Nesler

I ended up answering my own question on the hotel pull-up bar. Yes it fits, but the door frame was too creaky for me to trust it. I didn't feel like accidentally ripping the door frame off my bathroom my first night there. Instead, I decided to replace the pull-ups with inverted rows for the week. I must say, though, the transition from inverted rows to pull-ups has not been kind to me. It's my second day back to Stronglifts, and adding 35 pull-ups at the end of the day is not fun. I still manage to complete them, so it's not all bad. I've been doing them in pyramid sets (start at 1 rep, slowly increase reps, then slowly decrease), which has been making the progression much easier.

I'll have to take a break from Stronglifts next week. I'll be heading out of town next week for work, so I won't have access to a gym during that time. I'll still have time to do the PLPs, so hopefully my pull-up bar will fit on the door frames in the hotel room. Also, I hit 10 pull-ups in one set a couple days ago! Lately, I've started spacing out my PLPs into smaller sets, but I'm still able to do them all in a single session, so that's good. I started getting some icky-looking calluses/blisters on my hands from pinching my skin, so I've had to work on my grip a bit to prevent that.

Finished up my third week of Stronglifts, so I decided to post some update videos to see how my form is doing. Bench Press, 65lb (front) (side) Overhead Press, 52lb (front) (side) Deadlift, 135lb Squat, 80lb (I realized now that the squat video was a little crooked) I tried getting a full shot of the squat, but it was tough to get a good camera angle with all the other equipment in the way. I've been focusing on my grip for the bench and overhead presses and switched to using a thumbless grip for both of them. I still forget about tightening the shoulder blades when I do the bench press.

I feel a little bad for having to miss a PLP yesterday. I remembered around 5 pm yesterday that I needed to do them, but we were already heading over to a friend's house. At the very least, though, I'm not missing two of them in a row, so I could just count yesterday as a rest day.

Question for traveling: I have a doorway pull-up bar that hangs on the door frame for doing pull-ups. I'm gonna be traveling out of town for work for a week sometime before Christmas, and I was wondering if I'd be able to use that pull-up bar inside a hotel room? I can't remember if hotel bathrooms had big enough door frames to position the pull-up bar onto. As for the PLP progress, I'm starting to question how I'm gonna manage past the halfway point. I've hit 18 reps so far, and the pull-ups are starting to wear me down pretty fast. I'd like to be able to do all the reps in one session, but I can imagine myself having to spread reps throughout the day in the later weeks.

Two weeks in, and so far, so good. I decided to throw in 5 lunges before each workout as a warm-up. Also, I'm traveling out of town each weekend to visit my girlfriend who's taking classes for the next five weeks, and I'm questioning where I'll be able to do pull ups on Saturdays. I found a park I can do them in, but that might be problematic when the snow falls. I thought I could bring my pull up bar with me, but it doesn't fit in any of the door frames of the place she's staying at (they're all too wide). As for Stronglifts, people seem to be offering good advice on my form so far. I'm planning to post some update videos once I hit 135 lb on deadlifts.

I filmed the barbell rows today, hopefully with better form than the first time I did them. I know my back looks a little rounded, but it was the best I could do to keep it straight. Barbell Row, 55lb I'm also gonna add this link to my first post.

Yeah, I need to get a little more creative with how I film the squats; I've just been positioning my phone on nearby objects. I know my feet flare out quite a bit when I squat, but it's hard for me to angle them in when I'm down into a squat. Thanks! I had forgotten about the thumb-less grip. I'll keep that in mind when I do my presses on Friday. The plan for Friday is to fix my form on the barbell rows (gonna go for the Pendlay Rows) and post the videos after work.

Welcome to the forums! I had been in the same boat of being a reader that finally joined the forums. I decided to join when I started lifting again for the fall/winter and wanted to stay consistent on my exercise. It's only been a couple weeks, but I've stayed on track so far.

Does anyone hail from North-eastern Minnesota? I'm living snugly in the Iron Range (more specifically, Virginia, MN), and I'm curious to see who else lives close by.

I'm making a second attempt at Stronglifts, and I'd like to start checking my form early on to catch any mistakes I'm making. All my starting videos will be at 45 lb, except for the deadlift, which will be at 95 lb. I'm gonna post the barbell row later, because after looking over the Stronglifts stuff again, I realized that I've been doing the barbell rows wrong (my back was at a 40 degree angle). Next time I do those, I'll fix my form and film it again. Squat Bench Press (side) (front) Overhead Press (side) (front) Deadlift Barbell Row, 55lb Once I hit 95 lb on my squat (or sooner, if I get impatient), I'll post update videos on my forms.

I usually just buy a mass of groceries at the start of a job and feed off that, but I could purchase daily if needed. I'd also need to remember to bring a couple containers with me so I'd have a place to keep the meat in.

I'm only a week into this, and already I remember how big of a potential road block my work can be for working out. Having to work 10-15 hour shifts Friday through Sunday, I never got a chance to do my lifts this weekend. However, I never let that get in the way of doing my PLP's each morning, so yay for me! Also, I wonder if I should increase the number of lunges I do in a PLP or just keep doing them at the same rate as the pull-ups and push-ups. I'm at the point where pull-ups are becoming difficult, but lunges hardly feel like anything. I'm thinking about increasing my lunge reps by 5 or 10, but I'm afraid of increasing too much and exhausting myself by the end of the challenge.

