mrRuckus' 5x5 madcow/bill starr journal

[EFFORT]

Everything u said is true, if your making the progress you want to be making and feel as though you have a good grasp of it then by all means keep on. But a lot guys i've come into contact with that think they have it all together are missing it big time and could be doing so much better.

A lot of trainers suck though, thats why i'd watch out for the majority of gym trainers.

Sure the knowledge is out there for everyone, but putting it together is a different story.

No offence taken though, training people is something i enjoy doing and i'm not charging at this point either.

 

[mrRuckus]

Everything u said is true, if your making the progress you want to be making and feel as though you have a good grasp of it then by all means keep on. But a lot guys i've come into contact with that think they have it all together are missing it big time and could be doing so much better.

What can I do better?

 

[mrRuckus]

Week 17, 5


Mon Oct 23, 2006
BW=194lbs


Squats
135, 165, 205, 237.5, 265x3

Dips
(BW+40)x9, (BW+40)x6?7? (i forgot in the space of 5 seconds.. sigh)

Rows
80, 100, 122.5, 142.5, 170x4




Wed Oct 25, 2006
BW=194lbs

Press
60x8, 85x5, 100x11, 100x7

Deadlift
135x5, 205x5, 285x8, 285x7

Pullups
BWx5, BWx4

Weighted Vertical Leg-Hip Raise
12, 9

 

[mrRuckus]

Week 18,6

I upped the reps. I used the calculator on http://strengthnspeed.com/Powerlifting/MaxCalculator.htm to get my ~weights based off my 5 rep max. I'm aiming for 8-12.

I'd ideally like 8 reps for first set of squats. Then 15 for the second set. At some point I'll grow some nuts and do a full out 20 rep widowmaker but not yet.

If i don't put the number of reps for a set it still means 5.


Monday Oct 30 2006

BW= 194 lbs


Squats
135, 185, 210x11, 172.5x15 (woooo!)

Dips
40x9, 40x6

Rows
80, 100, 122.5, 142.5, 170x5


DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH MORE PLEASANT NOT DOING 3-5 AGONIZING REPS IS FOR SQUATS!!!!!! Hurray my back was so happy not to have 265 lbs sitting on it. Sure my quads start to scream but anything is preferable over lower back anger. Oh and my hip joint is happy. Yes, my body parts are personified.

Dips didn't go up a single rep. Argh. Next time, Gadget. Next time.

 

[mrRuckus]

Since i've been doing cardio and wanting to lose some fat i figured i should do an examination of my calorie needs to try to get a tad below those levels along with the cardio. I'm not sure what formulas are needed but i used the ones from BMI Calculator

I've managed to gain 1-2 lbs doing cardio. This makes not much sense to me. I've been doing the cardio 3x times a week in the morning with nothing in me except green tea. I'm ordering some BCAAs to take pre-cardio too. And some taurine but i don't know if there's any point to that before cardio yet.

brb i have to pee. damn green tea.

Ok i lost 1/2 a lb.


Ok so from that calculator and my current stats
5'10 (maybe 5'11 or somewhere in between).
194 lbs.
26 years old.
Dead sexy.
Male.

So,
BMR = 1986.82.

So that's how many calories I need to keep alive and at my current weight if i were to stay in bed all day.

From there I want my daily requirements if i'm actually to do something, god forbid.

So,

Harris Benedict Formula

To determine your total daily calorie needs, multiply your BMR by the appropriate activity factor, as follows:

1. If you are sedentary (little or no exercise) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.2
2. If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.375
3. If you are moderatetely active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.55
4. If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.725
5. If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.9

I chose 3. This is really my best guess. I sit on my butt at a desk all day but cardio 3x a week and lifting 3x a week sounds like "moderately active" to me. And the cardio isn't all that intensive.

So,
CALORIE REQUIREMENTS = (BMR x 1.55) = 3079


From here I'm not sure. I saw that 15% of that level shaved off (~460 calories) is a good starting point but is that too drastic? I was thinking more like 200-300. Yeah, i know these numbers are very approximate and vary day to day.

So I plan on not dropping protein but instead timing my carbs and cutting back fat calories. So unless someone can recommend otherwise I guess I'm shooting for about (3079 - 300) = 2779 a day.


Good?

 

[Throttle]

mr. ruckus...please step away from the scale and no one will get hurt. seriously, pick some habits you can stick with, avoid the scale for several months, avoid mirrors for a little while, and focus on consistent diet & exercise habits. check the mirror again in a month or so. more specific diet & supplement recommendations will have to come from other guys (I haven't been under 200lbs since high school so I'm hesitant to give you more specific advice, from the dept of haven't-been-there/haven't-done-that).

 

[Throttle]

ps. i only get in trouble habit-wise when i start paying too much attention to the scale & full-length mirrors. occasional weigh-ins & mirror admiration can be a big boost, but checking either one everyday is nearly always discouraging, in my experience... it's a psychological thing.

 

[mrRuckus]

mr. ruckus...please step away from the scale and no one will get hurt. seriously, pick some habits you can stick with, avoid the scale for several months, avoid mirrors for a little while, and focus on consistent diet & exercise habits. check the mirror again in a month or so.

