5x5, week 1, day 1

Squat
85 x 5
105 x 5
135 x 5
150 x 5
175 x 5

BP
65 x 5
85 x 5
100 x 5
115 x 5
135 x 5

Row
45 x 5
55 x 5
65 x 5
75 x 5
85 x 5

Back raises
BW x 10 x 5


Left out the weighted crunches as I was beginning to feel gassed and the wife was training with me. I was originally going to be doing RDLs but was feeling it by the end of rows. I may try again next week. All in all, a great-feeling workout and pretty easy at that. I'm using the light, first week as a segway in that it's also going to be the deload week coming off of the 5/3/1 cycle I just finished. That's all for now, until next time!


And, Happy Thanksgiving!

Summary: 5/3/1 #2 (Oct-Nov)

Here's the look at the final numbers:

Bench:
155 x 3

MP
105 x 4

DL
245 x 5

Squat
195 x 3 (4th rep, back loosened)




I found that the squats this past Wednesday was hampered two-fold: one, I think I was getting fatigued from the deadlifts on Saturday, still sore. Second, the accumulative load the past 8 weeks without a rest week took it's toll on an already questionable L. knee; as far as as stability goes.



At any rate, I'm taking a week off. Not only for the muscle soreness, but also for the CNS to recover from all the excessive loading.



As for my decision to convert to a 5x5 program after two successful cycles of 5/3/1, the mantra "don't fix something that ain't broke" comes to mind. Still, the change of scenery would be welcome and I'm highly curious about it as well. Something I'm wondering about is whether or not I could tolerate the volume of squats (3x a week as opposed to just one), but the with the different loads and emphasize on different days I think I'd do well.

I think I'll try out the 5x5 again for one round, and see how it goes. If anything else, I can always return to the 5/3/1 when I'm done.

Week 2 Summary, Upcoming week of singles

Some retro posting before I head out for deadlift singles. I'm still thinking of switching over to the 5x5 for December to decrease the volume and keep the intensity high. I'll meditate on this further and should be decided by this 5/3/1 cycle's end.




Triples a week or so ago (before drill weekend) went without any notable hitches.

SQT

80 x 5
100 x 5
125 x 5
145 x 3
165 x 3
185 x 10

RDL
85 x 10
85 x 10
85 x 10
85 x 10
85 x 10

Step-ups
Sandbag x 10
Sandbag x 10
Sandbag x 10
Sandbag x 10
Sandbag x 10


MP
45 x 5
55 x 5
65 x 3
75 x 3
85 x 3
95 x 3

Lat PD (Iso bar)
55 x 10
55 x 10
55 x 10
55 x 10
55 x 10

Ended the day earlier than usual.

DL (After drill weekend. Recovering from the flu)

135 x 5
150 x 3
175 x 3
200 x 3
235 x 6

Fr SQT

95 x 10
95 x 10
95 x 10
95 x 10
95 x 10

Then, I started early (earlier than usual) on the singles. I attempted squats a mere two, or three, days after the pulls and busted the knee. It was bad enough that I ended the night early and finished the bench triples (forgot about them earlier in the week.)

SQT
95 x 5
115 x 5
135 x 3
155 x 5 L. Knee pain

RDL - Did not finish

Step ups - DNF



BP
65 x 5
95 x 5
100 x 3
115 x 3
135 x 3
150 x 3

Incl DB BP
40 x 10
40 x 8
40 x 7
40 x 6
40 x 6

No rows, finished the night early. I was pretty bummed and my knee was getting sore. Plus, the gym was closing soon.

The Flu

An unruly combo of the flu, jury duty, and drill weekend has set me back a week behind. Oh well. I'm hoping to jump back into it tomorrow and finish off this cycle before trying out 5x5 for a month.

5x5 eh? I'll tell more later. In the meantime, I'll be popping cough drops and sleeping.

a quick blurb, and some presses

Patience has been my greatest trainer, rehabilitator, counselor, and mentor. Patience is what has taught me that a life of health and wellness is NOT an 8-week race to vanity, but a lifetime pursuit of a strong body, a stronger mind, and the strongest spirit.

