Mike's 5x5 Log

[MikeM]

Thanks Swede. Yeah, I noticed when doing these cleans a lot of good things happen when I get my chest up nice and high. Unfortunately, I'm not used to doing that, so it kind of hurts my upper back some. I think it will sort out though as I keep practicing. Just won't be as fast as I thought I would learn it. Oh well.

As for today, Tuesday, week 5

Cardio:
40 min elliptical hard as possible
20 min rowing machine steady pace

Core:
2x 15 Cable Core Press
2x 15 Hanging Leg Raises

Oh yeah, I started the week weighing a little over 189, so about 3 pounds heavier than when I started all this. Pants still falling off me though, so I'm not really worried, nor is that the focus anyway. Goal is too get stronger. As long I stay reasonably trim, I'm fine with gaining muscle weight obviously. I might break out the dreaded tape measure though, just to see how this is really playing out, and not just rely on perceptions. We'll see.

[Carl1174]

Some good work in here buddy... i think the new set up you proposed looks sensible and should have you rocking and rolling

Carl.

[LtL]

Nice lifting in here. Keep it up.

LtL

[BendtheBar]

Originally Posted by MikeM

Oh yeah, I started the week weighing a little over 189, so about 3 pounds heavier than when I started all this. Pants still falling off me though, so I'm not really worried, nor is that the focus anyway.

Strength and muscle up, shrinking waist. Great combination!

[MikeM]

Thanks all!
Yeah, this has been a roller coaster program so far, but I think I'm hitting a groove, today felt great even with a couple backward lifts. Eh, it happens.

Wednesday, week 5

Discovered hyper extensions, so did 3 sets of 5 with 25 pounds. Definitly going to add these to the workout! My back never felt better.

Goblet Squats:
5x 45 DB
5x 80 DB
5x 90 DB
5x 100 DB
5x 110 DB!

A couple yahoos were hogging the squat rack, so since this was my light day anyway, I figured why not do some goblet squats? GREAT IDEA! I don't know why it is, but I can goblet squat perfectly. Right down to the ground, no trouble driving back up with no back or hip trouble whatsoever. Frankly, it's only fumbling around with gigantic dumbells that kept me from going further. You know, it's easier for me to sit in a squat position perfectly balanced and comfortable with a dumbell than it is to squat down with nothing in my hands. Weird.

Push Press:
5x bar
5x 95
5x 115
5x 125
5x 135
1x 8x 95 BNP (-2)

Wrists a bit sore from the dumbells, so didn't push this and risk failing. I don't want to fail lifts if I can help it.

Cleans 90%:
5x bar
5x 85
5x 95
5x 105
5x 115

Hitting over 50% on these perfectly on the shoulder, so making progress. We'll see when weight goes up Friday.

Pullups 5,5
Chinups 6, 5 (rushed these and got tired)
1x12x 145 Lat Pulldown (time to raise this weight.)

All in all, good day.

PS, Carl I am going to tweak the program a bit, but not just yet. I'll wait a couple weeks, or until I really start stalling, or the cleans just don't get any better. We'll see. I do wish I would have designed this program that way to begin with though. Inclines? Seated Rows?, no deadlifts? What was I thinking?

[MikeM]

Well, spent all of my busy day yesterday doing as little as possible while I became intimately acquainted with every tiny little muscle in my lower back! Wow! Those hypers pointed out some deficiencies for sure. So, needless to say, I bailed on any cardio or anything else yesterday besides working, sleeping, resting, and eating.

Today felt much better.

Friday, week 5

Hypers:
1x15x BW (Was cautious on these!)

Squats 90%:
5x bar
5x 115
5x 125
5x 145
8x 155

Took a while to warm up, but last set felt great. Moving this weight up next week. Probably 185 for a top set.

Cleans Max:
5x bar
5x 95
5x 105
5x 115
5x 125

Hit first clean on last set perfectly! Others not horrible, but not really good either. For those interested in further information on my Cleans saga, I started setting the bar down, letting go, standing up, then resetting quickly between every rep on the heavy sets. This is really helping my form. I'm learning to not rush these, as form goes out the window just as quickly. Plus, I'm learning my shoulders can take a real beating without really affecting them. It's hard to believe when you screw up and a loaded bar slams into your shoulders, it doesn't really hurt hardly at all. It does hurt your chin though, so avoid that at all costs. There you go, my lesson learned of the day.

Incline:
5x bar
5x 95
5x 115
5x 135
5x 145 (+10 pounds)
1x 10x 115

T Rows, 2x 10x 80 (+10 pounds)
Seated Rows, 2x 10x setting 8 (+1)
AMAP Inv. Rows, 12 good ones (+3) Long rest before doing these though.

Week 5 in the books. Squats moving along decently, Cleans too. Presses still going gangbusters, and rowing creeping up there too, chins still a bit inconsistent.

Hopefully, I'll be on later tonite to catch up on everyone else. It's bitter sharing a computer.

[BendtheBar]

Hypers kill my lower back no matter how strong I feel

Keep pushing!

[MikeM]

You know, it's weird. I've always had problems with my lower back since I started gaining weight years ago. I figured they were hand in hand and when I lost weight, the pains/spasms would go away. Well, not really. Every once in a while, all I have to do is step wrong off a curb or get pulled off balance and bang, I'm in pain for a couple days.

Anyway, Wednesday was one of those days where my back hurt a bit and I was worried a bit about how my session would go. But, I had been reading about these hypers and snooped around my gym until I found a hyper station, so I gave it a shot. Almost immediately my back felt better and I had an Aha! moment thinking this an exercise I should have been doing all along.

Then the soreness Thursday stopped me in my tracks. But, I still think doing them is important as my back pain really did clear up dramatically, and I think it will help prevent similar pain in the future as I really felt more confident in my back overall, which hasn't been the case for years. I think the pain yesterday was more due to not ever doing these before, so some muscles were not yet on board completely.

I also think a certain lack of flexibility/strength in my back is behind some of my form problems on some lifts. I think doing these and some other stretching stuff will help along those lines too.

We'll see though.

[MikeM]

Great day! Everything in its proper place in the universe, no little aches or pains, just good solid work and rolled out of there feeling great.

Started the day still at 189 on the scale so diet still not a concern.

Hypers:
2x15x 25 plate.
These felt very good, and I think it's helping all my lifts and my general posture problems.

Squats:
5x 65
5x 135
5x 145
5x 165
8x 185

These felt great. Looking back, I maybe should have pushed harder on these.

Cleans 80%:
5x bar
5x 75
5x 85
5x 95
5x 105

Best session in a while! Hit over 75% of these damn near perfect. Bill Starr might have been on to something after all.

Bench:
5x 65
5x 135
5x 165
5x 175
7x 195
1x10x 165

Just missed that 8th rep again. I'll nail it next week though for sure.

Stiff Deads:
1x12x 155
Going to raise this weight again.

Excellent day.

[dmaipa]

good job having a solid sessions bro