DOMS be Gone!

FTA69

Well happy today, considering I went on the mother of all p*ss-ups over the weekend and I felt as weak as a 14 year old girl this morning.

Bench Press
72.5kg 3x6

Happy with this, moving up to 75kg now on Wednesday, that's me up 10kg on the bench in around 7 weeks.

Squat
97.5kg 3x6

No bothers here, up to 100kg now on Friday, that's me up around 22.5kg in 7 weeks.

One Armed Row
38kg 1x8 1x7

Dumbell Shoulder Pres
48kg 2x7 1x6

Pull-Ups
2x7

FTA69

Grand today again.

Bench Press
75kg 1x6 2x4

This was fairly straightforward.

One Armed Row
38kg 2x8

Upright Row
Oly Bar 30kg 3x8

Deadlift
110kg 2x5

Pull-ups
2x7

I'm going to finish up this routine on Saturday and then I'm going to start the 5x5 Stronglifts program.

FTA69

Right, first day of Stronglifts today, I scaled back my working weight (previously done 3x5) to accommodate the 5x5 element and am hoping to work my way back up to them in the near future. What seems like a fairly handy workout on paper left me f*cking shagged at the end of it.

Squats
80kg 5x5

Piece of p*ss this was, I dropped back from 100kg.

Bench Press
65kg 5x5

This was down from 75kg, the first few sets were grand but started to feel slightly fatigued on the last set.

Elevated Inverted Rows
1x9 2x7

This was the first time I've ever done these, harder than they bloody look.

Push ups
1x18 1x13 1x10

Brutality.

Reverse crunches
3x12

Also brutal.

All in all felt like a more productive routine. Previously I was benching three times a week, squatting twice a week and deadlifting once. I think that's a bit all over the shop to be honest and I'm going to follow Stronglifts to the letter.

FTA69

Second day at stronglifts.

Squat
82.5kg 5x5

Overhead Press
32.5kg 5x5

On my last rep I felt a click between my shoulder blades and now I have a niggle in my trap muscles. Hopefully it'll be okay by the weekend because I've had al sorts of drama with my f*cking traps in the past.

Pull-ups
1x6 1x5 1x4

Deadlift
115kg 1x5

Plank
3x 30sec

All in all a handy workout (possible injury aside.)

FTA69

First week of Stronglifts finished, far more intense than any program I did previously. I'm always in a constant state of DOMS, squatting three times a week and the extra volume on the other lifts will take a bit of getting used to I'd say.

Squat
85kg 5x5

Bench Press
67.5kg 5x5

Handy enough this was, it's always been my weakest lift like.

Inverted Rows
1x9 1x8 1x7

Push-ups
1x18 1x15 1x10

Reverse Crunches
3x12

FTA69

Second week of Stronglifts.

Squats
87.5kg 5x5

Overhead Press
35kg 5x5

This was grand.

Pull-ups
2x6 1x4

Deadlift
117.5kg 1x5

Severely difficult, had to pause a couple of seconds on the final rep.

FTA69

Tough session today, had a small strain in my wrist which was at me but managed to push through it, it should be fine by Friday.

Bench Press
70kg 5x5

Very easy, my benching ability is coming on I think. I'd say I was overtraining with it previously.

Squats
90kg 5x5

Quite tough.

Inverted Rows
1x9 2x8

Push-ups
1x18 2x10

Normally can do more but my wrist was at me.

I was too shagged to bother with crunches.

G86

How did you work out what weight to start off with Stronglifts? I started really low and I've upped it now but I'm a bit worried I'll be screwed now come week 5/6.

FTA69

I just took my previous working weight over three sets and scaled it back by around 20% for the squat and bench, I kept the deadlift the same as it was only 1x5. I know Stronglifts recommends starting with an empty bar, but I'd been benching, squatting and deadlifting for almost a year before hand.

G86

FTA69 wrote: »

I just took my previous working weight over three sets and scaled it back by around 20% for the squat and bench, I kept the deadlift the same as it was only 1x5. I know Stronglifts recommends starting with an empty bar, but I'd been benching, squatting and deadlifting for almost a year before hand.

Aye I'm the same, I didn't have the patience to start off so low. I upped the DL to 60kg though cause it only being once a week I figured it would take a lifetime to get it up to a decent weight.

d'Oracle

G86 wrote: »

Aye I'm the same, I didn't have the patience to start off so low. I upped the DL to 60kg though cause it only being once a week I figured it would take a lifetime to get it up to a decent weight.

