RipStone's 5x5-GFH journal

[RipStone]

Week 1-Wed

squats:
-95x5
-135x5
-165x5
-165x5
-165x5

standing OH press: (I perform these with my grip just outside shoulder-width)
65x5
80x5
95x5
110x5

deadlifts: (I used to hate deadlifts, but I started lifting sumo style and now I love them)
135x5
175x5
205x5
235x5(this set was suprisngly easy)

chins: (not on the orginal plan, but I wannted to add a vertical pull movement. I perform these underhand with my grip just inside shoulder-width)
BW+10x5
BW+10x5
BW+10x5(form got a little sloppy on the last rep so I dropped the weight)
BW+7.5x5
BW+7.5x5

ab work:

hanging-twishting leg raises: BWx10, BWx10
twisting rope cable crunches: 70x20, 70x20

comments: good workout overall. again, i kept thing kinda light and went 5-15lbs under my repective 5 RMs.

questions:
1. how much weight should i go for on my triple bench, squat, and row? it says a 2.5%increase from monday's top set, so my poor math skills say I should aim for a 215 squat, 170 bench, 130 row(rounding off a little). Does that sound about right? And then for monday I would use my triple weight from friday's workout for my top set of five?

2. next wed for chins, should I am for all sets at BWx10?

3. Is it ok that my max set for OH press and DLs were fairly easy today? keep in mind that my max sets are below my current 5 RMs. basiclly, is the progression ok that I will be hitting my current 5 RMs on about the 3rd week?

thanks

 

[Guinness5.0]

Sounds like you're a bit like me - the submaximal stuff is hard for us to deal with. I think you're doing fine and this is gonna get tough soon enough.

 

[young_squatter]

Week 1-Wed

squats:
-95x5
-135x5
-165x5
-165x5
-165x5

standing OH press: (I perform these with my grip just outside shoulder-width)
65x5
80x5
95x5
110x5

deadlifts: (I used to hate deadlifts, but I started lifting sumo style and now I love them)
135x5
175x5
205x5
235x5(this set was suprisngly easy)

chins: (not on the orginal plan, but I wannted to add a vertical pull movement. I perform these underhand with my grip just inside shoulder-width)
BW+10x5
BW+10x5
BW+10x5(form got a little sloppy on the last rep so I dropped the weight)
BW+7.5x5
BW+7.5x5

ab work:

hanging-twishting leg raises: BWx10, BWx10
twisting rope cable crunches: 70x20, 70x20

comments: good workout overall. again, i kept thing kinda light and went 5-15lbs under my repective 5 RMs.

questions:
1. how much weight should i go for on my triple bench, squat, and row? it says a 2.5%increase from monday's top set, so my poor math skills say I should aim for a 215 squat, 170 bench, 130 row(rounding off a little). Does that sound about right? And then for monday I would use my triple weight from friday's workout for my top set of five?

2. next wed for chins, should I am for all sets at BWx10?

3. Is it ok that my max set for OH press and DLs were fairly easy today? keep in mind that my max sets are below my current 5 RMs. basiclly, is the progression ok that I will be hitting my current 5 RMs on about the 3rd week?

thanks

Awesome workout rip, you did everything the way it was suppose to be done

For bench you could go to 170, but keep in mind there is no way your going to be able to increase your bench 5 lbs each week, When I talked to mark he told me to aim to increase the bench press only 1-3lbs a week because it goes up very slowly, for squats you should try to add anywhere from 2-10lbs a week to them. ANd for rows they also go up slow like the bench.

For chins you should be aiming to do 5x5 with the same weight, if you dont get 5x5 with the same weight then keep the weight the same and come back next week and try it again, once you get 5x5 with the same weight increase the weight and try to get 5x5 once again.

HOPE THIS HELPS.

 

[RipStone]

Awesome workout rip, you did everything the way it was suppose to be done

For bench you could go to 170, but keep in mind there is no way your going to be able to increase your bench 5 lbs each week, When I talked to mark he told me to aim to increase the bench press only 1-3lbs a week because it goes up very slowly, for squats you should try to add anywhere from 2-10lbs a week to them. ANd for rows they also go up slow like the bench.

