996GT2's Stronglifts 5x5 Journal

[996GT2]

Just finished the first week, and I'm starting to feel noticeably better on squats and deadlifts (which I almost never did prior to now).

Anyway, statsL

End of week 1: (6/9-6/16)

Bodyweight: 186 lbs

*Yes, I realize my bench is higher than my squat. I haven't done squats and deadlifts prior to starting Stronglifts 5x5, so I need to get more used to the form first (I have a feeling I can do at least 200 once I get used to the form, since I'm adding 5-10 lbs every day on squat).

Squat: 5x5x160

Bench Press: 5x5x180

Deadlift: 5x5x185

Overhead Press: 5x5x115

Inverted Row: 15, 12, 10

Chin-Ups: 10, 8, 8

Reverse Crunches: 40 x3

Prone Bridge: 2 min x3

End of week 2: (6/17-6/24)

Slowly working my way up on squat and deadlift

Squat: 5x5x200

Bench Press: 5x5x185

Deadlift: 5x5x185

Overhead Press: 5x5x115

Inverted Row: 20, 15, 10

Chin-Ups: 10, 8, 8

Reverse Crunches: 40 x3

Prone Bridge: 3 min, 2:30, 2 min

Update 3: (7/6/09)

-Worked on improving deadlift form. Back is much straighter now and I use my legs a lot more on the deadlifts. On squats I'm doing 2 warm-up sets with 1/2 weight going all the way down(calves touching hamstrings) before doing the actual sets going to parallel.

-Added 20 min run before workouts to get back into running again (haven't run a lot since training for 1/2 marathon last year)

Squat: 5x5x210

Bench: 5x5x185

Deadlift: 5x5x195

Overhead: 5x5x115 (doing them all standing now, was doing 3 sets standing/2 sets sitting)

Inverted row: 20, 15, 12

Chin-ups, 10, 8, 8

Push-ups: 60, 40, 30

Reverse crunches: 50, 40, 40

Prone bridges: 3 min x3

Update 4: 7/25/09:


Things are definitely improving now. I'm being relatively conservative on squat but it doesn't feel too hard anymore.

Squat: 5x5x230

Bench: 5x5x190

Deadlift: 1x5x200

Overhead: 5x5x120 (all standing) or 5x5x135 (sitting)

Inverted row: 20, 15, 12

Chin-ups, 10, 8, 8

Push-ups: 60, 40, 30

Reverse crunches: 50, 40, 40

Prone bridges: 3 min x3

 

[conorvansmack]

Nice start! 40 reverse crunches?

 

[ubercaffeinated]

Originally posted by: conorvansmack
Nice start! 40 reverse crunches?

damn 2 minute prone bridges and 40 reverse crunches... that is monstrous.

 

[996GT2]

Originally posted by: makoto00

Originally posted by: conorvansmack
Nice start! 40 reverse crunches?

damn 2 minute prone bridges and 40 reverse crunches... that is monstrous.

Really? When I ran track in HS I knew of a guy who could hold a prone bridge for well over 6 minutes.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: 996GT2

Originally posted by: makoto00

Originally posted by: conorvansmack
Nice start! 40 reverse crunches?

damn 2 minute prone bridges and 40 reverse crunches... that is monstrous.

Really? When I ran track in HS I knew of a guy who could hold a prone bridge for well over 6 minutes.

You know, you could test how good your abs are and get your pulling exercise in all at once with L-pullups If you can do a fair amount of those then you might be considered beastly.

 

[Lamont Burns]

You bench 20 more than you squat, and only 5 less than your deadlift. Where's your legs at, man!

 

[996GT2]

Originally posted by: Lamont Burns
You bench 20 more than you squat, and only 5 less than your deadlift. Where's your legs at, man!

I just started doing squats and deadlifts, so I have a feeling that I can do more once I get more used to the form. It's only been one week of squats and deadlifts for me haha.

 

[dealmaster00]

Originally posted by: 996GT2

Originally posted by: Lamont Burns
You bench 20 more than you squat, and only 5 less than your deadlift. Where's your legs at, man!

I just started doing squats and deadlifts, so I have a feeling that I can do more once I get more used to the form. It's only been one week of squats and deadlifts for me haha.

yep, perfectly fine to do it slow, good way to get injured otherwise. How long have you been lifting? those are some nice bench numbers you got there.

 

[Lamont Burns]

Originally posted by: 996GT2

Originally posted by: Lamont Burns
You bench 20 more than you squat, and only 5 less than your deadlift. Where's your legs at, man!

