The Tartarian Journal - 5x5 Workout, Dieting, Cardio, Spiritual & Philosophical Journey

8/7

Squats
2x5 - 20kg
1x5 - 60kg
5x5 - 107.5kg

Bench
2x5 - 20kg
1x5 - 40kg
1x5 - 60kg
5x5 - 75kg

Form was better, trying the bullfrog grip on the bar and it can be very awkward. I feel very weak in the chest, though. Not like I was expecting.

Rows
1x5 - 20kg
1x5 - 40kg
5x5 - 72.5kg (Forgot if I did 70kg or 72.5kg last workout. Oh well)

And that's it from me until two Monday's time. Coming up to a planned holiday and will not have access to a gym, thus it seems I must take a break. Its only a week, so the day I come back I will use the same weights (no deload or increases).

I've decided that my lengthier post will be sometime after this holiday period.

 

I'm back from holiday as of yesterday. I skipped out on the gym because I had 3 hours sleep, in no condition to put my body under weightlifting stress. I will hit the ground running as of Wednesday.

Today I went for a run and sauna'd. Done my Latin practice, and met most macronutrient goals. It feels good to get back into routine. Until tomorrow.

 

20/7

Squats
1x5 - 20kg
1x5 - 60kg
5x5 - 100kg

Dips
5x5 - 80kg

Overhead
N/A

Deadlift
1x5 - 20kg
1x5 - 60kg
1x5 - 100kg

Need to buy a fkn belt.

Latin practice done.

21/7

4km run. Skipped Latin yesterday, got lazy.

22/7

Squats
1x5 - 20kg
1x5 - 40kg
1x5 - 60kg
5x5 - 107.5kg

Bench
1x5 - 20kg
1x5 - 40kg
1x5 - 60kg
5x5 - 70kg

Rows
1x5- 20kg
1x5 - 40kg
5x5 - 75kg

Latin done. Bench has faltered a bit, I don't know why my bench suffers so badly. I've noticed ever since I started squatting prior to benching its been more of a struggle than before. Could this have something to do with it?

 

Yep, 100% time to bite the bullet. Thank you!

Squat every session is the barebones of the Stronglifts 5x5. Because the legs are bigger muscles than that of chest, the squat every session works as opposed to chest every session (which would not recover in time). Lightweight high reps is also the antithesis of 5x5, not discounting the efficiency of it - but the point of 5x5 is to achieve progressive overload. Appreciate your comment, thank you for taking the time to reply.

 

I haven't heard of that before, but it makes reasonable sense from my cursory glance.

But - my bench isn't plateauing, its regressing, and I was making good progress on it before I switched to squatting first. So based on that observation alone, I'm going to trial with benching again first.

 

25/7/22

Bench
1x5 - 20kg
1x5 - 40kg
1x5 - 60kg
5x5 - 75kg

Squats
1x5 - 20kg
1x5 - 40kg
1x5 - 60kg
5x5 - 110kg

Pullups
5x5 - 80kg

 

Also - bought a belt! Feels incredible when squatting heavy. The security for my lower back is well worth what I paid.

 

Squats
1x5 - 20kg
1x5 - 40kg
1x5 - 60kg
5x5 - 112.5kg

Dips
5x5 - 81kg

Overhead
1x5 - 20kg
1x5 - 40kg
5x5 - 45kg

Deadlift
1x5 - 20kg
1x5 - 60kg
1x5 - 100kg
1x3 - 115kg

I'm feeling a deadlift deload coming soon. I will figure that out soon, though.

 

29/7

Squats
1x5 - 20kg
1x5 - 40kg
1x5 - 60kg
1x5 - 117.5kg (whoops)
5x4 - 115kg

Bench
1x5 - 20kg
1x5 - 40kg
1x5 - 60kg
5x5 - 77.5kg

Rows
1x5- 20kg
1x5 - 40kg
1x5 - 60kg
5x5 - 77.5kg

Forgot to post on Friday.

20 minutes in the sauna on Sunday. Slacking on my Latin.

 

I stand here at the dawn of my 13th week on Elliot Hulse's program.

In retrospect I've cheaped out numerous times on posting a proper wall of text, analysis, meditation, and reflection. Today isn't going to be the grandiose post I wanted it to be, but I don't mind that.

At the beginning of this project I was doing ramped sets, out of ignorance mind you. My numbers perhaps reflected this, but for simplicity's sake I will list them here.

Bench - 70kg
Squat - 60kg
Rows - 60kg
Deadlift - 60kg
OHP - 50kg

These were the numbers I started at, now in comparison to what I was working as at week 12:

Bench - 77.5kg (down from a high of 82.5kg)
Squat - 115kg
Rows 77.5kg
Deadlift - 115kg
OHP - 45kg

I've found that Elliot Hulse's program has been great for my legs, however I'm beginning to become disillusioned to the idea of replacing rows with pullups. I'm going to hence move forth to a program such as

Week A
Monday
Squats
Bench
Rows

Wednesday
Squats
OHP
Deadlift

Friday
Squats
Bench
Rows

Week B
Monday
Squats
OHP
Deadlift

Wednesday
Squats
Bench
Rows

Friday
Squats
OHP
Deadlift


Within this new template I can now add pullups and curls as activities for my biceps, and dips and skullcrushers as an exercise for my triceps if I so desire. They are but supplementary exercises though.

