My Training Log: Nerdy Weakling

[nerdyweakling]

But that is the SL 5x5 template. I guess what you are saying is that you are gonna use the spreadsheet mostly for your starting weights. I know a lot of other bros from various sites that have done the same. It worked out ok for some and was too much for others.
As for progression, IDK what you doing there bro. Are you simply add 5Lbs to everything except DL, and add 10lbs to your DL or what?

Will be interesting to me to see how this plays out bro.

Sorry, somehow I missed this. Exactly, I am using the spreadsheet for my starting weights and adding 5lbs to everything except DL and 10lbs to DL.

Am mid-third week now. Have had a cold for about a week which hasn't affected my lifting, but has affected my appetite. Still, I feel super strong and seeing solid progress with no setbacks yet. I've found that through improving my form, especially in the squat, I am feeling the weights much less than I used to...even though I am lifting lighter I am pretty sure I could lift heavier than before, and for more reps, than I could in the past.

 

[zedhed]

You are deff going the right direction bro. Keep killin that shit!

 

[zedhed]

What up bro?
Post up man!!

 

[nerdyweakling]

What up bro?
Post up man!!

Nothing new. Still going strong...noticing greater mass in my legs...actually, I noticed more definition but realized it wasn't b/c I lost any fat, but b/c my muscles have gotten bigger. Of all the exercises in this I absolutely kill the squats. But I am also seeing improvement in my upper body, and feel like the program kind of changes the proportions around to a more natural state than isolation exercises. I am 3 weeks in so maybe its too early to have gained mass or to see changes, but I swear I think I can see some...

Weights are a little heavier now but still have a lot in the tank! I wonder how common deloading is in the program...looking at 9 more weeks minimum, my brain tells me I must reach a wall at some point. Adding weights at every workout, I must reach a breaking point sometime before 9 weeks are up. But then I think that maybe the program reps, exercises, etc., are designed so that your body can take it and keep going. It will be fun to see how my body responds.

I gotta say after being hesitant of the deadlifts, after starting light and focusing on form they are probably my favorite lift now. They just feel great.

A little down due to continued digestive issues but my lifting helps lift my spirits Happy Holidays!

 

[zedhed]

Nothing new. Still going strong...noticing greater mass in my legs...actually, I noticed more definition but realized it wasn't b/c I lost any fat, but b/c my muscles have gotten bigger. Of all the exercises in this I absolutely kill the squats. But I am also seeing improvement in my upper body, and feel like the program kind of changes the proportions around to a more natural state than isolation exercises. I am 3 weeks in so maybe its too early to have gained mass or to see changes, but I swear I think I can see some...

LOL bro, you prolly can indeed see changes. This is what compound lifting does for you man. Just you wait till you get into some heavier weights!
Happy for you man.

Weights are a little heavier now but still have a lot in the tank! I wonder how common deloading is in the program...looking at 9 more weeks minimum, my brain tells me I must reach a wall at some point. Adding weights at every workout, I must reach a breaking point sometime before 9 weeks are up. But then I think that maybe the program reps, exercises, etc., are designed so that your body can take it and keep going. It will be fun to see how my body responds.
Loose that thought bro. You are defeating yourself with that my good man. The progam is tried and ture. If you do the program to the letter and eat enough food and get the rest you need you will progress through it pretty nearly on track. Believe me it has been tried and test to the enth degree.

I gotta say after being hesitant of the deadlifts, after starting light and focusing on form they are probably my favorite lift now. They just feel great.
Outstanding news bro!

A little down due to continued digestive issues but my lifting helps lift my spirits Happy Holidays!

Seriously bro eat apples. Just do it and see what happens. Dont think about it just do it and report back on it in a week or 2.

Very vest regards bro and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
your pal Zed

 

[nerdyweakling]

Seriously bro eat apples. Just do it and see what happens. Dont think about it just do it and report back on it in a week or 2.

Very vest regards bro and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
your pal Zed

Thanks for the tip. I'll give it a shot. This is a 4 year long deal so far though and after trying all traditional medical and alternative non-medical options I am still without remedy as of yet. I'll probably need a surgery in the future, after which I don't think I'd be able to lift...so I am hoping to find a different solution or at least put it off as much as I can...I'd hate to get hardcore into lifting and have to give it up.

On another note...I am in New York City visiting family and got a cheap membership at a gym in order to not miss a couple weeks lifting. Still going strong on this workout...the gym I am going to only has 1 squat rack, and I occupied the hell out of it doing squats and deadlifts today. Nobody in the entire gym came over to use it the entire time I was there...made me realize how unpopular those are among average lifters.

I usually lift @ the gym @ Duke University, where most athletes train and where the 3 squat-racks are usually pretty occupied. I guess athletes really know the value of these compound lifts, but your avg. lifter just doesn't know or doesn't want to do them...

meanwhile people were fighting over an arm curl machine, made me think of everyone here and how they would probably find the situation funny, and the person who has the signature that says something like "can you stop doing bicep curls in the squat rack".

 

[nerdyweakling]

Just an update to say I am still going strong. I had a tough day squatting 175 a few days ago, and was thinking how long til I deload...and then today I squatted 180 with relative ease. This is the second time this has happened, and it makes me realize that you never know if you can lift something until you lift it. Just because 175 was tough doesn't mean you shouldn't progress anyway...under ordinary circumstances I would have done another 175 thinking 180 might be too much, which it obviously wasn't.

I am very pleased, feel very strong, and my family has commented that I look a lot bigger that I did at the end of November (just before I started SL 5 x 5). My brother says my biceps are smaller, but that overall I am a lot bigger. Very happy about that.

One odd thing is that I am actually losing weight...despite eating a lot. We have been walking a tonne this past week, which is probably where my calories have gone, and I have gone from `187 to 183 or so, losing only fat I am guessing. Now that this coming week is less busy I imagine I'll get a bit more weight again.

Hope everyone is enjoying the holidays.

 

[zedhed]

Hey nerdy missing you in here bro.
How you doing and whats you up to bro?
You been eating your apple per day? Would like to know how thats going for you.
Post up my good man!

 

[nerdyweakling]

Hey nerdy missing you in here bro.
How you doing and whats you up to bro?
You been eating your apple per day? Would like to know how thats going for you.
Post up my good man!

Hey Zedhed,

Weightlifting is going great. I squatted 200 last Friday, and all my other lifts except overhead lift have a lot of room for me go before I have to deload. I may struggle w/ 5x5 squat soon, but I am not sure. I thought I had a tough time with 175, and now I am at 200, so you never know I guess.

So as far as lifting has gone I have never felt better. I am having trouble increasing my weight despite eating a lot, its probably b/c I eat ridiculously clean due to my reflux issues.

I tried the apples, noticed no change. But I also notice no change with some heartburn pills like Prilosec, and a number of alternative and traditional remedies. I am hyped to see my doc tomorrow and find out where to go from here...at this point if the surgery is recommended I'd likely go for it. I found out I'd be able to lift in the future, I'd just need to give it a long time to heal. So its not horrible. And I need to make sure I am healthy on the inside moreso than on the outside.

I have 5-6 weeks on the SL 5x5 program and at this point I can say it is the best approach I have followed, great results so far.

 

[zedhed]

Well hell bro I was hoping that appels would do it for you.
Glad to see that everything else is going you way bro and am super happy that you are really likeing the 5x5.
Peeps just dont beleive it till they try it out, but I full agree with you as you know....
Take care bro and keep posting.