I just started doing squats and deadlifts, so I have a feeling that I can do more once I get more used to the form. It's only been one week of squats and deadlifts for me haha.

I am the antithesis of you. I squat 210 and DL 245, yet my bench is a paltry 130. And my Press is 90.

Nice 115 btw, I've been trying like hell to break 100.

 

[996GT2]

Originally posted by: dealmaster00

Originally posted by: 996GT2

Originally posted by: Lamont Burns
You bench 20 more than you squat, and only 5 less than your deadlift. Where's your legs at, man!

I just started doing squats and deadlifts, so I have a feeling that I can do more once I get more used to the form. It's only been one week of squats and deadlifts for me haha.

yep, perfectly fine to do it slow, good way to get injured otherwise. How long have you been lifting? those are some nice bench numbers you got there.

I've been lifting for about 1.5 years now. Until last week my routine mostly consisted of bench, curls, military press, and other "isolation" exercises, so it's a pretty big change moving to the compound exercises in Stronglifts 5x5.

I tried 5x5 @ 185 today on bench...got them all except for the last rep on the last set. Oh well, still an improvement.

 

[996GT2]

Originally posted by: Lamont Burns

Originally posted by: 996GT2

Originally posted by: Lamont Burns
You bench 20 more than you squat, and only 5 less than your deadlift. Where's your legs at, man!

I just started doing squats and deadlifts, so I have a feeling that I can do more once I get more used to the form. It's only been one week of squats and deadlifts for me haha.

I am the antithesis of you. I squat 210 and DL 245, yet my bench is a paltry 130. And my Press is 90.

Nice 115 btw, I've been trying like hell to break 100.

Do you do them seated or standing? The overhead rack at my gym allows you do do it either way. If I do them standing 5x5 @ 115 is pretty hard; it's a little bit easier sitting down, I can do 5x5 full reps (going below chin every time) without an issue.

What I usually do is 3 sets sitting and 2 sets standing. When I get more used to doing it standing up I'll switch to 5 sets standing.

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: 996GT2
Do you do them seated or standing? The overhead rack at my gym allows you do do it either way. If I do them standing 5x5 @ 115 is pretty hard; it's a little bit easier sitting down, I can do 5x5 full reps (going below chin every time) without an issue.

What I usually do is 3 sets sitting and 2 sets standing. When I get more used to doing it standing up I'll switch to 5 sets standing.

It's good that you're switching, as the OH press in Stronglifts 5x5 is supposed to be done standing. It's harder, but a much better exercise as it engages more of your body to balance the weight above your head.

 

[Lamont Burns]

Originally posted by: 996GT2

Originally posted by: Lamont Burns

Originally posted by: 996GT2

Originally posted by: Lamont Burns
You bench 20 more than you squat, and only 5 less than your deadlift. Where's your legs at, man!

I just started doing squats and deadlifts, so I have a feeling that I can do more once I get more used to the form. It's only been one week of squats and deadlifts for me haha.

I am the antithesis of you. I squat 210 and DL 245, yet my bench is a paltry 130. And my Press is 90.

Nice 115 btw, I've been trying like hell to break 100.

Do you do them seated or standing? The overhead rack at my gym allows you do do it either way. If I do them standing 5x5 @ 115 is pretty hard; it's a little bit easier sitting down, I can do 5x5 full reps (going below chin every time) without an issue.

What I usually do is 3 sets sitting and 2 sets standing. When I get more used to doing it standing up I'll switch to 5 sets standing.

I stand. bring it to my shoulder level each rep. Tweaked my back a touch on my last DL day, waiting to test 95 tomorrow or Sunday.

 

[coreyb]

lol your bench is higher then your squat?

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: coreyb
lol your bench is higher then your squat?

Originally posted by: 996GT2

Originally posted by: Lamont Burns
You bench 20 more than you squat, and only 5 less than your deadlift. Where's your legs at, man!

I just started doing squats and deadlifts, so I have a feeling that I can do more once I get more used to the form. It's only been one week of squats and deadlifts for me haha.

 

[bigshot]

This a bit off-topic from the OP, but I've just started the 5x5 stronglift program as well, on my third week. Everything has been going fine other than the overhead press. After I bring the bar up and lock my elbows and in the process of bringing the bar down back to my clavicle, I get this "snap" in my right arm, roughly in the middle of my forearm. It feels like a tendon or muscle is cracking under my skin, and there is quite a bit of pain. I feel like a tendon or something is going to burst...has anyone experienced this? My left arm is fine when doing it, just my right arm.

