Week 11 Day 3

Week 11 Day 3

May 30, 2008
Workout B

Age 35
Weight 196lbs (200lbs this morning)
Height - 5'7"


This morning was a real bastard - I think that I have not been getting enough sleep.
Breakfast was a bowl of Heart Essentials with the baby.

All exercises are preceded by adequate warm ups.

Squats (Box, 1" above parallel - I am using this technique to get below parallel, one mm at a time)

130 - 5/5/5/5/5

OHP - Boy, I cannot catch a break today.

105 - 4, stall
100 - 5/4/stall
95 - 5/5

Next "B" workout I will deload to 85 and work back up. I have to take this to the next level and up my nutrition intake.

Deadlift - 200lbs 1x5

Pull ups- pathetic!

Bodyweight - 2/2

Monday's goal is Workout A-

Squat - 135 box squats
Bench Press - 165 (170 was a stall, I will stay at 165 this week)

Barbell Row - 155lbs

Chinups - I want to do 4/4/4.

Let's eat this weekend and prepare for the next level!

Week 11 Day 2

Yet another happening which screwed with my schedule. Does anyone else have this problem? It seems that if anything is going to happen, it always happens on my lifting days!!!!! I have been wanting to take this to the next level because I believe that I am on a plateau, but if it isn't one thing it is another which stops me from adding cardio and additional exercises to my life.

I couldn't lift until 4:00pm. My energy was not right - for many annoying reasons.

Week 11 Day 2
Workout A

5'7"
196lbs
Age 35

I should get a BF% reading and a picture soon, I am noticing a difference.

Squats - I tried box squats and must say that they appeal to me. I will have to work my way to parallel, but I am only about an inch off!

125 - 5/5/5/5/5

Bench Press -

170 - 4/3
Deloaded to 165 - 5/2

Not happy with that performance.

Barbell Rows - Current Favorite

150 - 5/5/5/5/5

Dips +30 5

Bodyweight - 10/5

Not happy at all - but at least i lifted. This Friday will be better.

Looking back at the first 10 Weeks

I just completed week 11 day 1 of Beginner I. I thought that this may be something to post in the Strength Training section, because it is all about Strength Training.

First I would like to start with the tip of my hat to the Stronglifts people:Mehdi, JDurando, Guni, YA, Elisa, Kevinfar - oh, you guys know who you are. I have followed your guidance and you've responded quite nicely to my frequent redundant questions and general whining. I thank you. Mehdi - you've created a great virtual gym - I say that because you have surpassed the blogsphere.

Stronglifts is not an easy regiment for someone as inflexible as I am. But it has made a big difference. If there is any one piece of advice I could give to a beginner or someone who has been lifting for years: make sure you have correct form. All the weight in the world does you no good if you lift it improperly. I have been slow to make progress, but this has taught me patience - something I have very little experience with.

The first 5 weeks of eating clean and weight lifting + cardio really showed in the way my clothes fit. This gave me more confidence and has improved my life. I found it easy to cheat on my form, but I paid the price. I sucked it up and deloaded and worked properly. This is a must do, and it is not news to anyone on this form. Everyone knows about form, but there are some of us who say "that's close enough" and count a rep. NO NO NO! I am lifting with a back injury that I've had for years and I have been lucky not to hurt myself again. I could have, but I read these posts in here and they showed me the light.

I have three kids under the age of five, the youngest 1. It is hard sometimes to get my lifting completed, and cardio almost never happens anymore. Either the kids, my wife or I am sick. There is something going on which gets in the way, but I almost ALWAYS get it done. Even if I have to lift at 10pm, it gets done. I learned this attitude here. If there is anyone who feels that this forum is for newbies only, open your eyes, swallow your pride and heed the advice of some people who may know better than you.

I hear arguments which defy the teachings here, but I know that they are false and mythical. I look up Mehdi's articles and research them myself and they are correct. Some of them are on the line between two different philosophies sometimes, but the facts are fact.

Anyway - I thank you as I have made incredible progress, and can be considered one of the poster children for the success of this site if only for the motivation. Motivation is 90% of this in my opinion. I used to just lay around when I had the time (and I still like that!) but now I'd rather be healthy and exercise.

Cheers and onto the next 10 weeks.

Scott

Week 11 Day 1

May 26th 2008 - God Bless our Loved ones who have paid the ultimate price for freedom, especially the ones who died because of bullshit.


Week 11 Day 1
Workout B

Height - 5'7"
Weight - 196lbs
Age 35
BF - Close to 21% - I am not happy with my regiment right now, so I will wait until I get regular before taking another reading.

Squats - Fixed my grip and closed it up so my shoulders are tighter - makes a big difference. Still not reaching parallel, but I am working on it.

125lbs - 5/5/5/5/5

OHP - Concentrating on getting my elbows under the bar. My lack of flexibility makes it tough, but the lifts are easier when I do.

