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anotherbutters
New member
Hitching, that's the term I was looking for. I think I'm due for another read of Starting Strength.
I'll have to practice my hip thrusting
I'll have to practice my hip thrusting
Another Single Factor 5x5 Journal
- Thread starter anotherbutters
- Start date
anotherbutters
New member
Haha, I've just found QS's sis's deadlift thread. I watched the first vid thinking it would be Max and was disappointed. I've seen some of his vids before. Tweakle saved the day. I didn't realise you could search on putfile. I'm having a ball watching them!
anotherbutters
New member
This is week 9 and I've finished the PR workouts, so here's a summary update. Nine weeks doesn't mark anything significant in the SF 5x5, but I think it's useful to see what kind of gains I've managed in the same amount of time that you'd spend on a dual factor cycle.
I posted my dual factor results a while back here. I don't think it's valid to compare these as I wasn't eating enough on the DF, but they're there if you want to see them.
To anyone out there who is interested in the effectiveness of the single factor 5x5 for someone who's been lifting for less than a couple of years, you only have to look at these results. The weights themselves still aren't that heavy. My bench is still only 148lb. But that's ok. The important thing is that it's going up, and I expect I'm close to the limit of how fast it can go up.
I've recommended this program to several people, including on another board. Some of them said it looked like overtraining, with squatting three times a week and benching twice a week. Some of them couldn't stand the thought of ditching their favourite isolation exercise. Pffft! This program rocks.
Note that I started week 1 just below my estimated 5 rep max, so you could argue I made the above gains in 8 weeks, not 9. If I added next week's results, the gains would be even higher.
Also note, and very significantly, that I haven't been doing heavy freeweight squats during these 9 weeks because I switched from smith machine squats to freeweights and had to go through a few weeks of conditioning. I'm sure lots of people will argue that had I been doing squats, the results might have been even better.
Final note is that I'm 33. Ok, not that old, but anyone in their late teens or early twenties should have growth left in them and will do even better than me. If they can lay off the booze and eat enough that is (I remember what I was like back then
).
...and I thought I was pushing myself on deadlifts - in percentage terms, that's my smallest gain at 'only' 15%!
I posted my dual factor results a while back here. I don't think it's valid to compare these as I wasn't eating enough on the DF, but they're there if you want to see them.
Code:
est | single factor (25 July - 24 Sept 2005)
5RM | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 | gain
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
squat | 90 | 83 88 90.5 93 50 60 80 85 90 | 0kg *
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
bench | 57.5 | 55 60 61 62.5 63.5F 63.5 65 66 67.5 | 10kg (17%)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
dead | 115 | 110 115 120 122.5 125 127.5F 127.5 130 132.5 | 17.5kg (15%)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
miltry| 34 | 33 34 35.5 36.5 38 38.5 40 41 42.5 | 8.5kg (25%)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
row | 48 | 48 50.5 51.5 53 54 55.5 56 57.5 58.5 | 10.5kg (22%)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
bodywt| | 72 72 73 73 74 75 76 76.5 77 | 5kg
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* changed to freeweight squats
All weights in kg. All the above are for 5 reps.To anyone out there who is interested in the effectiveness of the single factor 5x5 for someone who's been lifting for less than a couple of years, you only have to look at these results. The weights themselves still aren't that heavy. My bench is still only 148lb. But that's ok. The important thing is that it's going up, and I expect I'm close to the limit of how fast it can go up.
I've recommended this program to several people, including on another board. Some of them said it looked like overtraining, with squatting three times a week and benching twice a week. Some of them couldn't stand the thought of ditching their favourite isolation exercise. Pffft! This program rocks.
Note that I started week 1 just below my estimated 5 rep max, so you could argue I made the above gains in 8 weeks, not 9. If I added next week's results, the gains would be even higher.
Also note, and very significantly, that I haven't been doing heavy freeweight squats during these 9 weeks because I switched from smith machine squats to freeweights and had to go through a few weeks of conditioning. I'm sure lots of people will argue that had I been doing squats, the results might have been even better.
