New direction.

[samuelNZ]

All aboard the 5x5 train next stop PAAAAAAAAIN

Haha I'm already at that stage bro.

4/10/11

• 20 mins stretching quads and hammys
  
• 20mins various ab exercises
  
• 20mins chin wag.
  Comments
  
• Casual muck around training today. Have some horrible tendinitis (I think) in my right knee which is super tender to touch and putting any weight on it is pretty painful, been stretching the quads to try take some pressure off. Not making much difference. Will ice it tonight and sink some anti inflams and hopefully its dulled down a bit by tomorrow as I'm in for a big session.
  Note to self, dont put DAA in a shake.. Taste like sour tangy milk.

[Phedder]

Be good to see where the 5x5 takes you bro Hope the knee comes right for the big session.

Note to self, dont put DAA in a shake.. Taste like sour tangy milk.

:pfft: Rookie mistake. It's a great way to ruin a delicious shake. I used to add it to my morning smoothie which was 1L of thick milky, fruity, protein goodness, and I could still even slightly detect it in that.

[samuelNZ]

Be good to see where the 5x5 takes you bro

As am I bro as am I.

Rookie mistake. It's a great way to ruin a delicious shake. I used to add it to my morning smoothie which was 1L of thick milky, fruity, protein goodness, and I could still even slightly detect it in that.

Oh god it was revolting. I've just been spooning a level tspoon into my mouth now followed by some milk. Not too bad tasting on its own.

5/10/11 - 5x5

• Squats 60x8 100x5 115x5x5
  
• Deadlifts 60x5 100x5 140x5 170x1 190x5x5
  
• Pin press 40x5 55x5x5
  
• Chin ups BWx5 +5x5 +10x5 +15x5
  Comments
  
• Bit of a rough day today. Knee still very painful, chucked a bit of tape around the point where it attatches to the tibia and downed some painkillers and anti inflams. Squats wernt too bad. Was told the weight wasn't driving through my heels and I was coming onto my toes so I chucked the shoes on and that seemed to change the movement a bit. Could be the cause of the knee pain as I squatted on Monday barefoot. Weight wasn't too bad. Not as explosive as I would have liked but will work on that.
  Deadlifts were tough, knew I could get it done, just had to man up and do it. First set was a bit of a shock but after that I found my "grove". Set 5 was probably my best IMO, felt clean and the first 3 reps felt quite fast and just seemed to glide up. Tried to reset after each rep as I find it easier to get into the correct position but this stuffed me up a few times as I didnt get it quite right and had the bar a few inches too many from the shins and this made it a fair grind.
  Chin ups were orginally meant to be upto +25 on the last set but knew I couldnt do it, wasnt enough left in the tank so kept it moderate.
  Did pin presses instead of OH press, not sure why, no reason for choosing one over the other. Weight felt pretty easy.

[samuelNZ]

6/10/11 - Assistance

• Palms in DB press 40x8 60x8 80x8 95x6x3
  
• Close grip bench 60x10x3 80x6x4
  
• WG pull ups 5x3
  
• Curls 4x8
  
• Calves 5x15
  Comments
  
• Cruizy assistance day. Want to try and hit WG pull ups every few days. Would have trained abs but they took a hiding on Tuesday and yesterdays deads hit them hard too.
  Knee seems to be improving, going to say its about 70% at the moment.
  Looking forward to tomorrows session.

[samuelNZ]

7/10/11 - 5x5

• Squats 5x60 add belt 5x100 5x115 5x120 5x130 5x135 5x145
  
• Bench 10x60 10x80 3x90 95x5x5
  
• Hang Cleans 60x5x5
  
• Turkish Ketchups 10lbx5x2 15lbx5
  
• GHR 3x8
  Comments
  
• Knee decided to play up again today. Struggled through squats. From about 130 I was really struggling. Still got a pretty fatigued back from Wed, but no excuses. 145 was a real struggle.
  Bench was pretty basic, slow but steady reps.
  Hang cleans are still a learning curve. Struggling to change my mindset from a deadlift-upright row to a clean. Getting better. Was easier I felt with a bit of weight as it forced better technique.
  Ketchups were fun, challenging but fun.

[samuelNZ]

8/10/11 - Assistance

• DB press 40x10 60x10 80x10 100x5 100x3
  
• DB flies 3x12
  
• WG bench 60x12x5
  
• Shoulder stretching
  Comments
  
• Hardly worth going in, but had nothing better to do. Little bit of chest work. Knee feeling a bit better today. Proabably in tomorrow for a stretching session.

