% protein. Honestly I'm trying not to overthink the diet this time around. I'm just going to eat it as planned and make adjustments as needed. I'll be doing cardio at least 3 times a week anyway to ward off any excess fat gains.

Program:

Monday:
5x5 Squat
5x5 Bench
5x5 Power Clean
3x8 Weighted Hyperextensions
5x5 Needsize Crunches

Tuesday:
30 minutes cardio (Interval training or incline walking)

Wednesday:
5x5 Light Squat
5x5 Push Press
5x5 Deadlifts
5x5 Chin-ups (Might need to build to 5x5, then gradually increase to 4x6, 3x8, etc.)
5x5 Needsize Crunches

Thursday:
30 minutes cardio (Interval training or incline walking)

Friday:
4x5 Squat, 1 triple, back-off
4x5 Bench, 1 triple, back-off
4x5 Power Clean, 1 triple
3x8 EZ Bar Curls
3x8 Tricep Extensions

Saturday:
30 minutes cardio (Timed 1.5 mile, stair running, calisthenics)
2 minutes push-ups + 2 minutes sit-ups test (For basic training preparation)

This is my plan and I'm sticking to it. Wish me luck!

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Monday 3/6/06 - Week 1 - Day 1

Squats:
95 x 5
110 x 5
125 x 5
140 x 5
155 x 5

Bench Press:
85 x 5
100 x 5
115 x 5
125 x 5
140 x 5

Power Cleans:
55 x 5
65 x 5
75 x 5
85 x 5
95 x 5

Weighted Hyperextensions:
BW+35 x 8
BW+35 x 8
BW+35 x 8

Needsize Crunches:
BW+20 x 5
BW+20 x 5
BW+20 x 5
BW+20 x 5
BW+20 x 5

Comments:
I felt this was a good start on the program. The squats felt lighter than they've felt in awhile, which is good. The bench was a lot harder than the last time, maybe because I haven't done it in a week. I'll try for 145 on Friday and if I fail I'll start increasing by 2.5 a week instead of 5. Power Cleans went good, I'm pretty sure my form is solid. I'm having the most difficulty with my arm position at the end of the rep, but it's getting easier.

 

[Dposey]

Thursday 3/9/06 - Week 1 - Day 2

Squats:
95 x 5
110 x 5
125 x 5
125 x 5
125 x 5

Push Press:
55 x 5
65 x 5
75 x 5
85 x 5
95 x 5 PR

Deadlift:
95 x 5
110 x 5
125 x 5
145 x 5
155 x 5 PR

Chin-ups:
BW x 5
BW x 4
BW x 4
BW x 4
BW x 3

Needsize Crunches:
BW+20 x 6
BW+20 x 6
BW+20 x 6
BW+20 x 6
BW+20 x 6

Comments:
I had so much homework to do yesterday in addition to a meeting that lasted 3+ hours so I literally had no time to go to the gym. I really hate missing workouts and I don't plan on doing it again, so I just moved Wednesday's workout to today and I'll do Friday's on Saturday. Workout went good, the push presses and deadlifts are picking up right where they left off. Chin-ups are hard but they're getting a bit easier. Good workout overall.

 

[Dposey]

Friday 3/10/06 - Week 1 - Day 3

Squats:
95 x 5
110 x 5
125 x 5
140 x 5
160 x 3
125 x 8 (Back-off)

Bench Press:
75 x 5
95 x 5
115 x 5
125 x 5
145 x 3
115 x 8 (Back-off)

Power Cleans:
55 x 5
65 x 5
75 x 5
85 x 5
100 x 3

EZ Bar Curls:
60 x 8
60 x 8
60 x 8

Tricep Extensions:
50 x 8
50 x 8
50 x 8

Comments:
I decided to go ahead with today's workout even though I had to bump Wednesday's workout to yesterday. I'm definitely never going to miss another workout and to two in a row again...I was really exhausted. However, I still managed a fair workout and didn't fail on anything. I hit 145x3 on the bench which I was doubting considering I had a little trouble with 140x5 on Monday.

