Training Log (8 wks on Bill Starr 5x5)

Training Training Logs
1

To summarize, I am going to be doing a variation of Bill Starrs 5x5 for 8 weeks, starting yesterday (monday) June 25 2012. I am going to be lifting Heavy on M & F and on Wednesdays, I will be doing light weight.
I will keep a log on this thread of all my workouts as well as update my weight every other week.

Background and Goals:
I am a 22 year old male college student at IU Bloomington, Indiana. I have 3 more semesters left to get my Exercise Science major (I switched majors and took a semester off) and then I intend to go into Physical Therapy. I am already in pretty good shape, I bike every where.

I am 6’2" 205 lbs roughly 12% bf
I can post pictures later.

I have always just gone to the gym and trained kind of instinctively, most of what I know having been derived from my high school strength and conditioning class. Now I am a little more knowledgeable and ready to get serious.

I am trying to get my weight up to 220-225 lbs at which point I will set new goals, more related to strength/performance/body composition and shit.

On this thread I intend to keep tabs on my progression, I don’t do any drugs, hard or soft, I don’t drink, I don’t take any supplements, and I hardly eat fast food, if anyone gives a shit. My goals at this time in my life are to do well in school and learn my trade so I can be a good Physical Therapist later on, and to get cocked as hell. This is the most focused I have ever been so far in my life, and I want to see what I can do.

My big 3: (Where I am starting from)

Squat: 275 lbs
Bench: 240 lbs
Deadlift: Idk I will have to see, but I can Romanian DL 225 8x’s

Goals: Short Term / Long Term

Squat: 350 / 405
Bench: 275 / 315
Deadlift: 350 / 405

I will post the workout I did yesterday later tonight, because I have to get ready for class and shit, and I kind of decided to start this thread after I already decided to do the 8 wk program.

2

in on 5x5

ohhhhhhh

(btw, is this just MadCows 5x5? Are they the same thing or different.)

3

Monday 6-25-12

Ramped up sets:
Squat: 235 x 5 (last rep was slow

4

[quote]Ethan7X wrote:
in on 5x5

ohhhhhhh

(btw, is this just MadCows 5x5? Are they the same thing or different.)[/quote]

Its kinda like the MadCow 5x5. I don’t know for sure, but I think Bill Starr came up with the whole 5x5 ramped up set thing where you do 4 sets leading up to your 5 rep Max. And then you do 1 set at your current 5 rep max. He designed it so you workout 3 days a week, (2 heavy days and 1 light day) and each day you pretty much do the same lifts. Almost all versions include squat, deadlift, bench, and some do BarbellRows and substitute in Leg Press for Deadlift and shit like that.

Basically, I think you just have to pick a few lifts, and do ramped up 5x5 sets of them 3 days a week.

5

training log forum

i wonder what goes in that forum

6

Wednesday 6/27/12

Went light today

Bench: 175
Squat: 205
Leg Press: 360

Did some other light weight axillary machines and some calisthenic exercises to round out the short day. Was in the gym for about an hour.

Really I didn’t exert myself at all, but I was still a little sore from monday. I think it’s because I didn’t stretch at all. I’ve been stretching a little more these passed few days and I feel better. Its even helping the pain in my left knee.

7

Friday 6/29/2012

5 sets of 5 for the following
(Last Set: Weight x Rep)
Squat: 235 x 6
Leg Press: 610 x 6
Bench: 205 x 5 (surprisingly, no problem)
Bent over BB Row: 195 x 5 (Last 2 reps were a little jerky, keep same weight)

3 sets of whatever for the following
Romanian DL super set w/ Chin ups: 225 x 5 (work on flexibility, was tight today)~~~~ 5 chin ups ( was so winded)
Ham Glute superset w/ pull overs: 40lbs x 10

8

Week 2
Monday 7/2/12

5 sets of 5 for following
Last Set: Weight x Rep
Squat: 245 x 6
Leg Press: 630 x 6
Bench: 210 x 5 (spotter had to touch on last rep)
BB row: 195 x 5

