Workout/Bodybuilding III: Revengeance: Part Deux

That's fucking stupid Davo

cool read but I still disagree. I mean I agree with the gist of the article but the last point about judging a single day or competition as good or bad is crap. 

 

 

Also that specific quote you pulled from the article sucks the most 

Okay.

Been going to the gym for a bit, but don't have as strict as diet as I should. However I maxed out at the end of the semester and here were my results, nothing incredible, but im happy with them.

Bench - 245

Squat - 285

Deadlift - 305

I weigh around 170ish

How's it going guys?  Been a while since I've posted haha.  Decided to leave the soccer team after this season to make more time school for the next year and a half, so I'm gonna focus a lot more on lifting now that I don't have to try to balance it with soccer.  The season destroyed me tho, lost a lot of muscle and strength.

Gonna switch to low bar squatting I think, I've never tried it but I know most of you are fans of it.  Just went yesterday to try it out and the first thing I noticed is it's a lot more strenuous on the lower back and seems like it activates my hamstrings a bit more.  It's weird enough trying to get used to having the bar lower on my back, gonna start at a pretty conservative weight until I get comfortable with it.

What are your guys' thoughts on StrongLifts 5x5?  I'm sure I've seen you all discuss it in the past but I haven't been around in a while.  Trying to figure out what route I wanna take to rebuild my foundational strength.  Never really done deadlifting, OHP, or bent over bb rows in the past. 

Thoughts?

Nothing wrong with stronglifts. It's basically the same thing as SS except 5x5 instead of 3x5 for the core lifts, and I think rows instead of power cleans. It's the same basic concept though of linear progression. Either one will work for you. Low bar is the recommended route for that, but make sure to post some form checks because the amount of people I've seen at university and globo gyms who are obviously doing SS/SL but have shit low bar form is incredible. You obviously have to start somewhere, but it's not a very natural movement as compared to the high bar squat, so it's easy to fuck up if you don't know exactly what the goal is.

Go ahead and do one of those, but take some vids. Honestly just take vids of all the lifts so you get off to a good start.

I started off with pretty conservative weights to focus on form and build my way up, think I did 155 yesterday for 5x5 on squat.  I've completed two workouts already and I'll be doing a third tomorrow and will try to get some video for form check.  Having trouble finding the right place to put the bar, it may be correct but it just feels so awkward.  Also, do you keep your thumb on top of the bar?

I also did the Limber 11 mobility routine yesterday before lifting and it felt pretty good, I feel less sore today than I did before yesterday's workout. 

I always had thumb on top of bar when doing low bar due to wrapping my thumb causing too much strain on my wrist to hold. And I found that cueing myself to bend the bar around my back helped tightness a lot, as well as was much easier with thumbless. 

My grip was just outside my shoulders. If I extended my thumbs they would brush my shoulders. That width is going to depend on your upper/lower arm ratio though and shoulder mobility, but the narrower you can go without pain, you'll usually end up with a more solid rack position.

I've always had pretty good shoulder mobility due to goalkeeping, so I can get my hands pretty tight on the bar.  First day my lower back was pretty sore - I noticed I have to focus a lot more on core stability and staying tight with low bar than I ever did with high bar, probably because of the  difference in back angle?  Anyways, still a lot to learn, but I'll get you a video to check out by tomorrow hopefully.   

Good workout today considering I only got probably 6 hours of sleep and drank last night.  Phone was low on battery so no video today.

Squat 5x5x165 - Couldn't find any 2.5 plates today for some reason so I just made a 10 lb jump... Not ideal but my starting weight was pretty conservative anyway so it was doable.

Bench 5x5x135 - my bench has always been bad... maybe should have started a bit lower because the last couple of sets were a struggle, not sure tho.

Row 5x5x115 - really have no idea what a good weight for this exercise is.  Felt good for me,  wanted to make sure I was lifting with my upper body and not my hips so would rather start lower than push it.

 

"only" got 6 hrs? wtf do u guys do when ur not working out/typing other than sleep and sleepwalk ffs

 

and 165, 135, that's not a good workout

9 hours minimum hours sleep a day master race 

165 and 135 are the goals I set for myself for that day and I accomplished it, so yes, it was a good workout for me.  PM is better than me. 

Also I aim for 16 hours minimum.

 

Squat 5x5x170 - was pretty fast and felt good the whole way through, finally feel like the bar is sitting correctly on my back.  Tempted to go up 10lb next workout instead of 5 but not sure. 

OH Press 5x5x80 - My shoulders/chest are weak so this one is always a struggle towards the end, got it done tho.

Deadlift 1x5x225 - Jumped up to 2 plates - only 1 set and I didn't feel like I was getting enough out of it before.  I'll add 5lbs everytime here on out. 

Paused Chinups 3xFailure or max of 10 - got 6, then 5, then 4.  Want to make sure I'm getting the full range of motion so I'm adding a small pause at the bottom.  Never really done pullups/chinups before... gotta start somewhere I guess. 

Face Pulls 3x15

This workout was at a new gym I'll be going to until January 22nd, should be able to get video in there next time for form check on squats. 

