RedLantern's Madcow 5x5 Log

Training Logs
1

Howdy folks,

Been lurking for a little while here and decided to join in the fun. A little info on me:
Just kind of getting back into lifting the past year or so. Pretty much got out of the sport in college when I injured my back lifting (I was pretty burnt out in addition - the program they had us running was certainly overtraining).

At any rate, about a year ago I started dabbling in the weightroom again (and I mean dabbling). Been getting more serious and consistent about it since probably November and recently decided that it would probably be a good idea to get on an actual program, if only so that I don’t have to think about what I want to do on any given day (and really because there are people who know better than me who designed the program).

Anyway, as a result of my back injury I cant do traditional deadlifts (I was doing them last fall but eventually seriously wrecked my back again - it still doesnt feel 100%). But have been able to do light trap bar deads with no ill effect so far! EDIT* increased hip/ankle/back mobility has allowed me to do traditional deadlifts! Still using light weight and focusing on proper form and remaining injury free though!

I’m basically cutting right now, trying to get down to a reasonable BF%, though I suspect that I’ll add a bit of strength doing the program, if only because I havent run a legit program or trained consistently in a number of years.

Already finished the first two weeks of Madcow 5x5, and so far so good. Squatting 3x per week has been better than expected, though I do seem to have some tendon/ligament soreness behind my knees - is this to be expected?

I was a little leery of the program because I figured the squats and rows (never done these before) would not be good for my back, but so far so good, just using light weight and focusing on proper form.

My last workout (thursday) was as follows:

Squat:
5x115
5x135
5x160
5x190
3x220
8x160

Bench: Same as squat

Bent over row:
5x95
5x100
5x120
5x140
3x160
8x120

assistance:
dips - 3x7 @bw +35
BB curls 3x8
Tricep extensions (rope) 3x8

Diet:

Multi vit + fish oil
1c 1% milk (100)
Saturday morning cigar + stroll around the city (1hour)
2 eggs scrambled with ham (350)
1c milk (100)
Ham (350)
Grilled chicken breast (300)
1c coffee w/ half and half (100)
1c Milk (100)

So around 1400 calories for the day.

2

Start of week three today. Bench felt especially good.

Squat:
5x115
5x135
5x165
5x195
5x220

Bench: Same as squat

Bent over row:
5x95
5x100
5x120
5x145
5x160

assistance:
Steep decline situps - 4x10 holding a 20lb DB.
Hyperextensions - 2x10 holding 35lb plate

3

Diet for the day:

1 apple (50)
1 chicken breast (300)
1c milk (100)
3 eggs scrambled w/ 3 slices of ham (600)
3 slices of Pizza (900) (lame)
1c milk (100)

= 2050

4

I was going to do my lift at like 7pm tonight after class, but I was feeling kinda amped so I ran to gym to bang it out beforehand. Great session, good intensity, hard to not add more weight on a day like today, but I figure it’s best to stick to the program.

Squat:
5x115
5x135
5x165
5x165

Military press
5x95
5x105
5x125
5x140

Deadlift
5x135
5x165
5x195
5x220

Assistance:
deep decline situps - 3x10 +25lbs

5

Today’s Diet:
2 cups of coffee w/ half and half (200)
Few ounces of ham (100)
2eggs scrambled with another couple ounces of ham (350)
Chicken & Sausage soup (275)
Grilled Chicken breast (300)
1c milk (100)
= 1325

45 mins of cardio in the evening. (-400-500?)
Also decided to do a few pullups on the way out of the gym tonight - got six good ones, which is a PR for me.

6

Today’s Diet:
Ham (200)
Bran Cereal (220)
Orange (50?)
3 eggs scrambled with ham (450)
2c milk (200)
Fucking easter candy - 1200?
=2320

50 minutes cardio (-500)

7

Last lift of week 3: Bench felt great (light) again today, squats not so much, but I got through it. Getting lighter + stronger at the same time is a big win.

Squat:
115x5
135x5
165x5
195x5
225x3
165x8

Bench: same as squat

Rows:
95x5
100x5
120x5
140x5
165x3
120x8

Assistance:
Dips - 3x8 +35lbs
Barbell curls 3x8
Tricep extensions 3x8
face pulls 3x8

8

Today’s diet:

Couple ounces of ham (200)
Bran cereal (220)
1c milk (100)
Couple ounces of ham (150)
1c milk (100)
3 eggs scrambled with ham (450)
More ham… (250)
2 cups of coffe with half and half (200)
= 1670

9

Ok, back on the wagon. Went on my first legit bender over the weekend. Spent friday afternoon through monday morning in various states of drunkenness and hangover. Skipped my Sunday workout. Manged to avoid drunken binge eating somehow so weight/measurements today were actually better than pre-bender.