Pick some habits? What the hell do you think I'm doing and have been doing?

I bulked up 30 some pounds and am now going to get rid of some fat. What's the big deal?

I weigh myself each workout to track progress of dips and pullups. I don't fall for that "psychological trap" nonsense. Oh no if I actually look in the mirror or weigh myself everything will fall apart! As far as noticing a few lbs change in the scale I'm not talking weight different for two days and freaking out. I know what I weigh consistently and if it goes up 2 lbs day in and day out for a month i know it's a real 2 lbs and not some random fluctuation. Daily I weigh anywhere from 192-196. I'm not some child that needs hand holding and psychological games to make myself do something. I do it through will power and self control and I understand the concept of baby steps on the way to a major goal.

Where do you get this idea I don't have a consistent diet? I've had one. It practically follows in the same order even every day. Now it veers a little to get rid of fat and my recent lost post about calorie calculations is just the initial step to modifying my current diet to make the new mini-goal (as part of the larger goal) happen. After that the calories can go back up a bit. I want to lose the fat because I hate looking so lumpy and hiding all this marvelous new muscle and i'd like my pants to fit again around the waist.

If you want consistency I'll go back to exactly what i've been doing. And spend 3-4-5 weeks sitting on the same weights again hoping that by spinning my wheels and doing the same exact thing it'll magically start working. It stopped working so something has to change.

If I thoroughly document things it's for documentation purposes for myself - not for the sake of analyzing every detail.

You are sounding condescending.

 

[Throttle]

I think you're misreading my intent almost entirely. But that's okay. Among other things, I'm writing not just to you (though this is of course your journal, and you can do as you please, as you've often noted) but also to everyone else who keeps up with your journal and is curious about the program you're doing.

Pick some habits? What the hell do you think I'm doing and have been doing?

I meant only that I believe that consistency is more important than the substance of habits themselves. There was zero intended implication that you do not have the diet or exercise habits to realize your goals. If I had, it would be clear that I hadn't taken even a cursory glance through your journal. Consistency for me does not mean accepting "wheel spinning." Consistency means having a reliable plan for making adjustments as your weights go up.

My reading of your journal is that you have at times gotten overcharged about relatively marginal changes in bodyweight, and are overly defensive when people try to offer you advice. Effort recently attempted to compliment your obvious dedication & teach-ability. My reading was that he was suggesting that he thought he could help you in person, but didn't have any advice he could offer just from reading your journal.

I admire your journal, because I see a whole lot of progress. What I don't understand is the intensity of your self-criticism, because it seems like you're just too damn hard on yourself most of the time. Clearly you believe this will bring you results, and who am I to argue?

You are sounding condescending.

You're not the first person to tell me that, nor will you likely be the last.

 

[EFFORT]

If your out to lose some stubborn bodyfat, i would look into Timed Carb Diets. They are excellent for maintaining strength, maintaining muscle (in many cases gaining muscle), and losing body fat. There are a lot of different approaches to TCD's i'll link you up to some good reads. I think in your case, a half day TCD would be a great starting point, with low intensity morning cardio for 1hr 4days a week. Here the links.

I just posted this one in another thread, i think its a good thing to this one first since it sets a good foundation on dieting

http://www.ironaddicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8163


This one explains timed carb dieting

http://www.ironaddicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3398

Different ways of doing timed carb
http://www.ironaddicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3340

Even more ways to do a timed carb diet
http://www.ironaddicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2717

 

[mrRuckus]

You're not the first person to tell me that, nor will you likely be the last.

mr. ruckus...please step away from the scale and no one will get hurt

This is what gets me.

I meant only that I believe that consistency is more important than the substance of habits themselves.

Maybe. If the habit is worthwhile to begin with. A donut consistently every morning isn't going to help anything.

My reading of your journal is that you have at times gotten overcharged about relatively marginal changes in bodyweight

Ok?

 

[mrRuckus]

If your out to lose some stubborn bodyfat, i would look into Timed Carb Diets. They are excellent for maintaining strength, maintaining muscle (in many cases gaining muscle), and losing body fat. There are a lot of different approaches to TCD's i'll link you up to some good reads. I think in your case, a half day TCD would be a great starting point, with low intensity morning cardio for 1hr 4days a week. Here the links.

Thanks. This is basically what i'm already doing. Carbs for breakfast and post workout only.

 

[Throttle]

eh...humor translates badly over the internet, particularly the sarcastic kind. original opening retracted.

 

[mrRuckus]

I took a week off then started HST yesterday mostly because i feel like it. 5x5 is just not going anywhere at the moment and i'm bored of it. That's pretty much it.

I'm trying to lose fat now so i'm getting about 2500-2700 calories a day and taking 5g of BCAAs before morning cardio of 30-50 min 3-4 days a week. I'm not expecting huge gains from HST just yet. Maybe after the first HST cycle I can up the calories if i lost enough fat.


OFFICIAL START OF HST
I'm going to alternate squats and deadlifts. Well not really alternate. I think i will do deadlifts only on wednesdays. Usually you don't see deadlifts in HST but hell if i'm giving those up. I will do a true alternation of dips and DB bench though - different one every workout.

