traineo community
Member of traineo? Sign in here
traineo Community / Exercise & Training Tips / Untrained - Elite by Body Weight and Amount Lifted
. 1 . 2 . >>
Author Message
Another Dave (formerly Release the Hounds)
Fitness Guru
Posts: 249
Post History
 # Posted: 8 Apr 2008 13:59


I'm just breaking into the novice range after 5 weeks on the 5x5 stronglifts program....

http://www.exrx.net/Testing/WeightLifting/Strength Standards.html
Another Dave (formerly Release the Hounds)
Fitness Guru
Posts: 249
Post History
 # Posted: 8 Apr 2008 14:02


gah, itdaki already posted this in the positive thread.... sorry mouse! (i lifted it from mehdi's site...)
Dave Nicholson
The Master
Posts: 2094
Post History
 # Posted: 8 Apr 2008 14:03


Yeah, these standards put it a bit into perspective, eh? I like to look at the numbers for my target weight, not my current weight!

Congratulations on breaking the line on that one, that's awesome


Bourblaster V
Fitness Guru
Posts: 336
Post History
 # Posted: 8 Apr 2008 15:17


There sure is a lot of space in between advanced and elite. geh.
Another Dave (formerly Release the Hounds)
Fitness Guru
Posts: 249
Post History
 # Posted: 8 Apr 2008 15:23


Quoting: nicholman
that's awesome


more humbling than anything, but thanks....


Dave Nicholson
The Master
Posts: 2094
Post History
 # Posted: 8 Apr 2008 17:39


Well, accepting where we are might be a little humbling, but progressing to a new level is an accomplishment worth noting.

Remember also that these are 1RM's.
Itadaki Mouse
Fitness Guru
Posts: 813
Post History
 # Posted: 8 Apr 2008 20:27 - Edited by: Tikbalang


Good job!

Hey, after 5 years of the Gummibears weight lifting routine (bouncing here and there and everywhere) I was still in the Untrained category. You young whippersnappers have it easy with teh Intarwebs.

Now when Mehdi says you can squat 1.5x your body weight on just the Beginner's 5x5 -- does me mean 1RM? Or does he mean 5x5 1.5xBW?
Dave Nicholson
The Master
Posts: 2094
Post History
 # Posted: 8 Apr 2008 20:47


5x5 - don't try to get out easy


Itadaki Mouse
Fitness Guru
Posts: 813
Post History
 # Posted: 8 Apr 2008 21:09


Wow, so that's upper Intermediate going into Advanced, just on the Beginner's 5x5!

On the plus side, it means I can stick with this very simple 5x5 and make gains for quite a while longer.
Dave Nicholson
The Master
Posts: 2094
Post History
 # Posted: 8 Apr 2008 21:17


I think that's the idea... the next program on stronglifts introduces the olympic lifts, right? Those take quite a bit of core strength and coordination... Not to mention, if you're still able to do the progressive load on the beginner 5x5, there's no point stopping unless you get bored.
Shawn W.
Fitness Guru
Posts: 490
Post History
 # Posted: 8 Apr 2008 23:18


O lifts are great for you, but form is gota be top notch... if you don't do it right you can risk an injury real quick.

Come june I think i'll go 5x5 for a month to hit the body a little different. Still finishing up a few programs here and want to get in my beach body shape


Ara Bruno
Fitness Guru
Posts: 774
Post History
 # Posted: 9 Apr 2008 15:44


Man I am weak compared to the chart and doing badly at that! But I am moving up. But I did read this

'Expected level of strength in a healthy individual who has not trained on the exercise before but can performit correctly. This represents the minimum level of strength required to maintain a reasonable quality of life in a sedentary individual. '

And felt beter because I was not healthy, I am still overweight.
Dave Nicholson
The Master
Posts: 2094
Post History
 # Posted: 9 Apr 2008 15:53


You're getting there Ara, keep it up!!
Ryan F
traineo Fanatic
Posts: 99
Post History
 # Posted: 9 Apr 2008 18:54


Quoting: Tikbalang
Now when Mehdi says you can squat 1.5x your body weight on just the Beginner's 5x5 -- does me mean 1RM? Or does he mean 5x5 1.5xBW?


I'm pretty sure it's 1RM. After you can squat 1.5x your body weight for 1RM you can move on to the advanced routine:

http://stronglifts.com/stronglifts-5x5-advanced-st rength-training-for-intermediates/

Quoted from that post: "Only do StrongLifts 5×5 Advanced if you can Squat 1.5x your body-weight for 1 rep with proper technique."
Itadaki Mouse
Fitness Guru
Posts: 813
Post History
 # Posted: 9 Apr 2008 19:39


Quoting: Bruno43
But I am moving up.