In starting strength, the procedure is to do sets of five adding weight till the bar slows down. Then do two more sets at that weight.

Being that the stronglifts guy bases the thing on SS (except ignoring the fact that Rip considers 5x5 to be too much volume for a novice) thats probably worth thinking about.

shootermacg

FTA69 wrote: »

Light cardio today.

My runners are crap so my shins and ankles start to hurt on the treadmill before I even get out of breath.

I bought a pair of nike vomero4 and my god they make a difference. they are for normal gaits and the cushioning is incredible. Picked em up in a bargin bin for 50 euros(lucky they were my size), they retail for approx 140. I have seen them for 90 somewhere.

When I get paid I'm going to get another pair, just incase the vomero 5's turn out to be ****e:D.
If you're going to be running on hard surfaces don't neglect your shoes.

I'm nearly finished my old program and I'm gonna be looking for a new one.
You still doing your chins afterwards? I noticed your rep range hasn't gone up too much since you started it. I'm actually up to 20 unweighted atm but I think that's because I start with them as opposed to finishing. I also add weight on my second set and pump some out. I found that helped me to increase the reps. Anyway maybe you might start with the chins next session and post the results ^ ^.
Hope the wrist is OK mate, mine has been banjaxed for a bit, killer for raises/curls etc (have to strap it). Anyways keep it up;)

G86

d'Oracle wrote: »

In starting strength, the procedure is to do sets of five adding weight till the bar slows down. Then do two more sets at that weight.

Being that the stronglifts guy bases the thing on SS (except ignoring the fact that Rip considers 5x5 to be too much volume for a novice) thats probably worth thinking about.

Aye but the DL on Stronglifts is actually only 1x5 once a week.. not sure what you're saying?

Molly

Maybe i'm just being pedantic here or maybe you misunderstood the program and it has been a while since I did stronglifts but when I did it was do workout A B A B A B for a two week period, so you ended up deadlifting twice a week every second week.

d'Oracle

G86 wrote: »

Aye but the DL on Stronglifts is actually only 1x5 once a week.. not sure what you're saying?

Doesn't have to be, there are other versions which involve Deadlift once a week. Also as far as I understand Stronglifts alternates the same way as the original starting strength programme which you DL once one week and twice the next?
And I'm not talking about the DL, I'm talking about the other lifts.

Also we are spamming the sucra out of FTAs log.

G86

d'Oracle wrote: »

Doesn't have to be, there are other versions which involve Deadlift once a week. Also as far as I understand Stronglifts alternates the same way as the original starting strength programme which you DL once one week and twice the next?
And I'm not talking about the DL, I'm talking about the other lifts.

Also we are spamming the sucra out of FTAs log.

Once a week in my case as I'm doing the 2 day cycle now, not 3. I did look at SS but decided against it, they are similar but at the same time they're different, which is why I opted for Stronglifts.

Anyhows sorry for the log spamming! Good luck with the program

FTA69

Spam away lads, it makes my log look a hub of ultra-fitness.

FTA69

Molly wrote: »

Maybe i'm just being pedantic here or maybe you misunderstood the program and it has been a while since I did stronglifts but when I did it was do workout A B A B A B for a two week period, so you ended up deadlifting twice a week every second week.

Yeah, that's what I'm doing at the moment.

Shooter,

You still doing your chins afterwards? I noticed your rep range hasn't gone up too much since you started it.

The Stronglifts program reccomends you do the exercises in a specific order, and after Squats and Presses I'm usually fairly bate. That having been said I got a pull-up bar at home and can do about two sets of ten unaided (when I'm not shagged from doing other things first.)

shootermacg

FTA69 wrote: »

Yeah, that's what I'm doing at the moment.

Shooter,
That having been said I got a pull-up bar at home and can do about two sets of ten unaided (when I'm not shagged from doing other things first.)

Ah that's more like it!:D
10 is pretty decent mate, tis hard to break 10 I found that i would be doing nothing different then out of the blue I'd be able to add 2 or 3 more to my max, no real explanation for why that'd happen.
I was stuck on 10 for ages and one day it just jumped up to 14, then another few months at 14 then all of a sudden 17, then 20.... weird, I guess it's related to the other gym work gains, it's all a bit of a mystery to me tbh.

