The fine weather athlete

Wottle

Started the 5*5 stronglifts today. Started with a low enough weight for each

Squat - 15kg
Bench - 15kg
Row - 15kg

Felt handy enough but giving that the weight goes up quickly it gives me a chance to work on form. I'm definitely in the beginners category when it comes to lifts.

A few stats, I'm definitely over weight, I'm at my heaviest ever
36 yrs old
5'9
191 pounds, this is a gain of about 25 pounds since end of August where I stopped exercising.

I've run since I was young but last 5/6 years it's been very sketchy.

Plan going forward
Mon, we'd, Fri - strong lifts
Tue, Thurs, sat, sun - running

If I'm tired I'll miss a running day. Ideally shift the weight and run sub 20 for 5k. Not sure if stronglifts and running go together but it's what I want to try.

Little note on diet, I don't drink alcohol but have a wicked sweet tooth and give into temptation way too often. Currently on my fitness pal the last week and I'm averaging about 1700 calories. I haven't had a sweet or fizzy drink in a week but other than that I'm clueless to what I'm eating, what's good/ bad.

Input regarding weights and diet are very welcome.
Cheers

Wottle

Tuesday - 2 mile easy run

Wednesday - day B of stronglifts
Squat - 20kg as I didn't have correct discs, bought some today
Over head press - 15kg
Deadlift - 25kg

Thursday - 2 mile easy run

Diet a bit all over the place, might need to buy a book or sth.

Alf Veedersane

First off, best of luck getting where you're going.

There's no issue with mixing running and weights. There will come a point when the weight is increasing and the running will have a negative impact on your recovery for weight training but it will just mean prioritising one over the other for a bit.

Sub-20 is a pretty good time for 5k!

Tar.Aldarion

Are those weights inclusive of bar, as you mention discs?

I do both cardio and weights and it does affect your max performance but I think it's good to do both, don't need to do the maximum best at each, be good to be performing well at both.

GL!

Wottle

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

First off, best of luck getting where you're going.

There's no issue with mixing running and weights. There will come a point when the weight is increasing and the running will have a negative impact on your recovery for weight training but it will just mean prioritising one over the other for a bit.

Sub-20 is a pretty good time for 5k!

Thanks for the feedback, I've actually decided to take one full day off, felt my quads were a little sore one of the days and this will just allow better recovery.

I ran my last sub 20 probably 2010/11, so its been a while alright. I had the same plan last summer and ran 3 5k races in 4 weeks. First was 24:??, second 23:?? and the last was 22:3?. Then holidays and other stuff including laziness got in the way.

Wottle

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

Are those weights inclusive of bar, as you mention discs?

I do both cardio and weights and it does affect your max performance but I think it's good to do both, don't need to do the maximum best at each, be good to be performing well at both.

GL!

They do include the bar but the bar is not a proper one, weighs a little over 5kg.
When the weight gets heavier I'll look into getting a good one as well as a squat rack.

Running would be my first love and in time will be the priority but for now I'm enjoying lifting.

Wottle

Friday - Day A of stronglifts
Saturday - rest
Sunday - 2 mile run

Monday - Day B stronglifts

I'll update the lifting weights when back on the PC. Plan on making the runs this week 3 milers. Diet still hit and miss.

Wottle

Tuesday - 3 mile run, starting to feel my stride again.
Wednesday - stronglifts day A

Squat 5*5 - 27.5kg
Bench 5*5 - 20kg
Bar row 5*5 -20 kg

Right quad a little sore, bench press feels easy, barbell row feels strange, must check YouTube for vids on form. Feeling good.

Wottle

Thursday - missed my run, wanted to give my quad a chance to recover.

Friday - day B of stronglifts
Squat - 30kg
Over head press - 20kg
Deadlift - 35kg

Plan to run Sat & Sun as quad back to normal.

Wottle

Saturday - 2 mile run
Sunday - spent the day down in Athlone watching the national juvenile champs

Monday - Stronglifts Day A
Squat 5*5 - 32.5kg
Bench 5*5 - 22.5kg
Bar row 5*5 -22.5 kg

All the lifts are still very comfortable, I may have started to light. The only complication is the squat as I don't have a rack and won't have the cash to get one till end of March, so I'm fearing the weight will get too much before then to be doing it safely.

Tuesday - 3 mile run, getting a little quicker for same effort (I use a garmin HR monitor).

I've picked my goal race as well, it's middle of June as part of the BHAA and will be either the 800 or mile.

Alf Veedersane

Wottle wrote: »

All the lifts are still very comfortable, I may have started to light.

With Stronglifts, you can't really start too light. It makes more sense to start lighter and drill the movements anyway. It only means you might take a week or two longer to get to a weight.

