My Training Journal - Bill Starr's Single Factor 5 x 5

[Cynical Simian]

1. Bench:
40kg x 5
50kg x 5
55kg x 5
61kg x 5
68.5kg x 5
55kg x 8

Impressive 5-rep triple.

I think you're right about the tricep work; you're hitting them a ton on one day with the extra back-off set on bench and two assistance exercises. If you want to keep both dips and skullcrushers, at least move them to different days. Skullcrushers on Tuesday and dips on Saturday might work well.

 

[anotherbutters]

Yeh, I'd just keep the dips since they hit more than just triceps. Chuck the skullcrushers.

 

[|D_J^B_J|]

TUESDAY:

1. Bench:
40kg x 5
50kg x 5
55kg x 5
61kg x 5
68.5kg x 5 --> New PR?? (see below)

2. Squat:
50kg x 5
60kg x 5
70kg x 5
77.5kg x 5
86kg x 5 (up 1) --> New PR!

3. Row:
40kg x 5
45kg x 5 (up 5)
48.5kg x 5 (up 3.5)
52.5kg x 5 (up 2.5)
57.5kg x 5 (same)

4. Donkey calf-raise:
3 sets of 12

5. Weighted crunches
3 sets of 12


There are several things to report from today:

Firstly, I had an exam early this morning, so didn't expect my workout to be very good. It went pretty much as I expected.

Secondly, for bench, I had someone stand behind the bar for the last set for safety reasons, and I know for a fact that I did the first four reps unassisted, however I'm not quite sure whether he touched for the last rep. I managed to get it about 3/4 up, then the bar started travelling slower and I eventually managed to lock it out. I'm honestly not sure if it was all me and I don't know whether to increase next week. What do you think?

Thirdly, I noticed a couple of days ago I started re-experiencing some patella pain in my right knee - similar to the pain I had six months ago when my patella was tracking. I decided it wasn't serious enough for me to discontinue squats, and was able to manage to work my way through the sets, but it was fairly painful on the ascent for the first couple.

I think it is because I am not able to go all the way down on my last set, so there is still some stress on the patella. What I think I'll do for the next couple of weeks is keep the weight of the top set the same and focus on going further down on the descent. What do you think about this? That is the only logical explanation for the pain that I can think of.

The only other possible explanation might be because I have been playing a lot of basketball lately, and all that jumping can't be good for your knees. I doubt that's the cause of the pain, though.

Fourthly, even though I had done it before, the final set of rows were tough. I think it was due to the marked increase in the weight of my previous sets, however I do think it was time for me to increase them.

Finally, I plan to switch back to Mon - Wed - Fri as of next week, so I think I will train Tues - Thurs - Fri this week in order to give me the full two days rest over the weekend to allow me to set PRs again next week. What do you think about this? Will I be able to do relatively heavy squats the day after front squats? Should I go very light on the front squats or not do them at all this week?

I will be very surprised if anyone responds to ALL of my concerns, but any help will be appreciated, and K will be given whenever possible. Thanks guys!

 

[anotherbutters]

1) Good luck with the exam

2) On your bench, I don't know whether it might be worth dropping the weight and ramping back up again. I think you've been around 67/68kg for a few weeks now and the progress table you drew the other day showed your bench to be the slowest to increase.

I know dropping the weight and ramping up is supposed to get the gains going again (I'm hoping for myself anyway), but I don't know whether that advice is as effective when applied to a single exercise rather than everything. Your squat and deadlifts are still going up, so I wouldn't change them.

3) Squats - I can't lower my spotter bars low enough to get deep in the hole either, so I put a couple of 18" x 24" sheets of plywood down to stand on. It gives me another inch or so in height, which is just enough. Is there anything at your gym that you could stand on? The back of a couple of weight plates if they have flat backs, maybe?

I don't know about the pain, sorry.

4) Your first set on rows is 70% of the top set, which is quite high. You might want to back them all off a little. When I did 57.5, my progression was 35, 40, 45, 50, 57.5.

5) I'd be inclined to do the workout on Saturday, even though it only leaves you one day before Monday's PRs. Either way, you lose out on a day's rest. Or maybe do Thursday's in the morning and Friday's in the evening to space them out a little if that's possible.

All 5 answered - more k for me

Can I ask a request? Could you add the week number to your workout posts? It makes it easier when looking back at old posts. You started the week before me and I'm on week 16 now. Thanks!

 

[|D_J^B_J|]

3) For the squats: unfortuntely I don't think I can stand on a couple of gym plates as their base is not flat. Would this not cause me to lose balance?

4) Point taken about the weight of the early sets in proportion to the final set for rows. I'll back them off a bit and increase the final set next week.

5) I probably would do the third workout on Saturday, but the only problem is that I can't. I have an exam in the morning and one in the afternoon, and my gym closes at 5pm, so there just isn't enough time for me to go.

Unfortuntely, I seem to have given you some K recently, so I'll give you some more after I have reloaded.

Thanks for your help.

P.S. Good point about adding the week numbers into the workout entries making it easier to look back. I'll add them in next week.

 

[anotherbutters]

3) My plates have the usual indents and writing on the front, but the backs are completely flat. It was just a thought that if yours were the same, you could stand on the backs.

Don't worry about the k, I'm always getting that

 

[|D_J^B_J|]

Update:
I've been sick since Thursday, so haven't been able to train since Tuesday. I'm hoping to be ready to train again by Wednesday.

 

[|D_J^B_J|]

Back into it this week after recovering from illness.. and boy, was I surprised at the amount of strength I had lost! (rhetorical question)

MONDAY:

Bench:
40kg x 5
50kg x 5
55kg x 5
60kg x 5
67.5kg x 3 --> FAIL (1 below PB set of 5)

Squat:
50kg x 5
60kg x 5
70kg x 5
77.5kg x 5
85kg x 5 (1 below PB)

Row:
40kg x 5
40kg x 5
45kg x 5
50kg x 5
55kg x 5 (2.5 below PB)

Weighted situps:
3 sets of 12

 

[|D_J^B_J|]

Wednesday:

1. Front Squats:
40kg x 5
47.5kg x 5
52.5kg x 5
60kg x 5 (up 2.5) --> New PR!

2. BB Military Press:
32.5kg x 5
37.5kg x 5
40kg x 5
45kg x 4 --> FAIL

3. Deadlifts:
50kg x 5
70kg x 5
90kg x 5
110kg x 5 (6 below PB)

4. Pull-ups:
(BW) x 8
(BW + 2.5kg) x 7
(BW + 5kg) x 5

5. BB Curl:
20kg x 8
22.5kg x 7
22.5kg x 7

Military press was bad - 2.5kg below my PB. To be fair though, I think I was cheating when I lifting my previous PB. So, from now on, I'll try to be stricter when doing military press.

 

[|D_J^B_J|]

FRIDAY:

1. Bench:
40kg x 5
50kg x 5
55kg x 5
60kg x 5
67.5kg x 3
55kg x 8

2. Squats:
50kg x 5
60kg x 5
70kg x 5
77.5kg x 5
86kg x 3
70kg x 8

3. BB Rows:
40kg x 5
40kg x 5
45kg x 5
50kg x 5
56kg x 3
45kg x 8

4. Weighted Dips:
(BW) x 10
(BW + 2.5kg) x 8
(BW + 5kg) x 5

5. Cable push-down:
2 sets of 8

Oh, and Anotherbutters... I just read about your injury. Sorry to hear about that, bro. I will add in the dates as soon as I have the time.