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

[blut wump]

That's odd about the spotter bars. I use the same height bars in the rack for front and back squats. I wonder what that says about my squats? I must get a video done at some time.

Those deads must have been frustrating with your grip going early. I recall the last time I dropped the bar from full height on a deadlift. It felt to me like the whole building reverberated with the noise and I was sure that gym staff were going to come running.

It's starting to look like your workouts mean business again.

 

[nelmsjer]

blut_wump, I fear your Karmic Power. It gives me shivers.

AB, I forgot to ask...are you having problems, even with a mixed grip? It's not very clear, or I have misread something.

 

[anotherbutters]

It's a Powertec bench and squat 'rack': http://www.ukfitnesssupplies.co.uk/mall/productpage.cfm/UKFitnessSuppliesLtd/WBBRSN/59922

I occasionally hit the spotter bars at the bottom on back squats (usually a small touch on either side), but I did it every time with front squats today. I usually step out of the reach of the spotter bars for front squats, but I did them within reach today. At some point, fronts will get heavy and I'll want the reassurance of the bars. It's not a big deal, I just need to get even higher.

asdf, I'm quite happy with my rack (delts) for front squats. It's probably confusing because I use the term 'rack' for both my delts and the squat rack/bench system that I take the bar from. I could probably add 10kg to these right now; I just haven't pushed them before. I'll be increasing them by 2.5kg per week.

I usually use mixed grip on the top set on deads, but I was playing with hook grip today. My hook grip usually slides open (but not as fast as double overhand), so I was seeing whether it would make a difference squeezing my second finger tighter on top of my thumb. I could have used mixed, but after the noise, I just wanted to get the deads done.

 

[Guinness5.0]

Here's what my rows look like:
http://media.putfile.com/PRows225

I'm not nearly as close to parallel as I thought BTW.

 

[Jim Ouini]

My rows sound exactly the same.

 

[anotherbutters]

Thanks G5.0. It just goes to show how different your actual form can be, compared to what you think it's like. There's probably little value in me commenting on my form for the same reason. I imagine my straight legged form to be like yours but with my butt higher and shoulders in the same place. I also imagine less body english, and that my bent-legged form is similar to yours. But it's going to be impossible to tell for sure until I get a camera.

My rows sound a little quieter for some reason.

 

[Introspective]

i'm gonna start my urm your eating program butters i was wondering do you cover your almonds in honey and eat it that way and then your kiwi ?
and what do you have your brown rice with just on it's own ? also olive oil do you spread a teasponn worth on your veg or just just drink it from the teaspoon ?

I went out and baught everything on the list today the whole eating program apart from Maltodextrin and dextrose im gonna start tomorrow, i don't have the first clue about what i should be eating so i looked over 1 of your old threads and found this program hehe. So i just figured butters knows his stuff ile just copy him lol. Sorry to bust in on your thread but it's hard to get a reply in the diet forum.

Back to topic of lifting for a moment, im gonna have a week or 2 away from lifting cardio alltogether to give my body a rest in a couple weeks time, then im gonna read all of starting strength then do another 12 weeks of the same program but this time use powercleans instead of bent over rows, I find i have been stalling on my bench and incline for about 5 weeks now, hopefully with new diet and fresh comeback after my rest time i will be able to push past my current pr's.

Good luck with trying to beat your current pr's i look forward to seing some results from your journal in weeks to come


07:00
2 whole eggs
6 egg whites
Oats, 40g
Semi-Sk Milk, 1/4 pint
Almonds, Honey, Kiwi fruit

10:00
Tuna, can
Brown rice, 50g
Veg, 3 portions
Omega 3-6-9 Oil, teaspoon
Olive Oil, teaspoon

12:00 Pre-workout
Whey, 30g
Maltodextrin, 40g

13:00 Post-workout
Whey, 30g
Dextrose, 70g

13:30
Chicken breast on 2 brown muffins
Banana

16:00
Chicken breast
Brown rice, 50g
Veg, 3 portions
Omega 3-6-9 Oil, teaspoon
Olive oil, teaspoon

19:00
Tuna, can
Brown rice, 50g
Veg, 3 portions
Omega 3-6-9 Oil, teaspoon
Olive Oil, teaspoon

22:00
Ny-Tro PRO-40, 1/2
Oats, 20g
Olive Oil, teaspoon

02:00
Semi-Sk Milk, 1/4 pint
Cottage cheese, 50g

 

[anotherbutters]

I'm honoured, thanks

I remember that diet - the brown rice drove me nuts, 3 times a day! I posted my current diet in someone's thread the other day, but I can't remember who's - I much prefer Jim/AI's milkshakes in place of two of those rice-based meals. And I've finally finished the 8 boxes of Ny-TRO Pro 40 that I ordered in bulk from the States because they were cheaper to import myself than buy in the UK.

If you really want to know the gory details: for breakfast, I have a kiwi fruit, then the egg whites and whole egg, whilst everything else is in a pan, cooking, to make porridge - oats, milk, almonds, raisins and honey.

The rice was part of a meal, with veg, chicken/tuna and oil spooned over it. I used to take them to work in plastic tubs, but people complained that they could smell dog food whenever I opened the tuna one, so I had to stop, lol. Milkshakes are far more 'environmentally' friendly, although people still comment on the brown sludge I drink (from the chocky flavoured whey).

Diet doesn't have to be complicated. Just eat 4-6 times a day, get a source of protein with each meal, try to eat healthy natural stuff like fresh veg, rice and oats, and get some fat from good oils/certain fish/nuts. Eat enough to put on a bit of weight each week.

 

[Guinness5.0]

There's probably little value in me commenting on my form for the same reason. I imagine my straight legged form to be like yours but with my butt higher and shoulders in the same place. I also imagine less body english...

Yeah I def. use body english but I think you kinda have to on these - how else can you contract your erectors if you don't 'hitch' a bit?

But it's going to be impossible to tell for sure until I get a camera.

I've said it before and I'll say it again - that was the best $50 I've spent in quite a while.

 

[anotherbutters]

Week 2, Thursday

Bodyweight: 82kg (180lb)

1. Pullups (wide grip, palms away)
BW x 2
BW x 2
BW x 1
BW x 2
BW x 1

2. Chins (close grip, palms facing)
BW x 4
BW x 3
BW x 3
BW x 2


Comments

*sigh* I suck at pullups. I remember managing 5 reps at one point, but I'm struggling to do singles and doubles now. Chins are a lot easier because of the mechanically advantageous position. I expect there's a pretty big carry over from chins to pullups, so I've come up with a strategy. I'm going to drop pullups and focus on chins, since I can do at least two strong reps with my chin well above the bar. I'm going to do 24-25 reps, however many sets it takes me. The first goal is to get 8 sets of 3. Then I'll try to get 6x4, then 5x5, 4x6, 3x8. Once I can do 3 sets of 8 chins, I'll either try pullups or go back to 8x3 chins and start adding weight.

I got up late today and didn't have time for abs. I didn't really have time for chins. I find it difficult to get up early and do ab/conditioning work on the off days, so I might try to do chins on Wednesdays again. I haven't really done any conditioning/cardio work yet.