this is my first log on this website. i am 6’0 230lbs, 17 years old and i have been seriously lifting for strength for 15 months now, i’ve had many injuries in the past (pulled back muscles, pulled leg muscles, tight lower back, sprained both ankles, knee tendonitis). i’ve been squatting for about 3-4 weeks now after 4 months of not doing them because of knee tendonitis, i have started with low bar style and will remain with it. i am also going into my 6th week of deadlifitng (trying to) after quite some time of not doing them and doing them wrong. i feel that now i have finally perfected the form and will make some serious gains on them.
my goals are-
pull 500 before 18
squat high 400’s
bench in the 300’s
i am doing madcows 5x5 and hope to achieve those numbers while on it.
squat- went alright, had more in me, today i felt tired, glutes got really sore
135x5
185x5
225x5
255x5
305x3
315x3
240x8
bench- felt weak, missed 230 by 1 rep, will try again next week
160x5
175x5
185x5
195x5
230x2
175x8
bent over row- overall today, rows felt the strongest, just grip is slipping need to apply chalk next time
185x5
225x5
235x5
245x5
270x3
230x8
today i felt real tired, def not my strongest , next week im hoping for 325x3 on squats and 280x3 on bentover rows
squat- light squat day today, i didn’t feel good, i was breathing heavily during sets, but my depth was amazing, just felt off
185x5
225x5
250x5
275x5
ohp- ohp was the best today, i managed 140x5 down to collar level and a lot more in the tank
95x5
115x5
125x5
140x5
deadlift- this is when things went sour, during the 265 my mid back felt so fatigued and sore and i was still breathing heavily, decided to do singles instead becuase i knew reps werent a good idea, after the singles i started feeling really light headed, not a good day
225x5
240x5
265x5
315x1
345x1
im usually pissed off at days like this when things dont go as planned but this time im not, i learned something. i learned to always get a couple liters of water in you before you go to the gym, i contribute a lot of what happened today to dehydration, the only water i had was the 24oz i was sipping on during the workout, i also need to start waking up more earlier, i was thinking of going to do the last day of madcows on sat but i might just rest until monday and start fresh
bench- started with bench first cause squat rack was occupied, right now im not doing any kind of routine just doing what i feel
160x5
175x5
190x5
squat- achieved my goal of 300x10, ill admit the last 2 reps were a little higher than i like but i still got 10 out of it , so happy
205x5
240x5
280x3
300x10
lat pulldown- threw in these cause i havent done them in a long time
160x12
180x10
200x8
150x12
very good day, my schedule next week is going to be messed up cause of the new year, gym is closed mon and tues, light squats on wed and deadlifts, followed with ohp, and a heavy triple with squats, bench, and bb row on friday
squat- real light
150x5
185x5
225x5
250x5
ohp- went ok, wanted to up the weight to 150
100x5
115x5
135x5
150x3
deadlift- i got a horrid 9 reps on the deadlift with 335, i have no idea what it is, i suck at deadlifting, i think my form is good, i guess i have to accept the fact that i just flat out suck at deadlifting
225x5
250x3
285x3
315x1
335x9
ok day, i feel bummed out becuase of the deadlifts, idk what im doing wrong with them, might get a video posted to critique my form. this week im just doing whatever reps i feel like thats why i did 9, it’s just me testing weight out becuase next week i plan to have another cycle of madcows and this time do it right
squat- suprised how easy 330 was, im gonna be reppin it for 5 on monday
185x5
230x5
260x5
280x5
300x1
330x3
225x8
bench- wow, i felt real weak here, i was hoping to get 220x5 but i failed on 210, should be fixed up by next week
150x5
175x5
190x5
210x4
pullups- decided to do these cause my back was really sore from the deadlifts on wed
bwx3
bwx3
bwx3
ive probably gained around 10 lbs this week just eating junk, it’s gonna be all fixed up by next week, i gain weight like crazy
Day 1, Week 1(going to actually do what the program tells me to do, this is going to be a serious cycle)
squats- 330 felt way easier than it did friday, felt my tendonitis after it tho
165x5
210x5
250x5
290x5
330x5
bench- went good
100x5
130x5
150x5
175x5
195x5
bent over row- felt heavier than usual
135x5
165x5
200x5
235x5
265x5
well im thinking of taking out the old knee sleeves, idk how my knee will react to it, gonna ice today, first time i felt it like this in a long time, it started to hurt right after the 330 and gradually got better, idk if i should go to the doctor and get cortisol shots or something, idk