FTA69

Second week of Stronglifts finished, already looking much bigger, so much so that the old lade said I was "fat, with man boobs", despite only a slight raise in body-fat. God bless her...

Squats
92.5kg 5x5

Overhead Press
37.5kg 5x5

Pull-ups
2x6 1x5

Deadlift
120kg 1x5

I'll have to watch the form here, the last rep was absolutely shocking.

FTA69

Third week of Stronglifts.

Bench Press
72.5kg 5x5

Handy enough but I was f*cking sore today.

Squats
95kg 5x5

Again, handy enough.

Inverted Rows
2x8 1x8

Push-ups
1x13 2x10

F*cking wrist is at me again.

FTA69

Squats
97.5kg 5x5

Grand.

Overhead Press
40kg 5x5

This was a doddle until the last set which nearly finished me off, sweating and grunting all over the place.

Pull-ups
3x6

Deadlift
122.5kg 1x5

Tear inducing. Almost passed out afterward.

FTA69

Fourth week of Stronglifts, up the walls with exams and post-exam celebrations so might only get two sessions in this week.

Squats
100kg 5x5 PR!

Delighted with this, the weight's getting saucy enough now though.

Bench Press
75kg 5x5 PR!

Ideal, again delighted. I couldn't even get 3x5 with this weight last month.

Inverted Rows
3xF

Push-ups
1x14 2x10

C*nting wrist acting up again.

All in all, worthwhile work done today.

Apip99

Nice one on the 100kg 5x5. As you say, its getting tough now.

FTA69

Right, this is Friday last's session, will only manage to fit two sessions in this week as well due to moving house and a myriad of other bloody distractions.

Squats
102.5kg 5x5

Handy enough actually.

Overhead Press
42.5kg 5x5

Tough.

Pull-ups
2x6 1x4

Don't know what happened here.

Deadlift
125kg 1x5

Hard.

FTA69

Right, back after a week lay off due to the fact I was moving house and a raft of other complications.

Squats
105kg 5x5

Grand.

Bench Press
77.5kg 1x5 1x4 3x3

First time I failed to complete the five sets, still I'd be confident enough of reaching 80kg by the end of next week.

Inverted Rows
2x9 1x7

Push-ups
3xF

Not very many done on these as my wrist is still at me.

FTA69

F*cking crap session, I'm starting to stall in all my lifts. Perhaps it's because I've been off the creatine (AKA giant hulk powder) for about three weeks? All I know is it sucks balls.

Squats
107.5kg 5x5

Brutality, shocking form on one rep in the third set nearly made me keel over. Serves me right for daydreaming.

Overhead Press
45kg 1x5 2x4 2x3

Stall.

Pull-ups
3x6

Deadlift
127.5kg 1x3 FAIL

First time I've ever failed on a deadlift. Boo urns.

Apip99

Sorry you have a ****e time of it. I've just started creatine this week, and looking forward to the results.

Keep at it.

FTA69

Went in, failed on the bench. Had to be rescued. Humiliating. Did machines and pull-ups. All in all a waste of f*cking time. Time to the pull the f*cking finger out, reset slightly, get my diet reorganised and start hitting Stronglifts properly come Monday.

shootermacg

FTA69 wrote: »

Went in, failed on the bench. Had to be rescued. Humiliating. Did machines and pull-ups. All in all a waste of f*cking time. Time to the pull the f*cking finger out, reset slightly, get my diet reorganised and start hitting Stronglifts properly come Monday.

Sorry to hear it mate, if it makes you feel any better, I cycled off creatine last week and took the week off instead of deloading. Started back this week and my lifts were also shockingly ****e all week. My diet this week was also all over the place because of work.

Monday Shoulder/triceps day was crap went from 60kg military to 50kg just to get the reps in.

Tuesday back day same story had to drop back from 45kg to 35(last set 40kg) for 1 arm DB rows, barely managed 12,10,8,8 chins without a bloody weightbelt WTF!!! I was on the same reps the week before with 10kg added.
Same story with pulldowns had to drop back 10kg each side.

Thursay Chest
Not as bad but not good, flys were complete ****e, dropped weight but not as much, faded pretty fast too, left out the cable crossovers.

****e I was supposed to do some biceps work last night, totally forgot it! That's how beat I was.

Dreading leg day today. I've taken a week off before and actually came back stronger so my guess is it's a mix of this blasted heat, sleep deprivation and diet this week, sometimes it's bloody hard to find some protein especially if you are stuck at work later than usual.