The EricW log
 

Hello,

I thought that I'd start this log to track my progress and be a part of a community of people who all are striving towards better fitness! I am currently doing a 5x5 type routine.

Here's what I did tonight:

Front squat: 60x5, 65x5, 70x5, 73x5, 77x5

Bench Press: 80x5 for 5 sets

Pendlay Row: 66x5 for 5 sets


I am currently going 3 times a week! Hopefully I can stick to this routine and stick to posting!

Re: The EricW log
 

How long have u been training? What are your stats?

Re: The EricW log
 

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How long have u been training? What are your stats?

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been training off and on for 5+ years.

Re: The EricW log
 

Hello comrades!

Was supposed to lift yesterday but I had an exam this morning. I probably won't lift tonight either because I only had 2 hours of sleep last! But tomorrow is a new day!

Re: The EricW log
 

GOOD DEDICATION SO FAR ERIC!!

Re: The EricW log
 

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GOOD DEDICATION SO FAR ERIC!!

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Ya it's horrible. I've had 2 exams this week spaced a day apart.

I also haven't been eating much so I don't know how my weights will be tomorrow because they're supposed to go up because it's a new week [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

Re: The EricW log
 

kyleb are you to blame for this?

Re: The EricW log
 

Blame for what?

Anyways, great workout today because I felt really strong!

Front Squat: 77 x 5 for 5 sets

Pendlay Row: 57x5, 61x5, 66x5, 70x5, 75x5

Bench Press: 69x5, 73x5, 77x5, 85x5, 89x5



I haven't been eating much lately because of exams and I felt pretty good about those numbers. Slowly but surely!

Re: The EricW log
 

u don't need to be a gimmick over here. no one from bbv4 will notice

Re: The EricW log
 

i noticed fwiw

Re: The EricW log
 

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u don't need to be a gimmick over here. no one from bbv4 will notice

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what do you mean? [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

Re: The EricW log
 

LOL do you know how [censored] annoying it is to have the same first name and last initial as you? Who the [censored] uses their name as their handle anyway? A friend just called me up... "dude, you can only bench 80? wtf?"

Re: The EricW log
 

[ QUOTE ]
LOL do you know how [censored] annoying it is to have the same first name and last initial as you? Who the [censored] uses their name as their handle anyway? A friend just called me up... "dude, you can only bench 80? wtf?"

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I could have sworn that you sent me a pm a while back wanting to be friends [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

Also, I did 89 the other day.

Re: The EricW log
 

I'm kidding, bro. Well, sort of. Nice work on the 89!

How come your routine only has you doin' the same 3 exercises? That must take what, like 20-25 minutes including warm up? It's good to mix things up more to keep making progress.

I'd highly recommend checking out the waterbury workouts... see spreadsheet for details.

http://216.17.22.84/uploads/CW_Programs.zip

Find your way to the last tab for info on where to start.

Re: The EricW log
 

[ QUOTE ]
I'm kidding, bro. Well, sort of. Nice work on the 89!

How come your routine only has you doin' the same 3 exercises? That must take what, like 20-25 minutes including warm up? It's good to mix things up more to keep making progress.

I'd highly recommend checking out the waterbury workouts... see spreadsheet for details.

http://216.17.22.84/uploads/CW_Programs.zip

Find your way to the last tab for info on where to start.

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[img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] ? My workouts take 1.5 hours. How on earth would they be so short? The weights might be light for you but they're heavy for me.

I'm currently doing the Madcow 5x5 routine btw.

Re: The EricW log
 

[ QUOTE ]
Front Squat: 77 x 5 for 5 sets

Pendlay Row: 57x5, 61x5, 66x5, 70x5, 75x5

Bench Press: 69x5, 73x5, 77x5, 85x5, 89x5

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So wait, does this say you are doing 25 sets of squats, then 25 sets of rows, then 25 sets of bench press in one workout? I hope I'm misreading or you're mistyping.

Re: The EricW log
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Front Squat: 77 x 5 for 5 sets

Pendlay Row: 57x5, 61x5, 66x5, 70x5, 75x5

Bench Press: 69x5, 73x5, 77x5, 85x5, 89x5

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So wait, does this say you are doing 25 sets of squats, then 25 sets of rows, then 25 sets of bench press in one workout? I hope I'm misreading or you're mistyping.

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no no, that would be insane.

I'm doing 5 sets for each exercise while each set consists of 5 reps.

Re: The EricW log
 

Oh, okay. Having an x5 after each number is redundant because x5 means five sets.

How does this take 1.5 hours?

Squat:

5 reps (15-20 seconds)
rest (60 seconds)
5 reps (15-20 seconds)
rest (60 seconds)
5 reps (15-20 seconds)
rest (60 seconds)
5 reps (15-20 seconds)
rest (60 seconds)
5 reps (15-20 seconds)
rest (60 seconds)
----------------------
Total = under 7 minutes


etc...

Do you take like 20 minute breaks between your three exercises?

[img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

There is no way that doing five sets of five reps of three exercises should take you more than 30 minutes max.

Re: The EricW log
 

Well 1.5 hours includes a 5 min light bike warm up.

In addition to my warm up sets, I rest about 3-5 min between work sets. These sets are heavy for me.

Re: The EricW log
 

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Well 1.5 hours includes a 5 min light bike warm up.

In addition to my warm up sets, I rest about 3-5 min between work sets. These sets are heavy for me.

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My sets are heavy for me too...

Re: The EricW log
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Well 1.5 hours includes a 5 min light bike warm up.

In addition to my warm up sets, I rest about 3-5 min between work sets. These sets are heavy for me.

