Thanks, C_K.
Bulldog, I think I am bigger than those apes. Maybe not as smart, but bigger.
Shoulders
I had a lot of apprehension about this session, wondering if I was going to get the 5x5. I got it, but it was definitely a lot more work. 225# for a 5x5 is looking iffy. Shoulder was tweaky, as usual, but bearable.
Military Press
barx20
95x10
135x8
165x4
195x2
215x5x5 - PR
1st set
3rd Set
5th Set
Rear Delt Raises/Reverse Flyes
25x12
30x12
35x12
40x12
DB Laterals
25x10
30x10
35x10
40x10
No shrugs tonight. I was short on time and my back (upper and lower) were still barking from deads.
On the millies, sets 2 and 4 were harder than 1, 3 and 5. My wife thinks I do better when the camera is on. May be…
Mrs. Strick’s Workout
Seated DB Press
15x8
25x8x4 - PR sets of 8 @ 25# - I think we are about to go to the olympic bar.
Seated Rows
70x8
100x8x2
105x8 - PR +5#
105x6
Squats - playing with various foot placement. She prefers slightly wider (just outside shoulders)
barx8
75x8
95x6
115x1
130x1
140x0
115x3
I think she was spent by the time she got to 140#. We are going to work on the dive bombing with lower weights and keep it a tad lower for a few workouts.
Looking very much the alpha silverback here
good work.
mrs.strick too.
Thanks, Kevin. We are working it. Despite her causing the workouts to go slower, it is a blast having her in there. She is so much fun. And it is great to see little Miss Non-competitive get pissed off when a lift doesn’t go her way.
[quote]LittleStrick wrote:
Thanks, Kevin. We are working it. Despite her causing the workouts to go slower, it is a blast having her in there. She is so much fun. And it is great to see little Miss Non-competitive get pissed off when a lift doesn’t go her way.[/quote]
I believe, deep down, that women are as competitive as the men, for pretty much the same reasons,anthropologically speaking. They wish to attract the best mate. They just won’t usually admit it because they like to make fun of us for the same reason, you know, being competitive.
215x5x5x5! thats great stuff man, that 225 is gonna be cake! I cant see the vids at work but will def check em out when I get home looking foward to it. Mrs Strick is churning out PRs like I eat Peanut Butter cups, EVERYDAY! I really want my wife to get in on the weight lifting aspect of exercising, but man she is stubborn.
[quote]ruglayer09052000 wrote:
[quote]LittleStrick wrote:
Thanks, Kevin. We are working it. Despite her causing the workouts to go slower, it is a blast having her in there. She is so much fun. And it is great to see little Miss Non-competitive get pissed off when a lift doesn’t go her way.[/quote]
I believe, deep down, that women are as competitive as the men, for pretty much the same reasons,anthropologically speaking. They wish to attract the best mate. They just won’t usually admit it because they like to make fun of us for the same reason, you know, being competitive.[/quote]
I don’t even think its deep down, I have more competitive smack talking female freinds than I do male ones. Its either that or I know a lot of women who talk shit.
I’d just like one day where I could OHP like that. Fine lifting.
Thats some helluva good mille work Skip. You and the missus are covering up OK with the PRs. Great GREAT work!
[quote]ruglayer09052000 wrote:
I believe, deep down, that women are as competitive as the men[/quote]
I know I am. I’m competitive even in situations that don’t warrant it.
Rug, Joe, you are definitely right. She doesn’t WANT to be competitive, because there is a chance of failure. But she is.
Snap! You competitive? No way! lol And I am with you on the “I’m competitive even in situations that don’t warrant it”. I am competitive at everything. I just try to remember that somethings aren’t worth that effort.
Joe, Matty, Wilson…thanks. It is the only lift I seem to be really good at.
Matty, I don’t know. 10 more pounds, for 25 reps, is another 250# of load. It ain’t gonna be easy.
Might be a good time to break out the GPC, Creatine, meth stack that I have been working on.
meth stack?Im not even going to ask.
[quote]bulldog9899 wrote:
meth stack?Im not even going to ask.[/quote]
That was, of course, a joke. If anything, it would be more like GPC (which I am and have been out of), creatine, BCAAs and caffeine.
Caffeine, though, gives me the jitters and screws up my blood sugar. At least the concentrated caffeine supps do.
Holy cow! I did nothing but eat all day long. Not sure what was going on. My everything was aching. And the more I ate, the less I hurt. Nothing sugary, until I got into the kids cereal. But still… I haven’t binged like this since last year.
