Lachy's Log

[Lachy]

18/01/2012 Workout A

Squat: 5 x 5 @ 90KG

Bench Press: 5 x 5 @ 65KG

Barbell Row: 5 x 5 @ 75KG

Dips: 11, 11, 11, 11, 7

Still progressing nicely, now nearing personal bests in all lifts, so by the end of next week I'll be at a new level and paving new ground! I'm feeling strong still, and not particularly taxed by any of the lifts, nearing maximum effort but not there yet.

I worked out by the end of next week, I'll be squating 100KG/220lbs! I'm pretty excited about that milestone

[Pat G]

Lachy, solid work mate.

I see you moved across to the stronglifts 5x5 program. That working out well for you?

18/01/2012 Workout A

I worked out by the end of next week, I'll be squating 100KG/220lbs! I'm pretty excited about that milestone

Question answered.

Triple digits on the squat and Dead lift!

well in son!

[Lachy]

Thanks, Pat

Only been a week and a half on SL so far, but I'm liking it.

[Lachy]

20/01/2012 Workout B

Squat: 5 x 5 @ 92.5KG

Press: 5 x 5 @ 37.5KG

Deadlift: 1 x 5 @ 110KG

Pullups: 6, 6, 6, 6, 5

Squats are definetly getting harder now, actually it's strange, part way through the reps/sets it's like I won't make it up, but then other times it's easy. And I'm not feeling wrecked by the end. Hopefully I'll still hit 100KGs next Friday! I'm keeping rest at about 60 seconds right now, so there's room to expand there if I need more recovery.

Pullups, damn you! Progression over last week, but only just.

[Pat G]

You're right, you do have room to expand, i know what you mean about the grinder sets in the 5x5. Odd.

You're right, as per the Stronglifts guide, if you start stalling, just increase recovery time all good man.

No idea on the pull ups though. i'm stalled atm with a shoulder prob.

[Lachy]

I'm not stalling, not yet. Pullups are progressing, so I'm happy enough. And yeah, I'll expand recovery time if needed. I'm kinda looking forward to stalling a little bit, because then I'll know I'm at my current limit and I will see it grow as I progress.

That sucks about your shoulder, I've had that before, and also elbow issues. Take it easy and give it the time it needs. After some recovery do some light load exercises with it instead of going back to your working weight right away.

[Lachy]

23/01/2012 Workout A

Squat: 5 x 5 @ 95KG

Bench Press: 5 x 5 @ 67.5KG

Barbell Row: 2 x 5 @ 77.5KG, 2 x 4 @ 77.5KG, 1 x 5 @77.5KG

Dips: 11, 11, 11, 11, 9

Barbell Row is getting hard! On the third and fourth sets, I did do a 5th rep, but I couldn't count it in good concience, didn't meet the chest and I stood a bit, bad form! I managed through the 5th after a little extra rest.

Dips, got 2 more on the final set, let's see how I go again come Friday.

[Pat G]

lol. working weight for pull ups?

Solid for the strength gain again.

Barbell row. Which way are you doing them? Starting off deadliftish ie Mark Rippetoe form? or picking it up in more of a squat stance, like most guys do at the gym.

[Lachy]

Pullups and dips are body weight, so ~86KG. Doing rows starting like a deadlift, try to keep my back still and just pull the bar to my chest with the arms/back. I'm OK with struggling a bit on them, I feel the weight is getting up there, and I'll make progress on 'em.

[Lachy]

25/01/2012 Workout B

Squat: 5 x 5 @ 97.5KG

Press: 5 x 5 @ 40KG

Deadlift: 2 x 5 @ 115KG

Pullups: 6, 6, 6, 5, 4

It's raining like a mofo here at the moment, this morning when I got up to go to the gym it looked more important for me to run around clearing drains to help prevent the pool overflowing and flooding the house. I told work I wouldn't be in. Got everything under control and went to the gym around 9 anyway. It was busy, don't these people have jobs?! After a short wait, I got a squat rack and it was on like Donkey Kong!

Squats are getting hard, but I powered through, 100KG on Friday! OHPs are still going good. Deads are heavy, the first lift gives me dizzy head, but the rest are OK. I did 2 sets on the dead lift because I wanted to alternate mixed grips. Pull ups ... well I'd like to say I was just so exhausted from the rest of the workout that I didn't have the strength left in me to complete all sets. They're a finisher anyway, and aren't vital. I am disappointed in them though.

So many young bucks in the gym doing 5 different types of bicep curls! Argh, there's a reason I like my 530am workouts!

[Lachy]

28/01/2012 Workout A

Squat: 5 x 5 @ 100KG

Bench Press: 5 x 5 @ 70KG

Barbell Row: 2 x 5 @ 77.5KG, 1 x 4 @ 77.5KG, 2 x 5 @77.5KG

Dips: 12, 12, 8

Awww yeah!!! 100KG squat done! That's 220lbs to you imperial folk. I am happy. Bench is getting tough, but I muscled through. Rows, well still failed that middle set, but refocused for the last 2, next time, all 5! And dips, well I decided to cut my dips and pull ups to 3 sets, and increase reps a little. But damn, couldn't even complete 3 sets! I think the weight on the lifts is getting so that I just don't have much left at the end for body weight finishers.

[Lachy]

30/01/2012 Workout B

Squat: 5 x 5 @ 100KG

Press: 5 x 5 @ 42.5KG

Deadlift: 2 x 5 @ 120KG

Pullups: 6, 6, 6, 5, 4

Decided to repeat the grade with the squats, make sure my from was propper. I got down good and deep and powered through, so I'm satisfied I can continue to increase weight again.