Final note is that I'm 33. Ok, not that old, but anyone in their late teens or early twenties should have growth left in them and will do even better than me. If they can lay off the booze and eat enough that is (I remember what I was like back then
)....and I thought I was pushing myself on deadlifts - in percentage terms, that's my smallest gain at 'only' 15%!
anotherbutters
New member
Week 9, Friday
My bodyweight doesn't usually change much from day to day. My eating has been fairly consistent this week since I posted my diet, yet my bodyweight's done this (in kg):
Mon: 76.5
Tue: 75.5
Thu: 77
Fri: 78.5 (today)
Wow, I gained 3kg in three days! I took measurements on Tuesday and this morning (same time of day) and they're pretty much the same. I must be getting denser
1. Freeweight back squats (kg)
bar x 18 (warmup)
40 x 9 (warmup)
60 x 5
70 x 5
75 x 5
80 x 5
92.5 x 3 (up 2.5)
75 x 8
2. Bench (kg)
bar x 9 (warmup)
30 x 9 (warmup)
45 x 5
50 x 5
55 x 5
62.5 x 5 (up 2.5)
68.5 x 3 (up 1)
55 x 15 (got carried away a bit here)
3. Row (kg)
30 x 9 (warmup)
40 x 5 (up 5)
45 x 5 (up 5)
50 x 5 (up 5)
52.5 x 5 (up 2.5)
60 x 3 (up 1.5)
50 x 8 (up 5)
Comments
Squats felt fine. Could have done 95kg probably, but I think it's best to keep the increases going rather than jump too quickly. I'd like my squat to be a lot higher but I'm just going to have to be patient.
I practiced raising my chest and keeping my elbows in on bench, two things I haven't been doing up to now. Felt better. I really got carried away on the back-off set. I'll have to increase some of the earlier sets a bit on Monday (the back-off set is supposed to be the same weight as the 3rd set).
I used the 20kg plates for the first time on rows. The bar was appreciably higher, which meant there wasn't as much momentum off the floor and ROM seemed quite a bit less (I've got short legs). The back-off set was pretty knackering as it was 5kg higher than last week. Good stuff.
This was my first evening workout. I usually work out in the morning before work and don't have time for assistance exercises. Tonight, I just couldn't be bothered. Not a good attitude, but hey, it's Friday night.
My bodyweight doesn't usually change much from day to day. My eating has been fairly consistent this week since I posted my diet, yet my bodyweight's done this (in kg):
Mon: 76.5
Tue: 75.5
Thu: 77
Fri: 78.5 (today)
Wow, I gained 3kg in three days! I took measurements on Tuesday and this morning (same time of day) and they're pretty much the same. I must be getting denser
1. Freeweight back squats (kg)
bar x 18 (warmup)
40 x 9 (warmup)
60 x 5
70 x 5
75 x 5
80 x 5
92.5 x 3 (up 2.5)
75 x 8
2. Bench (kg)
bar x 9 (warmup)
30 x 9 (warmup)
45 x 5
50 x 5
55 x 5
62.5 x 5 (up 2.5)
68.5 x 3 (up 1)
55 x 15 (got carried away a bit here)
3. Row (kg)
30 x 9 (warmup)
40 x 5 (up 5)
45 x 5 (up 5)
50 x 5 (up 5)
52.5 x 5 (up 2.5)
60 x 3 (up 1.5)
50 x 8 (up 5)
Comments
Squats felt fine. Could have done 95kg probably, but I think it's best to keep the increases going rather than jump too quickly. I'd like my squat to be a lot higher but I'm just going to have to be patient.
I practiced raising my chest and keeping my elbows in on bench, two things I haven't been doing up to now. Felt better. I really got carried away on the back-off set. I'll have to increase some of the earlier sets a bit on Monday (the back-off set is supposed to be the same weight as the 3rd set).
I used the 20kg plates for the first time on rows. The bar was appreciably higher, which meant there wasn't as much momentum off the floor and ROM seemed quite a bit less (I've got short legs
). The back-off set was pretty knackering as it was 5kg higher than last week. Good stuff.This was my first evening workout. I usually work out in the morning before work and don't have time for assistance exercises. Tonight, I just couldn't be bothered. Not a good attitude, but hey, it's Friday night.
anotherbutters said:I suspected the difference to be quite big. I've looked around and there isn't anything I can use. There is one bench with a rack attached to it, but it's too low to squat under, the rack's facing the wrong way and the bench itself would be in the way to squat down anyway. There are no out-facing hooks on the smith machine that I could rest a bar on either.
There are no racks for military - I just clean it because it's pretty light anyway (I'm pretty new to these).