[samuelNZ]

10/10/11 - 5x5

• Bench 60z5 80x5 85x5 90x5 95x5 105x5 110x3
  
• Squat 60x5x2 100x5 add belt 120x3 140x5x5
  
• PC 5x40 5x50 5x55 5x60 5x70 5x75
  
• Dips 5x10 5x25 5x35
  Comments
  
• Ate quite well today but still seemed to feel really really flat. Made training an absolute struggle. Missed my last 3 reps on bench, and made all the squats look ugly and slow. Never even got close to hitting my sweet spot. Pretty happy for it to be over.
  Cleans felt alright, actually feel a lot better once I get more weight on.
  Struggled on the last set of dips.
  Looking forward to resting tomorrow.

[Phedder]

Strong benching bud, climbing away again. :nod:

[samuelNZ]

12/10/11 - 5x5

• Squat 60x5 100x5 add belt 120x5x5
  
• Deadlift 60x5 100x5 140x5 add belt 170x3
  200x5
  200x3
  200x2
  200x3
  200x3
  200x2
  200x3
  200x2
  200x2
  
• OH pin press 40x5 60x5x5
  
• Chin ups +5x5 +10x5 +15x5
  Comments
  
• ... Struggled like hell.
  Squats were fine. Deadlifts were not. Ugly, slow and depressingly hard. Was meant to be 5x5, but made up 25reps in whatever I could do.
  Rest was ok, chins were a bit tough as I was well gone by the end. Home for a feed then an early night.
  Looking forward to dropping down to 3x3 next week.

[Phedder]

Insane session bro :clap: You're going to unleash some great numbers come Bbro :nod:

[samuelNZ]

Insane session bro :clap: You're going to unleash some great numbers come Bbro :nod:

Cheers bro, all in the master plan! I've actually got no idea where I'll be at come Bbro time. Have a reasonably idea for bench but the other two, who knows.

14/10/11 - 5x5

• Squat 60x5x2 100x5 add belt 115x5 125x5 130x5 140x5 150x5 (rep PB)
  
• Bench 60x10 80x5 100x5x5
  
• Cleans 40x5 60x5x5
  
• Turkish ketchup 20lb x5x5
  Comments
  
• Squat warm ups were feeling horrible, knee was playing up. Everything was slow so I was really starting to doubt myself today, didn't think I'd have chance of 150. 140 seemed to come up quite quickly and felt a lot better then the earlier sets. Was really pleased with 150, felt quite strong unlike the 145's last week where I felt quite dodgy under the bar. This time I felt solid and hit pretty good depth on all apart from 1 I think. Felt better then my 140 set too so I was very pleased.
  Bench felt a bit weak in the first 2 sets so moved the grip in a finger and made a big difference. First 3 reps are quick and snappy followed by some slower reps when fatigue sets in :laughing:
  Cleans were ugly. Seemed to just have a bad day with them (not that I've ever had a good one), but today felt especially bad.
  Ketchup was hard today. Upped the weight and found them very difficult. Will probably drop back down next week to 15lb because I feel I have more of a controlled movement with that weight.
  BW today at 96.5 fully clothed.

[Phedder]

Repping 150 now :shock: Good shit bud.

BW today at 96.5 fully clothed.

And we've swapped

Bench felt a bit weak in the first 2 sets so moved the grip in a finger and made a big difference.

Funny you mention that. Some days I swear my close grip feels stronger than my regular grip, which is still well inside max. Curious where you usually grip the bar?

[samuelNZ]

Funny you mention that. Some days I swear my close grip feels stronger than my regular grip, which is still well inside max. Curious where you usually grip the bar?

That's exactly how it felt today. I'm usually gripping with my ring finger on the rings, did my first set today at that width and it felt slow. Moved the hands in so I've got pretty much got my pinky on the rings, if not a little closer and my reps sped up significantly. Certainly feels a fair bit stronger, but not sure how it would effect come comp day?

[samuelNZ]

17/10/11 - 5x5

• Bench 60x10 80x10 90x5 100x3 110x3
  
• Squat 60x10 80x5 100x5 120x5 140x3x3
  
• Power cleans 20mins playing around with technique
  
• Dips Bwx10 10x5 25x5 40x5 60x1
  
• Skullcrushers 2x12
  
• Board press 60x3x20-30
  Comments
  
• First 2 working sets of squats were ugly and slow, last set felt awesome. Bench was slow.
  Spent 20-30mins with PC and Pala looking at clean technique, still feel retarded.
  Some extra tricep work. Board press was with various boards and various reps.

[loveggs]

awesum lifts bro keep it up! :nod:

[samuelNZ]

Cheers bro.

18/10/11 - Assistance

• LPD 3x15
  
• Calves 3x10
  
• GHR 4x6
  
• Reverse hypers 4x10
  
• Sled dragging roughly 16-20 lengths
  
• Front raises 2x20
  
• Side raises 2x20
  
• Rear flies 2x10
  
• Curls 4x20
  
• Facepulls 4x10
  
• Standing abs 4x8
  Comments
  
• Quick paced assistance training today with The Beast.

[BeastBuilder]

Comments

[*] Quick paced assistance training today with The Beast.

