Nightbrother's quest to become better

[nightbrother]

Week 5 of stronglifts 5x5

 

My core was sore after 3-4 minutes of jump rope. Skipped core exercises.

 

Squats: 105 lbs completed 5x5

Overhead-press: 70 lbs; my first failure

Deadlift: 155 lbs the heaviest i've ever deadlifted ever!

Pull ups: having dropped about 15 lbs since i last did them i could easily do 3x6

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mHe6FMs46o

 

Nutrition:

Was unprepared as i din't have my meals set-up. Plus i was on my own and on the road when i learned i had to make my own last minute super.

 

Chugged 2litres of choco milk and 2 greek yogurt on top of my supper+a bowl of ice cream.

 

It was the best i could do on such short notice and under these circumstances. Tomorrow i'll be better prepared by having meals made in advance.I just hope what i ate was over my maintenance.

 

Time to try again in 2 days.

 

 

[nightbrother]

June 12 2014

(day late)

 

workout #2 week 5 of Stronglifts

 

Din't get a good sleep the night before, felt exhausted all day, din't know how i could possibly summon the strength and energy to lift after my shift was over at work. 

 

I remembered El's advice of eating sugary cereal on lift days for energy. So i got a box of Capn' Crunch and it a bowl of it, it worked!

 

Warmup:

 

My core still hurt a bit, so i only did jump rope at an easy pace.

 

Lifts:

 

Squat: 110 lbs, felt this was just hard enough, i know i'll be at the limit of my strength in a few days.

 

bench: 75 lbs when i put myself in position at the bench i though this was going to be easy since i'm still under 100 lbs. WRONG! Again this week i'm getting closer to knowing the limits of my strength.

 

Row: 95 lbs This one felt fairly simple.

 

Since the lifts are getting harder, i increased my rest time,so the workout as a whole took longer.

 

Nutrition:

Since i'm bulking now i just remembered i can eat (almost) as much greek yogurt as i can, you bet i took advantage of that and at a whole container for breakfast.

 

I'm also starting to realize how much i underestimated avocados, so i'm starting to include them in a lot of my meals. 

 

Cals over 2500 and protein at least 140

 

But by the evening i was ready to crash so i went to bed early.The next day i don't work until the evening so i decided to take advantage of that and sleep-in getting plenty of rest. 

 

Some parts of my body are sore (i could REALLY feel my tight and legs while biking back home), but nothing that will keep me from doing my job and lifting, so i'm all good!

 

In the meantime i'm watching Kamen Rider V3 before heading to work. See ya' next lift day!

[nightbrother]

June 14

 

workout #3 week 5 of Stronglifts

 

Had some more sleep and enough rest time,slowly getting into the bulking habit. 

 

Warmup: my core is feeling better, but still i could feel it while jumping rope.

 

lifts:

 

Squat 115

 

overhead press 70 overcame my last failure.This time i made sure to get enough rest in-between sets.

 

deadlift 165 This is the heaviest i have ever lifted,deadliest are a big confidence booster for me.

 

pull-ups: 6x3

 

Nutrition: hitting the 2500 cal. mark today no problem.

[El Exorcisto]

It's good to see you making steady progress. When you get a chance, throw up some form checks. It's a lot easier to break bad habits now than when you have a couple plates on your back. Getting form nailed down will also throw easy weight on the bar.

 

Smash some fuckin weight, bro!

[nightbrother]

It's good to see you making steady progress. When you get a chance, throw up some form checks. It's a lot easier to break bad habits now than when you have a couple plates on your back. Getting form nailed down will also throw easy weight on the bar.

 

Smash some fuckin weight, bro!

I forgot to mention that in my log. I started warming up with just the bar to make sure i have my form right.

[El Exorcisto]

Anyone can squat the bare bar with perfect form. It isn't until you start thinking "hmmm... this feels kinda heavy" that form can even begin to break. That's when you need to find out where you break and how to cue yourself not to.

[nightbrother]

June 17 (day late)

 

workout #1 week 6 of stronglifts

 

 

lifts:

 

Squat 120 lbs

 

bench: 80 lbs

 

rows:100 lbs

 

Curls: 50 lbs. when i came to grab the EZ bar i picked-up the one that was just recently used. The previous user left 1x 10 lbs plates on each side, so i decided to test my strength with it. I only managed to do 8 reps, so i lowered the weight to 1x 2.5 lbs on each side. It was humbling, but then again i started almost every other lift with just the bar.I'll work my way up eventually,it's just going to take some time.

 

Nutrition: on target!

 

I'm noticing some changes, both good and bad. When doing my stretches i'm noticing i'm becoming more flexible then before, sure i can't do any splits yet but still...

Perhaps all this biking + everything else is making me more mobile.

 

I'm also noticing myself being way more exhausted then before despite getting enough sleep. When i came home after my workout is was dead tired after eating my supper. By 10:00 i was struggling to keep my eyes open hence why i'm writing this log a day late.I'm aware that my body is adapting to radical changes due to heavy weights and muscle growth (hopefully!), it's almost like going through my teens all over again; it feels funny and weird but at the same time i know its for the better. I have to keep going, i must if i want to become better. 

[El Exorcisto]

You'll adapt soon enough. The early adaptation I had when on SL was similar. Are you getting the sweats yet?