100 - Same as last week - 5/5/5/5/5

Deadlifts -

195lbs - 1x5

Chin ups - 4/4/4 at bodyweight.

Week 10 Day 2

There is no Week 10 Day 3 because I missed day 1!!!!

Week 10 Day 2

Height: 5'7"
Weight 196.8
Age 35

New BF% next week - I need to step to the next level and add HIIT into my life. This transition to a new job has screwed my schedule into the wall.

Squats - Standard warm ups.

115 - 5x5 Not parallel, getting close.

OHP - Standard Warm up

100 - 5x5 - Last set was nice...easier than I thought.

Deadlift:

190 - 1x5

Pulls - 3/3 - Hey now.

Week 10 Day 1

Trying to get back into the right routine. My diet is suffering. I am still eating clean 90% of the time, but not eating enough. I hope I can get back into the right groove. On a positive note, my lifting is not suffering. Squats are still an issue due to my lack of flexibility.

Week 10 Day 1

Age 35
197.6 lbs
BF% - 23.4 last reading was a few weeks ago, I must recheck this.
5'7"

Squats - The usual flex problems -

115 - 5x5

Bench press:

165 5x5 - I passed my previous stall - Screw you 165!!!!

Rows-

145 5x5 - Felt good.

Dips + 30

10/10 - ran out of time for the 3rd set!

I need more time in the day and more calories!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Week 9 Days 2 and 3

Things have been crazy, with the kids being sick, me being sick and the new job, so to sum up:

Squats - I am staying at 115, I cannot improve my hip flexibility...I have tried, but my body was never hip flexible.

OHP - 95lbs 5x5

Deadlift - 180lbs

Chinups - 3/3/3

Day 3

Squats - 115 5x5 (not reaching parallel)

Bench 160 - 5x5 (F-You 160!)

Row 140

Dips +30 10/10/10 Bam!

Week 9 Day 1

Week 9 Day 1

5/12/08

Workout A

Squats - Working on my form and flexibility.

95lbs - 5/5/5/3/0

Getting lower, but not yet to parallel.

Bench Press - 45x5 / 135 x 2

155 - 5/5/5/5/5

Row -

135 - 5/5/5/5/5

Dips - bodyweight + 30lbs

10/10/5

Good Day - diet is a mess because of new schedule.

Week 8 Day 3

Week 8 Day 3

5/9/08

Squats - I worked on flexibility and form.

95 - 3/3/3/3/3

Bench Press:

45x5 / 135x2

150 - 5/5/5/5/5

Finally it was easy.

Rows:

125 - 5/5/5/5/5

Dips - +25

10/10/5

Better - I want my squats back!

Week 8 Day 2

Big realization this morning....

5'7"
199.6 lbs
23.8% BF
Age 35

Squats - 95 x 3 / 135x3 / 185x1 / 200x1

205 - 5/5/0/0/0 !!!!!!

I recorded my first two sets and realized that I am not even reaching parallel, let alone breaking it. I have to deload and work on form. PLUS I have to do some major flexibility drills because I thought I was going really deep and I am not. I also have thorasic inflexibility which is hindering correct form on OHP!

OHP - 45x5 / 65x5 /

90 - 5/5/5/5/5

Deadlift - 180lbs 1x5

Pulls - Bodyweight - 2.75 / 1

When will I actually get somewhere with my pull ups?

SO my question to the experts - how long should it take me to be flexible enough to reach and then break parallel? I am really UNflexible.

Scott

Week 8 Day 1

Week 8 Day 1

5/5/08

5'7"

196lbs
23.4% BF
Age 35

Workout A - I was tired today, which really screwed me up. I went back to sleep after I took Abby to Daycare, and did OK when I lifted, but I stalled on Bench Press, at a lighter weight than when I first stalled. I am going to chalk it up as a fluke and nothing more. Perhaps Friday will be fine, although I will repeat the 150 and hope I don't stall. I also fear that my diet is causing my barriers. I need to eat more. I should also add cardio again. I have been trying to get my schedule back together since the job change and I also have to cut out alcohol entirely for one week and see what happens.

Squats - 95 x 3 / 135 x 3 / 185 x 1

200lbs - 5/5/5/5/5

Bench Press - 45x5 / 135x3

150 - 5/5/5/5/3
Try again Friday!

Barbell Rows:

120 - 5/5/5/5/5

Dips: Bodyweight + 20lbs

3/5/5

I was rushed to get to work, so I could have done that better.

Question - would not eating enough calories in a day (too big a deficit) make me plateau?

Week 7 Day 3

Week 7 Day 3

Beginner I
Workout B

Age 35
5'7"
196.9lbs
23.4% BF (New Reading!)

Squats - 95x3 / 135x3 / 185x1

195lbs. - 5x5

OHP - 45x3 / 65x3

85lbs. - 5x5
Better than before, elbows in front of the bar - felt better today.

Deadlift -

170lbs. 1x5

Chins - bodyweight

5/5/3

Ooorah.