Decided I would start SL 5x5

jaybee said:
Interested in this also. I've been meaning to start the same. I am 6ft 2 but only 11.5 stone skinny. I've always found diet the hardest part to bulk up. So what is your diet?
This is the program where you start off really light then build up every workout right?
Click to expand...

Yes!

As for diet, im not tracking Macros or calories, but consciously dont shovel in rubbish either. Diet will be my next step to tackle i think to help me push further.

for me consistency has been key.

give it a go, start light to get good form and concentrate on the movement. that's what I did.
 
So its been a while since I updated my training logs so I will try catch up on them below:

6th of September:

Squat - Skipped squats this week - Cant remember why but i think it might have been to do with feeling a bit under the weather.
BP: 82.5KG 5/5/5/4/5 - Failed
BBRow: 80 KG 5/5/5/5/5 - Completed

9th September:

Squat: 115KG (Small de-load due to missing a day) 5/5/5/5/5
OHP: 55KG: 4/4/3/4/4 - Second Fail on OHP @ 55KG
Deadlift: 130KG: 5/5/5 - Completed

10th September:

5km Bike @ 20MPH Average pace
500M Row - just as quick as i could.
Bicep curls (EZ Curl bar): 30KG: 8/8/8
Single Arm DB Rows: 25KG: 8/8/8
Tricep DB Extentions (single DB): 25KG: 8/8/8
DB Benchpress: 50KG (2x25DB): 12/12/12
Barbell calf extentions: 60KG: 8/8/8

12th of September:

Squat: 117.5KG: 5/5/5/5/5 - Completed
Bench Press: 82.5KG - 5/5/5/5/5 - Completed
BBRow: 82.5KG - 5/5/5/4/3 - Was burnt out by this point, I also think I'm hitting a bit of a plat here, Might look to concentrate on better form at a lower weight and then try push past this in a few weeks.
 
Monday 16th

Squat: Warmup sets: 60KG x 5 90KG x3 110KG x 1 / 120KG 5/5/5/5/5
OHP: 55KG: 5/3/3/3/3 - Third Fail on OHP @ 55KG so looks like i will be going down on the next workout. Not too bothered, I think this is going to be a hard one for me to push through on.
Deadlift: 135KG: 2x5 - Completed

Then a dead lift PB @ 145KG.

I know I can lift heavier than this for sure I felt like I had more in the tank, but just not sure how much. Probably another 5/10KG maybe. Trouble is the small work gym has no more plates so I am going to have to buy some of my own to take in I think.
 
Wednesday 18th:

Squat: Warmup sets: 60KG x 5 90KG x3 110KG x 1 / 122.5KG 5/5/5/3/3 - Failed
Bench: Warmup sets: 60KG x 5 / 85KG 5/5/5/5/5 - complete!
BBROW: Skipped - time and felt sick because of headache which is why i failed the squats so called it quits there for the day.

Friday 20th:

Squat: Warmup sets: 60KG x 5 90KG x3 110KG x 1 / 122.5KG 5/5/5/5/5 - Completed
OHP: 47.5KG OHP: 5/5/5/5/5 - (De load because of failures). - Completed
Deadlift: 145KG: 5/3 - Completed - well chuffed with today.
 
I've not been posting my progress recently really!

I have had to take a few weeks off because of illness and a shoulder niggle but been back at it for a week or so now.

This week:

Monday:

Squat: Warmup sets: 60KG x 5 90KG x3 110KG x 1 / 127.5KG 5/5/5/5/5 - Complete
Bench: Warmup sets: 60KG x 5 / 85KG 5/5/5/5/4 - Failed!
BBROW: 72.5kg: 5/5/5/5/5 - Completed

Tuesday:

5k Bike
20 min max incline hill walk face pace - SWEAT
Isolated arms (curls, hammer curls etc)

Wednesday:

Football

Thursday:

Squat: didn't squat today because of football Wednesday nights and also i did a 5k bike and 20 min max incline hill walk on Tuesday for some cardio!
OHP: 46.5KG: 5/3/5/5/5 - Completed
Deadlift: 132.5KG: 3x5 - Completed


Tomorrow is Squat (130 for 5x5 will be a PB for me) so wish me luck
 
So i have had to take some time off my SL's due to a rather bad groin injury thanks to squats - 130KG and it went, Literally heard it. :(

Took it easy, still been going to the gym but not doing much compound stuff.