Two sets of deads again today. I like doing deads and I like to do both mixed grips! All warmups are done double overhand.

Stupid pullups!

[Benny P]

Keep up with the great work Lachy!

[Lachy]

Thanks Benny

[Pat G]

muscling out some serious weight now mate. triple digits on the squats and deads FTW. talking about good, what's your go to meal?

[Lachy]

Thanks, Pat.

Go to meal, hmmm I do get a quite a bit of variety, but sometimes on the weekend I'll walk to the shops or the butcher and buy a big ass steak, BBQ that up and serve it with some steamed veggies. (I added some fried halumi cheese to the plate once, that was goooood, though probably overshot it on the calories.) Can do a similar meal with chicken or fish, or 'roo. I admit though, I have a bit off BBQ sauce with it.

I boil up 4 eggs or so twice a week and have them for breakfast or snacks at work.

My diet certainly isn't perfect, I eat too much toast, rice, pasta, potato (all those delicious carbs), as well as use a lot of butter and cream. I'm trying to eat more meat with my meals, more veggies and less of the carby/creamy sides.

[Lachy]

Oh right, I meant to update on my workout too!

Walks are still going on, I just won't track them any more. My Dad is away working right now, so I'm walking on my own, which means I go further and faster. The exact time and distance is irrelevent, I go for about 6.5Ks, and it takes me under an hour. If I find myself stalling on my lifts, I will drop the walks and just rest on these days, but for now they're useful for me to burn some calories, and maintain my early mornings.

[Lachy]

28/01/2012 Workout A

Squat: 5 x 5 @ 102.5KG

Bench Press: 3 x 5 @ 72.5KG, 1 x 4 @ 725KG, 1 x 5 @ 72.5KG

Barbell Row: 5 x 5 @ 77.5KG

OK, a few changes are ineffect from now on. Not going to walk on the day off mornings, I can feel my legs aren't recovered properly for squats, going to have to find another reason to get up early though. Maybe I'll get a walk/run on Saturdays. And I'm dropping the dips I added to the routine now that Bench is approaching the wall. I want to give my chest just the bench work, triceps and shoulders get worked durring the OHP again anyway. Going to keep the pull ups in workout B for now though.

And finaly, beat the rows before the 3rd strike!

[Pat G]

I'd completely forgotten i could boil eggs. Man i haven't had an egg sandwich in ages.

You must have been pushing yourself fairly hard on your walks to get some impact on your squats.

Well done beating the Barbell rows in the nick of time. You haven't had to deload anything yet hey.

[bprime]

You know, dips are fantastic and if anything should help your bench.

I'm not sure which program you're following exactly (I only read this last page), but most of them have a little clause saying "if you absolutely can't stay away from direct arm work, add in 2-3 sets of biceps and triceps once a week after your main lifts, you fucking bro you"

I always used weighted dips and pullups for my arm work As long as you're recovering properly, they should help push through this sticking point.

[Lachy]

30/01/2012 Workout B

Squat: 5 x 5 @ 105KG

Press: 5 x 5 @ 45KG

Deadlift: 1 x 5 @ 125KG, 1 x 3 @125KG

Pullups: 6, 6, 6, 4

Starting to extend my rest time on squats for the final 2 sets from 1.5 minutes to 3, getting slooow for the last 2 or so reps. Still getting my ass down and the bar back up though, so onward!

Deadlift is starting to hit my grip now, even with mixed, I had to re-grip the bar durring the set. Tried an extra set with opposite mixed grip, but after 3 my grip was weak and I was worried about compromising form.

Pull ups, I'm just exhausted at the end, might focus on 3 sets, but up the reps? I dunno.

So that marks 1 month on Strong Lifts! A couple of stalls, but no deloads yet. I'm happy with my progress

[Lachy]

bprime, I'm doing SL5x5. So dips and pullups are extra work that I arguably shouldn't be doing, but yeah bro, I want the extra arm work! I just think I'm too fatigued by the end of my 3 exercises to do my best at them. Don't know if I should keep them or not. I like doing both, not weighted yet.

Pat, the walks go for about an hour, at a pace just shy of a jog. I think it fatigues my legs, doesn't really stress them like a squat, but I can feel that they aren't as strong as if I'd rested fully for a day. And boiled eggs are great!

[Lachy]

06/02/2012 Workout A

Squat: 3 x 5 @ 107.5KG, 2 x 4 @ 107.5

Bench Press: 5 x 5 @ 72.5KG

Barbell Row: 5 x 5 @ 80KG

Dips: 12, 12, 12

Gonna have to repeat the grade on squats on Wednesday. In the fourth set, I hit all 5 reps, but form wasn't tight, so I docked myself a rep. On the fifth set form was OK, but I stopped after 4, I was struggling! I can get over this though, I'm confident!

Cleared all my bench reps after missing a rep last time in the fourth set. It's tough now, but I can make it. Rows weren't no thing today, cleared 'em pretty easily. And return of the dips, going for 3 sets I think from now on, hit all reps, so next time I'll aim for 13, lucky 13!

Didn't do much over the weekend, had a skate on Saturday, my jump has gotten easier on to high stuff thanks to squats no doubt.

[Pat G]

Mad skater.

What form do you use for the barbell rows? the way you usually see them at the gym, kind of squatted over? or setup like a deadlift like Mark Rippetoe prescribes?

[Lachy]

When I woke up this morning I didn't feel right, very light headed. I went back to sleep. Maybe I didn't sleep well? Maybe I ate something that didn't agree with me? Maybe I'm lazy and making excuses? So I'll train tomorrow, rest Friday, train Saturday, and start next week as usual on Monday.

Pat, I think I mentioned it before but it doesn't matter. I row from the bent over deadlift position.