I will do 2 weeks of 15s. 2 weeks of 10s. 2 weeks of 5s.

As far as sets, I will do:
2 for the 15s, 2 during first week of 10s, 1 during second week of 10s, 2 during first week of 5s, 1 during second week of 5s. FOR THE MOST PART. I won't do 2 sets of 15s or 10s for ALL the exercises. I'll probably try to do it by how I feel that particular day.

The progression works as follows.
5-10 lbs per lift per rep set intervals.

This is formatted like crap but i dont' care. For example pendlay rows work like this:

Rows (for the 15s weeks)
Week 1
Mon 85x15
Wed 90x15
Fri 95x15
Week 2
Mon 100x15
Wed 105x15
Fri 110x15

As you can see there's a constant progression up to my current 15 rep max. Then you do the same type of progression for the 10s and 5s week up to the maxes for those rep ranges. Then you're supposed to do a week or two(?) of negs then take a week off (decondition).


Format:
# reps, workouts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Squats,
15r, 137.5, 145, 152.5, 160, 167.5, 175,
10r, 162.5, 170, 180, 190, 200, 210,
5r, 202.5, 212.5, 222.5, 235, 247.5, 260, 0

Deadlift,
15r, 162.5, 170, 180, 190, 200, 210,
10r, 202.5, 212.5, 222.5, 235, 247.5, 260,
5r, 237.5, 250, 262.5, 275, 290, 305, 0

Pendlay Row,
15r, 85, 90, 95, 100, 105, 110,
10r, 105, 110, 115, 120, 127.5, 135,
5r, 122.5, 130, 137.5, 145, 152.5, 160, 0

Press,
15r, 67.5, 70, 72.5, 75, 80, 85,
10r, 77.5, 82.5, 87.5, 92.5, 97.5, 102.5,
5r, 97.5, 102.5, 107.5, 112.5, 117.5, 122.5, 0

EZ Curl,
15r, 40, 42.5, 45, 47.5, 50, 53,
10r, 52.5, 55, 57.5, 60, 62.5, 65,
5r, 62.5, 65, 67.5, 70, 72.5, 77, 0

DB Pullovers,
15r, 32.5, 35, 37.5, 40, 42.5, 46,
10r, 42.5, 45, 47.5, 50, 52.5, 56,
5r, 52.5, 55, 57.5, 60, 62.5, 67, 0

Dips,
15, 150, 157.5, 165, 172.5, 182.5, 192.5,
10, 182.5, 192.5, 202.5, 212.5, 222.5, 235,
5, 215, 227.5, 240, 252.5, 265, 280, 0

Since dips, db bench, squats, deadlifts alternate somewhat, i will just skip that particular weight in the progression on days i'm not supposed to do them... which will have a larger progression per workout of that exercise.


HST WEEK 1

WORKOUT 1 Monday 11-13-06

BW=190.2 lbs (apparently lost a few lbs. probably some water since i stopped taking creatine. hopefully some fat too)

Squats 137.5x15, 137.5x15
Dips 140x15, 140x10 (i'm 190 lbs and used 50 lbs of assistance)
Pendlay Rows 85x15
Press 67.5x15
EZ Curl 40x15
Bent Arm DB Pullovers (this is a good tricep exercise that really hits the long head - the meaty part) 32.5 x 15
Abs 60 x 10

 

[mrRuckus]

I said to hell with any benching and am going to exclusively do chest dips. It gets too complicated calculating what weights to do and such if you alternate exercises. Deadlift will continue to replace squats on Wednesdays, though.

Correction: Monday I did 150 lbs on Dips.

WORKOUT 2 Wednesday 11-15-2006 BW=189.8 lbs

Deadlift 175x15, 172x12
Dips 160x15, 160x8 (BW-50 assistance+20lbs on belt.. hehe. lowest assistance setting is 40.)
Pendlay Rows 90x15
Press 70x15, 70x10
EZ Curl 42.5x15
Bent Arm DB Pullovers 35 x 15
Abs 60 x 12

The increased weight actually felt easier than Monday. Adaptation is my friend.

Dips are screwy. I can't wait to get rid of the assistance part of it and get to 190+ on them. They just don't feel right, though i do feel it in my chest. I think the problem is having to have my feet on that little assistance platform.

 

[mrRuckus]

Fri Nov 11 2006 WORKOUT 3

Squats 155x15
Dips 165x15
Rows 90x15, 95x12 (dammit i meant to do 95 the first set)
Press 72.5x15
EZ Curl 45x15
DB Pullovers 37.5x15

 

[Warboss Alex]

Fri Nov 11 2006 WORKOUT 3

Squats 155x15
Dips 165x15
Rows 90x15, 95x12 (dammit i meant to do 95 the first set)
Press 72.5x15
EZ Curl 45x15
DB Pullovers 37.5x15

woah, 165lbs+BW on dips.. I'd have trouble with that! Are they full range dips?

And uh, not trying to be a d!ck or anything, but why have you switched to a volume routine (okay, periodic/cycling volume) when in a deficit trying to lose some fat? The routine that built the muscle keeps the muscle remember..