What is this ? I was not there, what are you talking about... :pfft:

Nah awesome lifting bro

[Phedder]

I see you online...

Better be to tell update us on what you've lifted this week :grin:

[ApriliaRS]

I see you online...

Better be to tell update us on what you've lifted this week :grin:

Curls errday

[Phedder]

I see you online...

Better be to tell update us on what you've lifted this week :grin:

Curls errday

:doh: Of course, summer's coming!

[samuelNZ]

Sorry bro, just been lazy as hell.

29/10/11 - Update

Got a bit bored of logging. Still chugging along

BW is sitting around 93-95kilo, usually rising a little higher when we hit up KFC post workout.

Trainings been 5x5, now into the intense cycle which is 3x3.

Last trainings have been

21/10/11

Squats 140x3x3

Bench 100x3x3

24/10/11

Squats 145x3x3

Bench 90x3 105x3 115x3 rep PB

26/10/11

Deads 205x3x3 rep PB

OH press 60x3x3

28/10/11

Close grip 100x5 110x2 120x1 PB

Bench 105x3x3

29/10/11

Squats 125x3 140x3 155x3 rep PB

Leg press ramping weights x various rep ranges

Calves

Planks BWx30sec x2 20kgx30sec 40kgx30sec 60kgx30sec

Turkish get ups 15lbx3x2

Have more assistance work with the last weeks trainings but can't remember so havent put it in.

Have been pretty much hitting rep PB's just about every training.

Pretty damn happy with hitting a close grip 120, still yet to have a decent go at 120 normal grip. Was a touch and go but still happy. Feeling stronger with close grip Squats are feeling ok, not overly strong. No control in the hole and can't keep hamstrings tight at all. I've just realised I have no idea how to squat. May need to look and doing an revamp on technique and sort it out after the comp.

Flexibilities an issue. Glutes especially. Hips and knees are starting to take a bit of a beating. Not long to go till comp time.

Hard yards now, business end of the program.

[samuelNZ]

31/10/11 – Squats n Bench

Squats 150x3x3 PB

Bench 90x3 105x3 115x3

Chins 8x3

Dips +10x5x2 +20x5x3

Squats feeling good.

Bench was a tad slow but came up.

Enjoying the new belt.

Kfry post workout to get the weight back up. Bloated like hell right now

[Phedder]

Impressive PBs coming through there mate, especially that 120 close grip :shock: You're always consistently improving :nod:

Nearing the home stretch too

[samuelNZ]

Impressive PBs coming through there mate, especially that 120 close grip :shock: You're always consistently improving :nod:

Nearing the home stretch too

Yeah bro this linear stuff has been going well, really enjoying the 5x5.

The close grip was a fluke :? Think that the incentive of a free steak gave me the edge for that lift, Had a bet going with AprillaRS that if I could do the 120 he'd pay for my steak.. Worked out pretty well for me, a PB bench and a free steak.

About 2 weeks to go on 5x5 before I start to customize the program and taper down on volume before the raw nationals. Looking forward to it.

May be being a bit too ambitious but hoping for 180 120 240. Squat feels like I've probably got it, bench I pretty much know I can hit that touch and go but adding a pause will change it.

Deadlift is a new story, the trainings have felt damn hard, really doubting my ability to complete the sessions, but hopefully they've added something to my 1RM. A 12.5kg increase from Nationals is being a bit too confident maybe, but oh well. Aim high I guess.

5x5 has defiantly added a "mental toughness" aspect to my training now and I feel more confident handling the heavier weights. I felt with Sheiko I never got to get "used" to heavy weights, with this program I'm squatting to a near max for reps every Monday and Friday. Although I'm really keen to give 5x5 another go but with higher maxes after raw nationals, I might look at doing a Westside style - (just realised how much of a program/style whore I am) and see where that takes me. Hopefully the increased accessory and volume (and home cooking ) I'll be able to get into me will help bump up the bodyweight as I'm most probably looking at 105s next year. I like the theory behind the speed work they do with WS and feel this may be of benefit to my squat and bench.

[samuelNZ]

02/11/11 – Deads

Deads 60x10x2 100x5x2 140x5 170x3 195x1 210x3x3 (rep PB)

OH press 40x5 50x5 60x5x3

Chins 5x5

CG incline press 60x10 80x5x5

GHR 5x8

Reverse hypers 5x12

Abs 3x12

Dragonflies 3x12

Deads were good fun today. Seemed to just get right into it. Hook gripped all the way to 195 – had a go at that and I just stood up without the bar :laughing: 210's were tough, knew they would be. Very last rep was pretty slow, almost couldnt lock it out.

Added in some RHE and GHR's for a bit extra work, feeling really strong at these. Might need to add some weight or up the reps.

Incline was kinda spir of the moment exercise and it felt awesome. All reps paused.

Looking forward to squats on Friday.