Madcow 5x5, Time to Go Super Saiyan! *screams for 20 minutes*

TangoDown

TangoDown

Member
[Link to previous log]

I've done HST for almost a year now with decent results. Started working the untrained lower body with squat and deadlift about 2 months ago.

Throughout my time lifting, I started to notice my desires shifting from "GET BIG" to "GET STRONG." Now, as long as I don't get obese, I'm lifting solely for PRs. And with that, I've decided to switch to a strength routine.

BRING ON THE MADCOW.

Switching to all barbell lifts. Haven't directly worked my upper back in over a month (dropped weighted pullups because of shoulder issue), so I'm starting that again. Switched from DB to BB bench. Haven't done an overhead movement for months since I stalled on dumbbell military press, so I'll be doing barbell military press.

Stats:

Age: 19

Height: 5'8"

Weight: 157lb

Body Fat: Probably 15-16%

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My PR goals to hit by January 1st, 2013:

Squat: 240lb+ x 1

Sumo Deadlift: 300lb+ x 1

BB Bench: 215lb+ x 1

BB Military Press: 150lb+ x 1

Pendlay Row = ??? (don't really care, as long as it increases throughout the cycle(s) lol)

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Current rep maxes:

Bench Press: 165lb x 5 (estimated, may be 1 rep higher or lower - for story, check the previous log lol).

Sumo Deadlift: 240lb x 5 (estimated, as my 1 rep max is 275lb)

Squat: 190 x 5

Military Press: 105lb x 5 (haven't done this lift ever before I tested it this week, let alone worked shoulders directly in months, so I expect a big boost from CNS pretty quickly)

Pendlay Row: 155lb x 5 (first time working upper back in a month, and a new lift to boot. CNS boost my come)

EZ Bar Curls: Bar + 60lb x 9 (switching from dumbbell curls, so CNS boost may come)

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Today starts SD. I'll bump this thread when I get started. Here's to a new beginning, permeated with massive strength gains and no injuries ;).
 
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How can you know your Military Press weight if you've never done the lift before? Sounds 100% speculation based on bench or a DB press. In addition, I think you're over-expecting from CNS adaptation.
 
I did do military press. I'm not "estimating" the lift, I'm estimating the rep max. For example, for military press I tested it and did 100lb for 5 with a couple reps left in the tank so I'm setting my 5 rep max to 105lb. I never did the lift BEFORE I tested it, hence why I was utilizing the last week or so to test my rep maxes.

Let me edit my OP to make that all clear.

The "CNS boost" is not for what I think my current rep max is; I'm simply hoping I'll get a boost to reach future PRs quicker.
 
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Working on hip flexor mobility and the bottom portion of the sumo deadlift (not lifting anything; just doing BW through the motions). Trying to make my torso as vertical as possible. I find that if I push air into my stomach and flex the hip flexors and really arch my thoracic spine, I can get into what seems to be a much better angle without my hips moving downward too much (which would turn the movement into a squat). I also am trying to really squeeze my shoulder blades together to hopefully bring in the lats more. All and all, trying to get my shoulders as back as possible (obviously not way behind the bar as that is an impossible ROM for me). Though obviously, without someone watching or an adjacent mirror, it'll be hard to gauge that. I don't know how well it's going to translate over to the actual lift but we'll see. I think I can tend to be a bit sloppy when I'm actually lifting because "adrenaline omg want PRs", but I've got to focus on improving form as much as possible because that's not only going to translate to a lack of injuries, but more PRs.

Wish I could skip SD and just deload but something tells me my CNS needs this break as bench felt unbelievably harder than last time. 9 days of nothing but mobility work won't weaken me. In fact, hopefully it'll strengthen me.
 
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Don't forget that the 9 days off potentially increases growth potential through a spike in satellite cells... so it's definitely a good idea.

I remember when my priorities shifted from size to strength, 5x5 was my go-to program when I made that transition as well. Should be interesting to see how you progress.
 
Totentanz said:
Don't forget that the 9 days off potentially increases growth potential through a spike in satellite cells... so it's definitely a good idea.