Wottle

Wednesday - day B of stronglifts
Squat - 35kg
Over head press - 22.5kg
Deadlift - 40kg

Friday - missed my run yesterday, so 4 miles today around Marlay park with strides at the end. Weights postponed till tomorrow.

Wottle

Saturday - Stronglifts Day A
Squat 5*5 - 37.5kg
Bench 5*5 - 25kg
Bar row 5*5 -25kg

Monday - day B of stronglifts
Squat 5*5 - 40kg
Over head press 5*5 - 25kg
Deadlift 5*5 - 45kg

The Overhead press was a little tiring today, on the 25th rep there was no way I could have done a 26th. My rest between sets has varied between 45-60 seconds but going forward that's going to be 90 seconds from now on.

I also ran 2 miles today, a mile before weights and a mile after. I won't run directly after again but will make the warm up run 15 mins.

This is week 4 and my weight has actually gone up 3 pounds to 194, not as annoyed as I should be as I don't feel it's fat I'm putting on. I've noticed a difference in my chest/shoulders and arms...so I'm OK with the weight gain..for now.
Plan is to measure waist and chest tomorrow to go with the scales for overall progress.

I've missed 2 runs since I've started back (I think) and that's fine as I wanted to ease in gently (wasn't sure how the weights was going to go) but I'm happy with how I'm feeling on the runs so the plan is 15 mins before weights and 3/4 mile runs on non weight days.

Alf Veedersane

Take photos to mark your progress as well. It's good to have visual markers as well...sometimes the numbers don't reflect the changes as much as seeing them.

Wottle

Tuesday
2 mile run, felt wrecked so cut it short.

Wednesday - Stronglifts Day A
Squat 5*5 - 42.5kg (90 sec rest)
Bench 5*5 - 27.5kg (60 sec rest)
Bar row 5*5 -27.5kg (60 sec rest)

Had more energy today. Definitely need a squat rack asap, currently trying to nab one on adverts. Just worried about getting the weight over my head to start and then back over my head and down to the floor when I finish each set.

Wottle

Friday - day B of stronglifts
Squat 5*5 - 45kg (60 secs between sets)
Over head press 5*5 - 27.5kg ((90 secs between sets)
Deadlift 1*5 - 50kg

Picked up my squat rack last night, really happy with it, made squatting so much easier...for now
Took the full 90 secs between sets for the OHP and needed every second of it. Deadlift was handy.

Wore my HR monitor again for it, AHR was 120 compared with last weeks 150. Last week had a 1 mile run before starting weights.

Giving me an idea going forward on when best to fit the runs in.

Wottle

Sunday - 2 mile run

Monday - Stronglifts Day A
Squat 5*5 - 47.5kg (90 sec rest between sets)
Bench 5*5 - 30kg (80 sec rest between sets)
Bar row 5*5 - 30kg (80 sec rest between sets)



Wednesday - Stronglifts Day B
Squat
1*5 - 30kg
1*5 - 40kg
5*5 - 50kg (60 secs between sets)

Over head press 5*5 - 30kg (90 secs between sets 1-3, 120 secs 4-5)

Deadlift
1*5 - 35kg
1*5 - 45kg
1*5 - 55kg

The OHP was the first time I really thought I was going to fail, next time will be interesting.

Wottle

Video is from Monday's workout, not the best quality. Just looking for reassurances as regards to form or pointers. From looking at vid I think knees are too far forward in the squat?

Vid does give a good indication of the size of my gut
41 inches around the belly button

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WN0cbC7XkQ4

Tar.Aldarion

Knees going forward like that isn't necessarily bad, leave it to somebody more knowledgeable to say.

Don't take my word as gospel as I don't really know either but for the bench I think you should be bringing the bar down to your chest not over your neck, somewhere around the nipple.

That is a different type of row than the 5x5 row (more focused on bodybuilding vs strength I think) I don't really know how to do it properly but from seeing others do it their elbows seem to tuck back more, more in a path towards your hips, and your back seems rounded.

Wottle

Saturday - Stronglifts Day A
Squat 5*5 - 52.5kg (90 sec rest between sets)
Bench 5*5 - 32.5kg (60 sec rest between sets)
Bar row 5*5 - 32.5kg (60 sec rest between sets)

Concentrated on the pointers from Tar A. thanks

2 mile run before this with the kids.

Running is still hit and miss but that's 15 strong lift days, haven't missed one yet and I sense weight loss is just around the corner

Wottle

Tuesday - Day B of stronglifts
Squat 5*5 - 55kg (90 secs between sets)
Over head press 4*5 + 1*3 - 32.5kg (150 secs between sets)
Deadlift 1*5 - 60kg

Failure, knew it was coming, last time doing the overhead press was a struggle. I'm also back teaching athletics to kids 3.5 hours a day, so I was just wiped and my legs were sore from demonstrating running drills. I was almost going to skip the session but didn't want to ruin my streak. on the 3rd set and 5th lift a strange yelp came out of me, sounded bizarre but it's all I could do to try and get it over my head, the yelp became more frequent on the next set and finally it was of no help on the 23rd rep. Squat and Deadlift went well.