Day 2, Week 1
squat- light, program said do another set of 250 but stopped it there. dont want to aggravate my knee
165x5
205x5
250x5
ohp- failed 145, will get it next week
95x5
110x5
125x5
145x4
deadlift- this was a learning experience i know feel like i have form that is benefical for me, i have realised the main thing that has been detremental to my deadlift is my head placement, i literally look down at the bar when i deadlift and its putting my back in a weird position, i only got it for 4 first time, i tried 1 more rep 2nd times but failed it and than started looking forward to a more neutral position and i got it up third time easy, will do 355x5 next week
205x5
250x5
285x5
345 1x4, 1x1
good learning experience, i felt my knee during the 250 squat no big deal or anything, thinking next week i might skip squatting on the monday and just rest and do light squats wednesday and friday destroy 345x3, i just got a high density foam roller and im going to be foam rolling IT band everyday for 5 minutes
Day 3, Week 1
squat- went good, i wore knee sleeves and didnt feel my knee until the 290 and 340, but it was no where near what happend on monday, so it was good
165x5
205x5
250x5
290x5
340x3
165x8- program said 250 for 8 but im taking it easy with my knee i don’t like to do too much volume
bench- felt easy
100x5
125x5
150x5
175x5
205x3
145x8
bent over row- these felt heavier than before, kinda dissapointing, form was off on the 270
135x5
185x5
235x5
250x5
270x3
185x8
leg curl- decided to add some more work for my hams since i always felt they were weak
200x10
200x10
190x10
did some light leg extensions for knee health after
overall good day, im going to religiously wear my knee sleeves now since they are a huge benefit, reason i wasnt wearing them was becuase i felt they made it worse but now they help a lot, going to be foam rolling like crazy next couple of days
Day 4, Week 2
didnt squat today cause of the knee, i had a lot of time so i just started doing random things
bench- easy, getting more tight and explosive
100x5
130x5
150x5
175x5
205x5
bent-over- stalled at bent over, 270 sucked idk what happend, going to reset to 250 next week and work back up
135x5
170x5
205x5
235x5
270x3
cablerows- since i failed the bent overs thought i should add more back work
140x5
200x5
230x5
250x5
290x1
300x1
150x32- decided to add a lot of volume, never did this before
ab machine- frankly this machine sucked, barely felt my abs
200x25
hammer curls- grip slipped during 9th rep
70x9
ok day, dissapointed i didnt squat but whatever light squats on wend, 345x3 on friday
Day 5, Week 2
squat- light, didnt feel knee all too much
170x5
210x5
255x5
255x5
ohp- hit a pr
95x5
115x5
125x5
145x5
deadlift- the bar stops for me at mid-top of my shin, whats weird is the bar comes up fast like it’s going to be a good pull that right at the top shin it just stops , need to fix this, will be incorporating deficit deadlifts, and maybe RDLs on saturdays
225x5
265x5
290x5
355x3, 1x1 a couple minutes after
deficit deads- first time doing these, only inch
205x5
shiet day, i will attempt 355 again next week, it’s strange becuase 355 felt a lot lighter than 345 so i thought i would surely get it for 5, maybe it was just mental
Day 6, Week 2
squat- 345 felt wayyyy harder than it shouldve, almost failed the 3rd rep, lost the groove, form felt real off, felt like i was doing a goodmorning
170x5
210x5
255x5
295x5
345x3
185x8
bench- easy
100x5
125x5
150x5
175x5
210x3
150x8
RDL- decided to do these instead of bbrow, need to work on hamstrings
185x8
185 4x5
i ran a mile and half on thursday and did push up and situps maxes today for gym class so i think my CNS is shot, thats why i think squats felt a lot harder, not sure what i should do for the 5x5 on monday, i might do 335x5 just to get myself back into it and get 355x3 on the friday
squat- didnt do the 340 i had planned, felt real weak today, idk what it is, i feel real off
170x5
215x5
260x5
300x5
bench- alright, shouldve felt easier
100x5
135x5
155x5
180x5
210x5
didn’t do bent over rows, body feels real weak, and i want to rest up, going to take wends off from squats to recover, and hopefully get 355x3 on friday. i have shuttle runs and maxes the next 2 days for gym class and i also have exams this week too, going to be a real stressful week, i think my legs still havent recovred from the mile and half and lower back felt strained on the 300, it’s been feeling real weird from the mile and half since it was cramping hard during it.