Today’s workout - Start of week 4 of Madcow’s 5x5

Squat:
115x5
140x5
170x5
200x5
225x5

Bench:
Same as Squat

Row:
95x5
105x5
125x5
145x5
165x5

assistance:
decline situps - 4x10 +25lbs
hyperextensions - 2x10 +35lbs

Today’s Diet:
3 eggs scrambled with ham (450)
1c Milk (100)
Several ounces of ham (300)
1c Milk (100)
1 grilled chicken breast (300)
= 1250

10

Today’s Workout:

Squats:
5x115
5x140
5x170
5x170

Military Press:
5x95
5x115
5x125
5x145

Deadlift:
5x135
5x170
5x190
5x225

Weighted decline situps 3x10 w/30 lbs

11

Did an hour of cardio while watching the basketball game tonight. Stretching/soft tissue work at halftime. Weight at 214, so far so good.

12

Managed to have a girl over from 3-6am last night and struck out . . . not all is lost though, it was just a result of us both being pretty much sober and fairly standoffish. At any rate, workout felt good today despite having 4-5 beers last night and getting an odd amount/time of sleep.

Today’s workout:

Squats:
5x115
5x140
5x170
5x200
3x230
8x170

Bench:
Same as Squat

Row:
5x95
5x115
5x125
5x145
3x170
8x135

Assistance:
Weighted dips 3x8 +35lbs (getting close to bumping this up)
BB curls 80lbs x8 x8 x10 (bumping this up next time)
Rope tricep extensions

13

Start of Week 5 of Madcow: Time for new PR’s! Well, the squats certainly aren’t all-time PR’s for me, but they are post back injury PR’s. Bench isn’t quite a all-time PR yet, but it is at my current weight. Rows are PR’s cause I’ve never done them before this program :stuck_out_tongue:

All in all this was a great workout - everything felt light. Really liking this program so far. Feel much stronger just walking around, especially core strength, if that makes any sense. Maybe it’s just spring . . .

Squats:
5x115
5x145
5x175
5x205
5x230

Bench: Same as Squat

Rows:
5x95
5x115
5x125
5x150
5x170

Assistance:
Deep decline situps 4x10 +35lbs
Hyperextensions 2x10 +35lbs

Random note: I’ve been doing some mobility work and seem to have improved my squat technique. I have felt like I’m getting a lot more hip drive and posterior chain involvement in my last two squat sessions. Also, maybe as a result of this improvement, or maybe just the increase in core strength, I dont get twinges in my back on my heavier squat sets like I did at the start of the program. This pleases me.

14

2592×1944 799 KB

Just for fun, a picture from about a year ago, when I had just started to getting back into things.

15

Today’s lift:

Squat:
115x5
145x5
175x5
175x5

Military press:
95x5
115x5
130x5
150x5 PR!(tough)

Deadlift: (Felt great)
145x5
175x5
205x5
230x5

Assistance:

Steep decline situps +35lbs 3x12

16

Today’s Workout: Felt strong again today despite a long day at school and missing a lot of sleep over the weekend for various enjoyable reasons . . .

Squat:
5x115
5x145
5x175
5x205
3x235
8x175

Bench: Same as squat

Row:
5x95
5x105
5x125
5x150
3x175
8x125

Assistance:
Weighted Dips (+45lbs) x 6, x6, x7
Barbell curls 3x8 @90lbs
Rope tricep extensions 3x8

17

Today’s Workout: Start of week 6. Last set of squats was a bit tough. Wasnt feeling great in general today, but it also might be because I usually put two days between the end of a week and the start of the new week of lifting, and this week i only took one. Bench and rows still feeling strong!

Squat:
115x5
145x5
175x5
205x5
235x5

Bench: same as squat

Row:
95x5
115x5
135x5
155x5
175x5

Assistance:
Deep decline situps + 45lbs: 4x10
Hyperextensions + 35lbs: 2x10 (moving this up next week)

18

I am going to follow your log out of pure curiosity. I like this workout for beginners and those who have laid off of the weights for a while (you) but I am curious to see the results in conjunction with a weightloss diet.

Get a tape measure out.

Post your diet every day. No need to breakdown macros…Calories

If I could recommend one thing. PWO nutrition. Get it right…should work like a champ for you.

John

19

^ thanks. You’re right - I need to get back to posting my diet. I do almost always get some protein in before and after my lifts.

I guess I’ll post my measurements as well . . .

Chest - 44.5 inches

Waist - 39 inches at widest (lovehandles) 37.75 inches at hip bone, 37 inches at navel, 34.5 inches at “true” waist (narrowest point).

Hips/ass at widest point - 44.5. Yes, I store fat like a woman.

Arms - 17

Calves - 16.5

Thigh - 27.5 (I find it hard to measure in the exact same place each time).

20

Impressive fat loss from the old pic congrats and keep up the good work, its a great workout I did it at the end of last year