Wottle

Friday - Stronglifts Day A
Squat 5*5 - 57.5kg (90 sec rest between sets)
Bench 5*5 - 35kg (90 sec rest between sets)
Bar row 5*5 - 35kg (90 sec rest between sets)

Days are a little all over the place but still squeezing it in, I'll have to do the 3rd day on Sunday.
All felt good, noticing different muscles getting used, felt my calves working a bit more than usual in the squat and my hamstring in the barbell row.

I should probably add that I do do a warm up, lifting lighter and building up to current weight, I just don't bother writing it in.

Wottle

Sunday - Day B of stronglifts
Squat 5*5 - 60kg (90 secs between sets)
Over head press 4*5 + 1*4 - 32.5kg (150 secs between sets)
Deadlift 1*5 - 65kg

Missed out on the very last rep in the overhead press, very frustating as I felt confident but fatigue kicked in big time.

I reckon in the squat 65kg is going to be trouble, so Thursday will be very interesting between squat and OHP. Still have a bit of leeway with the deadlift.

Alf Veedersane

Don't be afraid to leave more rest time. If you're getting to your max then 90s between sets is a short rest.

Wottle

Stupid stupid mistake

Tuesday - Stronglifts Day A
Squat 5*5 - 58.75kg (120 sec rest between sets)
Bench 5*5 - 37.5kg (90 sec rest between sets)
Bar row 5*5 - 37.kg (90 sec rest between sets)

In doing my warm up for the squat, I started light and was building up to 62.5, but then somewhere along the way forgot to add 3.75KG to one side of the barbell. Never copped it till after, but during I couldn't figure out why the 10 Kilo plates on the right side kept hitting the squat rack I just put it down to being tired. Hopefully nail it on Thursday.
What I did notice was when squatting 25KG (warm up), how light it felt.

Alf Veedersane

Did that going for a PR...

Wottle

Thursday - Day B of stronglifts
Squat 5*5 - 62.5kg (120 secs between sets)
Over head press 5*5 32.5kg (180 secs between sets)
Deadlift 1*5 - 70kg

Happy out.

Wottle

I've been neglecting my running (yet again) but after seeing one of the pics a school used of me this week...I've been motivated to get my ass out

2 Mile Run Around Marlay Park

El Caballo

Wottle wrote: »

I've been neglecting my running (yet again) but after seeing one of the pics a school used of me this week...I've been motivated to get my ass out

2 Mile Run Around Marlay Park

Been following the log in the quiet but have to ask, what's the idea behind the pacey runs?

I would've thought right now that you would get you would get more benefit from a slower but longer run especially if you want to lose weight and eventually get back in running shape?Time constraints? Not usually one to push the cadence thing either but you could benefit a lot from trying to increase it, at 158avg, you are pretty much doing plyometrics and that is really tough on the muscles and tendons and makes running a lot harder to both recover from and your ability to train.

Wottle

El Caballo wrote: »

Been following the log in the quiet but have to ask, what's the idea behind the pacey runs?

I would've thought right now that you would get you would get more benefit from a slower but longer run especially if you want to lose weight and eventually get back in running shape?Time constraints? Not usually one to push the cadence thing either but you could benefit a lot from trying to increase it, at 158avg, you are pretty much doing plyometrics and that is really tough on the muscles and tendons and makes running a lot harder to both recover from and your ability to train.

Thanks for the interest, the running has been playing 2nd fiddle, thought I had a plan in mind but that's already gone out the window, so no immediate running plans and just want to run by feel for now.
I also reckon the cadence thing on my watch is broke or maybe not

Wottle

Saturday - Stronglifts Day A
Squat 5*5 - 65kg (120 sec rest between sets)
Bench 5*5 - 40kg (120 sec rest between sets)
Bar row 5*5 - 40kg (90 sec rest between sets)

Squat and Bar row felt good but close to my limits on the bench press, will have to invest in a new bench and use the safety things on the squat rack...just in case.

Was thinking a lot during the session, what is the goal? and it is to get back running and back to my best but for some reason the switch in my head hasn't really flipped yet. I'm finding the weights a nice distraction as I've never really done them before so don't know what to expect. With the running, I do and I know it's going to be bloody hard getting back to my best (my best btw is very much average).

Maybe the weights is working because I'm just following the plan and doing what I'm told, so on that note I'm going to pick a running plan and stick to it.

Thanks for making me think El Caballo