Look what the 5x5 did to me

[fallingeggs]

My summer story:

Age: 20
Height: 6’0

Pre summer story: Have always been a chubby kid. This time last year I was 195lbs and tested at 31% body fat. I dieted down to 160 and then started to half as lift about four months ago and started the summer at 170.

The summer:
My goal was straight forward – get a six pack eke just lose body fat, was tired of it all.
Lifting – Up till about a month ago it was the normal one body part per week bull shit. But I started the 5x5 program and have been hitting it hard for 6 weeks by now.
Diet: Calories at or around 2200. Lots of whole food protein, moderate fat, and low carbs. Nothing fancy.

One year ago... wow i hate this pic - 195lbs, 31%bf - 34in waist

http://putfile.com/pic.php?pic=main/7/21023554877.jpg&s=f10

Here are a few pics of where i started two months ago. Weight - 170ish

http://putfile.com/pic.php?pic=main/7/21022521785.jpg&s=f10
http://putfile.com/pic.php?pic=main/7/21022510280.jpg&s=f10
http://putfile.com/pic.php?pic=main/7/21022494796.jpg&s=f10


And here are some from a few days ago. Weight - 175ish - 30in waist

http://putfile.com/pic.php?pic=main/7/21022543573.jpg&s=f10
http://putfile.com/pic.php?pic=main/7/21022553685.jpg&s=f10
http://putfile.com/pic.php?pic=main/7/21022564642.jpg&s=f10
http://putfile.com/pic.php?pic=main/7/21022575528.jpg&s=f10


lifts:

Bench- 3x8x115 to 190 on fridays triple
Squat - 3x8x155 to 225 on fridays triple
Dead - 3x8x170 to top set of 265x5 and 1rm of 315
Row - 3x8x95 to top set of 150x5
Push Press - 3x8x70 to top set of 115x5

I followed the 5x5 almost all the way. I added powershurgs (monday), some light, fast power clean (friday), and some hammies, just 3x8 for full leg (wednesday). I did about 30 to 45 mins of cardo after each workout and if i felt like it i came in other days and did half hour of cardio.

I did not quite make it to the 6 pack, but for now i am happy. I am not going to even think about a diet for a few weeks then i will go on a nice lean bulk because i really, really hate cutting. I almost went crazy. I do think i will give it another try in a few months to get off the rest of it.

please ask any question that you want, i am am just putting the basic info up here.

 

[fallingeggs]

just wanted to think Madcow2, Cynical Simian, silver_shadow, Protobuilder, blut wump, biggt, and the motivation from mm107 and Shades McCool - have all showed me a lot... and i am sure i am missing a lot of people

 

[bigboi1]

good job bro...keep hammering away at it and the six pack will come.

 

[silver_shadow]

wow excellent... always nice to see a success story posted

 

[BiggT]

Great work....how are you gonna be lifting the next few weeks?

 

[fallingeggs]

thanks all.

biggt - going to keep with the normal 5x5 and adding in some light 30min cardio here and there. I have PRed every week even on the low cals and i figure i will keep hitting it hard till i stall then take a week off or deload. I am a little sore but still feeling good.

also as for the diet, i am still going to make sure i eat a good amount of protien but i am going to slowly add in all the lost carbs over the next week or two... not just going to go and eat a cake every night even though i really want to.

 

[blut wump]

Nice results. Keep doing what your doing, it works.

 

[Cynical Simian]

Nice strength gains and body comp progress - but how the hell did you manage to gain ~5 pounds on 2200 calories per day?

Anyway, IMO you have the perfect plan with a steady, clean bulk from a low level of bodyfat. If done right, you can probably add 15-25 pounds and not have to cut much after doing so.

 

[gjohnson5]

I partially agree with cynical. At age 20, i'm not so sure why bodyfat is a big fear. I would try to bulk up as much as possible, when high test levels don't cost money... Don't you play pickup games, touch football ,etc?? Just keep bulking up and doing those things for cardio as usual.

 

[fallingeggs]

I have no idea how i gained weight. Might have something to do with the fact that this is the first time that i kept my protien around 200-250g a day and the first time i have done some good weightlifting. My body was new to it all and soaked it all up.

 

[gjohnson5]

I have no idea how i gained weight. Might have something to do with the fact that this is the first time that i kept my protien around 200-250g a day and the first time i have done some good weightlifting. My body was new to it all and soaked it all up.

You answered your own question...
This would be a scenario more suited for cynical, but I would continue cycle on and off that 5x5 so that you continue to grow. If you are really concerned about bodyfat, I would do come circuit training instead of cardio. You have proven you can get rid of bodyfat so I don't think cardio is a need in your case.

