gettinlarger's Training Journal: 5x5.

[gettinlarger]

Back into it. My first time around with this type of routine, I think I started with higher weights than I should have, and my strength plateaued after a few months, even when dropping to 5x3 (started with way too high weights again). After a short cutting cycle for about 2.5-3 weeks, I dropped about 10 pounds, and am ready to aim for big gains in strength and size once again.

Tonight: Shoulders and Bis.

Military press.
1x5 at 135.
5x5 at 145. Light. Used slow, strict movement.

DB Military press.
2x8 with 65s.

Lat raises.
2x10 with 20s.

Barbell curls.
5x5 with 75. VERY light. I have trouble getting strength up in my bis though, so I'm hoping this progressive resistance will really help them.

Preachers.
2x8 with 85. Ha. More weight than my barbells.

DB Curls.
2x8 with 35s.

Added some ab work as well.

I'm happy to be back in this program. It feels really good. Wish me luck!!

Oh, my weight is 171 tonight. I'll weigh myself at the beginning of each week too.

 

[louden_swain]

Sounds like a good plan. I guess you are planning to eat huge and pack on mass. How did you like cutting extra bodyweight?

 

[DrBones]

Wow... you cut down to 171 from 190 right?
How long do you plan on bulking for this time around?
How tall are you again?
Look forward to reading up on your progress...

 

[needsize]

Your routine looks solid, I cant wait to see how it works this time

 

[gettinlarger]

Bones, I was about 182-183. 171 from 190 in 2 weeks, man, I'd be dead. LOL. I'm 5'9, and planning on bulking until summer. I dunno. This time around I'm planning on keeping a very clean diet, so I may not add much bodyfat, so I may just continue until I feel like cutting again. I'm gonna try to see what works for me.

needsize, thanks for the comments.

swain, thanks to you as well.

Today: Chest and Tris.

I've decided to incorporate some of DCs methods into my 5x5 training. I'm very curious to see what will happen. For example, I cut my 2 secondary exercises down to one, and am using the "extreme" type stretches after each bodypart.

Incline bench.
5x5 at 165. Too easy.

Flat Dbs.
1x8, 1x6 at 90s. Intense.

Extreme stretching. PAIN. I've never felt anything like it.

Close grip press.
5x5 at 145.

Dips.
1x8, 1x6 at +75.

More stretching. More pain.

I've also cut rest periods down and am keeping the negative high. Can't wait to see how this works out for me.

 

[DrBones]

I'm very interested to see how the extreme stretching when combined with the 5x5 turns out. I've been contemplating doing something similar recently too.. but I'll let you be the test monkey

Good luck

 

[gettinlarger]

Last night: Back.

Rack deads.
5x5 at 275.

Good Mornings.
1x8 at 135.
1x8 at 155.

Barbell Rows.
2x8 at 155.

Chins.
2x8, 1x6, bodyweight.

I did that stretch where you hang from a pull-up bar with weight hanging from you, and held it ans stretched my lower back. Felt pretty good.

Don't really have too much to say. I just woke up. Haha.

 

[casualbb]

Guys...picking and choosing elements of the DC training program and injecting it into the framework of a 5x5 isn't going to do much.

The reason the DC method works so much better than any kind of volume training is the HIGHER FREQUENCY with which similar muscle groups are hit. The static holds, the extreme stretching -- it's all just icing on the cake. And that cake is more frequent training

-casualbb

 

[gettinlarger]

Shoulders/Bis.

Military press.
5x5 at 150.

DB military.
1x9, 1x8 with 70s.

Lat raises.
2x10 with 20s.

BB Curls.
5x5 at 80.

DB Curls.
1x10, 1x8 with 35s.

Rev Curls.
1x10, 1x8 with 60.

Nothing really special about tonight. I'm happy that my militaries are going up easily. And I swear I'm bigger than I was last week.

casualbb, thanks for the heads up. I am going to continue to do the stretches though, as I have a bad habit of not enough stretching in my workouts. This will keep me up on it.

 

[louden_swain]

Routine is looking good!! It is right to the point.