Ive started back again at it now, but taking stretching more seriously and also doing some band work for adductors as clearly i have a weakness or imbalance there which is why i injured myself. Im just looking to get back up to where i was, then im going to look at a slight deload on weight, but upping reps. Just to keep the training fresh for my bodies response.

Monday:

Squat: 105KG 5/5/5/5/5 - Complete
Bench: Warmup sets: 60KG x 5 / 72KG 5/5/5/5/5 - Complete!
BBROW: 72.5kg: 5/5/5/5/5 - Completed!

Today:

Squat: 107.5 KG 5/5/5/5/5 - Complete - bit tender so going to continue to take these slow
OHP: 52.5KG 5/5/5/5/5 - Complete
Deadlifts : 130kg: 5/5 - Completed

I also got a resistance band kit for christmas which is great, and a skipping rope, which im REALLY bad at, but i will keep practising.
 
Friday:

Squat: Didn't squat today, as I'm trying to ease back into it to avoid further injury.
Bench: Warmup sets: 60KG x 5 70KG x 3 / 75KG 5/5/5/5/5 - Complete!
BBROW: 75kg: 5/5/5/5/5 - Completed!

Then resistance band tricep pull downs,
Hammer curls with 17.5KG dumbells for 3 sets of 8
Resistance band bicep curls.

Today I skipped (as in jump rope) between all sets of Bench and BBRow, which I found enjoyable, even though im bad and trip about every 30 seconds with the rope i have. But its something i wanted to practice.

I have also been enjoying resistance bands quite a bit in terms of training muscles under tension. It certainly feels like a totally different kind of work out. Its hard to explain.
 
OK so taking a decision to start MadCow 5x5 now as a progression on from std 5x5.

I think (maybe hope) that the slightly less intense nature of the normal 5x5 will help me recover a bit better and manage the progression back to 3x a week squats after my injury, whilst sill building strength.

Also i think after many months of sticking to SL has meant my body is kind of too used to the training. So lets see how this goes. It might also enable me to keep time between sets low, which will allow me some spare time to up some cardio and isolation stuff.

Lets see how that plan goes.....


Update from today:

Weight KG

Squat
5 60
5 72.5
5 87.5
5 102.5
5 117.5
Bench
5 42.5
5 52.5
5 65
5 75
5 85
Row
5 42.5
5 52.5
5 62.5
5 72.5
5 82.5
 
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Wednesday (Light day)

Squat
5 60
5 72.5
5 87.5
5 87.5
OHP
5 32.5
5 37.5
5 45
5 50
Dead's
5 85
5 102.5
5 117.5
5 135

Then finished off with some skipping and then 500m row as quick as I could.

I will try do some isolation stuff tonight with bands at home, but the misses is out so I might play some games instead! Lets see.
 
So this week has been a bit of a mess but ive now caught up.

Missed Friday due to no time, so had to do Fridays "heavy" day Monday, then make up Monday on Tuesday and do Wednesday today as below:

Friday - Heavy Day (actual completed on a Monday)

Squat:
5x 60
5x 72.5
5x 87.5
5x 102.5
3x 120
8x 87.5

Bench
5x 42.5
5x 52.5
5x 65
5x 75
5x 87.5
8x 65

Row
5x 42.5
5x 52.5
5x 62.5
5x 72.5
5x 85
8x 62.5


Monday (actually completed Tuesday)

Squat:
5x 60
5x 75
5x 90
5x 105
5x 120

Bench:
5x 45
5x 55
5x 65
5x 77.5
5x 87.5

Row:
5x 42.5
5x 52.5
5x 65
5x 75
5x 85

Wednesday (actually completed on Wednesday)

Squat:
5x 60
5x 75
5x 90
5x 90

Bench
5x 32.5
5x 40
5x 45
5x 52.5

Deadlifts:
5x 85
5x 102.5
5x 120
5x 137.5

doing three days this week has made me feel very tired, and today was no caffeine (as our coffee machine at work is broken!)