[nightbrother]

You'll adapt soon enough. The early adaptation I had when on SL was similar. Are you getting the sweats yet?

I am! Though i don't sweat easily and i seem to cool down pretty fast. Maybe it has to do with longer rest time i've been taking since the weights are heavier.

[El Exorcisto]

I mean the sweats when you aren't training. For me they come about a half hour after I eat while bulking, but they were much more noticable when I was new.

[nightbrother]

I mean the sweats when you aren't training. For me they come about a half hour after I eat while bulking, but they were much more noticable when I was new.

No i don't think i've had this so far.

[nightbrother]

June 18 2014 (yet another day late)

 

workout #2 of week 6 of stronglifts 

 

lifts:

 

Squat: 125 lbs, This one felt really hard. By my last rep i was using all the strength i had to lift myself up, the grunt i made at my last rep got the attention of a few nearby lifters.

 

overhead press: 75 lbs Failed again! This is probably the limit of my strength in terms of overhead press. I'm expecting to struggle to get up from this point on.

 

deadlift: 175 lbs, This is the most weight i have ever lifted in the gym in my entire life! I felt so accomplished when i was done with that exercise. 

 

pull-ups: 6x3

 

Nutrition:

On target!

[Eddievenom]

congrats on the DL PR. I wouldn't sweat the OHP stall. from past experience and from talking with others it is normally the first lift to start to stall and slow in progress. its never a bad idea to bump down a few pounds get a few more than try at last failure. Either way don't beat yourself up over it too much you'll progress soon enough. good luck.

[Super Destroyer]

OHP is definitely one of the first to stall.  You are doing great so far.  Have you posted any videos in the form check section yet?  Guys like El Exorcisto can give you some great tips.

[nightbrother]

Thanks Venom & destroyer!

 

I might post footage, if i can find a time when i work out with other people around (i'm usually alone).

[nightbrother]

June 20 

 

workout #3 week 6 of stronglifts

 

 

lifts:

 

Squat 135 lbs (i accidentally added 10 lbs instead of 5, what do i do? Do i just stick with the program next time?)

 

bench: 85 lbs, getting tougher...

 

rows:105 lbs

 

Curls: added 1x5 lbs on each side

 

Nutrition: on target!

 

When i came to the squat rack i was a bit afraid, i mean 45 lbs plates are huge! and i'm about to squat 2 of those on my shoulders!! Never, ever in my life did i think i could be able to lift something that heavy.But i did!

 

But it was only after i entered it on my strong lifts app that it realized i added too much weight oops!...

After that i ant home and watched

[Super Destroyer]

I did the same thing once when I started. If you got 135 no problem, keep moving on. You are getting close to a body weight squat, way to go!

[nightbrother]

I did the same thing once when I started. If you got 135 no problem, keep moving on. You are getting close to a body weight squat, way to go!

That's the thing, around my last set it really felt like i was lifting an elephant on my shoulders. 

 

I guess that means i'm close to my squat stall? 

 

So i guess i'll just adjust the weight on my app then.

[El Exorcisto]

You're close to your first stall on your squat when you fail. Shit is going to feel heavy. I smoked 315 for the first time about 3 months ago. It still feels like I am squatting my pickup truck. Don't worry about when you'll stall until you stall. As for the 135, just keep piling on the steel, son. Just don't make a habit of it, either intentionally or accidentally.

[nightbrother]

You're close to your first stall on your squat when you fail. Shit is going to feel heavy. I smoked 315 for the first time about 3 months ago. It still feels like I am squatting my pickup truck. Don't worry about when you'll stall until you stall. As for the 135, just keep piling on the steel, son. Just don't make a habit of it, either intentionally or accidentally.

 

I actually stalled today at 140 lbs. on the squat.

More on that tomorrow when i write a full log.

[El Exorcisto]

Okay, before I even read the log entry, are you sleeping and eating enough? If the answers to those are both "yes" then get back in and do it again and make that shit happen. Don't let a pile of cold steel call you a bitch, son. You're no one's bitch!

[El Exorcisto]

You should also seriously throw up some form checks. Getting major or even minor form defects addressed is the fastest way to put weight on the bar. At this point you really don't know what you don't know.

[Super Destroyer]

Listen to EE, son.  He knows what he's talking about.  

[nightbrother]

Actually i'm not worried about it too much, it's like the app says: "failure is part of the game"!

So if i stalled that technically that's an indication that i'm on the right track. 

I'm actually proud that i came this far, that's more weight on my back then i could imagine, and yet i did it!

 

For your other question El: Yes! i just ate a whole container of Greek yogurt and hit the 2800+ cals mark today.

Also i'm about to go to bed (that takes care of the sleep part).

Stay tuned! Tomorrow morning i'll make a full log.

[El Exorcisto]

Just wait til you pile double your bodyweight on either end of the bar, take it down and bring it up. When there's enough pressure in your abdomen to make you almost black out on the walk out... I'm just pissed I have to go to work tomorrow instead of train. Be impressed with the moment, but never be so shocked that you put limits on what you can accomplish. That feeling right now, that "holy fuck, I almost HAD that shit!" One day, probably pretty soon, you'll start living for it.