I'm making this change because I want to see more growth on my deadlift, rows, and OHP - because OHP strength can help my bench working that upper chest.

I will post tonight my results on today (Monday's) updated program. The effective change is pullups>Rows, and I can add supplamentary exercises without being arbitrarily bound to it.

 

Squats
1x5 - 20kg
1x5 - 40kg
1x5 - 60kg
5x5 - 117.5kg

This is getting a lot heavier than I'd like to admit. I will keep pushing as normal, but I can sense a de-load coming soon.

Bench

1x5 - 20kg
1x5 - 40kg
1x5 - 60kg
1x5 - 80kg
4x5 - 77.5kg

Trialed benching 80 because a friend wanted to spot me. I went up without assistance, but I wouldn't have got 5 sets of 5 on it.

Rows

1x5 - 20kg
1x5 - 40kg
1x5 - 60kg
5x5 - 80kg

These were good. Though, I think I can get my form better when doing heavy weights, back more stable and not relying on momentum as much.

Skull Crushers - 2x8 - 30kg dumbell two handed
Bicep Curls -
1x10 - 12.5kg dumbells
1x10 - 25kg barbell

I went for a 5km run after this, enjoyed the dying sun of today. Plus I want to ramp up my game with burning fat. Went in the sauna for 21 minutes today at a my old gym location (my membership grants me access to a variety of gyms across both my region and country).

Hell, I need to ramp up my game with nutrition, NoFap, and burning fat. Especially NoFap. But I digress, that's not a post for today.

I'm about to do some quick Latin and maybe Italian practice, then I'll be having a long sleep to make up for the weekend.

 

3/8
I may have jinxed myself here, lol


Squats
1x5 - 20
1x5 - 40
1x5 - 60
Series of fails on 120kg, a few sets of 4/3/4/1 reps

Overhead
1x5 - 20
1x5 - 30
1x5 - 40
3x5 - 47.5kg

Deadlift
1x5 - 40
1x5 - 60
1x5 - 100
1x1 - 120kg

My body was just generally tired today and I want to chalk it up to that. However I'm not sure that's the realistic choice, I absolutely annihilated it on Monday and even with proper rest time in between I still feel the stress it put on me. I didn't take any protein supplements yesterday which may have hindered recovery, but I doubt that was a significant factor. I think it perhaps prudent to approach this in the same manner as normal deload protocol, I give them all two more chances before I revert 10%. I think Friday I can definitely do that with my squats, but that's the only thing I struggled with today that I will work friday.

Stronglifts 5x5 (the website) described the beginner stage as reaching these milestones:

Squat 100kg/220lb
Bench Press 80kg/175lb
Deadlift 140kg/300lb
Overhead Press 45kg/100lb
Barbell Row 70kg/155lb
Time-frame 1-6 months


I have hit all of those marks except for the deadlift. I think perhaps I need to work on my form a bit more, my deadlift numbers are a let down in my potential I feel like.

Anywho, I've noticed when I immediately wake up and sit on my phone/PC it sets me up in a shit position for the day. I need to focus harder on waking up, not immediately jumping to technology, and getting in a cold shower. I love cold showers but my fucking mind tricks my half sleep addled brain to not wanting it that time in the morning. I need to replace that motivation to want to start my day properly with a deep-rooted displine to do it regardless.

Anyway, that's it for me today. Keeping this NoFap streak strong, I need to take this more seriously. I have more respect for myself than PMOing. Fuck this society.

Thanks for reading today's rant.

 

5/8/22

Squats
1x5 - 20
1x5 - 40
1x5 - 60
5x5 - 120kg

My forms starting to get a bit shonky. Considering staying at 120kg and building some strength/muscle/form before I continue pushing higher - as this is a nice milestone for me.

Bench
1x5 - 20
1x5 - 40
1x5 - 60
1x5 - 80
1x4 - 80
2x5 - 80kg

Still struggling here. Will keep working on 80kg for two more days, next wednesday and the monday after next.

Rows
1x5 - 20
1x5 - 40
1x5 - 60
1x5 - 82.5
4x5 - 70kg

Bad form on my 82.5kg, which I noticed for my upper 70 and my 80 set too. I'm activating my shoulders and traps too much instead of focusing on back. Dropped the weight down for controlled reps with proper form, and will build up.

Barbell curls
1x8 - 30kg

The ezbar hurts my wrists and forearms too for the exercise to be enjoyable, and not hurt in the muscular way but it is so awkward to hold that it hurts. Its the antithesis of 5x5 stronglifts, but I'm going to revert to using dumbbells (unless I can find a way to make the bars feel natural).

NoFap going strong. It's getting difficult but I want to push past this so much.

 

8/8

Squat
1x5 - 20
1x5 - 40
1x5 - 60
1x5 - 80
5x5 - 122.5

Probably not my best range of motion. I might stick with 122.5kg on Wednesday

Overhead
1x5 - 20
1x5 - 30
1x5 - 40
3x5 - 50
1x1 - 50

Not my finest work. Body's sore from a impromptu boxing session yesterday. We try 50kg again Friday.

Deadlift
1x5 - 20
1x5 - 40
1x5 - 60
1x5 - 100
1x5 - 120

No complaints here. Smiles all 'round.

No supplamentary exercises done today. Will hopefully be doing some wednesday. Also been slacking back on my language practice. I would do it now but I'm very tired and heading to bed, I can feel my eyes drooping as I type ffs.

 

What are your numbers looking like?