Today's 5 x 5 workout and some fun facts

[wayneboard1]

"Plus inbetween sets the louder one would wail away to the song playing on his MP3 player (I assume). It souned like 'Working for the Weekend' by Loverboy but I can't be sure."

Oh dam that was funny. I got a visual of Chris Farley on that SNL skit where he was dancing to that song at a chipindales try out. LOL Thanks for the laugh man, I needed that one.

........you said loverboy.

 

[Jim Ouini]

Wk 7 Day 1
BW after workout: 187.5. No weight gain from last week. Dang.

Squat (3 x 3)

135 x 5
185 x 2
225 x 1
255 x 1
275 x 1
295 x 1
315 x 1
335 x 3 x 3

Best squat sets I've had, ever. I was real happy with the depth and dldnt belt up at all. I found out I really need to warm up my ankles with my new technique.

Bench (1 x 3)
135 x 5
185 x 2
225 x 1
245 x 3

Ok set, tried to pinch my shoulder blades together but I think I lost it as soon as I unracked it. Had to grind out the last rep.

BB row (1 x 3)
135 x 5
185 x 2
225 x 1
245 x 3

I'm really starting to feel strong on these, my elbow is getting better mostly because I'm not messing around with any isolation arm work I think.

Fun facts to know and tell:

-some powerlifter looking guy came into the gym today, never seen him before. He started counting all the 45lb plates in the gym like there weren't going to be enough for him for his bench workout. I got kind of scared and hoarded my measly amount.

-anyone else doing 5 x 5 just feel a lot more manly? Maybe it's the sound of the plates hitting the floor as you deweight the bar, or the fact you're living in the squat rack. Regardless, I'm considering walking around with the permanant lat spread swagger.

-saw an old guy (60 +?) was deadlifting 275 for reps. Maybe only the 2nd guy I've seen doing deads since I've been at Bally's. Props to him.

 

[Tom Treutlein]

Shit, that bodyweight just started shooting up now, didn't it? Congratulations, bor. Good stuff.

 

[Jim Ouini]

Shit, that bodyweight just started shooting up now, didn't it? Congratulations, bor. Good stuff.

Thanks!

It's either the body adapting or all that ANPB and oatmeal

 

[Madcow2]

Wk 7 Day 1
BW after workout: 187.5. No weight gain from last week. Dang.

Well, look at it this way: you are stronger than you've ever been (don't try new techniques with heavy triples) and your weight has stabalized above where it topped out before i.e. I think you said your heaviest was 186 or some such. The diet might have hurt your gains from this cycle. See how it plays out and keep at it but if you are getting stronger you are on the right track, your body might have been adapting early when you didn't have much intake though. Who knows. Not a big deal in the long run. If not this loading phase, then the next. Just see how it goes.

I hate to bring it up again because some people on this board are like food Gestapo but if you have trouble getting in enough food quantity you might have to opt for more calorically dense foods, maybe these aren't textbook healthy but they certainly won't harm getting bigger and stronger although if your current goal is BF below 8% (which will harm getting bigger or stronger) you'll have to carefully manage or avoid them. What I'm saying is - don't run from fried chicken, pizza, cheeseburgers, or tamer intakes (obviously this is the voice of Satan). Don't live on them, but many people have had to turn down the quality knob on their diets to gain more muscle. For those who plan very well and can ingest a lot of food, maybe that's 300-330. For those who are predisposed to low BF, fast metabolism, and small appetite - maybe they need to evalutate how badly they want to eat clean 100% of the time vs. putting on some muscle and getting to 200-210. A super clean diet and getting big and strong (with reasonable bodyfat - not some tub of lard) can intersect but there is no law forcing them to. It always seems like the people who are counting egg whites and eating ultra clean every meal are the ones who want to get bigger but can't - usually these people are fairly lean and this is related to insufficient caloric intake. So take from that what you will.

 

[Jim Ouini]

Yep I plan on letting this one run it's course and then do another run though. I am very happy with the results both in strength and weight gain to date.

re: diet, I have been one of those who ate super clean during the week and ate whatever on the weekends.

I've also been pretty lean as well, so I'm pretty much the poster child for what you described.

Being <10% bodyfat isnt one of my goals so getting sufficient calories is now my #1 priority.

 

[Jim Ouini]

Wk 7 Day 2

BW after workout: 188.5 (up a pound from last week)

I added brown rice to my morning smoothie instead of grapenuts since its more 'calorically dense'. Luckily my blender grinds it up but it was still - as Austin Powers might say - 'a bit nutty'

Deadlift
135 x 5
185 x 2
225 x 1

I tried these sets sumo and conventional while standing on an aerobics stepper as per illuminati's suggestion. It worked great although for conventional I really had to squat down to reach the bar. My knees felt way over my feet. I tried to do these fast just to try it out. I like it.

275 x 1 (s&c)
295 x 1 (s&c)
315 x 1 (s)
335 x 3 x 3 (s)

Working sets felt great which suprised me since 315 felt bad. I have my tempo a lot better while deweighting the bar on the floor. I may have instinctively done a little butt rock in between reps to get that stretch reflex, though.

Military Press
Bar x 10
65 x 5
95 x 1
115 x 1
135 x 3 x 3

I really suck at these. First set was like a push press. Last set I moved my hands in a bit so my forefinger was right about where that first knurl is on the bar. That seemed to help. Moved my feet out to shouder width, too.

Pullups
45 x 3 x 3

Lots left in the tank on this one.

Next week is max week. My goal is 365 DL for Wk 9, although I may try this for a single. That would make me very happy.

 

[Madcow2]

Wk 7 Day 2

BW after workout: 188.5 (up a pound from last week)

I added brown rice to my morning smoothie instead of grapenuts since its more 'calorically dense'.

At least your weight is going in the right direction now. That's good to see. Strength still looks good too - setting PRs consistently is very satisfying. More weight will follow sooner or later and for next cycle you already have your maxes lined up to slide right into week 3 and week 8 (of course you can adjust as needed if you find you are much stronger when you begin again). You might try substituting push presses for military next time. A lot of people get better results and if you hate military it might be just the thing.

BTW - I think our definitions of what is 'calorically dense' might be a bit different.

 

[Jim Ouini]

At least your weight is going in the right direction now. That's good to see. Strength still looks good too - setting PRs consistently is very satisfying. More weight will follow sooner or later and for next cycle you already have your maxes lined up to slide right into week 3 and week 8 (of course you can adjust as needed if you find you are much stronger when you begin again).

Well its always been going up, it never went down. I'd just hit a 3-4 day plateau last week is all which was disappointing (not discouraging) since I was picking up what seemed like a pound a day.

The PR's really make this program satisfying, especially in deads 'n squats. Keeps you motivated to stay the course.

You might try substituting push presses for military next time. A lot of people get better results and if you hate military it might be just the thing.

I figure what I'm doing is a hybrid right now anyway. A little dip when I need it but it's not a concerted effort to get it in the lift. It probably would allow me to go heavier, though.

BTW - I think our definitions of what is 'calorically dense' might be a bit different.

I was thinking calories per unit volume. No?

 

[Madcow2]

I figure what I'm doing is a hybrid right now anyway. A little dip when I need it but it's not a concerted effort to get it in the lift. It probably would allow me to go heavier, though.

Yeah, why not give it a shot. You might find you just aren't good at strict pressing overhead but make much better gains push pressing - much more weight too. Then when you go back to military you'll find yourself much stronger (don't apply this to other exercises though - not a license to cheat big).

I was thinking calories per unit volume. No?

I was thinking 1/2 pound cheeseburger to go with your protein shake