Repair and prepare - my journal on the road back to 5x5

[nelmsjer]

I'm curious about your loss of balance on squats. I'm going to assume that you are going down under control, but I just want to make sure. You aren't bouncing out of the bottom, right? Also, how is your ankle flexibility? Is the balance issue normal, or was it just a fluke fluctuation in the moon's gravitational pull?

 

[anotherbutters]

I think I'm just a bit rusty that's all, and wasn't really concentrating. I was on my toes on reps 3 & 4, but then I sat back and got the balance further back on my feet and all was ok. I usually think of driving my heels into the floor, but I think I ought to be thinking of trying to raise my hips/butt first.

 

[anotherbutters]

Week 1, Saturday

Bodyweight: 80.5kg (177lb)

1. Ivanko gripper (lbs)
85 x 1 x 8 ........ warmup
101 x 1 x 3 ....... warmup
113 x 3 x 5

I really want to work my grip strength to help with deadlifts. I always used to struggle holding onto the bar on the top set, even with chalk and a mixed grip. I think even a little improvement will go a long way.

I took it easy with these today because I hurt my hand when I first got the gripper. I think I'll start doing them on Mondays and Fridays, so that's 3 grip workouts per week if you include deads. I don't know whether that's good or bad, but the increased frequency ought to limit any soreness. Don't read too much into the poundages listed above, they're from this page, which lists poundages against spring positions on the gripper. It doesn't really matter what the numbers are, so long as they go up over time.

I've got to say, I've been feeling a lot better since I started working out properly again. Maybe it's an extremely mild case of DOMS, but I feel a lot 'tighter' in the upper body. Or maybe it's just bruising from being stood up and bumping into people on an impossibly packed train on the way into work every day

how is the back coping so far?

Sorry, I missed your question. Back's been great. I get a very tiny feeling in the injured area after I wake, but it's probably due to how I've been lying and goes away after a few minutes. I've had weekly chiro visits up to now (skipping next week) and he said my hips seem to have settled in the correct position. I don't feel any twinges during workouts, so I guess this is it - time to GFH.

 

[anotherbutters]

I just visited the board at meso and read the following in this thread on bulking and cutting times. When I started my first SF 5x5 last summer, my thoughts were to bulk over winter, then cut and maintain over summer, then repeat. Although I've had concerns over bodyfat, I've secretly wanted to continue bulking because I know cutting is going to slow me down. I'm a slightly tubby 180 now, so the following got me thinking...

Something else to keep in mind is that the body likes homestasis. Bulking for 6-7 months, then suddenly trying to cut doesn't convince your body to keep that newly added mass. If you really are committed, and really want to get to an astonishing physique, you are going to have to sacrifice a few summers. That may mean that you avoid the beach/pool a few years.

If you are 180 now, and want to be 230 and lean. You are going to have to get to 260-270 and stay there for AT LEAST 6 months, and then cut. So that means that you'll need 2 years of CONSTANT "smart" bulking, then 6 months of additional stabilizing, and then 3-4 months of cutting.

So truth be told, 3 years from now, the above guys will have what he wants. If you want something similar to the above, you can suck it up and do it. Or you can find yourself 20lbs. heavier 10 years from now, looking "decently frustrated" the whole time.

 

[asdfzxcv]

I just visited the board at meso and read the following in this thread on bulking and cutting times. When I started my first SF 5x5 last summer, my thoughts were to bulk over winter, then cut and maintain over summer, then repeat. Although I've had concerns over bodyfat, I've secretly wanted to continue bulking because I know cutting is going to slow me down. I'm a slightly tubby 180 now, so the following got me thinking...

So basically they are saying dont worry about bodyfat if your trying to get big,just bulk 30-40lb above your goal in a smart manner,stay there for a while then worry about cutting off the excess fat?That method appeals to me as I dont really care what people think about my appearance and my main goal is strength,strength and more strength .I dont think you would need to cut at the end,just spend 12months at maintainence to allow for your body to recomp itself into the new weight.

Damn,I need to gain about 90-100lb to get to 290-300lb then cut down to 250-260lb,this is going to take hell of a lot of food and time .

 

[anotherbutters]

Basically, yes. I don't know whether there's anything in it, but it's an interesting idea. My end goal is to look good as well as be stronger, so that means size and abs. Recomp will get you so far, but I think getting bodyfat low enough for abs will require a bit more focus on cutting. Working it out, there's no reason why I couldn't get up to 260-270 a couple of years from now. That's just under 1lb increase per week.

Reaches for a second bowl of oats...

 

[asdfzxcv]

Basically, yes. I don't know whether there's anything in it, but it's an interesting idea. My end goal is to look good as well as be stronger, so that means size and abs. Recomp will get you so far, but I think getting bodyfat low enough for abs will require a bit more focus on cutting. Working it out, there's no reason why I couldn't get up to 260-270 a couple of years from now. That's just under 1lb increase per week.

Reaches for a second bowl of oats...

Here is a thread from midwest barbell,about a powerlifter who diets down from 320lb to 265lb and gets a damn great physique in the process.
http://www.midwestbarbell.com/totalelite/index.php?showtopic=1110

Nothing fancy about his approach,he just spent a few years getting ungodly strong and eating lots,then focused on his bodyfat once there was lots of muscle there.At your height 250lb would be quite massive and impressive,but I think in 2-3years it would be possible .

 

[anotherbutters]

I knew that was Dave Gulledge before I even clicked on the link. His transformation is incredibly inspirational and his carbed up pics give him a comic book superhero type of look, lol.

And stop going on about my height, you big oaf j/k

Heh, you're right though, mid-200s would be pretty damned good for me. I really like the idea of having a 3 year goal as it puts everything in perspective. Stops me whinging about bodyfat every few months.

 

[asdfzxcv]

And stop going on about my height, you big oaf j/k

Haha I didnt mean it in a derogitory sense ,just saying it would look damn impressive.Believe me being tall sucks ass for weightlifting,everything has a long range of motion and squats take some getting used to.Also it takes alot more lb of lean mass to even look like we workout,but that wil not stop me from reaching my goals,nothing will.

I am looking forward to seeing how you go with squats this year.You managed to reach 105kg with relative ease before your injury.I am sure you will be able reach 140kg for reps by the end of the year provided the back holds up.

 

[RipStone]

I like the theory of bulking up for a long time and adding a good deal of muscle/weight/size, rather than the traditional BBing way to go of doing bulk/cut cycles(gain 20, lose 10, etc).

I have been doing the former for about 6(ish) months. I kinda coined the phrase doing a "clean/perpetual bulk". Basiclly its suited for my goals(similar to yours AB)....get strong, get big, but look nice for the ladies too. I wrote some tips about it in this thread at bb.com...

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=646924&highlight=clean (post 6)