It really annoys me that the gym doesn't have anything I can use. They are getting a squat rack/cage, it's just a matter of time. Things seem to be changing - they've reorganised the room to make way for the new equipment, but it hasn't arrived yet. So I'd rather hang in there and wait rather than join another gym. I'll be changing jobs soon (I'm in IT and mine's just been outsourced to India!) and I might end up relocating, so it doesn't make sense to join another gym right now.
Would it be worth trying to incorporate front squats somehow? I haven't tried, so I don't know if I could clean enough to make them worthwhile. I'd look like a real a$$ if I had to dump them
do you know two people that liek to workout that you can count on?
your squat weight is low enough that while you are forced to lift in this joke of a gym you should be able to have two guys lift the bar up and you can dip down beneath it to squat
that can work pretty well till your over 315 lbs
depending on how big a set of peole you know
anotherbutters
New member
I left the gym about three weeks ago, got myself one of these off ebay with 300lb weights:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/ptec/wbr.html
I workout at home now. Squats no longer a problem.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/ptec/wbr.html
I workout at home now. Squats no longer a problem.
anotherbutters
New member
I've got DOMS in my legs for the second day running 
I guess I'm up to a stimulating weight on squats now!
I don't usually have any soreness at all, since I've been doing the same exercises for a few months now.
I guess I'm up to a stimulating weight on squats now!I don't usually have any soreness at all, since I've been doing the same exercises for a few months now.
blut wump
New member
I've had some doms after my one-week layoff. At least I expected mine.
Hold the 'down' position a few times in your bar-only warmup sets to help to get a stretch. Do you break your old Smith weights this week on free-weight squats?
I was just looking at your progress chart. Those are very nice gains. When I look at strength gains like those, or look at my own workout diary and can see steady progression over time, I find it hard to imagine training for 'looks' or 'physique'. As you're experiencing, the body has no choice but to recomposition itself and grow muscle. The 'physique' is just a bonus by-product. Of course, it helps not to mind looking like an ox. I think I'm rambling...
Hold the 'down' position a few times in your bar-only warmup sets to help to get a stretch. Do you break your old Smith weights this week on free-weight squats?
I was just looking at your progress chart. Those are very nice gains. When I look at strength gains like those, or look at my own workout diary and can see steady progression over time, I find it hard to imagine training for 'looks' or 'physique'. As you're experiencing, the body has no choice but to recomposition itself and grow muscle. The 'physique' is just a bonus by-product. Of course, it helps not to mind looking like an ox. I think I'm rambling...
anotherbutters
New member
What BF% does your typical ox have? I think I'm putting on a fair amount of fat, maybe too much. No signs of horns or a shaggy coat yet.
I was quite surprised at the consistency of the gains when I wrote out the chart - only two missed PRs. You're right, my focus on training has become chasing the gains. It's addictive. I stay off the booze, eat well and sleep lots, just because if I miss a PR, it's not just one workout I've screwed up, it's a whole week I've lost. And it will spoil the chart, lol. Sometimes I wonder whether it's becoming an obsession. Whatever, so long as I keep setting PRs When I get round to cutting, it's going to be so depressing!
I should be squatting 92.5kg tomorrow. My smith 5RM was 93kg, so I'll still be behind. I'm sorely tempted to throw on 95kg and get it done with. I reckon I could have done 92.5kg x 5 on Friday, so I'm wondering whether I could jump to 95kg tomorrow. I don't know whether my newness to freeweight squats means I can get away with a few big jumps. The risk of stalling always curtails my impatience.
I was quite surprised at the consistency of the gains when I wrote out the chart - only two missed PRs. You're right, my focus on training has become chasing the gains. It's addictive. I stay off the booze, eat well and sleep lots, just because if I miss a PR, it's not just one workout I've screwed up, it's a whole week I've lost. And it will spoil the chart, lol. Sometimes I wonder whether it's becoming an obsession. Whatever, so long as I keep setting PRs
When I get round to cutting, it's going to be so depressing!I should be squatting 92.5kg tomorrow. My smith 5RM was 93kg, so I'll still be behind. I'm sorely tempted to throw on 95kg and get it done with. I reckon I could have done 92.5kg x 5 on Friday, so I'm wondering whether I could jump to 95kg tomorrow. I don't know whether my newness to freeweight squats means I can get away with a few big jumps. The risk of stalling always curtails my impatience.
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