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NJL52
New member
Preface:
Been training for seven years. Off and on. Results surely don't show seven years though.
The past few years have been very sub-par for me. I'm currently 20 years old. My senior in highschool ended my football career and left me without much inspiration to train or workout. I still went to the gym, but I was training with a few friends who were your standard bicep Monday, chest Tuesday, bicep/back Wednesday, bicep/chest Thursday group. Put on some muscle but also put on a good amount of fat.
First semester Freshman year was probably the best stint of time for my strength training. I was a member here and was reading good information and built a lot of strength. I never maxed, but with the calculators I came to:
Squat: 275
Deadlift: 290
Clean: Forget...but I'm assuming 195 or so.
Bench: 235
At this point I decided I had gotten too fat and decided to cut. I was 225. Started strong and would have reached my goals after a few months, but I got lazy. I lost interest somewhat and training became an after thought. Lost a lot of strength and fat was coming off at a very slow pace. I did about 2.5 months of cutting in 7 months.
I got down to 9/10% eventually and decided to bulk. Two months pass and I gained a lot of strength. But I took that "eat whatever you can" too serious and found myself much fatter then I wanted to be. Gained like 15-20 pounds in just over 7 weeks. Too much of it was fat.
Back to a short cut. At this point I got serious about training. I bought books, I devoured whatever literature I could get my hands on. I knew everything that I needed to. And I started cutting.
Sigh....about here was where I started a series of back strains. Somehow, I had lost a lot of flexibility in my back and simple workouts were putting serious strain on my lower back. (at the time I didn't know this, I thought it was a spinal problem of some sort) At first it wasn't very painful, it was just an annoyance. But, like any injury, it built itself up to the point where it hurt to walk due to my ignoring it.
I stopped any sort of training and just went on a "let it heal while cutting phase." I would run alot and cut, but didnt' see the inside of a gym for months. It never really healed fully, but over time it started feeling reasonable.
Come January, my back was feeling okay and I was at 7/8% bodyfat. Time to do a perfect and productive bulk. 3/4 weeks go by and I'm gaining strength ridiculously well. But...my back is acting up. I do the same "ignore it" and continue training. But it flared up much faster then previously.
At this point I just said fuck it. I stopped training/running/cutting/bulking etc until about June. And got fat again. And my back was at 95%.
About this time I realize my flexibility issues and understand the reason for my back pain. So I stretch like a madman. After getting normal flexibility back, I decided to get back to where I was in January.
So I start cutting. This was about five weeks ago. I started at about 198 pounds. And...astonishingly, I'm currently 206 pounds. And I'm stronger and leaner than I was 5 weeks ago. I'm pretty sure it is because I'm rebuilding muscle I previously had, but at any rate, it is sure pleasing to see body fat go down, strength going up and weight going up.
Oh, any my back is bothering me a little bit.... I will see how that plays out.
Now sorry for the long story, but the last couple times I tried to start a journal that was non-public and number only, they didn't develop, so I'm trying to give this one some importance.
The past few weeks I have been mixing up running sprints at my local park with going to the gym.
The gym has mainly consisted of jogging the treadmill at 10mph, jump roping, squating and deadlifting. My four favorite physical activities.
My deadlift has exploded. The first 2/3 weeks since I came back were nothing but light training to get used to the techniques again. Since then, I started trying to push the weight. First time out I put 205 on the bar and it was trouble just to get the bar up. Lower back was weak, hands couldn't hold the bar, couldn't shrug it, lats were failing on me etc.
Two weeks later I see a total 180. I did 255 with relative ease last time. Everything feels stronger(except my fucking hands, callouses are tearing and my grip is pretty weak.)
And that brings us to today, and without further ado:
Sunday, August 3rd, 2008
Went to the gym.
Squat:
225 x 5
225 x 5
225 x 5
Felt good, started this cut at like 205 and I keep getting stronger. Going to go to 235 next time I workout.
Cleans:
135 x 5
155 x 5
165 x 4
Hadn't done cleans in awhile. Just kind of tested the water today. And I was shocked at how easy they were. Definitely could have gotten a 5th on the last set and even added more weight. But I forgot chalk and my callouses wanted to rip off on the last rep so I said fuck it. Will chalk up next time and try for a 185 set.
Press:
115 x 5
115 x 5
115 x 5
Another workout that I hadn't done in awhile. Didn't feel as good with these, shoulder strength is down a bit. Still could have gone higher though.
Jogged at 10mph on the treadmill for a few minutes.
Came home and mowed the front and back yard. Fun.
Currently 206.5 pounds. Such a relief watching my lifts and weight go up while my body fat goes down.
Caliper's say my BF is 14%. Seems accurate.
Debating on not training tomorrow. REALLY don't want to push my back farther then I need to. Hoping the slight pain I have at the moment will go away. Though I'm doubtful. Been stretching the hell out of it. Might just bite the bullet and go see a doctor soon.
