StrongLiftin'

[Chest Rockwell]

I've been looking to get back into weightlifting.  I haven't lifted seriously since 2007 and have been running more frequently.  I've gotten out of the habit of both in recent months, though.  I wanted to start from the ground up and build good overall strength with great form so I decided to go with StrongLifts 5x5.  I've lifted on and off over the years so I'm starting higher than 45 lbs in everything but overhead press.  I've completed four workouts thus far.  

 

March 30

 

Squat        - 5x5 95 lbs

Bench       - 5x5 90 lbs

Row          - 5x5 65 lbs

My weight - 209 lbs

 

April 1

 

Squat        - 5x5 100 lbs

OHP          - 5x5 45 lbs

Deadlift     - 1x5 95 lbs

My weight - 210 lbs

 

April 6

 

Squat         - 5x5 105 lbs

Bench        - 5x5 95 lbs

Row           - 5x5 75 lbs

My weight  - 210 lbs

 

April 8

 

Squat         - 5x5 110 lbs

OHP           - 5x5 50 lbs

Deadlift      - 1x5 105 lbs

My weight  - 209 lbs

 

[Chest Rockwell]

April 10

 

Squat         -  5x5 115 lbs

Bench        -  5x5 95 lbs (I started at 85 lbs, rather than 90, so the first two bench weights are incorrect)

Rows         -  5x5 80 lbs

 

My weight - 207 lbs

[Chest Rockwell]

April 12

 

Squat          - 5x5 120 lbs

OHP            - 5x5 55 lbs

Deadlift       - 1x5 115 lbs

 

weight        - 210 lbs

[Chest Rockwell]

April 14

 

Squat          - 5x5 125 lbs

Bench         - 5x5 100 lbs

Row            - 5x5 80 lbs (argh I've been overreporting this one too)

 

weight        - 209 lbs

[Chest Rockwell]

April 16

 

I had my first miss today.  Third set of squats, I missed the last rep.  I don't know what caused it--I may have gotten distracted, I may have done too much in the warm-up sets, I don't know.  I was able to finish the last two sets.  A bummer to have to repeat this weight again next time, but at the same time I don't want to move up and not be ready.  

 

Squat - 2x5 at 130; 1x4 at 130; 2x5 at 130

OHP - 5x5 at 60

Deadlift - 1x5 at 125

 

weight - 209 lbs

[Chest Rockwell]

I completed squats without too much difficulty this time.  I had three days off, which was probably helpful.  Glad to make progress, but I can definitely see the squats are going to get very tough very soon.  I'm a little discouraged that I'm having some difficulty already with them--I have to keep telling myself that while I've done 225 before, it was a long time ago, probably with poor form, and at no point was I able to do that much for 5x5.     

 

Squat - 5x5 at 130

Bench - 5x5 at 105

Row - 5x5 at 85

 

weight - not measured today

 

tunes - Pig Destroyer, PHANTOM LIMB

[Chest Rockwell]

Today's workout felt great.  There's such a mental boost to having full 45 lb plates on the bar.  It just makes you feel tougher and stronger than having anything less for some reason.  I was able to finish all my squats and I feel by god bulletproof right now.  Also, overhead press is getting to the level where it takes some real effort, so that's more fun than just throwing a bar around.  

 

Squat - 5x5 at 135

OHP - 5x5 at 65

Deadlift - 1x5 at 135

 

weight - not measured today

 

tunes - Freddie Gibbs and Madlib, PINATA; Mastodon, BLOOD MOUNTAIN

[SevenofSeven]

Progression is looking really good. Well done on consistency!

[Chest Rockwell]

Progression is looking really good. Well done on consistency!

Thanks!

[Chest Rockwell]

April 24

 

No problems with squat today, but they are definitely getting more difficult.  A guy who works out at the same time I do who previously noticed I was doing StrongLifts ("Well, you were doing 5 of 5, with low weight, and weighting about ninety seconds between sets...") and previously worked through StrongLifts for about a year tells me I'm getting really nice and low in the squat.  That's a good feeling--while I try and go to what feels like an exaggeratedly low depth, I worry sometimes that I'm cheating.  I haven't really even attempted to work on my diet, though I know I should.  I've wanted to focus on making this workout a routine.  I think I'm pretty much there, though, so I don't really have any excuse now haha.

 

Squat - 5x5 140lbs

Bench - 5x5 110lbs

Row - 5x5 90 lbs

 

Weight - 211 lbs (haven't really even attempted to work on diet, though I know I should.

 

Tunes - Skeletonwitch, SERPENTS UNLEASHED; Noisem, AGONY DEFINED.

[Chest Rockwell]

April 27

 

Squat - 5x5 145lbs

OHP - 5x5 70lbs

Deadlift - 1x5 145 lbs

 

Weight - not measured

 

Tunes - Kylesa, SPIRAL SHADOW, Noisem again for the last two sets of squats (I find that straightforward, fast thrash metal is great squat music.  I'm not a super big fan of the vocalist, but Noisem gets the job done).