 

[996GT2]

Updated

 

[brikis98]

Nice progress. Just thought I'd mention one thing: if you are squatting and deadlifting with proper technique, your deadlift numbers should be higher than your squat numbers. People with odd limb length/proportions (ie, short arms and long legs would be a disadvantage on the deadlift) and competitive powerlifters who use squat suits are exceptions to this rule, but it applies to almost everybody else. Right now, it looks like your deadlift is behind the squat, which is probably just because you have little experience with both lifts, so I wouldn't worry. However, if things remain this way for a while, it probably means your deadlift form is wrong (so you aren't pulling as much weight as you could) or you aren't squatting below parallel (so you're squatting more weight than you would with proper technique).

 

[996GT2]

Originally posted by: brikis98
Nice progress. Just thought I'd mention one thing: if you are squatting and deadlifting with proper technique, your deadlift numbers should be higher than your squat numbers. People with odd limb length/proportions (ie, short arms and long legs would be a disadvantage on the deadlift) and competitive powerlifters who use squat suits are exceptions to this rule, but it applies to almost everybody else. Right now, it looks like your deadlift is behind the squat, which is probably just because you have little experience with both lifts, so I wouldn't worry. However, if things remain this way for a while, it probably means your deadlift form is wrong (so you aren't pulling as much weight as you could) or you aren't squatting below parallel (so you're squatting more weight than you would with proper technique).

I think I can deadlift more than 5x5 of 185, since I didn't feel it a ton after doing 5x5 at 185. I'll try 200 next time and see how that goes...

As far as squat goes I'm going to stay at 200 for at least a week or so to build up better form.

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: 996GT2

Originally posted by: brikis98
Nice progress. Just thought I'd mention one thing: if you are squatting and deadlifting with proper technique, your deadlift numbers should be higher than your squat numbers. People with odd limb length/proportions (ie, short arms and long legs would be a disadvantage on the deadlift) and competitive powerlifters who use squat suits are exceptions to this rule, but it applies to almost everybody else. Right now, it looks like your deadlift is behind the squat, which is probably just because you have little experience with both lifts, so I wouldn't worry. However, if things remain this way for a while, it probably means your deadlift form is wrong (so you aren't pulling as much weight as you could) or you aren't squatting below parallel (so you're squatting more weight than you would with proper technique).

I think I can deadlift more than 5x5 of 185, since I didn't feel it a ton after doing 5x5 at 185. I'll try 200 next time and see how that goes...

As far as squat goes I'm going to stay at 200 for at least a week or so to build up better form.

Your first few weeks (maybe even months) of deadlifting & squatting should be much more about perfecting form than about the weight on the bar. If you're going to spend countless weeks doing these exercises, I hope you've taken a few hours to read up on proper technique: Starting Strength has some of the best descriptions of how to do barbell exercises and is WELL worth the $30, although stronglifts is a great free resource too (see the left side of the page for "Exercise Technique").

 

[996GT2]

Updated again...focused on fixing my deadlift form, I think it's getting better. Read a lot of the stronglifts site and watched numerous youtube videos to see proper form. Will post a video sometime soon.

In other news, I think I'm hitting a plateau on bench press. I was able to do 185x5 when I started, and that still seems to be where I am at right now. How do I push past the plateau?

 

[brikis98]

If you plateaued quickly, it usually means you picked a starting weight that is too high. If 185 was your 5RM you should *not* have used it as the starting weight for a 5x5 routine, but instead opted for something quite a bit lower. Since you're stuck, your only choice now is to do just that: deload by 10-20% and work your way back up.

 

[katank]

Shouldn't DLs on Stronglifts be 1x5 rather than 5x5?

This might explain why your DL number is lower than squat.

As for bench, try again and then deload 10% if necessary. Also, do you have any fractional plates/chains? That might make it easier to make small jumps.

Your bench is more advanced than the other exercises so it isn't much of a surprise that you seem to plateau on this first despite conventional wisdom.

 

[dealmaster00]

Originally posted by: katank
Shouldn't DLs on Stronglifts be 1x5 rather than 5x5?

This might explain why your DL number is lower than squat.

As for bench, try again and then deload 10% if necessary. Also, do you have any fractional plates/chains? That might make it easier to make small jumps.

Your bench is more advanced than the other exercises so it isn't much of a surprise that you seem to plateau on this first despite conventional wisdom.

This is correct, you only need to do 1 work set of deadlift on stronglifts, since you are already doing 5 work sets of squats the same day.

 

[996GT2]

Updated again