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My sets are heavy for me too...

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well typically 5 rep sets deplete more ATP so there needs to be a longer rest period. just ask anyone doing a 5x5 routine how long their workouts take.

Re: The EricW log
 

I've done 10x3, 5x5, 2x18, 6x3, etc etc, roughly six exercises per workout, and I can't remember a single workout lasting longer than an hour.

Re: The EricW log
 

http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/l...m_32877/tm.htm

Some people talking about workout length.

Re: The EricW log
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Well 1.5 hours includes a 5 min light bike warm up.

In addition to my warm up sets, I rest about 3-5 min between work sets. These sets are heavy for me.

[/ QUOTE ]
My sets are heavy for me too...

[/ QUOTE ]

well typically 5 rep sets deplete more ATP so there needs to be a longer rest period. just ask anyone doing a 5x5 routine how long their workouts take.

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40 minutes or under

Re: The EricW log
 

3 mins between work sets is pretty normal
i see nothing wrong with what ericw is doing

Re: The EricW log
 

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3 mins between work sets is pretty normal
i see nothing wrong with what ericw is doing

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Thats excessively long. I don't think any workout should be longer than 1 hour. If you're doing that much intensity/volume to warrant extended rest periods, you need to cut back.

Re: The EricW log
 

Keep up the great work Eric!

Re: The EricW log
 

[ QUOTE ]
Keep up the great work Eric!

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yeah bro. looks like your plan is working to full effect!!!!

Re: The EricW log
 

meh, in my first few weeks of 5x5 (the lighter weeks) I was in and out in 40 min. Now that the sets are heavier because I'm at my peak weeks, 1.5 hours isn't too bad.

Also, I think I'm getting sick again. I was supposed to do RDLs, Squats, and Standing militaries on Sunday but I'm feeling like something is about to hit me [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

Re: The EricW log
 

FWIW, I like this log.

Re: The EricW log
 

thats unfortunate that you're getting sick again eric [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] keep at it and you'll be benching 3 digits in no time!

Re: The EricW log
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
3 mins between work sets is pretty normal
i see nothing wrong with what ericw is doing

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Thats excessively long. I don't think any workout should be longer than 1 hour. If you're doing that much intensity/volume to warrant extended rest periods, you need to cut back.

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3 minutes is really not out of the ordinary and depending on the persons goals, a 3 minute rest period can be ideal. Studies have shown that when the goal is strength, longer rest periods lead to greater strength gains. Generally, the rest period recommended is 2-5 minutes for larger muscle groups.

If your goal is hypertrophy then rest should be ~1 minute becuase you will be doing more reps and if your goal is endurance you should only use 30 sec rest periods.

Re: The EricW log
 

notfree,

While that is true there are mitigating factors beyond your argument.

1) EricW is either a midget or a beginner. Beginner's can lift more at higher intensities than "older" lifters can. Rest periods should be shorter due to this.
2) This is a hypertrophy/strength program. 3 minutes is big time overkill and typically for sets that reach failure.
3) On the days he's doing ramps. There is really no reason to need >60 seconds for the first few sets. I do a ramp and can pound out my first 3 sets in <5 minutes since I don't need excessive rest periods.
4) Work density is important for growth. Less rest > More rest

Also, you never really addressed my time limit of ~1 hour for workouts which seems to be a generally accepted std with no scientific research to back it.

Re: The EricW log
 

I agree that workouts should not be longer than 1 hour. Thats pretty widely accepted. I kinda forgot what workout he was doing when I posted. If he is not going to failure, he definately should not be taking 3 minutes rest in between sets. For the ones that he is going to failure on, I dont see a problem with taking 2-3 minutes rest.

psuedo-hijak becuase he is on this workout plan but have there been any studies that ramping such as what the OP is doing is more efficient that going to failure each set (possibly doing less sets because of this)?
I have always been taught to go to failure and ramping is mostly a waste of time.

Re: The EricW log
 

Failure is horrible. What you were taught is horrible. Everything horrible.

Re: The EricW log
 

I'm not going to failure but the sets are difficult.

Also, the one hour thing is just a ballpark figure. It's not like after exactly 60 min your workout becomes a waste of time.

Re: The EricW log
 

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I'm not going to failure but the sets are difficult.

Also, the one hour thing is just a ballpark figure. It's not like after exactly 60 min your workout becomes a waste of time.

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Yes, but 90 minutes is far and away beyond that. Considering most of us are door to door <60 on almost the exact same workout and need longer rest periods than you. I'd probably put some thought into manning up and increasing work density.

Re: The EricW log
 

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Studies have shown that when the goal is strength, longer rest periods lead to greater strength gains.

[/ QUOTE ]
Studies have also shown that when the goal is strength, shorter rest periods lead to greater strength gains. Oh, and that tobacco isn't bad for you.

Re: The EricW log
 

Hey guys,

Had to take 2 weeks off because I've been sick. It sucks 'cause now I have to go back to week 2 of this 5x5 program:

Squats: 66 x 5 reps for 5 sets

Bench: 57x5, 61x6, 66x5, 70x5, 75x5

Pendlay Rows: 48x5, 52x5, 57x5, 59x5, 64x5

Re: The EricW log
 

Decent workout tonight but the weights are lighter because I had to go back to week 2 due to that 2 week lay off. I'm surprised that my strength is still ok after such a long layoff from sickness.

Front Squat: 57x5 for 5 sets

Romanian Deadlift: 80x5 for 5 sets

Standing Military Press: 45x5 for 5 sets


Hopefully I can get back on track and keep on improving!