 

[fallingeggs]

A question -


Olympic lifts. I would really like to start to add these in. I do power cleans right now, 5x2, on monday. I was thinking of working on learning the snatch and doing them in place of power cleans, or add them on Friday. I have been working on holding the weight above my head with the snatch grip to get my shoulders use to holding the weight. I am also working on flexibility because when trying an overhead squat I get about half way down and tip over (even though i squat atf).

I think if I would on flexibility on a smith it would help but any suggestions would be great. Last thing about oly lifts. – would it be a good idea to keep them on either Monday/Wednesday/Friday or can I put them on non work out days when learning. Yes I know it is a very personalized type of question but those that know of the 5x5 might be able to give me some idea.

 

[mm107]

Great Work Bro!!!

Keep It Up!

 

[BiggT]

You can add them in either in the AMs on the days you workout or on off days if you want. NEVER attempt to do them on the Smith machine, olympic lifts and overhead squatting are all about balance, core strength, and stability....the Smith provides trainees with non of that and would provide absolutely zero carryover to anything you do in a weight room or in life for that matter, lol.

With overhead squats, grip so the bar is about 6-8 inches above your head.....hold the bar BEHIND your head, and try to imagine 'attempting' to rip the bar apart with your hands. The flexibility comes with practice, also, I suggest a pair of olympic lifting shoes for OH squats, as doing them in sneakers really is ridiculous, it zaps power and halts progress.

A question -


Olympic lifts. I would really like to start to add these in. I do power cleans right now, 5x2, on monday. I was thinking of working on learning the snatch and doing them in place of power cleans, or add them on Friday. I have been working on holding the weight above my head with the snatch grip to get my shoulders use to holding the weight. I am also working on flexibility because when trying an overhead squat I get about half way down and tip over (even though i squat atf).

I think if I would on flexibility on a smith it would help but any suggestions would be great. Last thing about oly lifts. – would it be a good idea to keep them on either Monday/Wednesday/Friday or can I put them on non work out days when learning. Yes I know it is a very personalized type of question but those that know of the 5x5 might be able to give me some idea.

 

[upndown]

Great gains for a relatively short period of time...keep it up!

 

[fallingeggs]

biggt, you know of any cheap shoes? I am going to go pick up some chucks but that is not the same thing as oly shoes. the only oly shoes i have seen are like $160 which is not something that i really want to spend when i am only lifting 135lbs.

also, about the smith, i was just going to use it to force the streching, figure if i use it to strech out a few times i will be able to do it normally. i have been trying it in a cage but i just tip over and look like i have no clue what i am doing, lol.

 

[BiggT]

fallingeggs, just stretch out with a broom stick overhead......the key is developing flexibility with stabalizing the arms overhead.....the smith removes the stability thing......at home at night, just do oh squats with a broom stick and stick around in the bottom position for a while and get real comfy.

For shoes.....PM Glen Pendlay or visit his site at wfwclub.com but make sure to call the number to talk to Glenn directly. The shoes run $85 ($95 shipped).......you can check out vs athletics.com for $50 shoes, but they have no straps and you'd look like a butt plug in them, but they are a decent, quality shoe though if money is tight.

PS,

Chucks SUCK for olympic lifting....they are better than sneakers because you won't waste force and power, but if you are having depth/flexibility issues, they won't help any, and will probably make hitting rock-bottom depth harder due to the flat soles.

 

[TheOak84]

a dab will do ya

 

[fallingeggs]

I went to the gym tonight for an hour to work on the oly lifts. i started off in the cage working with just the bar. i worked on the front squat rack, holding the bar over head with the snatch grip, and then doing full over head squats. it went well, after about 30mins i was able to do the full OH squat which was cool. After the cage i moved to the mats and worked on hang cleans into front squats and hand snatchs into OH squats. I only had 65lbs on the bar but it gave my upper body/shoulders a good workout. Only tipped over a few times. all and all it was great, i can now say i can do an OH squat. going to spend the next few weeks slowly moving up the weights and also adding the pull to make a full clean or snatch.

also, i was going to get the chucks just for back squats and deads.

 

[BiggT]

Chucks are fine for deads.....but in my opinion not the best choice for olympic or front squats as the flat sole makes it tougher to reach rock bottom depth....for PL squats they are another story entirely, but if you want to do OH squats and snatch, I would assume you're training the olympic squat, you'd be better off olympic lifting shoes.....or work boots if you want to be ghetto.....or at the very least sneakers with a firmer sole.....but I feel the elevated heel is important when doing narrower stance full squats.

 

[fallingeggs]

sounds good, time to save a little to get shoes from gleen

another thing, about power shurgs... how do you feel about deloading the bar after each rep. i did this to see how it felt last workout and i was about to refocus and get better power out of each rep. should i keep it like this or do it from the hang and just learn how to get all the power i can from that point.