I remember when my priorities shifted from size to strength, 5x5 was my go-to program when I made that transition as well. Should be interesting to see how you progress.
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Yep, definitely.

I hope to break into the 1000 club within the next year or so. That'd feel real good at sub-180lb. Then might see if there's some Powerlifting crews around my city. Crossfit is pretty dominant here though, and I'm not a huge fan of the dolphin-seizure pullups and other crazy endurance stuff they do. Though, some of those guys get pretty strong.
 
I also am trying to really squeeze my shoulder blades together to hopefully bring in the lats more. All and all, trying to get my shoulders as back as possible (obviously not way behind the bar as that is an impossible ROM for me).
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This is something I've done previously that was tremendously effective; think of a rear-delt raise w/dumbbells. Grab whatever weight you can do 5 difficult but not 'swingy' reps with for that exercise. Get into BB Row position with knees bent but lock your torso at parallel to the ground, hips locked etc. One arm at a time (using the other to balance on a chair or bench or whatever is about) do the raises for 5 reps. However, you aren't using your rear delts so much as making your arms swivel about your torso.

The easiest way to explain this is to go look in your bathroom mirror at your back and then see your middle-trapezius (what forms the diamond-shape when roided pro body-builders flex all of their back) contract about your spine.

What I've written is much more detailed than actual action is. Essentially you're doing a rear-delt raise that isn't using the delts so much as middle-traps, making the shoulder blades squeeze back towards the spine. You need to be bent parallel to the ground or else your delts are going to be doing the lifting. It's sort of the visual opposite of doing a pec-fly. You could hypothetically do it using a dual-armed cable machine but there's too much stress on the triceps then IMO.


Anyway, it will help tremendously with your BB row form and takes about 5mins at the end of your workout. It isn't going to build muscle but it will give you a much better ROM for the exercises that work middle traps (rowing, not really chins) despite the lateral raise itself not having a large ROM.
 
Don't forget that the 9 days off potentially increases growth potential through a spike in satellite cells...
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Nice call.

I used SS and went from a back squat of 155 lbs x 5 -> 405 lbs x 1 in about 3 months @ BW 230 lbs. Impossible? Hardly. Do everything right. Winners do what the losers don't. Discipline pays off. Good luck sir, and keep us posted.
 
QuantumPositron2 said:
Nice call.

I used SS and went from a back squat of 155 lbs x 5 -> 405 lbs x 1 in about 3 months @ BW 230 lbs. Impossible? Hardly. Do everything right. Winners do what the losers don't. Discipline pays off. Good luck sir, and keep us posted.
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300lb+ jump in 3 months?! I assume you had done leg work before that, right?
 
In years of training past I had gotten to a 275 lb squat and 900 lb leg press. Neither of these are substantial weight, but there was definitely some re-gains for the first month and a half. I made that 405 max with knee wraps (criss cross pattern), belt cinched tight, and wearing converse-all stars. I ramped up to it hitting a few PRs in a smith machine before going to the free weights. While doing the max I was spotted by two guys, one 260 lbs, the other 240 lbs, both well trained. The spotters were on each end of the bar, not behind me, and neither of them touched the bar. Having spotters I could trust was important. When someone else is monitoring safety and your form is automatic (I practiced every workout before my training), then all there is to is focus on lifting. Dave Tate wrote about the importance of being spotted by folks you trust so that you can "let go" and lift heavier. I believe him now on this point.

Squat training was as follows:

>Squat was always the first lift of the workout for the 3 months.
>20 minutes of light biking before the workout, varying the seat position 1/2 way through to work the knees through more ROM.
>Glute/Extensor activation work as follows: Go prone and then execute and hold back hyperextension for several reps.
>Then perform 3 sets with BW, focusing on form. Find the groove.
>Now walk over to the rack and do another warm up set or two with the bar, again focusing on form.
>Now do a weighted warm-up with 50-60% of projected lifting weight of this session. Ramp up with 30 - 50 lbs increments for 1 or 2 reps.
>3 -5 sets of 3 reps.

