My gym journey so far

Another sucky workout

5/5/3/1/1 on squats at 90kg and completely skipped bench and row due to a lack of time will probably have to go back to the gym later tonight to try to complete

Is it advisable to split workouts like this or better to cut the load to say 3x3? Or is stronglifts just not right for me while cutting?

I workout during my hour lunch break which after getting changed walking to the gym and giving enough time to get back I get around 40min to workout which when heavy squats alone is taking 30 min with rests theres no way I can complete 5x5 on 3 lifts.

Any advice other than make more time?
 
Busted out 5x5 on bench and row 55kg after work

Also followed up with 2x5 28kg goblet squats to try to keep squats going after the failure this afternoon.

Going to do some reading up on starting strength this evening to way up pros and cons
 
So did a load of reading this weekend and decided to move over to starting strength

I brought the app using some of my google rewards that id stashed away and so happy I did.

I did as it recommended and reduced all lifts by 10% and hit the gym sunday afternoon to complete workout a

Ive just done workout b today and im much happier with this routine its made me realize just how much heavy squatting was killing my other lifts for those guys still on 5x5 switch over to 3x5 once things get too much.

Id fully recommend the starting strength app its a third of the cost of the stronglifts app and if anything more useful
 
Although I'm also a beginner I've already come to the conclusion for full body workouts I do squats after my main upper lift.

So today its Bench, Row then Squat. A hard BP session is easier to recover from then a hard squat. I just felt that if it looked like I was failing squats I couldn't then pass bench or OHP.
But now I can now fail BP but then have the ability to recover and then pass squats..
Try it see if it helps.
 
Really enjoying starting strength

85 kilo squats with real good speed
35 kg ohp no problems
107.5kg deadlifts with chalk but straight grip only a slight pause after 2 reps at the bottom to re-grip ive normally had to go to over under with anything over 100 so really happy with that.
 
87.5kg squats
52.5kg bench
110kg deads

Still feeling good at the moment deads are slowing down a little and I feel I might have to move back to mixed grip soon but hoping to hold out till 115kg before changing.

Increased calories a bit to around 2400 and I'm feeling a lot better about my lifts and energy scales have gone up a bit but trying to ignore that while lifts are increasing summer will bring a nice steady cut anyway due to the increased amount of golf ill be playing and as long as I stay under 20% ill be happy.
165lb bodyweight is for girls right?
 
Back in the gym again today wasnt really feeling it was a bit tired and generally meh but went in anyway

90kg squats 3x5 wasnt easy but was happy with that considering my physical and mental state
37.5kg ohp I cant believe how easy these felt previously this weight felt really tough and the bar went up quite easy
Tried out power cleans today time was a littler tight but got all 5x3 in at 40kg. These are a lot harder than some guys make them look, all about the timing here much more practice needed to get it right
 
So 92.5kg squats due today.

Never done this weight at full depth for reps before exciting and nervous times. Jumped on the scaled this morning at 75.4kg so seem to be putting on around 1kg per week with 2500 cals bodyfat has gone up a bit to 19.5% but I'm really not sure about the accuracy of my scales, I put on half a kilo last weekend by going for a pee. I am lifting more than I ever have so focussing on the positives
 
92.5kg squats done and done :D
52.5kg bench sorted
42.5kg power clean was much better form today much less arms still worried im gonna smash my jewels at some point though
 
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Hi Steedie

I know you said I should look at cutting but i'm finding that if I eat a cutting amount of food around 15-1800 cals as per your calculator it really stalled my lifts and killed my energy and recovery so I increased to a more sensible 2500 cals but im finding im putting on around a kilo a week. Lifts are going great though.

Its really annoying that the only way I seem to be able to break 90kg with squats is by eating but everything is telling me I should be trying to lose fat the only way to do that is lose weight but when im only 75kg I dont really want to lose weight as anything towards the 65-70kg mark I look really skinny and underweight

What should I be concentrating on and how should I be eating?
 
Eating more will obviously see your strength go up, especially if you're not eating the best foods around. Water weight and any extra weight in general will obviously help you push more weight, but at a kilo a week, 90% of that will be bad weight, which obviously in the long term will see you have to diet for a long time to lose it all.

2500 calories would still be low enough to lose weight, providing it's made up of the right kind of foods. IIFYM fans would preach otherwise but despite trying it myself, I'm not convinced and IIFYM was very much thought of with how you look on the outside but not caring so much about what all that food is doing to you inside. Butthurt people can have a go at me all they like, not even mad.

But providing your diet is sensible and structured, but most importantly consistent, you'll lose weight at 2500 calories providing you put the work in at the gym. It definitely doesn't have to be 2500 calories of chicken and rice and plain boring food either, you can still enjoy your food.

I'm going to hazard a guess and say that when you dropped to 15-1800 calories, you dropped fats first. If I drop fats too low for example, I can barely function let along lift heavy. Fats are so important to regulating hormone levels and just general well-being, but again, it's about getting the right fats such as oily fish, nuts, avacado, eggs, the right oils.

Some people put too much focus on carbs for energy, but some people just cannot handle carbs without putting on weight. I can eat 450g of carbs comfortably, but if I go much higher I spill over and look horrible and feel it, but at the same time some people can eat 200g max before that happens.

I'm happy to help you with a diet plan, even if it's just to give you an idea of the foods you should be eating and when etc
 
All ive really done is increased my amount of food

My breafast for exapmle has gone up to a 50 gram bowl of cereal with 200ml of full fat milk Ive also changfed my lunchtim yoghurt from a greek style one to a proper greek and honey one for a little extra cals and protein

All Ive added is a pint of milk at lunch time and a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter before bed which when adding to the slightly bigger breakfast is accounting for the extra 500 or so cals a day.
 
Old school bodybuilding calories

Cereal isn't a great start to the day to be fair, could you swap it out for oats? You can do what you like with it in terms of adding blueberries, banana, strawberries, honey, cinnamon etc whatever you like. Just cereals tend to be rubbish macro wise
 
Had a week off from the gym last week was fighting off a cold and kept waking up with leg cramps in the night that took ages to clear up so skipped everything last week

Went straight back in at 95kg squats and surprisingly managed to grind them out 3x5
ohp at 40kg wasnt great though 4,3,3 and deadlifts at 112.5 only managed 2 straight reps with a straight grip but I did go back a couple min after to pull another 2 to try to keep the reps going.
 
Legs were still shot today after monday so went in feeling relaxed

started with bench at 55kg which was no problem
45 kg power clean was blasted through next
for squats I did 3x5 40kg front squats which seriously stung after monday but powered through anyway.

Im off work next week so hoping the relaxation will push me into 100kg squat for 3x5 just got to get legs working now
 
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