I recently gave in and bought a pair of the nike combat 3/4 compression pants (the ones that go down just below the calves.). I must say, they feel friggin' great to wear on leg day. Feels like i'm free balling.

Even a cheap ass $20 pair of leggings from east bay are fantastic. Big fan of leggings. 

 

385x2 Paused beltless deadlift and 425x1 beltless deadlift. Moved pretty well. Also both were on a still bar so that's dope. USAPL meet in March. Got a few weeks of hyper trophy before strength block. Would really like to be getting 225-245 for good sets of 10 on bench going into my strength block. Also want 365 in my red slangshot. but most importantly.....

3 plate bench at 198 or killmyself

Got ART and it felt good. Going back to on Tuesday again. Hopefully I can go back full force this year.

Squat 5x5x185 - Decided to bump it up to see how it felt, seemed alright.  Still trying to get used to low bar - think this is my fourth workout with it...? Recorded a video of my fourth and fifth sets.

I know I need to get some real lifting shoes.  Going to order some this week online, any recommendations?  I've asked before but not sure if anything new or better has come out or if your opinions have changed.  Feel free to critique me though - would be appreciated. 

Bench 5x5x140

Row 5x5x135 - No bumper plates so I had to bump it up to 135 to get the right bar height, little tough but it was doable.

Even a cheap ass $20 pair of leggings from east bay are fantastic. Big fan of leggings. 

 

385x2 Paused beltless deadlift and 425x1 beltless deadlift. Moved pretty well. Also both were on a still bar so that's dope. USAPL meet in March. Got a few weeks of hyper trophy before strength block. Would really like to be getting 225-245 for good sets of 10 on bench going into my strength block. Also want 365 in my red slangshot. but most importantly.....

3 plate bench at 198 or killmyself

Where do you pause for deadlifts?  Seems odd to me.

pause as close off the floor as possible or right below your knees. 
You guys have any suggestions for weightlifting shoes?  What are your favorites?
some of these losers use adipowers

Squat 5x5x185 - Decided to bump it up to see how it felt, seemed alright.  Still trying to get used to low bar - think this is my fourth workout with it...? Recorded a video of my fourth and fifth sets.

I know I need to get some real lifting shoes.  Going to order some this week online, any recommendations?  I've asked before but not sure if anything new or better has come out or if your opinions have changed.  Feel free to critique me though - would be appreciated. 

Bench 5x5x140

Row 5x5x135 - No bumper plates so I had to bump it up to 135 to get the right bar height, little tough but it was doable.

Your form is pretty decent man. Just a couple of things:

  • You're going very deep. Going super deep with low bar squats is a huge misconception that most inexperienced lifters have. Not only is it unnecessary, but it's also doing more harm than good. If you're able to go that deep during a low bar squat then I ASSURE you that you are not keeping your core as tight as possible. Go an inch or two below parallel; that is all you need. It might even be a good idea to set up a box an inch or two below parallel to give you a sense of how low you actually need to go.
  • Secondly, make sure you stay in your hips. It looks like you start to lose your hip drive about half way up by trying to raise your torso up. You need to keep your back more horizontal to continue to drive your hips.
  • Easy one, look down at a spot on the floor about 4-5 ft in front of you, and stare it at it the whole time. This will make it much easier to drive your hips up.
  • Lastly, why are you doing 5x5 on everything? You would benefit  A LOT more from just doing 3x5/Starting Strength. 5x5 is just unnecessary as a novice; and it's going to hurt your recovery. I'm doing Texas Method right now, so I only do 5x5 one day of the week. Tonight it was 5x5 with 390 on the bar, and I felt like I was gonna die by the fourth and fifth sets. Just do 3x5 and I promise you'll get stronger every day you go to the gym (as long as your diet/sleep are on point).

Here's a really good example of looking down at the floor, staying in your hips, and cutting off depth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYeDpZfzEUY

(I'm an idiot so idk how to embed it) Let me know if you got any questions though man. As far as shoes go, romaleos and adipowers are solid if you're looking for something with a heel. If you're looking for flat shoes then get the Reebok crossfit shoes by Mark Bell. They're definitely cheaper than the romales and adipowers.

 

dude 5x5 isn't going to kill him. No point in doing the bare minimum. More reps = more practice. Do at least 5x5

I ASSURE you that you are not keeping your core as tight as possible.

Why do you say this?  Not saying you're wrong, I'll pay attention to it today when I squat for sure, just curious.  Also, why do you believe it to be bad to go that deep when training?

You need to keep your back more horizontal to continue to drive your hips.
   Wouldn't it just be better to focus on keeping my weight on my heels more?  I feel like keeping  a more horizontal back would put my the bar too far forward and be bad for the lower back.  Please correct me if I'm wrong once again, just curious.

Lastly, why are you doing 5x5 on everything? You would benefit  A LOT more from just doing 3x5/Starting Strength.