3 Sets of Following
RDL: 225 x 5 superset w/ Pullups: x 5-7
HamGlute: 40 x 10 superset w/ Pull overs 40 x 5 (just went for stretch on Pullovers today)
Giant Set: Calves x Machine High Row x Scapula Depression (on dip bars)
Abs= 2 sets

  • Set a PR on Squat
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Week 2
Wednesday 7/4/12

LIGHT DAY
5 sets of following, but am only recording the last set
Weight x Reps
Squat: 135 x 28
Leg Press: 180 x 15
Bench: 175 x 5
BB row: 110 x 15 superset w/ pull ups til failure

3 sets of following
Giant set of Calves x Machine High Row x Posture-Depression Dips

10

Week 2 Friday
7/6/12

5 sets of following, only recording last set.

Squat: 235 x 5
Leg Press: 630 x 5
Bench: 205 x 5
Tbar weight bar: 215 x 5

3 sets of following
Calves x High Row
Leg Extensions 100 reps light weight (just for pump)

This week I’ve felt like fucking ass. i was stronger monday than I was Friday, and I know its because I’m not fully recovered and I’m alittle burnt out. I have been eating enough but I’ve been really busy, working and w/ school. So what I’m gonna do is take monday off and go real easy on wednesday and then hit it hard again starting next friday. I also wanna do a lot of stretching and go do some light weight CNS training on squat because I have been realizing that I need to up my squat slowly because my chest is starting to drop when I use heavier weight and its working my hams and glutes more than I’d like, also its risky on my lower back. I also suspect that less than perfect form is whats causing my hams and glutes to develop a little faster than my quads and I really wanna focus on my total leg development.

11

Week 3

Monday

Skipped/ Rested (to deload)

12

Week 3

Wednesday
I stayed committed to the deloading, so I went light again. But I have kinda decided to deviate a little from the Bill Starr 5x5 that I initially started. I am going to do the 5x5 on Fridays but go HLM… (I guess actually MLH) So this wednesday, I went light, and stuck around the 12-15 rep range.

Squat: 135x5; 155x10; 155x15; 155x20
Leg Press: 270x15; 270x15; 270x15
Bench: 135x12; 135 x 15; 145x15; 155x15; 165x12
Tbar: 115x5 (for 5 sets)

Ham Glute: 3 sets of 10
Calves; 3 sets of 20

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Week 3

Friday
Okay this day I am going back to lifting heavy again w/ full effort. I have pretty much decided to just reset my squat. I know I’m not doing much weight, but I have long ass legs and they are getting worked, trust me, and they are starting to fill out, and I just want to do this right so I can keep progressing and avoid injury. I have all the time in the world right now, i’m 22.

Squat: 135 x 5; 185x5; 205x5; 225x5; 225x1 ( I was really taxing my quads this day because I changed my form. I am trying to keep my thoracic spine more extended and really keep my abs tight, I realized that I was putting too much of the load on my posterior chain w/ my old form.)
Leg Press: 270x5; 360x5; 450x5; 540x5; 610x5 (I pretty much totally changed my footing, I put my feet lower on the platform, and I can really feel it more in my quads, plus it doesn’t hurt my hips when I bring my knees to my chest, Its more comfortaable for my joints, because I go real low.
Bench: 135x5; 160x5; 180x5; 195x5; 210x6 PR
Tbar: 135x5; 180x5; 190x5; 205x5; 215x5 (switched to freeweight tbar from BBrow because its easier to maintain form)

RDL: 225x5 for 3 sets
HamGlute: 3 sets no weight
Superset Calves w/ Reverse calves; 3 sets 20 reps
Machine High Row: 2 sets

Kind of a weird day because I set a PR for bench but lowered my squat weight by 20 lbs and did less reps because I changed my form, so now they’re almost the same. It’s whatever though becasue I konw i’m doing the right thing. I’ll just keep at it and see what happens.