Form was as written about in Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. I read the entire section, took notes, and began practicing at day 1 of the 3 month period. Especially important was getting the breathing right. Not huge all on its own, but, like supplements, little things add up: Breath in, hold air, down, think: UP! UP! UP! (on the way down oddly enough) BOUNCE! (off hamstrings) PUSH HIPS UP! Then exhale through glottis. Get a breath or two, inhale into abdomen, then down again. Don't count reps up, count them down. Start at rep 3, then rep 2, then rep 1.

As you can see I put a lot into it both mentally and physically. Focus matters in golf, why not in squatting? I think it made a difference. The rest of the workout was OHP, Chins, and Rows. Occasionally a deadlift.
-Q
 
My legs were untrained so I don't think I'll be making a jump like that anytime soon. But I'm guessing I can get to about 250lb by the end of the year which will put me about 100lb over my bodyweight.

Yeah, the problem with spotting at my gym is that it's rare to see anybody who knows what they're doing - even more it's rare to see anybody over 200lb. That's why I hate going for maxes at my gym, because nobody is adequate at spotting. They're either too hands on (try to assist with every rep), too hands-off (barely paying attention), or don't know how to spot and have to be taught.

I think by the time I'm pushing some decent numbers, I'll be switching gyms anyway. My community college has a really nice weight room, but I have to sign up for a class to utilize it. Regardless, I might just do that for their power rack and dozens of lifters that know what they're doing and can spot me/address form hiccups.

In terms of squatting form, I think I'm pretty good. One thing I know that I do need to focus on is breathing. Gotta really puff out the stomach and utilize the core before going down into the hole. Same goes for sumo deadlift (as well as some other form stuff that needs fixing); really gotta push air into the stomach beforehand, because when I do I find I've got more support and a more upright torso.
 
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Yeah, all the best with Madcow. Good program to follow. Are you going to log your progress here?
 
Lol said:
Yeah, all the best with Madcow. Good program to follow. Are you going to log your progress here?
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;)

Low-Bar Squat: 85lb x 5, 105lb x 5, 130lb x 5, 150lb x 5, 170lb x 5

Bench Press: 75lb x 5, 95lb x 5, 115lb x 5, 130lb x 5, 150lb x 5

Pendlay Row: 75lb x 5, 90lb x 5, 110lb x 5, 125lb x 5, 145lb x 5

EZ-Bar Curls: Bar + 40lb x 10, Bar + 40lb x 10, Bar + 40lb x 10

Controlled Leg Raises: 3x10

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Everything was a little weaker than before, but I expect strength to decrease a little bit when I've been out of the gym for close to 2 weeks.

Hams feel absolutely dead now, which definitely didn't feel the case before the SD. Goes to show you SD worked well.

Chose this ab work out of randomness. I didn't come in planning what to do in terms of abs, and I haven't directly worked my abs in like 8 months. I might switch to decline crunches since there's a decline bench in my gym, but they moved it so I think it might be in the cardio/machines room.

Overall, a good workout today.
 
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****ing mistake not eating much throughout the day. Ate dinner and still had 2k cals left. Down to like 1200 and hating life atm :(.

I guess it's time to break out the peanut butter. Time to puke everywhere
 
TangoDown said:
****ing mistake not eating much throughout the day. Ate dinner and still had 2k cals left. Down to like 1200 and hating life atm :(.

I guess it's time to break out the peanut butter. Time to puke everywhere
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Wow that's some dedication right there, I take my hat off to you. Although I think it's more important to ensure that you're enjoying your routine as that will only help build your motivation to continue and really succeed, if you're hating it its obvious the opposite will happen and before long your whole routine will be out of the window. On that basis, added to the fact that your body generally doesn't adapt much to 'one off' events (like losing 2k Cals in one day out of 7) I would just feel annoyed with myself and then ensure the next day that I get back on my program 100%.

I'll be honest after starting this second HST plan my diet has slowly deteriorated every week to which point I've gone from close to 2.5-3k Cals to probably around 1.7-2k (Marcos are also out of the window). I am onto my last week of 5's today and I'm still lifting heavier than I ever have before, I know I won't be able to sustain it but I figure I'm off on holiday next week so there's my SD and ill come back motivated.
 
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