pwrhngry's 5x5

[|D_J^B_J|]

Hey pwrhungry,

Good to see another single factor convert!
I agree with Guinness on the format. It will be easier for us and for you to read if it is structured a little better.

You are on a program that is tried and true, so all you need to do now is to try and improve your lifestyle factors to allow your body to gain more muscle. By this, I mean eat more (I am the same weight as you are, and I try to get in 3500 cals a day), get as much sleep as possible, and limit alcohol consumption. The last two are probably my biggest downfall, since I am still and uni and like to take advantage of the social life.

One question, if you managed 110 for 5 reps on week 4, day 3, why didn't you increase it the following week? Other than that, your journal looks good.

Stay injury free and good luck!

 

[pwrhngry]

Hey, hey yall. Well today I concluded week 1 of the single factor. The workout went pretty well. Here it was:
WEEK1 DAY3: SQUAT:135X5, 145X5, 155X5, 165X5, 180X3(PR), 155X8
BENCH: 135X5, 140X5, 145X5, 150X5, 160X3(PR), 145X6
ROWS: 90X5, 95X5, 100X5, 110X5, 115X5
WEIGHTED DIPS: (+25#)5X5
SKULLCRUSHERS: 60:3X8
Well as yall can see I hit all the scheduled sets and reps except for the "back off" set on bench, I only got 6 out of it at that point, but on the bright side, 160 was my 1rm a month ago and today I hit it for 3 in perfect form, really solid! Also a month ago I couldnt squat 180 let alone hit it for 3.
Rows were no strain, as usual. Im thinking Ive got to start really jumping the weight on these, but I dont want to get greedy and kill the progress, you know? Im sooooooooooo glad to be able to do my beloved dips again!! Thats what I missed most about the dual factor.
Well thats all from me for now guys, Ill know monday what to make of this single factor when I go for 5s on all the triples I did today. So far though, everything has worked pretty much according to the "plan" so I have no reason to start doubting it now. By the way, Im up 5-7 pounds with all the bodyfat measurements exactly the same(3mm chestfold, 5-6mm abdominal, 3-4mm thigh) so that can only mean one thing, more muscle (yippee). Ill talk to yall soon, till then be well and GOD bless. PWRHNGRY

 

[anotherbutters]

I watched Magnus Samuelsson's DVD over the weekend. The guy was doing BB curls with 315. I guess there are some benefits to 25" arms.

Anyway, lest I digress, one thing he mentions is that he never does direct biceps and triceps work on the same day. He says that, for some reason, it just doesn't work.

I don't think I'd be in the right frame of mind for tricep work if I'd just curled 315

pwrhngry, quite a few people have said that it's good to be able to row as much as you can bench, to avoid an imbalance. I can't remember exactly why, but I think it's to do with shoulders. Anyway, you are rowing a lot less than you're benching and you're finding the rows easy, so I say bump them up quicker than the bench increases for now.

On Fridays, I do the same set scheme for rows as the others - 4x5, then a triple, then a backoff. I noticed you're did a 5x5. You might want to bump the weight on Monday for a 5x5, then settle in to a normal set scheme on Fridays.

Congrats on the gains so far.

 

[anotherbutters]

BW, how the hell did he go about curling 315 anyway? I can't imagine him just bending down and picking it up off the floor. He didn't do it in the power rack did he? The big girl's blouse

 

[blut wump]

BW, how the hell did he go about curling 315 anyway? I can't imagine him just bending down and picking it up off the floor. He didn't do it in the power rack did he? The big girl's blouse

That's a good enough excuse to watch it again. I''ll report back later.

You owe me big-time on this, forcing me to watch it just to answer your question.



OK: he takes it from the end of a flat bench with the bar resting on the bench itself. Karlsen does a couple of reps with it too. Samuelsson's also benching 275Kg (over 600 lbs) in a t-shirt for reps and complains that he's having to use a narrow grip since his shoulder is aching so he can't go for his wide grip.

 

[anotherbutters]

Wow, he can curl more than I can deadlift :cries:

Hope you enjoyed it second time round I don't have any weightlifting vids, other than a few clips I've got off the net, and Ruhl's Made in Germany, which was pretty good.

 

[pwrhngry]

Butters, thanks for the tip on rows, your right. I messed up the scheme on day3, still thinking in the d.f. mindset I guess. Now that you mention it I do remember that about rowing what you bench to prevent imbalance. It is to keep the "pullers" (posteriors) as strong as the "pushers" (anteriors) so the shoulders dont start to roll forward. So Ill catch the rows up with the bench, which I need to do anyway since my lats are a weak spot.
Magnuss Samuleson is a total beast! Ive been watching him for years on that "world's strongest man" he has more power in his eyebrows than most humans have in their whole body!
Alright guys, I gotta go bake a birthday cake for my 3 year old, she's turning 4! A real big girl! Be well, yall, GOD bless.

 

[pwrhngry]

Hey yall, I started week 2 of the single factor and it went OK today. Though there are several factors that have kind of worked togrther to stall me. One, I switched over to midnight-8 at the prison, so sleep has been hosed! Ive gotten about 6-7 hours a night for a week now. Two, along with the sleep peoblems, nutrition has been lacking a little bit, as Ive been in the 2000 calorie nieghboorhood for about the same time frame. Im keeping the protein up to at least 1g per pound but carbs have suffered. Fat is OK with all the fish oil. Im just trying to get into the new schedule. Here was today:
WEEK2 DAY1
SQUATS:135X5, 150X5, 160X5, 170X5, 180X5 (PR)
BENCH:135X5, 145X5, 150X5, 155X5, 160X4 (MISSED THE LAST REP, DAMN!)
ROWS:110X5, 115X5, 120X5, 125X5, 130X5 (FELT A LITTTLE MORE LIKE IT)
HYPERS+5#)15X2
DECLINE SIT UPS+10#):15X4
So, all in all it went pretty well. I was pretty dissapointed that I missed a rep on bench, but I think it was probably due to the schedule change and diet, and rest being lacking for the last week. Im about 5 pounds down, in weight. The rows felt good with the bump up. I think I might have sprained or strained somethin in my neck doing squats, Ive kindof got a crick in it. Well, thats all for now bros. Be well, and GOD bless.

 

[pwrhngry]

Hey yall, today was light day, here it was:
WEEK2 DAY2: SQUATS: 135X5, 150X5, 160X5, 160X5, 160X5
INCLINE BENCH: 115X5, 125X5, 135X5, 135X5, 135X5
DEADLIFT: 215: 5X4
CHINS: 6X2, 4X2 (I switched out the barbell curls for these)
Well yall, there's how it went. I hit all the sets and reps. It was after all, light day, so I would have felt pretty awful if I had missed any. Hey guys will this 5x5 increase strength across all rep ranges? I dont want to just end up good at sets of 5 and weak on any other range. How long do yall think a body should stay on this before switching? Do yall think HST would be a good choice for the next cycle? Anyway, thats all from me for now guys, be well and GOD bless.