Hello everybody, I'm excited to be part of this community! I'm a 40 yo male who is trying to gain some muscle. Here is my workout log, for now it's in the general fitness section of the site: https://forum.nofap.com/index.php?threads/ketherlonk-stronglifts-5x5-log.324328/
I am going to start a new 4-day split recommended by @jw2021. I will adapt it in some places because I don't have the same equipment. I did the first workout today: deadlift 5x135 4x145 4x155 4x165 5x175 one-sided leg curl 6x20 barbell shrug 8x95 standing calf raise 12x45 12x45 reverse curl 5x40 cable wrist curl 8x20 cable reverse wrist curl 8x10 spider EZ curl 8x40 6x50 hammer curl 6x25 How do you guys do the standing calf raise? I don't have a machine so I did it with the bar across my back in squatting position. Can I hold it down like for shrugs? For the wrist curl, the olympic bar is too heavy for me and I don't have a smaller straight bar so I did it with cables and a T-bar. I sat backwards on an incline bench with my arms resting against the incline. Is that the right way? For the reverse wrist curl, my thumbs felt like they were in the way, maybe I overextended.
I do standing calf raise with the bar on my back but only because I have a smith machine. If I didn’t have that, I would hold the bar with my hands as if I was doing shrugs. On the wrist curls, I am not sure the t bar would work very well. Maybe if you had a straight bar for your machine. You can use dumbbells as well.
Sounds good, I think I'll just hold the bar with my hands, which will also make it easier because you do that exercise right after shrugs. And maybe T bar is the wrong term, I meant a setup like this:
After watching the video I see what you are doing now. This looks like a good setup. I was thinking of a different type of bar.
Today's workout: squats 5x185 4x195 3x205 2x215 1x225 leg extension 8x80 8x80 overhead press 5x85 5x90 5x95 dumbbell lateral raise 10x10 10x10 wide grip upright row 8x55 7x55 barbell curl 5x55 4x60 3x65 2x70 concentration curl 8x25 The upright row is a new exercise for me. I am quite weak there and will increase the weight only very slowly as I get more comfortable with it.
incline bench press 5x135 4x145 3x155 1x165 1x165 pec deck 6x70 4x80 dumbbell pullover 6x25 lat pulldown 5x60 5x60 barbell row 8x85 8x95 incline dumbbell bench press 5x40 5x40 triceps pushdown 8x35 alternating dumbbell curl 5x30
sumo deadlift 5x155 5x165 5x175 5x185 5x195 one-sided leg curl 6x25 barbell shrug 8x100 standing calf raise 12x95 8x135 reverse curl 5x45 cable wrist curl 8x25 cable reverse wrist curl 8x12.5 dumbbell spider curl 8x25 6x30 hammer curl 6x30
Today's workout: dumbbell bench press 6x50 10x50 12x50 10x50 dips (on side of bench) 1x12 1x10 lat pulldown 8x160 8x175 seated lat row 8x115 8x130 chest press machine 5x160 5x175 overhead cable triceps extensions 10x39 (17.5 kg) 7x39 tricep kickback 8x10 This was at a hotel gym with different equipment than I am used to so I improvised a bit. They had a squat rack + smith machine but no safety pins for the barbell, so I didn't feel safe doing barbell bench presses by myself in there without a spotter. I did dumbbell bench presses, the heaviest dumbbells they had was 50 lbs. It was a fun workout though. I am at the hotel all week so I'll be back Wed and Fri.
I got over my fear of the smith machine and did some squats. I didn't go as heavy as I would've at home because I still prefer to have safety pins that go all the way across. But at least I did actual squats. squats 5x185 5x185 5x195 5x195 5x205 leg extensions 10x85 8x100 shoulder press (machine) 5x85 5x85 5x100 dumbbell lateral raises 10x15 wide grip upright rows 8x55 7x60 barbell curls 5x55 5x60 5x65 2x70 concentration curls 4x30 5x25 It sure felt nice to use some professional machines as opposed to the slightly rickety one I have at home
Today's workout: sumo deadlift 5x165 5x175 5x185 5x195 5x205 one-sided leg curl 12x35 barbell shrug 10x105 standing calf raise 12x135 12x145 reverse curl 5x50 cable wrist curl 8x30 cable reverse wrist curl 8x15 spider EZ curl 8x40 10x45 hammer curl 6x30 The standing calf raise still feels awkward as I am just using a barbell and lose my balance at the top. I tried standing on the edge of a plate to get a better ROM but I lose my balance even more. I need to figure out a better way to do this.
I do shrugs that way as well unless I am using a smith machine. Not sure if you wanted to invest in any more equipment, but I really like doing shrugs with the hex bar that has handles.
The shrugs are fine, it's the standing calf raises that's giving me trouble --- what kind of setup do you have for those?
Please forgive me, I mis-typed. I meant to say I like to do standing calf raises with a hex bar if I don't have access to a smith machine. My absolute favorite way to do standing calf raises is with a smith machine and the bar on my back.
yesterday's workout: bench press 5x155 4x165 3x175 2x185 1x195 weighted dips 8x10 pec deck 8x90 6x100 behind neck pulldown 6x60 6x70 1-arm DB rows 5x60 incline DB bench press 6x50 7x50 overhead triceps extension 10x50 cable tricep kickback 10x12.5 I've upped the weight on the pec deck but I feel I'm using too much shoulder/arm and not enough pec. I've been experimenting with doing one side at a time and use my other hand to feel my pec contracting to get a better mind-muscle connection. Same with the incline DB bench press. It's especially the upper chest I have difficulty activating (and thus developing).
squats 5x185 4x195 3x205 2x215 3x225 leg extension 8x90 8x100 overhead press 5x90 5x95 5x100 dumbbell lateral raise 5x20 5x20 wide grip upright row 8x60 7x60 barbell curl 5x60 4x65 3x70 2x75 1x80 concentration curl 9x25 Today's workout felt good. Next week I am on a business trip and don't know what I'll be able to do in terms of workouts. The schedule is really busy; perhaps really early in the morning but I don't like exercising on an empty stomach (or in the evening).