For chins you should be aiming to do 5x5 with the same weight, if you dont get 5x5 with the same weight then keep the weight the same and come back next week and try it again, once you get 5x5 with the same weight increase the weight and try to get 5x5 once again.

HOPE THIS HELPS.

Thanks bro. That does help some.

I am wondering though since I did not use the same weight with chins this week, if I should bump it up next week and try and get BW+10 on all sets. This week I did BW+10 for my first three sets, but my form got sloppy on the last rep of the 3rd set so I decided to drop the weight and focus on perfect form.

I don't think 170x3 will be any probelm and I guess that is my conern. But as Guinsess5.0 said, it's gonna get harder down the line so I think it's ok that I am working with loads under my current 5 rep maxes(see the 1st post in my journal for those numbers). Just wanna make sure though that working under my current 5 RMs isn't gonna cause me to get weaker....??

 

[young_squatter]

Thanks bro. That does help some.

I am wondering though since I did not use the same weight with chins this week, if I should bump it up next week and try and get BW+10 on all sets. This week I did BW+10 for my first three sets, but my form got sloppy on the last rep of the 3rd set so I decided to drop the weight and focus on perfect form.

I don't think 170x3 will be any probelm and I guess that is my conern. But as Guinsess5.0 said, it's gonna get harder down the line so I think it's ok that I am working with loads under my current 5 rep maxes(see the 1st post in my journal for those numbers). Just wanna make sure though that working under my current 5 RMs isn't gonna cause me to get weaker....??

It wont cause you to get weaker, it will actually give your body a little time to repair itself and you will might actually be stronger.

Next week on chins do 5x5 with your BW+10lbs, If you only get 3 sets of 5 with good form then do the other sets for as many reps as you can until you can no longer do it with good form. If you do get all 5x5 with good form then increase the weight, if not keep it the same until you get 5x5 with good form.

 

[anotherbutters]

I'd probably jump 5lb to 170 on bench, since your 5RM is 175. Then slow it down, so something like 172/3, then 175 and go up 2-3lb per week from there, depending on what small plates you have.

When you choose the weight for the triple, do it with the 5 rep workout on the following Monday in mind. The idea is to get 5 reps on Mondays, not set a triple PR on Friday. I usually find the triples just as hard as the 5 reps on Mondays though, so for me it's usually is a triple PR followed by a 5RM, then another triple PR, etc.

 

[RipStone]

Thanks YS and Butters.

So for my triple for bench on friday I will do 175 cus my gym only has 2.5lbs plate incriments. Unless it would be alright to have 2.5lbs more on one side of the bar? I am gonna buy some small plates eventually too.

How bout the row and squats triple numers? Those look too low for now also?

 

[anotherbutters]

Play the increases by ear. If they feel easy, bump by a larger amount. If they're tough, a smaller amount. The thing to always have in mind is that it's easier to keep making small increases than it is to get going again if you stall. It's a balance between being greedy and the risk of stalling.

With your 5RMs in mind, you have another 15lb to play with on squat, and 10lb on bench and rows. You could increase squat by 10lb and the other two by 5lb next (for Friday's triple and 5 reps on Monday). Then after that, increase them all by 5lb, so you'll be on your 5RM for all of them.

Or you could increase them all by 5lb each week, so you hit your squat 5RM the week after you reach the bench and row 5RM.

Once you reach your 5RM weights, I'd increase squats by 5lb per week and the other two by a smaller amount if you can get hold of some smaller plates (so you do 5lb every two weeks).

 

[young_squatter]

Here is a link to some cheap 1.5lb plates

http://www.paragonsports.com/Paragon/Shop?DSP=40000&PCR=1:101:1017:10191&IID=5128-O1.25

 

[Cynical Simian]

A set of small plates is an amazing investment; definitely get them as soon as you can. Since you're limited to 5-pound jumps this week, I'd say playing it safe on rows with 130 would be the best way to go. As for squats, your first four sets are pretty well spaced and probably won't leave you so fatigued that you'd have to worry about not getting 220 for the appropriate reps on Friday and Monday.

This applies more to future weeks when first-week conservatism isn't a factor and the incremental plates give you more control, but don't be afraid to adjust the weight of the triple a bit from what you'd planned in advance or what the 2.5% guideline yields based on how the fourth set feels.