Aspiring to Viking strength

[DV]

Todays squats. This was a real fucking grind and felt even worse than it looks. I'm fairly satisfied all things considered, although I obviously lose back angle on the last two reps.

Any comments are welcome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lw5dAFuGNew

EDIT: Also started creatine today, 20g/day for 5 days, then 5g/day maintenance the next 8 weeks. Hopefully this will help me push past 100kg BW.

[DV]

Today I decided to reboot my training. Several reasons. First because I really havent been motivated to get to the gym lately. This is partly due to my second reason: I haven't set any true PR's except for bench the last three months, in spite of being injury and disease-free.

I think the volume on 5x5 is not enough for me right now. It's excellent for spinning your wheels and maintaining strength, but for pushing further it just hasn't worked this time 'round. Too bad, as I really liked the 5x5 last time I tried it.

I made a little comparison, to show where I've gotten from when I went off SS/Sheaffers LP and went on 5x5. My last SS workout was 4 January 2011, and last 5x5 workout was 25 april, so a good 4 months. Shows that pressing movements progressed SOME (though not alot, considering 4 months of work) and none on squats/deads/cleans.

All lifts in pounds:

Squat: 3x5x308 -> 1x5x305 (-3 lbs)
Dead: 1x5x385 -> 1x5x380 (-5 lbs)
Bench: 3x5x225 -> 1x5x240 (+15 lbs, all time PR)
Press: 3x5x160 -> 1x5x167.5 (+7.5 lbs, still 7.5 off all time PR)
Clean: 3x165 -> 3x160 (-5 but better technique)

I will take the next few days to mull over programme possibilities, but Sheaffers version of LP is looking tempting right now because 1) it is motivating to me with the AMRAP-sets, 2) it has decent volume 3) workouts are reasonably short.

[RobCor]

Today I decided to reboot my training. Several reasons. First because I really havent been motivated to get to the gym lately. This is partly due to my second reason: I haven't set any true PR's except for bench the last three months, in spite of being injury and disease-free.

I think the volume on 5x5 is not enough for me right now. It's excellent for spinning your wheels and maintaining strength, but for pushing further it just hasn't worked this time 'round. Too bad, as I really liked the 5x5 last time I tried it.

I made a little comparison, to show where I've gotten from when I went off SS/Sheaffers LP and went on 5x5. My last SS workout was 4 January 2011, and last 5x5 workout was 25 april, so a good 4 months. Shows that pressing movements progressed SOME (though not alot, considering 4 months of work) and none on squats/deads/cleans.

All lifts in pounds:

Squat: 3x5x308 -> 1x5x305 (-3 lbs)
Dead: 1x5x385 -> 1x5x380 (-5 lbs)
Bench: 3x5x225 -> 1x5x240 (+15 lbs, all time PR)
Press: 3x5x160 -> 1x5x167.5 (+7.5 lbs, still 7.5 off all time PR)
Clean: 3x165 -> 3x160 (-5 but better technique)

I will take the next few days to mull over programme possibilities, but Sheaffers version of LP is looking tempting right now because 1) it is motivating to me with the AMRAP-sets, 2) it has decent volume 3) workouts are reasonably short.

Have you posted a clean form check?

[DV]

Have you posted a clean form check?

I have in the past, and though they aren't perfect, I sort of know what I need to work on. The low weight is more caused by a fucked wrist (I have a metal plate in it still), which makes racking a clean an absolute pain.

That's another advantage if I choose Sheaffers deal - cleans arent used as primary stimulus, but rather as warmup for the DL or similar.

[DV]

I've decided on Sheaffers LP (named GSLP some places), for my next bout. I'll look to run it for at least 3 months, before evaluating my results. I'll also try doing lowbar again today, after watching alot of Squat RX and other stuff, in hope that it'll help.

The programme looks like this, Press/Bench rotates A/B, as do curls/chins. Squats and deads are fixed. I will also attempt to implement short (20-30 mins), fasted walks every morning with the dog, in order to boost my appetite a tad. I will consider frequency method pushups and ladder chins at some point, as well as burpee-workouts.

MON:
Bench: 2x5, 1x5+
Curls: 2x10-15 reps
Squat: 2x5, 1x5+

WED:
Press: 2x5, 1x5+
Chins: 6-8, weighted
Deads: 1x5+ (warmup with power clean singles)

FRI:
Bench: 2x5, 1x5+
Curls: 2x10-15
Squat: 2x5, 1x5+

My starting weights will be 90% of my latest lifts, i.e.:
Squat: 305x0.9 = 275
Deads: 380x0.9 = 340
Bench: 240x0.9 = 215
Press: 167.5x0.9= 150

Chins/curls I'll test out, so I hit the right rep-range.

I'll go this afternoon, as everything looks to be closed Monday.

[DV]

29-04-11:GSLP #1: 18.00-18.55

Bench:135x5, 165x2, 195x1, 215x5x2 and x9
Curls: EZ+50 - 15, 13 reps
LB-Squat: 135x5, 185x4(fuckup), 235x1(b), 275x5x2 and x9 (b)


So basically I followed "the program" insofar as to keep intensity high, and really push myself. Tough shit. It was only 55 minutes, but goddamn I am BEAT.

Bench felt weirdly heavy, yet got my 9 reps on the last set. Might've had a 10th. Curls I also went near failure, and squats... I went back to LB, tried a much narrower grip than usually, elbows lower than usual, spreading the chest and head back to settle the bar. It felt weird to do lowbar again, and not at all as easy as I'd thought. I still got 9 reps, but a few of the last ones mightve been GM'y. I haven't been this winded for a long, long time.

[DV]

02-05-11:GSLP #2: 11.25-12.30

Press:75x5, 105x2, 135x1, 150x5x2 and x8
Chins: BW+20 lbs - 8, 6
LB-Squat: 135x5, 185x2(fuckup), 235x1(b), 280x5x2 and x8 (b)

At a new gym today at the local Country Club or whatever, since my own was closed for national holiday. Pro's about new gym: Access to everything from gym, pool, horseback-riding, raquetball and shooting guns(!) as well as a Power Rack. Con's: Bar's have abit less knurling, floor is carpeted, it is slightly further away (though only 5 mins in car) than my current gym.

Apart from that I am not sure about lowbar and my elbows. Will give it a few sessions more to see. They feel "pumped" yet not painful at the moment. Things were heavy as it was early in the day, and I was getting used to the new gym. Squat was a fail of conditioning, rather than strength. I should probably start doing some burpees or some other conditioning crap.