A healthy lifestyle produces much more meaning than a few weeks of self-torture. Adopt this mentality, and a huge weight will be lifted off of your shoulders.

In-and-out for now. I'll have to throw a huge update on all the numbers later. Retro posting whoo!

Iced my knee really well this am and for about a good 8-10 minutes, I could move/squat pain free. It was the greatest feeling ever, but also a bit sobering.


Gotta work through the pain and discomfort; train with efficiency and patience.


I'll update later on with the deadlift numbers, and the squat/presses this past week.

UPDATE:

DL

100 x 5
125 x 5
150 x 5
165 x 5
190 x 5
215 x 5

sandbag step ups
sandbag x10 x 5

front squat
95 x 10 x 5


MP
45 x 5
55 x 5
60 x 5
65 x 5
75 x 5
95 x 5

Lat PD
105 x 10
105 x 10
105 x 10
105 x 10
105 x 10

dip machine
6 x 10
6 x 10
6 x 10
6 x 10
6 x 10

test week review!

All lifts completed as prescribed over the last week and a half!

Day 1 Overhead Press	Day 2 Deadlift	Day 3 Bench Press	Day 4 Squats
35 lbs x 5	80 lbs x 5	65 lbs x 5	80 lbs x 5
45 lbs x 5	100 lbs x 5	85 lbs x 5	100 lbs x 5
55 lbs x 3	120 lbs x 3	100 lbs x 3	120 lbs x 3
70 lbs x 5	150 lbs x 5	125 lbs x 5	150 lbs x 5
80 lbs x 3	170 lbs x 3	140 lbs x 3	170 lbs x 3
90 lbs x 1+	190 lbs x 1+	160 lbs x 1+	190 lbs x 1+

day for squats tonite. will update with a new post later

A day of digging deeper

I just returned 30 min ago from doing something I'm particularly proud of. Why not?

10 min jog to the local YMCA (~.55 mile)
30 min rower machine
5 min, x2 step machine
10 min job back home


I feel great, and I want to do it again. Dig deep, reach the pits of your own soul, and raise up your standard to perfection.

Military Press

Pulled out the oly racks and did some presses today. Good stuff, and it really gave the lower body more needed rest.

Military Press

45 x 5

45 x 3

55 x 3

65 x 3

75 x 3

85 x 6

Dip Machine

"6" x 10

"6" x 10

"6" x 10

"7" x 10

"7" x 10

Lat Pulldown

105 x 10

105 x 10

105 x 10

105 x 10

105 x 10

The pulls didn't feel as productive as last week's was. I know I wasn't contracting the latissimus correctly; this is something I hope to do better next week.

Triceps Extension (rope pulley)

60 x 10

50 x 5, 40 x 5

40 x 9

40 x 10

Pure form on this one. I didn't feel embarrassed in the slightest that the weight was low. The reps were quality, and I felt the work get done. A good day for the press!

pulls

So after a few days rest from squatting on Saturday, I set out to deadlift today. Unfortunately, my glutes and hamstrings were still sore, very tight, and thus ended my extra work during the lunges. At least I got the minimal done: 185 x 8 B) Did something new and added in some hang cleans before I started.

Hang Clean
75 x 5
95 x 3

Deadlift
135 x 5
135 x 3
155 x 3
165 x 3
185 x 8

Lunges
27.5 x 10
27.5 x 8

^ended the day three sets early into lunges. I had leg curls also planned, but considering the near-cramping of practically the entire posterior-chain I decided instead to dedicate the rest of the hour to stretching.

Bench

2 min - Rower warm-up (I'd like to try a cardio day with this machine. Love it.)