Alright, it's time to get my battle log out there for the world to see! As of last Sunday (Oct-12), I am doing the Stronglifts 5x5 program and the 60-day PLP challenge side-by-side. I was gonna start on Monday, but I was already motivated on Sunday, so I started early. Stats (10/12/2014) Age: 24 Gender: Male Height: 5'9" Weight: 150.8 lb My main goal, other than completing the programs, is to stay consistent with these programs. For Stronglifts, that means always fitting in three workouts in a week. For PLP, that means not missing a single day (if, in the event I DO miss a day, I'll just stick with the "never twice in a row" principle). I should note that this will be my second attempt at Stronglifts. I first attempted Stronglifts late July of 2013. I was off to a good start, but after 3 weeks, I wasn't able to maintain the three-times-per-week schedule (probably work stress and late nights, I don't remember). It ended up taking me three months to complete two months worth of work. My program fell apart when I completed my five sets of squats at 160 lb and suddenly got a weird neck spasm (that's the best I can remember it) and didn't go back to the gym for a week from that minor headache. Actually, that week ended up turning into three months since I went back to the gym for yoga (so glad I had a workout log for all that), but I still never got back into the rhythm for lifting until this week. Also, here were my maximum weights from the first Stronglifts: Squats - 160 lbOverhead press - 75 lbDeadlift - 195 lbBench press - 100 lbBent-over row - 100 lbSo what's being done differently this time around? I'm going to post videos of my lifts each month so I can get feedback on my form.I want to do my workouts in the morning before work. I know how easily I can postpone a workout if I wait until after work to do it. There is the risk of sleeping in, but I seem to be waking up alright so far this week.I'm starting the bent-over rows with an empty bar. I was afraid of them being unsafe from my first Stronglifts program, but I want to give them another shot.I plan to progress more slowly with the overhead press this time. I saw the idea to get some 1.25 lb plates, but then I remembered I had some 1 lb wrist weights in my closet, so no need to spend more money!I imagine the only thing to change for my diet would be to have a milky protein shake with each workout, and probably eat a little more as I progress to more strenuous workouts. My stand-alone diet is already mostly Paleo, so I'm pretty content with how it is now. I want to stick with the Stronglifts program even after I've completed the three months, at least until I start training for a half-marathon around March/April. I'll decide what I want to do when I get that far. As for the PLP, I don't know where I want to go with that once the 60 days are up, but the idea of doing 100 push-ups has always been appealing to me. Here's a link to my workout log for those who want to see my progress. Also, I realized soon after making my spreadsheet that someone had already made a Stronglifts spreadsheet that looks cleaner, but I feel like this one keeps me on track with doing three workouts each week.

I did like having boiled eggs on hand for lunch, but I never knew how long they kept outside of the fridge. My only worry for meat would be that my hotel room wouldn't have a fridge, although I suppose that could easily be solved by keeping a cooler on hand. I'll definitely keep the eggs in mind for future trips.

Hello, forums! I started reading Nerd Fitness a couple years ago when I came across the article for building your own workout routine, and this has been my go-to site for fitness ever since. I decided to join the forums because I'm making a second attempt at the Stronglifts 5x5 program and decided I needed a little more accountability. During my first attempt, I had difficulty sticking with a consistent schedule, so it took me 3 months to accomplish 2 months worth of the workout. My program eventually crumbled when I went in for a 160 lb squat and got a weird neck spasm (that's the best I could remember it) and took the next week off due to a headache, which led to me not returning to the gym for another 3 months. I'm hoping this time around I can stay on schedule and improve my form in lifts, plus have a group of people to talk to if I have any issues pop up again. In terms of general fitness, I have no complaints. I adopted the Paleo diet quickly after reading the first Nerd Fitness article and have virtually cut grains and junk food out of my shopping list (although I have very little restraint whenever baked good and sweets are made available at someone else's home). I'd describe myself as a winter warrior and summer scout. I've taken a few yoga classes, and I ran my first half-marathon last summer (in Fivefingers, as well). When the snow falls, I lifts weights; when the snow melts, I run and bike. My weight has fluctuated between 150 and 160 lb, and I'm happy with my body, but I always wonder if I could make it better. Other tidbits about my life, if they interest you: I'm 24 years old, 5"9' and currently at 150.8 lb, living in the iron range of Minnesota.I work as an electrical engineer, a majority of which involves sitting, but can include 12-hour shifts of physical labor on week-long trips out of town.I grew up mostly a Nintendo gamer (played/owned every Nintendo system since NES), but quickly branched out to other games once I got a powerful-enough computer.TV shows of interest lately have been animes, although now I pretty much watch whatever my girlfriend is currently watching (The Devil is a Part Timer being the most recent show), or Adventure Time (also introduced by my gf).I recently started brewing my own beer (proof that I haven't gone full Paleo and probably never will).Anyway, I hope that all followed a logical order. I kinda just started spouting whatever was in my head and tried tying it together in a way that made sense.

Okay, technically I'm an engineer working with power systems protection, but there are plenty of jobs where I'm out at another site for 12-hour shifts. I've been looking to get some ideas for Paleo/Primal foods I can keep on hand during these shifts that doesn't require refrigeration (meals are typically eaten in our vehicles). My usual lunch has been a fruit (apple or banana), vegetable (cherry tomatoes or bell peppers), and nuts. It's been a good lunch combo so far, but I'd like to add on another filling protein source (nuts can get bland after a while). Sometimes I'll throw in a Clif or KIND bar, but I feel like there should be some good Paleo/Primal alternatives to this.

I absolutely love my Fivefingers for running and lifting weights (I ran my first half marathon in them). My method of adjusting to them was following a couch-to-5k plan on the treadmill during winter. I can wear them comfortably for most of the day, but they do irritate my feet in the evening if I wear them for that long. Also, maybe this doesn't need to be said, but the Fivefingers don't provide much warmth for cold weather running. That half marathon I ran? It was 50°F and drizzling for most of the run, so my feet were pretty numb afterwards.