Hurrah!!

This morning before work I lifted more than I have managed before. I've been going steadily for 6 weeks now and pretty pleases with my progress.

Today....
SQ 5X5 @55kgs
BP 5X5 @37.5kgs
Row 5X5 @37.5kg

All new bests....all with form I was happy with.

Then 3x10 @40KG barbell DL
3X10 @ 25kg barbell lunges each side
3x10 wide lat pull downs....1st set 5@40kgs + 5@33kgs 2nd set 6@40+4@33 3rd set 7@40+3@33. Determined to do full sets at 40 during December.
3x10 10kgs dumbells shoulder presses.

Getting stronger!!!!

^^^ it makes sense though. just think about the size of your delts and compare that to your quads. or your pecs compared to your glutes. or your biceps/triceps compared with your hamstring muscles. i felt really weird a few months ago when i had re-started my squat and got stalled over form, because for a while my press and my bench were both higher than my squat weight.

I had to deload again since I hadn't worked out since last week before Thanksgiving. That's okay because my half marathon training has me increasing mileage.

Squats: 5x5 @ 115lbs. Pretty easy.
Bench: 5x5 @ 85 lbs. I thought they'd be pretty heavy but wasn't bad at all.
Rows: 5 x5 @ 85 lbs. Easy again.
cardio: 2.5 miles rolling hills for 30 minutes.
1 plank: 45 seconds. I was being lazy and I could have finished at one minute.

Tomorrow: I know I have to skip a day of SL, but since today was not a regular day, I'm going to attempt SL tomorrow, skip Squats since I have a 5 miler scheduled.

@Ariadnula Well done with what you're doing
For DL try doing fewer sets at 60kg and take your time to make sure form is right. Do you do warm up sets at lower weights? I'd try 1x5 at 40, 45,50,55 then 60. Or if jump from 55 to 60 is too much do you have fractional plates.
It does become easier with practice.
I'm sure some of the more experienced lifters will give you more advice.

Oh yeah, I was supposed to post in this one.

*copy and pastes*

Met with trainer before lifting. I will post in two forums on that one, so check out there for details on the interesting meeting with the trainer when I just wanted a caliper test done. After that, I lifted weights, jogged on treadmill, went out for sushi and checked out a different sports nutrition store. Got some p28 to try, white chocolate, which does have whey so I won't have it often but will be interesting to try a 14 grams of protein peanut butter. Plus got another shaker cup cause 1 is not enough. This one has a spot for "pills" so vitamins and such but I'ma put snacks in it, hehe.

35 - upper hypertrophy

incline bench 4x10 @ 70 - challenge by the end. Some reason I had 75 written for last time but pretty sure I did 70 as that was my fail point weeks ago. May try 75 next week though.
db fly 17.5 4x8 - tad more challenging since increased this time
seat row 2x8 @ 80 and 2x8 @ 70 - the tension felt off even 70 was almost too hard, not sure why it feels different sometimes.
1 db row 4x8 @ 27.5 - not bad, moving up slow but steady on these
cable bicep curl 3x12 @ 50 - tough for those last reps
cable tricep extension 4x10 @ 70 - not bad but still a challenge
30 minutes jogging on treadmill

christch wrote: »

@Ariadnula Well done with what you're doing
For DL try doing fewer sets at 60kg and take your time to make sure form is right. Do you do warm up sets at lower weights? I'd try 1x5 at 40, 45,50,55 then 60. Or if jump from 55 to 60 is too much do you have fractional plates.
It does become easier with practice.
I'm sure some of the more experienced lifters will give you more advice.

Thanks. I do warm up, but maybe not enough - and yes, I have some fractional plates I should try. I also need to really study some form videos because it always feels like far too much stress on my lower back, which is what scares me. I'm so strong in squats and yet the old deadlift is defeating me - I need to get it right!

Hello I'd like to join too!
I've been doing SL for a couple of months now, and have also been tracking calories in MFP to lose weight. So far it's been a good combination for me and I have lost 8kg. I love the simplicity of SL, it if was more complicated I would probably have lost interest already!

Today I did:
Squat: 5x5 57.5kg
Bench Press: 5x5 5x5 37.5kg
Row: 5x5 37.5

This is all I did today as well as a little warm up in the elliptical.

Hi Everyone!!
It's been a few months since I've posted but I have been lifting for about 6 weeks now. Started with my tried, tested and true SL5x5 but 4 weeks ago, I switched to PHUL (https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/phul-workout) and I love it! I'm getting some awesome gains on all of my lifts and I love the additional accessory work.

As for my SL numbers, this is what I'm currently lifting with this program:
Squats 4x5 100#
Deadlifts 3x5 135
Bench 4x5 95#
OHP 5x6 45# - these are still one of my toughest lifts
Rows 5x5 90#

Best of all, I've lost 8 inches and about 3 lbs since I started PHUL! Avg Calories/Day is about 1800-2000/day

I'm mostly losing inches from chest/bust/waist/hips/butt so the best places for me to lose it! Being a pear-shaped woman, I am definitely losing mostly from my upper body right now but am looking forward to some additional losses through to January.