Strick, you’re looking good. Nice work on the deads, bench and press.
[quote]LittleStrick wrote:
I had a lot of apprehension about this session, wondering if I was going to get the 5x5. I got it, but it was definitely a lot more work. 225# for a 5x5 is looking iffy.
[/quote]
As someone who has done a fair bit of 5x5, let me tell you you still have a loooong way to go. None of those sets looked a struggle at all.
I can remember after each squat session telling myself “I’m not gonna be able to get that with 5 lbs more next week”. Yet every week I did and went on to do it for another 6 weeks or so. Trust me you will go way beyond 225 because don’t forget that when you start to struggle is when you start to adapt. A lot of the build up on 5x5 is already within your capability if you were to max out, but a slow and steady build up is key.
Up to now has been setting the foundation, this is where the real work starts.
Also don’t forget as it gets tougher you can reduce the size of your increases to stretch it out as long a possible.
You’re doing great work, keep it up!!!
My prediction 240+
[quote]FarmerBrett wrote:
[quote]LittleStrick wrote:
I had a lot of apprehension about this session, wondering if I was going to get the 5x5. I got it, but it was definitely a lot more work. 225# for a 5x5 is looking iffy.
[/quote]
As someone who has done a fair bit of 5x5, let me tell you you still have a loooong way to go. None of those sets looked a struggle at all.
I can remember after each squat session telling myself “I’m not gonna be able to get that with 5 lbs more next week”. Yet every week I did and went on to do it for another 6 weeks or so. Trust me you will go way beyond 225 because don’t forget that when you start to struggle is when you start to adapt. A lot of the build up on 5x5 is already within your capability if you were to max out, but a slow and steady build up is key.
Up to now has been setting the foundation, this is where the real work starts.
Also don’t forget as it gets tougher you can reduce the size of your increases to stretch it out as long a possible.
You’re doing great work, keep it up!!!
My prediction 240+[/quote]
240#??? Ha ha ha… I would throw myself a party if I got through 240# for 5x5!
It isn’t the 1st set, or even the 2nd that worries me. It is the accumulated fatigue, which I guess is part of the point. And I do think it looks a lot easier in the video than the actual experience.
When I get to a weight where I have to grind out a rep, in the 1st two sets, I may be done for. The fatigue buildup will happen fast. Grrr will only overcome so much.
For the record, I have only managed 1 set of 5 reps at 240#. Pulling off 5 sets of them would be progress of an epic proportion.
Also, I think part of the mental aspect (waaaa…it feels heavy) is that I haven’t lifted heavy in so long that my body now thinks the weight I am using is heavy. It has forgotten about the 275#. So, I have been contemplating adding 1 or 2 singles in, slightly heavier, after the 5x5, just to “remind” my body that it can do more.
That being said, even though it felt heavy, I feel confident that I could have gotten 10 reps, at least, on that 1st set.
All that to say…I hope your are right. 240x5x5 would be nothing short of orgasmic.
I really like 5 x 5s and have done that programming at various times for both squat and bench. I know what you mean, Strick, about thinking you won’t be able to hit it next week with increased weight. But I always did what Brett said and would increase sometimes as little as 2 lb. per week just to see the gains. It’s amazing how the body adapts and can surprise us.
[quote]kpsnap wrote:
I really like 5 x 5s and have done that programming at various times for both squat and bench. I know what you mean, Strick, about thinking you won’t be able to hit it next week with increased weight. But I always did what Brett said and would increase sometimes as little as 2 lb. per week just to see the gains. It’s amazing how the body adapts and can surprise us.[/quote]
Snap, I will go with you on this. You have a lot of experience and I trust your opinions/advice. Brett saying the same thing just adds to it, as I know he has been there too.
Honestly, I don’t think I am so worried about not having enough strength, over the next few weeks. My biggest concern is having a bad day, or hitting a lull, as I am prone to do. Sometimes I (all of us) go in there and just feel like ass. Things are heavy, endurance is low and it just isn’t there. I could get away with an off day up to this point. Now it is getting serious, though. And an off day might mean not getting the 5x5, where a normal day might have seen it with reps to spare.
What then? Do I say “I was just having a bad day” and keep moving up? Do I stick with the program and stay there?
I have been contemplating, since I am tired of not really pushing the weight, of taking the 5x5 until I fail then dropping to 5x3 and just keep on adding weight.
In any case, I am going to stay after it and push it as far as I can. Thanks for the encouragement!
You have more of a work ethic then me. Im too lazy to do 5x5