Starting a log here to track my progress, get some feedback and as a desperate ploy to keep me following a single program for more than a month. For some reason I seem to have severe ADHD when it comes to programming, and tend to get bored and switch programs on a monthly basis.
I am 35 and starting lifting weights about 2.5 years ago. After screwing around for my first 6 months, I followed the Madcow 5x5 program for a year with great results.
For about the last year I have started/quit about a dozen different programs with little success (for obvious reasons). I have gone back and forth tinkering with Westside template, however feel like this was premature based on my lack of experience. Also, I lift by myself at a semi-commercial gym, so no-go on bands/chains or funky equipment.
The thought here, is in starting this log I am committing myself to stick with a single program for 2009. I lift raw, using wrist wraps (only on the heaviest sets) and a belt.
My best all time lifts are:
Squat: 385
Bench: 365
Deadlift: 475
Mil. Press: 205
(I know, it, pathetic that my bench and squat are so close, but for some reason, bench has come very easy for me, while squatting has been difficult and technically complicated for me. One of my goals for this year is to increase my squat into proportion with my other lifts)
I will be following Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1 template, however will be lifting 4 days a each, one day for each lift. As the program calls for, I will begin by using 90% of my current maxes for the jumping off point.
I started on 1/2/09 and will paste in the last two workouts.
Squats - 65%, 75%, 85% x 5
(4 sets of warm-ups: body x5, bar x5, 135x5, 185x1)
215 x 5
245x5
275x5
Squats - 50-60%, 5x10
165x3x10
155x2x10
Standing leg curls superset w/ leg extensions
3x10 (light)
Hammer curls
4x10 (light)
DB Preacher curls
4x10
Abs
5x10
600am workout, which I find generally suck. The 3x5 squats went well, no issues. I initially thought 165 would be too light to do much, however I was way off.
My legs were very pumped and fatigued by the end, in fact I dropped 10 pounds to make sure I could maintain form. I am not used to going higher than 5 reps, so this was a challenge. It has been warned that Squatting with the Boring but Big template would cause you to be sore for like 8 years and I can see why.
Bench 75%, 80%, 85% x 5
Warm up (4 sets ? Bar, 135x2x5, 225x1)
255x5
275x5
295x10 *PR
DB Bench
70x10
80x10
90x8
100x7
70x10
Rolling DB Tri Ext.
35x10
45x10
55x6
40x9
35x10
Pull-ups
5 sets - 5, 5, 5, 4, 5
The program suggests going all-out max reps on the last set, which wound up being a new PR for me, 295x10. I am unsure if I should be happy with this, or question if I went too low? 10 reps seem like too many?
I felt fatigued during DB bench and tri ext, as I usually get 10 reps with 90?s no prob, but not even close today. My pull-ups suck, but that is what I get for being fat.
Legs were sore but didn’t seem to effect my DL. Felt light and moved quick. Need to look at work out… want to put traps in with DL, however how will it impact overhead press workout tomorrow (i.e. no-go on upright rows as planned?)
BB tri ext. (light)
45x10
65x10
85x10
105x10
85x20
800pm workout @home. Boring but big chosen tonight… hopes was to get a quick but intense workout… weight felt light, and did not get the pump or fatigue I anticipated, or got from sqauts. Oh well… was quick though…
Big PR for me today, with 8 reps @315. previous pr was 6. I have only just started the program, but feel a lot less beat up than before… Going for rep PR’s is a twist for me, but kinda cool.
Hey man, I too am doing 5/3/1, just to help you out, Dont worry about the high reps on the heavy sets, if you chose the right starting maxes then you should be around those rep numbers for your first wave.
Second, for traps i would do a shrug type movement (standing, inclined, barbell, dumbell) or hang clean, but not upright rows unless you do a really narrow grip to take your delts out of it. Thats just me since my MP is the worst lift for me and I need all I got to improve it.
I didnt like boring but big for MP either, I found I liked doing a couple of sets of MP for 10 reps not to failure followed by some dips and chins.
Boring but big leg day SUCKS!!! afterward. But the good news is it really has boosted my squat strength for the 5 rep range.
If you do, Once you start increasing the percentages for the 5 sets it gets killer. On my last week of my first wave I did a brutal 5 sets that left me the sorest I have ever been!
[quote]jkenny wrote:
Hey man, I too am doing 5/3/1, just to help you out, Dont worry about the high reps on the heavy sets, if you chose the right starting maxes then you should be around those rep numbers for your first wave.
Second, for traps i would do a shrug type movement (standing, inclined, barbell, dumbell) or hang clean, but not upright rows unless you do a really narrow grip to take your delts out of it. Thats just me since my MP is the worst lift for me and I need all I got to improve it.
I didnt like boring but big for MP either, I found I liked doing a couple of sets of MP for 10 reps not to failure followed by some dips and chins.
Boring but big leg day SUCKS!!! afterward. But the good news is it really has boosted my squat strength for the 5 rep range.
If you do, Once you start increasing the percentages for the 5 sets it gets killer. On my last week of my first wave I did a brutal 5 sets that left me the sorest I have ever been! [/quote]
Thanks for the feedback… I am going to take your advice on the traps and throw in hang cleans, which I have done historically, but not lately. How much weight/% do you use for MP? I need to take a look at my program, because I am quasi-following the body building template for deadlift day by doing a full back workout - but limits other back work on MP day, as it is the next day.
My legs really felt fatigued on my 5th and 6th rep on last set of deadlift. Felt like I could have gotten more, however could feel my form go to shit and let it go. Not used to going to 6 reps with that weight and seemed to kick my ass for the rest of the workout. Also, my grip seemed to go by the time I was into my BB rows and had to stay lower than usual, primarily due to forearms being dead.
The program suggests going all-out max reps on the last set, which wound up being a new PR for me, 295x10. I am unsure if I should be happy with this, or question if I went too low? 10 reps seem like too many?
[/quote]
Looks like starting with 90% of your squat max may have been a little too conservative . . . can always be adjusted in a couple of weeks.
Expected to get more reps on last set of work-set… MP’s felt much better bumping it up 10 pounds for the 5 sets of 10… more in line with what I had expected…
Thats pretty much what I did for MP, I tried the 50% and it was too light so I think I started out at 60% then bumped it up 5 lbs every week until deload, then started with 5 lbs heavier than the first week of the last wave the next wave and end up a little stronger at the end of the wave. I dont push to hard on them since they are accessory and I don’t want them to interfere with my main lifts, but a slow progression is good, especially for MP for me.
Dead lift day really is a strain on grip, I use the 5x10 deadlift and the thing that really gets me is grip. A lot of guys can really progress well on Pendlay rows, be careful with your form, but they are great.
sorry guys, I wasn’t paying attention, It is 5x8 for deads only on boring but big. I’ve been doing 5x8 but typed the wrong thing. You’re right crankman, he does says it doesnt really matter, but for now I’m sticking with Boring but big since he is a lot more knowledgable than me and made that template, plus it gives me a general guideline. I will probably tinker with it next wave or so, but stay near that many total reps