Great seeing you all on here still~!
Jenn

Question for you pros about bench press. I work out alone. Should I ask a rando person at the gym to spot me, when I get up in weight to where I feel I might hit failure? What do you y'all do? I'm not great with strangers, or talking, or talking to strangers, but I also don't want to drop a barbell on my face. Or throat. Or boobs.

A couple of answers to that, @BethAnnieT! Neither perfect...

You can bench in the squat rack and use the safeties. That's good in theory but I'm a bit too small and in some racks I can't get the safety pins low enough - so the bar gets stopped a couple of inches above my chest!

So the other solution is not to put clips on the bar. Theoretically, you could then just tip the bar to the side and the plates would fall off, allowing you to escape.

That's what I do at the moment but I dread having to do it. I imagine the 'clang' as the plates fall off, and potentially roll across the gym...

Or, yes, you could ask someone ... but I haven't dared to, yet. It might be okay on one set, but they're not going to want to hang about for five!

I'm not sure that was a super-helpful answer

@kimiuzzell I think that sounds like a solid plan. Wait until I'm definitely ready before moving up in weight. Thanks!

@Ariadnula These are actually very helpful, thank you! Also it's great to know that there wasn't some super-obvious answer, or something that EVERYONE does, that I was in the dark on.

Ariadnula wrote: »

Or, yes, you could ask someone ... but I haven't dared to, yet. It might be okay on one set, but they're not going to want to hang about for five!

you'd have to converse with them between sets as well . . . the horror

actually, i've watched this happening in my rec centre. it's not a big deal to most of the people who're asked. the way it seems to work is that the lifter does their set, thanks the spotter and rests. the spotter acknowledges the thanks and goes back to their thing. when the lifter is ready and the spotter is free, the lifter asks the spotter again if they'd mind.

something else i've admired while watching this: the lifter is often quite assertive. he tells the spotter exactly what kind of spot he's looking for. and the spotter usually appreciates it, since it's just clarity rather than being bossed around. for instance, if i did it i might clarify that i'm only asking for a 'lift off' and don't need the hands under the bar while i actually press. someone else might say he does want the hands, or even a fraction of boost if he gets stuck at a specific point.

basically, there's a cameraderie thing that seems to let them both work it out. it's quite interesting, though i haven't ever asked for help from anyone else myself. you could observe for a while in your own gym to get a feel for what the norm seems to be where you lift.

Interesting. When I last failed on my max test, couldn't get 115, I just let it rest on my chest, moved it down some so I could sit up then picked it up and set it on the ground. Usually I just re-rack on the lower spot for flat bench (incline doesn't ha a spot like that at the gym I attend). I have people around but haven't yet asked for a spot and the racks are in a different spot that is a tad awkward to drag a bench over to, so I just go for it anyways, though I also never use the clips. May be have to try rolling some day though. *watches video* oh... I thought it was different, that's basically what I did, just a tad bit slower. Interesting.


I lifted last nigh after work. It was a long night with needing to get gas (attendant was quite chatty) and stop at another store for work supplies cause we're running out and freight isn't coming till late tonight. So, after lifting I just ate some turkey my roommate had cooked then went to bed cause I got up earlier than normal this morning to take supplies in to work before coming home to nap.

Another day on PHUL for me. I am liking it so far, though still go meh to calf work and bicep curls. My elbow got a bit cranky from the skull crushers but think I need to back down a little since I know the weight now of the ez curl bar. It's feeling better today, but was cranky yesterday. I'm trying to do more sets on the hypertrophy days also so we'll see how it goes, since can do 3 or 4 sets.

36 - lower hypertrophy

front squat 3x10 @ 85 and 1x6 @ 105 - had a long sleeve shirt and the bar slid on the last set hence the 6 instead of getting in 8. It was heavier though at that point and more challenging. Hands/wrists are not up to par for that amount and won't be for a while, 85 still makes them grumpy.
bar lunge 4x8 @ 75 - I've not increased much cause lunges aren't my fave cause the knees and they do twinge a tiny bit with these but nothing at all with squats.
good morning 4x10 @ 70 - first time switching between sets and not keeping weight the same as lunges, not too bad as I don't want to increase a lot on these.
leg extension 4x8 @ 80 - changed the seat so it felt better overall
leg curl 4x10 @ 70 - tough but think I situated better on the seat and felt more in hamstring this time than before, though still a little in the calves.
seated calf press 4x10 @ 105 - still meh, I don't even rest as long as any other exercise cause I'm ready to be done and yeah, #teamnocalves

Normally, I would be working freight most of my shift today but because weather/truck issues, we won't do much today. I'm going in later than scheduled in fact, so I can work extra tomorrow to get more done then. Fun times.