The chart is useful for long-term goals, so look at it only from that perspective. If you're better today than yesterday then you're doing grrrrrrreat!

As our local Master puts it: "I'm super great, and getting better!"
Another Dave (formerly Release the Hounds)
Fitness Guru
Posts: 249
Post History
 # Posted: 9 Apr 2008 21:07


yah, i feel ya ara...

i'm just naturally not a strong person either and am going to have to get accustomed to the idea of working hard just to gain an average amount of strength. my friggin' bones are tiny. it was like genetic roulette. my dad's side of the family has large frames and my mom's has really small bone structure. i got unlucky on that particular spin of the wheel.

i think i'm not going to up the weights on squats tomorrow. although i didn't fail last time, i struggled with form on probably 5-6 reps or so. i now know what they mean by knees going outwards. and i had some twinges in my lower back today (off day) when i was running. that's gotta be from the 5x5 yesterday.

i'm up to 80lbs on the overhead press. i barely made the 75lb weight on the third day of attempts. i don't see myself making 80lbs. will probably have to de-load. i did two sets on 80lbs and couldn't even get one rep on the third set.

oh, i went ahead and ordered a couple of rippetoe's books and one by polinquin (sp?). i'm excited for those. especially the german body comp one that's supposed to encourage very fast weight loss through weight training.
Itadaki Mouse
Fitness Guru
Posts: 813
Post History
 # Posted: 9 Apr 2008 21:37 - Edited by: Tikbalang


Quoting: Hounds
my friggin' bones are tiny.

Can't be smaller than mine! I'm half Asian genetically (Chinese, Filipino). You can do it!

Just you wait and see -- you'll be deep squatting four 45lb plates (225lbs with bar) in a few months and dudes twice your size will be goggling.
Quoting: Hounds
i think i'm not going to up the weights on squats tomorrow.

I've been tempted to, but if I let it become a habit then it wouldn't be a progressive loading 5x5 anymore. I'd much rather slap on two 2.5lb plates for a measly 5lb increase from last. If I stall, I stall -- repeat three times, and deload if necessary.
Quoting: Hounds
i had some twinges in my lower back today (off day) when i was running.


I skipped running yesterday for the same reason. I'll keep trying, but I've also been reading Joe DeFranco's WSFSB articles -- he trains athletes, so he can't knock them out with weight lifting. They have to have enough energy to do actual sports training in between lifting sessions.

I dread stalling on the 5x5, even though I know it's inevitable. Every workout, I just yell at myself silently "Not today!"
Quoting: Hounds
i went ahead and ordered a couple of rippetoe's books

Good for you! The only downside to those books is that at some point, you'll want to videotape your workout to review your form afterwards. Either that or you get a gym buddy and beat him/her over the head with "Starting Strength" until they become Rippetoe converts.
Another Dave (formerly Release the Hounds)
Fitness Guru
Posts: 249
Post History
 # Posted: 10 Apr 2008 13:01


Quoting: Tikbalang
Just you wait and see -- you'll be deep squatting four 45lb plates


yah, i'm really looking forward to the double 45lbers... that will be totally badass...



Dave Nicholson
The Master
Posts: 2094
Post History
 # Posted: 10 Apr 2008 13:15


Just don't go so deep that you can't get back up - that 'clang' on the supports is a little embarassing


Another Dave (formerly Release the Hounds)
Fitness Guru
Posts: 249
Post History
 # Posted: 10 Apr 2008 14:52


Quoting: nicholman
that 'clang' on the supports is a little embarassing


i'm more embarrassed for the peole who load up on the 45lbers and then barely bend their knees!


Bourblaster V
Fitness Guru
Posts: 336
Post History
 # Posted: 10 Apr 2008 14:56


Quoting: nicholman
Just don't go so deep that you can't get back up - that 'clang' on the supports is a little embarassing



More embarrassing is giving someone a terrible spot when they fail squatting 445, and the whole experience just looks terribly awkward and ridiculous.



sorry bud.
Another Dave (formerly Release the Hounds)
Fitness Guru
Posts: 249
Post History
 # Posted: 10 Apr 2008 15:01


by the way, i've never seen anyone at my gym squat over 150lbs. they use the squat rack for rows primarily. most of the dudes are all about the body building non-compound exercises. i hate waiting for the rack. usually too much jibber jabber and strutting and not enough lifting. speaking of which, i better get a move on to beat the lunch hour crowd...
Dave Nicholson
The Master
Posts: 2094
Post History
 # Posted: 10 Apr 2008 15:06