BP
65 x 5
85 x 5
100 x 3

115 x 3
135 x 3
155 x 3

Incline DB Press
35 x 10
35 x 10
35 x 10
30 x 10
30 x 10

DB Row
35 x 10
35 x 10
35 x 10
35 x 10
35 x 10

Week 1 of 5/3/1

Back to the go-to 5/3/1. I love this program to death: the methodology and logic is simple, no-BS, and it's worked for me for the last 4-5 years I've been lifting. I haven't posted day-by-day, so consider this an umbrella retro-post that summarizes the past week.

Day 1 (Last Sunday)
BP
125 x 5
135 x 5
155 x 5

DB BP
35  x  10
35  x  10
35  x  10
35  x  10
35  x  10

DB Row
35  x  10
35  x  10
35  x  10
35  x  10
35  x  10

Day 2 (Past Wednesday)
DL
135 x 5
155 x 5
175 x 5

Fr Sqt
95  x  10
95  x  10
95  x  10
95  x  10

Day 3 (Past Thursday)
MP
65 x 5
75 x 5
85 x 5

Dip Machine
"6" setting  x  10
"6" setting  x  10
"6" setting  x  10
"6" setting  x  10
"6" setting  x  10

Lat Pulldown
105  x  10
105  x  10
95  x  10
95  x  10
95  x  10

Tri Ext, EZ-bar (cables occupied)
20  x  10
20  x  10
30  x  10
30  x  10 *L. elbow sharp px, some discomfort


TODAY, SOME MOFO-IN SQUATS!!!!
Seriously, I had a great great great time today with squat. I loved todays workout; it was fantastic.

Some notes: Had a serving of Jack3d to try it out. Pretty gnarly. Also had some quick carbs via some ramen. Oops.

SQT

80 x 5
100 x 5
120 x 5
135 x 5
155 x 5
175 x 7

I've included the warm-ups in the above, which is why the sets look twice as long. Rest assured, I've been doing warmups for my previous days, it's just that this time around I was able to keep track of it, thanks to this little tool/site.


RDL

65 x 10
65 x 10
65 x 10
75 x 10
75 x 10

Damn my legs were shaking after this. But, I felt great. Love that feeling; missed that feeling.

Box step-ups

BW x 10
BW x 10
BW x 10
BW x 5, Sandbag x 5
Sandbag x 10

My lower back was really feeling it after the straight-leg deadlifts, so I improvised from the originally-planned front squats and decided on step ups instead. On the 3rd set, I was really getting fired up and although I logically assumed I needed to dig deep soon, my body said "bring it." I was ready to go. So, halfway through the 4th set, I picked up a nearby sandbag and finished off the rest with it on my shoulders.

By the 5th set I was amped. Sandbag and all, I knocked off a solid 10 on each leg before calling it a night as the gym was closing. What if I had the time? I was ready to go for some plank work. A great time training today, and a good close to the first week. BP, round 2 starts tomorrow.

B]

Assessment

So after a summer of practically no lifting and listening to my doctor, I took that last two days to do a strength test. These are all one-rep maxes taking 5 sets to reach and calculating the averages using the Epley and Brzycki formulas. So depressing, but I'll suck it up and throw the numbers here. Hate myself right now.


Squat: 220 [inset swear word]
Deadlift: 225 [insert swear word]
Military: 105
Bench: 185 [Don't care 'bout this lift, but still. Not impressed.]


With the squat, I did some RDLs afterwards. Surprisingly, my knee feels great. Wonderful. Goes back to that posterior chain balance philosophy I had. Hmm....pretty sure I wrote something about that here somewhere. Anyhow, the journey begins. I'd like to be able to 1RM the bench at 1.5x my bodyweight, squat and pull 2x my bodyweight, and press my bodyweight. That's a good starting point as any, but!

One pound at a time.

Dat knee

Been shooting around, playing some bball. Did some squatting a few days ago as well. Knee has been getting a little more bothersome, but I'm doing what I can with it. Will update again soon!