14

Week 4

Monday: Medium Day

Started w/ Bench today: 135x10; 155x10x 165x10; 175x10; 185x9
Squat: 135x5; 185x10; 185x10; 135x 5
Leg Press: 270x10; 360x10; 430x10; 270x20
Pull Ups: 1 set of 5 (immediately after Legpress, was so winded)
1 set of calves

I kept it short and sweet today, and ended w/ about 20 minutes of playing racquetball, though I could hardly change directions because my legs felt like they were made out of wood w/ cinderblocks for feet, but still it was a good workout. I’m feeling sore today (tuesday) from last friday and this monday and also because I haven’t been stretching enough, I expect I’ll go pretty easy on wednesday so I can gear up for Heavy on friday.) not to mention I have hw to worry about and car and bike issues to deal w/…

15

Week 4

Thursday
This week I skipped my wednesday (light) workout and so instead of waiting til Friday to go heavy I just did it Thursday.

Squat: 135x5; 185x5; 205x5; 215x5; 230x6
Leg Press: 270x5; 360x5; 450x5; 540x5; 610x6
Bench: 135x5; 165x5; 185x5; 200x5; 215x5 (PR)
Tbar: 135x5; 170x5; 195x5; 205x5; 215x5

HamGlute; 40x10; 40x10
Pull Overs: 40x10; 40x5; 40x5 (Just stretch)
Close Grip Pulldowns Machine: 160x8
Calves/Reverse Calves: 3 sets of 12 for each
Quads: 2 sets (one after Leg Press and One after calves, just do hellareps light weight gettin a pump.)

16

i took a week off (most of week 5)

Week 5
Friday

Squat: 135x5; 185x5; 205x5; 215x5; 225x5
Leg Press; 270x5;360x5; 450x5; 540x5; 630x6
Bench: 135x5; 185x5; 195x5; 205x5; 215x5
Tbar: 135x5; 160x5; 180x5; 205x5; 215x4

RDL: 225x5; 225x5
Ham glute: 40x10
CloseGrip pull downs: 145x20
Calves: 3 sets

17

Week 6
Monday (7-30-12)

Squat: 135x10; 155x10; 165x10; 175x10; 190x10
Leg Press: 180x12: 270x12; 360x12; 450x12; 500x8
Bench: 135x10; 150x10; 160x10; 170x10; 135x5 (felt real weak and shitty, wanted to have perfect form)
Tbar: 90x10; 115x10; 140x10; 160x10; 170x10

Calves: 3 sets
Close Grip pull downs: 1 set
Ham Glute: 2 sets.

18

Week 6
Friday (8-3-12)

Squat: 135x5; 185x5; 205x5; 225x5; 250x5 (PR) want to slow down the progress, bring it back down to the 240 and keep good form
Leg Press: 270x5; 360x5; 450x5; 540x5; 630x10 (PR) idk what the fuck happened but I was like suck my dick weights and just had reps left
Bench: 135x5; 165x5; 185x5; 205x5; 220x6 (PR) the last rep he touched, but I d0n’t think he really had to, slow down the progress, keep shoulders packed
Tbar Row: 135x5; 160x5; 180x5; 205x5; 225x5

Calves: 3 sets
Ham Glutes; 40x10; 40x10
Close grip; 2 sets
Quad Pump: 2 sets

19

Week 7
Monday (8-6-12)

Squat: 135x10; 155x10; 170x10; 185x10; 200x10
Leg Press: 180x12; 270x12; 360x12; 450x12; 540x11 (failed on twelfth rep)
Bench: 135x10; 145x10; 155x10; 165x9 (I was repping at such a slow pace); 175x9 (It was just too heavy, but I was keeping shoulders pretty packed)
Tbar: 90x10; 115x10; 135x10; 160x10; 180x10

Close Grip Pull Down: 85x12
RDL: 225x5; 225x5
Ham Glute: 40x10; 40x10
DB leg curls: 40x5-6 (I can’t remember, it wasn’t that many, I was just feelin the burn til failure)
Calves: 3 sets

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No school no work m-f fast food weed = mass gains

Week 8
Tuesday (8-14-12): Light Weight

Squat: 135x15; 150x15; 165x15; 180x15; Skipped Set
Leg Press: 270x20; 360x20; 360x21; Skipped 2 sets

This is all I did today. I weighed myself after the workout, I have gained 5lbs (218.0) but I know a lot of it is fat. This workout I realized how much my cardio has declined over the last week but my legs felt saturated and the weights were all easy. It felt good, I think I’m just tired and need to not be high.