 

[Dposey]

Monday 3/13/06 - Week 2 - Day 1

Squats:
95 x 5
110 x 5
125 x 5
140 x 5
160 x 5

Bench Press:
85 x 5
95 x 5
115 x 5
125 x 5
145 x 5 PR

Power Cleans:
55 x 5
65 x 5
75 x 5
85 x 5
100 x 5 PR

Weighted Hyperextensions:
BW+40 x 8
BW+40 x 8
BW+40 x 8

Needsize Crunches:
BW+25 x 5
BW+25 x 5
BW+25 x 5
BW+25 x 5
BW+25 x 5

Comments:
Great workout today! The squats didn't feel too bad, and I hit PRs on my bench and power clean. Also upped the weight on the hypers and crunches and I'm definitely feeling it.

 

[Dposey]

Wednesday 3/15/06 - Week 2 - Day 2

Squats:
95 x 5
110 x 5
125 x 5
125 x 5
125 x 5

Push Press:
55 x 5
65 x 5
75 x 5
85 x 5
100 x 5 PR

Deadlift:
95 x 5
115 x 5
125 x 5
145 x 5
165 x 5 PR

Chin-ups:
BW x 4
BW x 4
BW x 4
BW x 4
BW x 3 + 1 (Waited a few seconds. Not enough rest from the previous set)
BW x 4

Needsize Crunches:
BW+25 x 5
BW+25 x 5
BW+25 x 5
BW+25 x 5
BW+25 x 5

Comments:
Another solid workout. I hit another 10 lb. PR on the deadlift and I'm continuing to increase my push press by 5 lbs. I tried 6x4 on the chin-ups because I haven't been able to hit 5x5 and I think I'm going to stick with it until I can do 5x5 without missing reps. I'm liking this program a lot!

 

[Dposey]

Friday 3/17/06 - Week 2 - Day 3

Squats:
95 x 5
115 x 5
130 x 5
145 x 5
165 x 3
130 x 8 (Back-off)

Bench Press:
85 x 5
100 x 5
115 x 5
130 x 5
150 x 3
115 x 8 (Back-off)

Power Cleans:
55 x 5
65 x 5
75 x 5
85 x 5
105 x 3

EZ Bar Curls:
60 x 8
60 x 8
60 x 8

Tricep Extensions:
50 x 8
50 x 8
50 x 8

Comments:
This workout went pretty good. The 165 on squats felt lighter this time around. I barely got 150 x 3 for Bench so hopefully I'll be able to get all 5 reps on Monday. I think it's time I buy some microloading chains to make 2.5 lb. jumps. Really, really pleased with my power clean form today, traps are pretty sore right now.

 

[Introspective]

Congrats on wednesdays PR's. I will be following your progress.

 

[Dposey]

Thank you introspective. I'm following yours as well.

 

[Dposey]

Wednesday 3/22/06 - Week 3 - Day 2?

Squats:
95 x 5
115 x 5
130 x 5
130 x 5
130 x 5

Push Press:
65 x 5
75 x 5
85 x 5
95 x 5
105 x 5 PR

Deadlift:
105 x 5
120 x 5
135 x 5
155 x 5
175 x 5 PR

Chin-ups:
BW x 4
BW x 3
BW x 3
BW x 3
BW x 2
BW x 1

Needsize Crunches:
BW+25 x 5
BW+25 x 5
BW+25 x 5
BW+25 x 5
BW+25 x 5

Comments:
Ack, well I really messed this week up. I wasn't able to make it to the gym Monday OR Tuesday due to various reasons. I thought about doing Monday's workout today and skipping Wednesday altogether but I decided to just go ahead with the program. I'll redo last Friday's workout and do what was supposed to be done this Monday on next Monday. Other than that, good workout. I was so tired after the deads that I couldn't do all of my chin-ups. Maybe I'll jog over to the school tonight and finish them up.

 

[Dposey]

Friday 3/24/06 - Week 3 - Day 3?

Squats:
95 x 5
115 x 5
130 x 5
145 x 5
165 x 3
130 x 8 (Back-off)

Bench Press:
85 x 5
100 x 5
115 x 5
130 x 5
150 x 3
115 x 8 (Back-off)

Power Cleans:
65 x 5
75 x 5
85 x 5
95 x 5
105 x 3

EZ Bar Curls:
60 x 8
60 x 8
60 x 8

Tricep Extensions:
50 x 8
50 x 8
50 x 8

Comments:
Pretty much just redid last Friday's workout because, as I mentioned, I missed Monday's workout. This week is more of a half-week than anything, but all I can do is move forward. Squat, bench, and power cleans were all a little easier than last Friday, so that's a good sign. I really got my power clean form down, someone actually came up and commented on them. It's probably my favorite lift now next to push press.