BTW, the move between homes went really well. Still doing some back end, admin-type stuff but other than that...all is well. I haven't run in a minute, for real, and also my diet hasn't been very positive either. Excited and anxious to get everything back on track. Off I go then! Peace.

Lol they make it look like it's a good ol' time. Like hell it is. 

Back in school, finding work, moving, and training...still

Had an alright summer! Busy with classes (never again by the way. the pace was unreal, and i was the idiot who decided to take anatomy 2), and counting down the last few months before December when my contract ends.

Still mulling over some bigger decisions in my life right now: re-enlistment, finding employment to help Alvie and becoming a part-time student instead, and falling into a niche for lifting. London Olympics were awesome - got to see one of a very small few of Palauan athletes competing this year, including a weightlifter in what is essentially the welterweight division put up some decent numbers.

I'm currently at the YCMA now. Just tried squats again two days ago. The knee tendinitis is still recurring, but I feel like I've gotten better, loads better, now that I've taken some time off the heavy duty stuff. Slow and steady wins the race they say, so slow and steady for me it is.

I'll work on getting back into the groove of documenting everything I'm doing again. Until then: love, peace, and chicken grease.

EDIT: I'm also moving houses! Well, soon anyway. Updates soon to follow.

~ Me

Summer

I need to get some sleep right now...but just wanted to write here...


...that summer is upon us!!! Can't wait to hit the trails again :)

That's all for now. Nite

Some thoughts on things: my dad, my health, and my "other" career

Here some things that have been on my mind as this spring semester comes to an end...

...It seems that I'll have to give up pick-up basketball for some time. Weeks, maybe even a few months..Hiking too (I know, I know, its not like I update that blog anymore). Because my left knee has become something I can't ignore anymore. I'm still troubleshooting it on my own (this is ill-advised and I don't recommend it), and I'm just about positive it's tendinitis, maybe an overuse injury. Makes sense: last semester I squatted 2x a week, deadlifted 1x a week, hiked, ran, and played pick-up basketball games wherever I could squeeze it in. On that note I should probably ease up on the squats as well...as in not do them for a while. Perhaps, a long while.

...I hate resetting. Hate starting over again. That's how my training has been since coming back from deployment. Starting over. The human body detrains and loses it's capacity to perform certain tasks in as little as a week for some people. I notice it, and I feel it. Then there's the military. Not going to bash hard, but they're outdated in physical fitness testing. Seriously. Who puts stock in sit-ups any more these days? Even the fitness industry, in all it's commercial-infused selling, has gotten smarter. Sit ups don't do anything directly to your abdominal musculature...because it's hip flexion. I'm generalizing as there's more to it, but there you are.

...Sometimes I feel like I run because I'm obligated to. "Gotta maintain that 2-mile run." "Gotta pass the PT test." I miss running without that kind of necessity. Just going at my own pace - slow, easy, and enjoying my surroundings. It's a mental thing, and I thought I would get over it. For some reason, it still bothers me after all these years. Maybe I'm just stubborn and stupid. Oh well...7 more months to go. That's something that still brings a smile to my face.

...It's been 9 months since Dad passed away. I'm not sad. He was in a bad state, when I went to visit him (he passed two weeks after my trip to Palau.) I know and realize the importance of taking care of my body. Always have, but this is that "spark" that inspires critical reflection. My diet, especially in the long run, needs to become more consistent. I do well, from time to time, but not all of the time. But I do wish sometimes it didn't have to be this way. Rest in peace dad.

These are random thoughts, I know. Probably won't make sense when I read it over later this week. But I needed to put them down on paper (screen). Decluttering and all that. Don't feel that much better, since I have finals this and next week to take care off, but the less things on my mind the better. Now to focus and finish strong. I'm excited for the summer: need to find some work to help the wife with finances (you won't find a harder working person), and I need to re-evaluate my fitness and re-hash my training around my new-found limitations. The body ages different from the calendar dear friends, remember that.

Cheers to wisdom, see you in a few weeks. ;)