first non-cardio workout.. EVER!

beccaanic

Well, I guess that isn't totally true because my first two years in college I was on a sports team and we lifted 2-3x a week. I never really thought of it as working out thought, just as "lifting". But this was my first time doing just weight lifting for my own work out. I feel weird and as though I didn't do enough!! I did Stronglifts 5x5. Here are my results! I'd love some comments, whether they pertain to my specific weights or if anyone started out at similar weights or if anyone has or does feel the same way I am feeling!

Squats 5x5 75 lb
Bench press 5x5 60 lb (not TOO hard, can add more)
Barbell Row 5x5 45 lb (not TOO hard, can add more)
Pushups 1x20, 1x15, 1x14
Reverse crunch 3x12

Warm up: 5 mins on arc trainer
cool down: 5 mins walking fast on tredmill

fittiephd

Joined this group just to respond to you friend lol

Lifting is weird in that some days I'm shaking by the end and some days I feel like I didn't work out. It's a different kind of "tired" than cardio, you're not breathing hard necessarily and I don't really sweat, but you'll know tomorrow if you got in a good workout because you'll be SORE. I'm still sore from my 5x5 workout that I did on Friday lol!

I think I started NROFLW squatting 50 lbs and now I'm at 140, so you're on the right track I think the best advice I have for squats is that you can probably do a LOT more than you think you can. Each workout stronglifts says to add 5 lbs and I'm like eeeekkk and then I do it and yeah I'm sore and I struggle but I don't feel like I'm going to die and I still get all 5x5 sets. I think I could have been lifting this much a while ago and just didn't believe it. I encourage you to put the safety bars on the squat rack and go for higher weights when you feel scared that way those will catch the bar if you squat down and can't get back up!! But don't overdo it, definitely focus on form before going up in weight.

I think your bench press is really impressive!! I started at just doing the bar and then 50 lbs, I'm finally at 75 lbs now but it's been a struggle! I think at first I was worried about not having a spot, but you could ask someone near you at the gym to spot you or just stay at a weight until you're confident going up. Look up vids on proper bench form, I feel like I keep learning more and more things about proper benching form, it's tricky (or to me it is lol)

Barbell row is good to check on form too, I do bent over rows, personally. I am at 80lbs now, I think I started at like 30 and started stronglifts at 70 lbs. Haven't improved much, it's been tough for me to make sure I'm using both my right and left sides equally, that I'm keeping my back flat, and that I'm really focusing on using my shoulders/top of my back to lift hte weight and not my arms as much (if that makes sense)

If you can get all 5x5 you should add weight. The only exception I make for this is for deadlifts because I'm terrified of adding weight too fast and hurting my back. I think the point of hte program is to just barely make 5x5 or to do it to failure, like 5x5x4x3x2 or something, where you can't quite complete each set, that's how you know you're at the right weight. I almost never fail, like I always get 5x5, so I'm thinking I don't have enough weight quite yet!

I usually add whatever abs I feel like I can do at the end, sometimes whatever randomabs.com has for me, or as many different crunches as I can do. I've read that people like to add pull ups and dips to really work the arms more than stronglifts does but my arms are usually way to tired and I only recently was able to even do any pull ups (did 2, YAY!) so I haven't gotten there quite yet.

You could add 12-15 minutes of HIIT on a recumbent bike or elliptical (3 min warm up at low resistance, 1 minute hard at higher resistance, 2 minutes cool down slow at lower resistance, do 3 or 4 rounds). NROLFW adds HIIT to the end of every other workout. Sometimes I'm too tired or don't have time, othertimes I have lots of energy so I do some cardio

Also congrats on the pushups that's a lot of pushups!! I bet you can do more for barbell row than you think if you can do that many push ups

I am sure you don't have questions since you've lifted before with a sports team, but if you do feel free to ask me. Not that I know everything but I'm about 12 workouts into stronglifts and I did 5 stages of NROLFW before that so I've been lifting since March. Not that long but yeah, I love it

And I have to emphasize again, YOU DID ENOUGH. Stronglifts is a full body workout and you NEED rest days in between the workouts, full rest days or light light light cardio (walking or yoga) on rest days. DONT overwork your muscles, they need the time to heal before the next workout or you will inhibit getting stronger. Even if it feels like you didn't work out enough. Congrats on starting Stronglifts!! I promise if you stick to it for 6 months you'll see NOTICEABLE differences and look great!!! It might take about 3 months to really see/feel changes though, just beware.

Also make sure your'e eating ENOUGH and high protein!!! If you have questions on what is enough to eat (cals wise) or on nutrition in general feel free to hit me up