Just the program I decided to go with, SL 5x5.  Wanted the added volume I guess, plus the app is nice to keep track of stuff.  My weights are low, but I wouldn't say I'm a novice.  I've been working with a strength coach the past couple of years and I've maxed out at 300 for squat before (which I know still isn't much), I just lose a lot of my strength/whatever size I have in season, so I've always been focused on maintenance/slow progression due to having to balance weight training with soccer training/conditioning.  I also had to take a huge break from squatting from June-now due to a soccer related injury, so I lost a lot of strength there.

I'm doing a lot of mobility work and foam rolling and I'm eating a lot as well, so I'm feeling well enough recovered for each session. 

dude 5x5 isn't going to kill him. No point in doing the bare minimum. More reps = more practice. Do at least 5x5

Hmm no offense man, but I disagree 100%. He needs to do the bare minimum as a beginner because the bare minimum is literally all it takes to get stronger. Two unnecessary sets are pointless since three sets are plenty of enough volume to make progress as a beginner.  Also, the two extra sets are gonna eventually start fucking with recovery. Not to mention that 5x5 takes a lot fuckin longer than 3x5, and if you have a job/girl friend/life in general, then this is also a negative.

If you're trying to practice your form, then maybe just do a couple back off sets with super light weight. That's if you feel like 5x5 is an absolute must for some reason.

I'm just assuming that you're not bracing your entire core as tight as possible since you're going so deep. That's a bad thing. If you're able to go that deep while keeping your core completely braced then I guess it's not a problem really,  but going that deep just isn't necessary in a low bar squat. 

Also, you don't want the weight of the bar balanced over your heel; you want it over your mid-foot (which you do a good job about anyways). I was just trying to emphasize to you to keep driving your hips up throughout the whole lift. You want your back more horizontal because you can drive with your hips better. Like I said man, your form is already pretty decent, but you can always improve on everything. I'm by no means a strength coach, I just wanted to give you some feedback since nobody else did. Also, I've been doing  low bar squats for awhile so I feel like I know a thing or two.

And I didn't know that you play soccer, or your max, or anything about you really. I just assumed you were trying to get bigger and stronger lol, so sorry about the program suggestions. I would assume you could probably squeeze out some more novice gains if your 1RM was only at 300 though man. I could be wrong, but I think it's worth trying. Remember, you WANT to be a novice for as long as possible. The longer you can keep squeezing out novice gains, the better.

Today's workout:

 

Drank last night, not enough sleep, didn't eat or drink nearly enough today, so it was a pain in the ass to get through, but I got it done.

Yeah I agree 100% though, I've definitely still got a lot of novice gains to be had.  I'll see how I'm feeling with 5x5 as the weights get heavier and adjust if it seems necessary.

 

wow that must help a lot, for example by keeping up with your 5 lb increments 
yup

dude 5x5 isn't going to kill him. No point in doing the bare minimum. More reps = more practice. Do at least 5x5

Hmm no offense man, but I disagree 100%. He needs to do the bare minimum as a beginner because the bare minimum is literally all it takes to get stronger. Two unnecessary sets are pointless since three sets are plenty of enough volume to make progress as a beginner.  Also, the two extra sets are gonna eventually start fucking with recovery. Not to mention that 5x5 takes a lot fuckin longer than 3x5, and if you have a job/girl friend/life in general, then this is also a negative.

If you're trying to practice your form, then maybe just do a couple back off sets with super light weight. That's if you feel like 5x5 is an absolute must for some reason.

 

I got stuck in the mindset of being scared of volume, anything more than 3x5 was gunna kill me. Sure 3x5 might do the trick, but it's not a race to use up linear gains. If he does 5x5 and maybe it's not optimal and makes a little slower progress so what? Doing more volume is just going to give him more experience more practice and exposure to something out side 3x5 and he can learn what is going to work for him. Doing 3x5 for as long as possible is stupid. Cause once 3x5 doesn't work he has no idea what to do next cause he has only ever done 3x5. Also I think TM isn't so great. For the same reason. Sure I might be able to add 5lbs to my 5rm once a week but a 5x5 and 1x5 a week is shit volume and long run your form isn't going to be great. Doing something with slower progression and more volume is going to let you make reps better and cleaner instead of killing yourself for a 5lb PR week over week. 

 

This shit isn't a race and the sooner you start experimenting the better. 

Yeah dude that makes sense.. Let's be honest, every program works.. TM, 5/3/1, 3x5, 5x5. The only thing that doesn't work is being inconsistent with a program. If you stay consistent with the program and recovery then every damn program in the world will work to some degree. And I see the point you're making about keeping the intensity much lower to get more reps in and practice form. I understand the benefits of that too.

I was kinda assuming bromara was a novice since he was only doing like 185 for 5x5 or whatever. I do believe that 3x5 works incredibly well for gaining strength, but the fact is that you're right. 5x5 works well too. A novice linear progression would probably last longer with 3x5 (you'd probably stall with 5x5 sooner). But if you're just trying to perfect your form and get some volume in then 5x5 is great too.

doing more volume is always a good solution to your problems. 

 

but it yeah what ever keeps you coming back and keeps you consistent