Wish me luck.
Been training for seven years. Off and on. Results surely don't show seven years though.
The past few years have been very sub-par for me. I'm currently 20 years old. My senior in highschool ended my football career and left me without much inspiration to train or workout. I still went to the gym, but I was training with a few friends who were your standard bicep Monday, chest Tuesday, bicep/back Wednesday, bicep/chest Thursday group. Put on some muscle but also put on a good amount of fat.
First semester Freshman year was probably the best stint of time for my strength training. I was a member here and was reading good information and built a lot of strength. I never maxed, but with the calculators I came to:
Squat: 275
Deadlift: 290
Clean: Forget...but I'm assuming 195 or so.
Bench: 235
At this point I decided I had gotten too fat and decided to cut. I was 225. Started strong and would have reached my goals after a few months, but I got lazy. I lost interest somewhat and training became an after thought. Lost a lot of strength and fat was coming off at a very slow pace. I did about 2.5 months of cutting in 7 months.
I got down to 9/10% eventually and decided to bulk. Two months pass and I gained a lot of strength. But I took that "eat whatever you can" too serious and found myself much fatter then I wanted to be. Gained like 15-20 pounds in just over 7 weeks. Too much of it was fat.
Back to a short cut. At this point I got serious about training. I bought books, I devoured whatever literature I could get my hands on. I knew everything that I needed to. And I started cutting.
Sigh....about here was where I started a series of back strains. Somehow, I had lost a lot of flexibility in my back and simple workouts were putting serious strain on my lower back. (at the time I didn't know this, I thought it was a spinal problem of some sort) At first it wasn't very painful, it was just an annoyance. But, like any injury, it built itself up to the point where it hurt to walk due to my ignoring it.
I stopped any sort of training and just went on a "let it heal while cutting phase." I would run alot and cut, but didnt' see the inside of a gym for months. It never really healed fully, but over time it started feeling reasonable.
Come January, my back was feeling okay and I was at 7/8% bodyfat. Time to do a perfect and productive bulk. 3/4 weeks go by and I'm gaining strength ridiculously well. But...my back is acting up. I do the same "ignore it" and continue training. But it flared up much faster then previously.
At this point I just said fuck it. I stopped training/running/cutting/bulking etc until about June. And got fat again. And my back was at 95%.
About this time I realize my flexibility issues and understand the reason for my back pain. So I stretch like a madman. After getting normal flexibility back, I decided to get back to where I was in January.
So I start cutting. This was about five weeks ago. I started at about 198 pounds. And...astonishingly, I'm currently 206 pounds. And I'm stronger and leaner than I was 5 weeks ago. I'm pretty sure it is because I'm rebuilding muscle I previously had, but at any rate, it is sure pleasing to see body fat go down, strength going up and weight going up.
Oh, any my back is bothering me a little bit.... I will see how that plays out.
Now sorry for the long story, but the last couple times I tried to start a journal that was non-public and number only, they didn't develop, so I'm trying to give this one some importance.
The past few weeks I have been mixing up running sprints at my local park with going to the gym.
The gym has mainly consisted of jogging the treadmill at 10mph, jump roping, squating and deadlifting. My four favorite physical activities.
My deadlift has exploded. The first 2/3 weeks since I came back were nothing but light training to get used to the techniques again. Since then, I started trying to push the weight. First time out I put 205 on the bar and it was trouble just to get the bar up. Lower back was weak, hands couldn't hold the bar, couldn't shrug it, lats were failing on me etc.
Two weeks later I see a total 180. I did 255 with relative ease last time. Everything feels stronger(except my fucking hands, callouses are tearing and my grip is pretty weak.)
And that brings us to today, and without further ado:
Sunday, August 3rd, 2008
Went to the gym.
Squat:
225 x 5
225 x 5
225 x 5
Felt good, started this cut at like 205 and I keep getting stronger. Going to go to 235 next time I workout.
Cleans:
135 x 5
155 x 5
165 x 4
Hadn't done cleans in awhile. Just kind of tested the water today. And I was shocked at how easy they were. Definitely could have gotten a 5th on the last set and even added more weight. But I forgot chalk and my callouses wanted to rip off on the last rep so I said fuck it. Will chalk up next time and try for a 185 set.
Press:
115 x 5
115 x 5
115 x 5
Another workout that I hadn't done in awhile. Didn't feel as good with these, shoulder strength is down a bit. Still could have gone higher though.
Jogged at 10mph on the treadmill for a few minutes.
Came home and mowed the front and back yard. Fun.
Currently 206.5 pounds. Such a relief watching my lifts and weight go up while my body fat goes down.
Caliper's say my BF is 14%. Seems accurate.
Debating on not training tomorrow. REALLY don't want to push my back farther then I need to. Hoping the slight pain I have at the moment will go away. Though I'm doubtful. Been stretching the hell out of it. Might just bite the bullet and go see a doctor soon.
Wish me luck.
