Tom's : Welcome to the weights room log

[mr tommo]

Aim : Look better, get stronger.

Starting stats :
Age : 26
Weight : 11st 11lb / 74.8kg / 165lbs
Height : 5ft 7in / 170cm
Bf : no idea

Total beginner to weights, done the odd DB sessions with my friend a few years ago. Decided to start the Stronglifts routine as recommended in the gym rats thread.

I'll be working out 3 times a week and following this routine :

Workout A
Squats: 5 x 5
Bench Press: 5 x 5
Barbell Rows: 1 x 5

Workout B
Squats: 5 x 5
overhead Press: 5 x 5
Deadlift: 1 x 5

I will be adding a photo in the next couple of days and tracking progress through photos too.

Wish me luck!

 

[mr tommo]

So...today was my first session.

Was seriously daunting, I did a bit of jogging on the treadmill while I tried to build up the courage to enter the weights area.

It soon went quiet and I made my way over.

Felt a little stupid using just the Olympic bar and adding weights until I felt comfortable.

Anyway, my first log (don't laugh I've never even touched a bar before)

Squat 40kg - 5 5 5 5 5

Bench 30kg - 5
Bench 35kg - 5
Bench 40kg - 5
Bench 45kg - 5 5

Barbell row 45kg 5 5 5 5 5

Felt good, not sure on technique but will be visiting a friend in Manchester who has offered take me the gym and check I'm doing everything correctly.

 

[Indie]

I'm like you in that I'd never really touched a bar until recently. always used machines and what not! Just keep it up!

 

[mr tommo]

Thanks, I'll keep an eye on your progress then, will give me some extra motivation knowing you started recently too!

 

[Indie]

Thanks, I'll keep an eye on your progress then, will give me some extra motivation knowing you started recently too!

Cheers, likewise! have subbed!

 

[Deception]

Once you decide to get pictures of yourself, you might as well get a vid of your form on Squats, Deadlifts etc and post it in the form thread. We have the odd one or two that know what they're talking about

 

[mr tommo]

Yes I've seen that mentioned quite a lot, it may be a couple of weeks before I can get to my friends gym in Manchester so that's a quite a few sessions if I'm doing things poorly.

I did struggle at times with my heels trying to lift on the squat, always suffered from poor flexibility in my ankles and have sprained them both a few times. Find my heel wants to lift off when I start getting low.

Edit : also with the rows, I had no idea what I was doing to be honest. Tried to keep my back as still as possible while bringing the bar up to my stomach.

 

[mr tommo]

Ok, my second workout this morning before work. Pretty hard going due to DOMS in my quads and the fact I'm fasting.

Friday 17th January - Weights added since last workout

Squat 50kg 5 5 5 5 5 (+10KG)
Bench 50KG 5 5 5 5 4 (+5KG) (forgot to do OHP)
Deadlift 50KG 5 (First attempt at this)

 

[Deception]

Fasting, what kind of fast?

 

[mr tommo]

Intermittent 16/4 , Start eating from 12-8pm. I think with the Leangains they take BCAA before the morning workouts but not sure.

 

[Deception]

10g BCAA before and after. I find eating carbs the night before to provide a good boost to the morning training too.

Whats the diet look like?

 

[mr tommo]

Last couple of days have been :

Day 1

200g Chicken grilled
250g Long grain rice
(nandos sauce for dipping)

Tin of Tuna (springwater) drained

3 x rice cakes + Crunchy peanut butter
1-2 Satsumas
1 apple

3 chicken (200g) fajitas with peppers and onion

1 whey protein shake.

Day 2 -

200g Chicken grilled
250g Long grain rice
(nandos sauce for dipping)

3 x rice cakes + Crunchy peanut butter
1-2 Satsumas
1 apple

King prawn (300g) prawn linguini - Approx 180g pasta

Today :

Just had a tin of tuna
will be having the same snacks (rice cakes, + fruit)

Got no dinner and not many places to go around here (may end up with Chipshop fish in breadcrumbs )

Will probably be having a Chicken stir fry (200g), with some chow mein cooking sauce.

Does that look ok-ish?

Will defnitely be getting some BCAA then as my Fridays will be all morning training.

EDIT : Heavily chicken based but I can get 4KG chicken breasts for £20 from my local farm factory store

 

[Delvis]

So are you doing 5 x5 on deadlifts then? Or the prescribed 1 x 5? If anything I would do 3 x 5 over 1 x 5, one set is a tad pointless.

 

[mr tommo]

Oopps just edited my log from today. I only did one set. Felt like I could do loads more to be honest.

 

[mrthingyx]

Oopps just edited my log from today. I only did one set. Felt like I could do loads more to be honest.

Then do it. The only person you're competing with is you. The only person stealing your gains is you.

 

[mr tommo]

I'll go for 3 sets then!

Diet going well, 11st 5lb / (72.2kg) this morning.
Lost 6lb's / 2.6kg in 6 days.

Very happy with that!

During my early 20's I weighed around 10.5-11 stone when I was in my best shape.

 

[mr tommo]

Monday 20th January

Squat 52.5kg - 5 5 5 5 5 (+2.5KG)

Bench 47.5kg - 5 5 5 5 5 5 (-2.5KG - So annoyed...left my phone and previous workout at home. Thought it seemed easier but I did an evening session yesterday and thought the extra strength was due to food )

Barbell row - Ran out of time in the gym

 

[mr tommo]

Weds 22nd January

Squat 55kg 5 5 5 5 5 (+2.5KG)
OHP 30KG 5 5 5 5 4 (first attempt at OHP)
Deadlift 60KG 5 (+10KG)

 

[wozza2k]

Woo another fellow Stronglifter, have fun with it

 

[mr tommo]

Woo another fellow Stronglifter, have fun with it

I am doing! I seem to be at the level you were around May 2013. How have you found it? Any recent progress pics? Just a quick question are the 10 reps you do just a warm up? Not sure my neck can take another set of squats!

Friday 24th Jan

Squat 57.5kg - 5 5 5 5 5 (+2.5KG)

Bench 52.5kg - 5 5 5 5 5 5 (+5KG - Feel as though I'm starting to reach a weight that is pushing me now)

Barbell row - 47.5KG - 5 (+2.5KG) (ran out of time this morning before work)