 

Post workout lunch - turkey sammich and a red bell pepper

[Chest Rockwell]

April 29

 

Squat - 5x5 150 lbs

Bench - 5x5 115 lbs

Row - 5x5 95 lbs

 

Weight - not measured

 

Tunes - Mastodon, BLOOD MOUNTAIN; Black Flag, MY WAR

[Chest Rockwell]

May 6

 

I took about a week off due to a busy work schedule, family commitments, and a kayaking trip on Tennessee's beautiful Hiwassee River.  I was worried that I'd lose some strength and/or muscle memory with that much time off, but I did fine.  

 

Squat - 5x5 155lbs

OHP - 5x5 75lbs

Deadlift - 5x5 155 lbs

 

Weight - not measured

 

Tunes - Pig Destroyer, PHANTOM LIMB (squats); Japandroids, POST-NOTHING (everything else)

 

Post-lunch - 6 oz chicken breast; green pepper; 1 slice of whole grain bread with peanut butter; water 

[SevenofSeven]

Sometimes a week off is a good thing, more often than not you come back stronger, more energised and ready to go! I miss kayaking, not much time for it these days.

[SomeGuyFromScotland]

Good going, keep it up. Also, keep listing the songs you're listening to, I love getting suggestions for good workout songs, especially thrashy things. I'm old school. ;-)

[Chest Rockwell]

Sometimes a week off is a good thing, more often than not you come back stronger, more energised and ready to go! I miss kayaking, not much time for it these days.

I agree after having done it.  I felt much better on my squats than I had in awhile.  

 

I don't get much time to kayak, either.  I bought a boat right before our first daughter was born and unfortunately haven't gotten my money's worth.  She loves watching kayak videos on YouTube, so there's hope she'll get into it with me as she gets older!

[Chest Rockwell]

Good going, keep it up. Also, keep listing the songs you're listening to, I love getting suggestions for good workout songs, especially thrashy things. I'm old school. ;-)

Thanks!  I appreciate it.  If you've got any music suggestions, I'm all ears!  I just picked up Deafheaven's SUNBATHER and and Torche's HARMONICRAFT, but I'm really looking for more Slayer-style thrash.  There's just so much bad stuff out there it can be hard to find the good.

[SomeGuyFromScotland]

Believe it or not, I was listening to "Reign in Blood" while working out on Monday night. Almost 30 years old, and it still blows me away.

[Chest Rockwell]

5/8/15

 

Squat - 5x5 160 lbs

Bench - 5x5 120 lbs

Row - 5x5 100 lbs

 

Tunes - Deafheaven, SUNBATHER

[Chest Rockwell]

5/11/15

 

As recently as last week, there were lifts that were still easy--only the squat was a real killer.  Not anymore.  Now, everything is tough (squat's still the worst, though) so there aren't any lifts off.  Should be fun!

 

Squat - 5x5 165 lbs

OHP - 5x5 80 lbs

Deadlift - 1x5 165 lbs

 

Tunes - Torche, HARMONICRAFT

[Chest Rockwell]

5/13/15

 

Squat - 5x5 170 lbs

Bench - 5x5 125 lbs

Row - 5x5 105 lbs

 

Tunes - Amon Amarth, DECEIVER OF THE GODS; Deafheaven, SUNBATHER

[Chest Rockwell]

5/18/15

 

Tough day today.  I managed to finish all the squats, which I didn't think was going to happen, but I missed the last rep of the last set of overhead press.  I've been considering de-loading across the board and adding pull-ups and dips and re-integrating some running.  This may be a good time to do it.  If anyone has any suggestions, I'm all ears.

 

Squats - 5x5 175

OHP - 4x5 and 1x4 85

Deadlift - 3x5 175

 

Tunes--Pig Destroyer; King Tuff, KING TUFF

[Chest Rockwell]

5/20/15

 

I decided to de-load on squats.  Three reasons.  First, I want to focus more on form.  I felt like my form had become, or was in danger of becoming, really crappy with 175.  Second, I decided to add dips and pull-ups.  Dips on bench press days, pull-ups on deadlift days.  Third, I decided to start paying attention to what is going into my body.  I've been doing this for about 10 weeks and have it pretty well integrated into my routine by now, so there's no excuse at this point, really.

 

Squats 5x5 135

Bench 5x5 130

Row 5x5 110

 

Tunes--Jay Reatard, BLOOD VISIONS; Black Flag, DAMAGED

[Chest Rockwell]

5/26/15

 

Overhead press went by with no problems today.  When I was setting up and calculating the weight I needed, I realized that two weeks ago I added 5 lbs extra and was really doing 90 instead of 85 when I missed my last rep.  Squatting 175 must have wiped out my brain along with my quads.  I'm considering de-loading on deadlifts, too.  Like with squats, I'm afraid my form is getting spotty.  Can't have that as the weight continues to increase.

 

Squats - 5x5 145 lbs

OHP - 5x5 85 lbs

Deadlift - 5x5 185 lbs

Pullups - 3x3

 

Tunes -- Girl Talk, ALL DAY

Weight -- 212 lbs

[alexis88]

Love the music addition here; i may just steal that for my journal