Dposey's SF 5x5 Journal

[Dposey]

Monday 3/27/06 - Week 4 - Day 1


Squats:
95 x 5
115 x 5
130 x 5
145 x 5
165 x 5


Bench Press:
85 x 5
100 x 5
115 x 5
135 x 5
150 x 4 Fail

Power Cleans:
65 x 5
75 x 5
85 x 5
95 x 5
105 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:
I have mixed feelings about today's workout. I hit 165 x 5 on the squats and they were way easier than the last time I did them, so I'm really glad that I reset them a few pounds. I also hit a PR on power cleans. However, I failed my bench PR attempt. 135 x 5 felt really heavy and I shouldn't have gone for the 5th rep of 150. I thought I had it though and spent about 10 seconds at my sticking point before finally getting it to the lowest rack. I'm not sure how to go about this on Friday. Should I microload and go for 147.5 instead of 150, or should I do 150 again? Any advice is appreciated as always. Other than that, great workout!

 

[Introspective]

Try 150 again, if you fail then ramp back a few weeks and microload.

 

[Dposey]

Yeah I think that's what I'm going to do. Thanks introspective.

 

[Dposey]

Wednesday 3/29/06 - Week 4 - Day 2

Squats:
105 x 5
120 x 5
135 x 5
135 x 5
135 x 5

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

Deadlift:
115 x 5
135 x 5
150 x 5
165 x 5
185 x 5 PR

Chin-ups:
BW x 4
BW x 3
BW x 4
BW x 3 (Quit here, arms were dead)

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

Comments:
Another great Wednesday workout. Added another 5 pounds to my push press and another 10 pounds to my deadlift. The only problem is that this is the second Wednesday in a row that I haven't been able to complete my chin-up goal (6x4). Last Wednesday I think I did 8x3 but today I was so tired after the push presses and deadlifts that I quit after only doing 14 total reps. Could I possibly move the chin-ups to the front of the workout, or at least right after squats? Or do you think that would be a mistake? Advice appreciated as always.

 

[Anthrax Invasion]

If you're having trouble with chinup progress, make them priority, take longer rests between sets, or move to lat pulldowns until you're comfortably able to move more weight. It's easier to make progressions with the pulldown until you can really pump out reps with chinups. I'd do that and make sure I could get a clean 12 reps out of chinups in one set before I moved back to them.

 

[Dposey]

Hmm, ok, that makes sense. How should I go about progressing with the lat pulldowns? Start with my body weight (Closest would be 180) and get as many reps as I can for a certain amount of sets? Or do sets of 12 and up the weight each week? I'm assuming that I should use the same shoulder-wide, underhand grip I use for chin-ups.

 

[Anthrax Invasion]

Yes, use the same grip as you would for chinups.

As per weight selection, I'm not sure. Start out comfortably and work your way up, as with anything else. The rep range is really up to you, too. Getting stronger in the lower rep ranges will eventually allow you to do more reps with less weight. Chinups are the same way. If you could do 5x5 comfortably, then get to the point where you're hanging 30 lbs. from you, you'd be able to hit higher reps unweighted easier.

I guess it's not set in stone, so I can't give you a definitive answer. Maybe start with higher reps and work your way down, and test your chinup max once a week on a day other than your training days, just to see where you're at.

 

[Dposey]

Ok, I'll test it out on Wednesday and go from there. Hopefully I can come up with some type of 5RM and then just work it like every other lift in the 5x5. Pyramid the weight up to a top set of 5 and just add weight every week. I'll test my chin-up max on Saturdays.

 

[Dposey]

Friday 3/31/06 - Week 4 - Day 3

Squats:
105 x 5
120 x 5
135 x 5
150 x 5
170 x 3
135 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
110 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 thought today was going to be a really shitty workout. Halfway to the gym it started pouring and I was completely soaked by the time I finally chained my bike up and ran inside. However I shrugged it off and wound up having a great workout. The squat was a lot easier than the last time I did 170. I also think I could have done 5 reps at 150 for bench, so I'm feeling pretty confident I'll nail all 5 on Monday and not fail again. Power cleans continue to o up without a problem. Such a fun lift.

 

[Anthrax Invasion]

Have you noticed any composition changes since you started a month ago? Any growth in any particular body parts?