will be following. Also i had some major pain In my knees from soccer these helped tremendously.
not going to be counting this week as week 3 , it was to all over the place and i wasnt following the program
squat- 350 felt light, will be doing 355x3 friday
175x5
210x5
255x5
315x3
330x3
350x1
225x8
bench-felt explosive
100x5
125x5
155x5
180x5
215x3
RDL- easy
205x3x5, 225x1
deficit pulls- felt good, it was like 3-4’
205x2x5
good day actually , squat strength feeling good
Day 7, Week 3
squat- pretty easy
185x5
215x5
260x5
300x5
340x5
bench- easy and explosive
100x5
135x5
155x5
180x5
215x5
pullups- didnt do rows becuase i hate them and i dont feel like they do anything for me
5x5
good day
Day 8, Week 3
squat- light, and paused
175x5
225x5
245x3
ohp- okay
95x5
115x5
135x5
150x3
deadlift- ive always liked doing deadlifts but now i really fckin hate them, this is really pissing me off
225x5
260x5
295x5
355x3
i feel like i should just quit lifting, i dont know what the hell im doing, ive been stuck on this shiet for a year, theres this huge weakness i am not aware of, i just felt the deadlift was tooo taxing so i only got 3 reps out of it, im done deadlifting, im just gonna do RDLs, and deficiet deads, and replace wends deads with box squats, i feel like a huge pussy, i was real excited today to deadlift, now i get this shit, wow, honestly lifting has brought me more problems
ok well after some thinking i think im gonna do triples with deadlifts instead of 5 reps becuase honestly i just dont have the endurance to do 5 even on light sets, im also going to do box squats on wendsdays instead of just light squats and on fridays im going to do 3x5 RDLS and 2x5 deficiet pulls
edit: screw this plan i am going to do the program 5x5 like it was intended, i will just do dead lift stance box squats rdls and deficit pulls on Wednesdays and after the 9 weeks is up ill start dead lifting again and hopefully progress better
Day 9, Week 3
squat- easy as hell, this was one of the easiest sets i have ever done, it’s funny cause 355 felt sooo heavy on my back but it went up like nothing
175x5
215x5
260x5
300x5
355x3
185x8
bench- coulda went better, but it was good
100x5
135x5
155x5
180x5
220x3
155x8
rdls- easy
225x2x5
245x2x5
deficit- easy
225x2x5
good day, squats were great, ive decided to do all the deadlift assisstance next week and just focus on deadlift form and do them with light weight
Day 10, Week 4
squat- knee hurt during the warm ups and i had bowel problems which phucked with my focus, only did 3 reps, real weird day, form went to shit during the warmups i was deciding whether or not to even do 355
175x5
225x5
265x5
310x5
355x3
bench- felt weak, not a good day
100x5
135x5
160x5
185x5
220x3
rows- gonna do these again, feeling ok, grip sucks
135x5
165x5
205x5
225x5
245x5
real weird day, 355 felt a lot harder than it did friday, focus was out, felt like i was sick, it’s been too cold lately