I start kicking people out. I need the SQUAT rack for SQUATS. Do ROWS over there. Morons... oh yeah, that's my pet peeve


Bourblaster V
Fitness Guru
Posts: 336
Post History
 # Posted: 10 Apr 2008 15:36


Yeah, I'm mixed on that Dave. I mean, I definitely hate the asshole who is taking up a squat rack when I need to squat, and he is doing BB curls with the bar + 2 10s. But sometimes I am in the rack doing rows or whatever, and some guy is hanging around who I know needs it and I have to make a judgment call. Is this guy going to take my rack and do honest to god squats? Because I sure as hell am not giving up my rack to let some hooligan power his way through half-reps at 185 until doomsday.

I have given up my rack before when I wasn't doing squats, but has ONLY been to dudes (and one woman) who I know are there to squat or lunge, and squat or lunge HARD. Doesn't necessarily preclude strong people, just people I know are there to do it right.
Dave Nicholson
The Master
Posts: 2094
Post History
 # Posted: 10 Apr 2008 16:16


we also only have one squat rack... some dude was going to use it last week for DL (actually, he was going to stand behind it, in the way of anyone who wanted to use it) and suggested I use the smith machine. ha.

I have to keep bugging my gym to at least get a few extra barbells if they won't pitch for another squat rack (or two, just get rid of the smith machines and there's your room)...
Another Dave (formerly Release the Hounds)
Fitness Guru
Posts: 249
Post History
 # Posted: 10 Apr 2008 18:01


Quoting: Tikbalang
I've been tempted to, but if I let it become a habit then it wouldn't be a progressive loading 5x5 anymore. I'd much rather slap on two 2.5lb plates for a measly 5lb increase from last. If I stall, I stall -- repeat three times, and deload if necessary.


yah, i went ahead and increased the weight today and cruised through it. i got a long ways to go before stalling i've decided. i think i did too many weighted warm ups last time and was already a bit tired when i hit the working rate...
Ara Bruno
Fitness Guru
Posts: 774
Post History
 # Posted: 10 Apr 2008 19:07


So I went to deadlift last night and some gas was passed through my system.. was loud... damn deadlifts...

Screw the smith machine I feel all your pain with the squat rack.
Ryan F
traineo Fanatic
Posts: 99
Post History
 # Posted: 10 Apr 2008 20:22


Quoting: Hounds
they use the squat rack for rows primarily.


I do bent-over rows and deadlifts at the squat rack because the other areas of the gym are "no drop zones." Of course I do squats there, too .

i hate waiting for the rack. usually too much jibber jabber and strutting and not enough lifting.


Agreed. We have four squat racks at my gym and yesterday there were two people squatting together, but they needed *two* racks to do it. I guess they couldn't be bothered to adjust the weight between each of their sets even though each break was about five minutes long.

Another guy would do a set and then wonder off somewhere (to talk to his buddies maybe?) and then come back to do another set and do the same thing again.

Another guy was finished with the squat rack, but left the weights and the bar and the floor and left. We didn't realise for about ten minutes that he wasn't coming back. Finally we took the squat rack.

I've usually had pretty good experiences since we have four squat racks, but this was pretty frustrating, especially since I had somewhere to be after the gym.
Dean Grimshawe
Fitness Guru
Posts: 1177
Post History
 # Posted: 10 Apr 2008 20:26


Quoting: sik0fewl
We have four squat racks at my gym


Nice!!! Half the gyms I've had to train in don't even have one!
Bourblaster V
Fitness Guru
Posts: 336
Post History
 # Posted: 10 Apr 2008 21:22 - Edited by: Bourblaster


Quoting: sik0fewl
Agreed. We have four squat racks at my gym and yesterday there were two people squatting together, but they needed *two* racks to do it. I guess they couldn't be bothered to adjust the weight between each of their sets even though each break was about five minutes long.



Ahh, well these guys sound like real nozzles, but my partner and I do the same thing. However, he is taller than I am and usually >90 lbs heavier on the rack. It is a huuuuuuuuuge pain in the ass to move the bar down a peg after every set, particularly when it is already loaded to 315-405.

I can understand taking two racks, but them being dicks about it is kind of inexcusable. Sorry for your troubles dude.
. 1 . 2 . >>
Please sign up to traineo or log in if you wish to post.
 
© traineo 2007