Looking forward to a rest day tomorrow that's for sure. Then back for heavy Friday...
 
Firday - "Heavy" Day

Squat:
5x 60
5x 75
5x 90
5x 105
3x 122.5
8x 90


Bench:
5x 45
5x 55
5x 65
5x 77.5
5x 90
8x 65

Row:
5x 42.5
5x 52.5
5x 65
5x 75
3x 87.5
8x 65

Today was hard, because ive been to the Gym every day this week, which i know is silly, but i didnt want to fall behind on the plan. So pushed through.

I will take 2 days actual rest now before starting week 3 on Monday.
 
Week 3.

Actually took the two days off over the weekend to rest which was good. I needed it.

Monday:

Squat:
5x 62.5
5x 77.5
5x 92.5
5x 107.5
5x 122.5

Bench:
5x 45
5x 57.5
5x 67.5
5x 80
5x 90

Row:
5x 45
5x 55
5x 65
5x 77.5
5x 87.5

Skipping for 15 mins afterwards!

Tired now. Time to eat.
 
Tuesday

I am Tuesdays "do what I want day." Because they are "off plan" from Madcow.

3km bike for warm up
hammer curls 5x5 @ 17.5KG
Resistance bands arm curls 5x5 (slow controlled reps)
Resistance bands triceps pulls - 3x12 (slow controlled reps)
Resistance band side and front raises 2x5 each (slow controlled reps)
Seated DB Tricep Press 3x5 @ single DB 25kg
EZ Curl bicep curls 3x5 @ 40KG total (inc. bar)

Skipping with my weighted rope (The actual rope is weighted 1lb) 10 mins (on and off for trips)
Skipping with my speed rope with weighted handles for 5 mins (on and off for trips)

Wet and red faced now. Time for lunch!
 
Wednesday - "Light day"

Stretches


Squat
5x 62.5
5x 77.5
5x 92.5
5x 92.5

Press
5x 32.5
5x 40
5x 45
5x 52.5

Deadlifts
5x 90
5x 107.5
5x 125
5x 142.5

kipping with my weighted rope 15 mins (on and off for trips).
 
Friday "heavy" Day.

Squat:
5x 62.5
5x 77.5
5x 92.5
5x 107.5
3x 127.5
8x 92.5

Bench:
5x 45
5x 57.5
5x 67.5
5x 80
3x 92.5
8x 67.5

BOR:
5x 45
5x 55
5x 65
5x 77.5
3x 90
8x 65

skipping with my weighted rope and swapping to speed rope for 15 mins (on and off for trips).
 
Monday:

Squat:
5x 65
5x 80
5x 95
5x 112.5
5x 127.5

Bench:
5x 47.5
5x 57.5
5x 70
5x 80
5x 92.5


BOR:
5x 45
5x 57.5
5x 67.5
5x 80
5x 90

skipping with my weighted rope and swapping to speed rope for 10 mins (on and off for trips).

today was a good milestone for me, getting back close to the weight of tearing my groin was a nice thing to achieve.

Fingers crossed for Friday.
 
Wednesday - "Light day"

Squat:

5x 65
5x 80
5x 95
5x 95

OHP:

5x 35
5x 42.5
5x 47.5
5x 55

Deadlifts:

5x 90
5x 110
5x 127.5
5x 145

skipping with my weighted rope and swapping to speed rope for 10 mins (on and off for trips).
 
Friday - "heavy day".

Squats:

5x 65
5x 80
5x 95
5x 112.5
3x 130
8x 95

Bench:

5x 47.5
5x 57.5
5x 70
5x 80
3x 95
5x 70


BOR:

5x 45
5x 57.5
5x 67.5
5x 80
3x 90
8x 67.5
 
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