50 Egg Challenge

[Cool Hand Luke]

Hey guys, decided to throw my name in the hat here.

I have worked out in one way or another for nearly 25 years, starting off mostly as cardio and in my 30's getting more into weight & strength training.

Recently I have decided that I don't care about anything else other than getting stronger - I reckon as I get stronger, I'll get fitter along the way anyway.

I re-started 5x5 back on the 13th of December and with the help & encouragement of a few posters (@Oblivian & others) I am back on track and focused on making the 1000# club.

Here were my starting numbers nearly 4 months ago:

Squats 100lbs
Bench 65lbs
Dead Lifts 140lbs
Barbell Row 65lbs
Over Head Press 45lbs

and here are yesterday's numbers:

Squats 250lbs
Bench 160lbs
Dead Lifts 275lbs
Barbell Row 167.5lbs
Over Head Press 107.5lbs

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

With the exception of Bench and Dead Lift, it's a PR every time I lift.

 

[Cmart]

Isn't it fantastic? We can take one of the most basically necessary functions of our bodies -- the manipulation of objects -- and so vastly change our performance and ability. It continually astounds me.

Obviously, outstanding progress thus far, and glad to have you aboard. Will be watching you make your way to 1000.

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

Isn't it fantastic? We can take one of the most basically necessary functions of our bodies -- the manipulation of objects -- and so vastly change our performance and ability. It continually astounds me.

Obviously, outstanding progress thus far, and glad to have you aboard. Will be watching you make your way to 1000.

it truly is amazing @Cmart , my wife even started and she has progressed so quickly too.

I never thought I'd ever utter the words but I can't wait to squat again.

I wish I had someone to train with to determine my 1 rep maxes, I know my deadlift is close to 400lbs and my bench is a just over 200, so I know for at least that I'm closer to 1000lbs than my 5x5 indicates.

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

Today was an absolute grind. Only the first 3 reps of the first and 5th set felt good, the rest were a chore and I felt my form was off.

I have noticed that if I wait 2 days between lifting days, I'm much stronger i.e. if I workout Friday and my next day is Monday.

I may adopt lifting every 3rd day because I suspect I'm not quite recovered from lifting after only 2 days rest.

Squats - 252.5lbs
Bench - 162.5lbs
Rows - 170lbs

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

Pull ups
8 strict - 7 assisted
4 strict - 11 assisted
4 strict - 11 assisted

pushups
20, 20 & 15

Dumbbell flies
20x10, 25x10, 30x10

one armed rows
30x10, 35x10, 40x 10

dumbbell curls
1st set - 20x10, 25x10, 30x10
2nd set - 35x10, 30x10, 25x10
3rd set - 40x4, 35x6, 30x7, 25x10

calf raises - 5 sets x 10 reps

Been doing pullups for a few months now, started off only able to 2 or 3 strict on the first set - obviously has improved - been stuck on 8 reps for about 2-3 weeks now and can feel I should be getting that 9th one soon.

 

[OverCoronavirus Pressure]

No man can eat fifty eggs

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

Cardio, abs & light stretching today

5 minute warm up jumping rope

5 rounds of Bas shadow boxing + crunches between rounds

5 minute reverse planks

stretching................

SQUATS TOMORROW!

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

amazing what a few day rest means - today hit my squats with no issues, no real grinded out reps, just felt real strong.

OHP was a different story...

5x5
Squats - 255lbs
OHP - 110lbs (5, 4, 4, 4, & 3 reps) -
Deadlifts - 280lbs

starting to feel my overhand grip go at this weight for deads - its 60lbs more than i used to be able to do with overhand grip so real happy with that. I imagine yin/yang grip LOOMS

having 2 clear days w/out any leg workout (apart from cardio) definitely seems the way to go forward - i simply needed more rest between workouts.

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

Shoulders ouch.

Pullups
8 strict - 7 assisted
4 strict - 11 assisted
4 strict - 11 assisted

Shrugs with 45lbs plates - 3 sets x 10 reps (slow)

Side/Front/Up - Dumbbell shoulder flies
10lbs -15 reps each way
15lbs - 15 reps each way
20lbs - 15 reps each way

Upright barbell row
Bar - 15 reps
Bar+10 - 15 reps
Bar+20 - 15 reps

Seated one armed dumbbell press
20lbs - 10 reps each arm
25lbs - 10 reps each arm
30lbs - 10 reps each arm

Calf raises - 10sets x 10 reps

Thought I was going to get that elusive 9th rep on my pullups - got half way up though, so maybe next time.

Am super fucking sore from yesterday's squats.

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

5 minutes jump rope

Dumbbell curls
1st set- 20lbs x 10reps, increase to 25lbs x 10reps, increase to 30lbs x 10 reps
2nd set - 35lbs x 10reps, drop to 30lbs x 10reps, drop to 25lbs x 10reps
3rd set - 40lbs x 5reps, drop to 35lbs x 5reps, drop to 30lbs x 5reps, drop to 25lbs x 7reps, drop to 20lbs x 8reps

21's - 3 sets
Bar
Bar+5
Bar+10

5 rounds Bas Rutten boxing with slow crunches between rounds - arms were fucking heavy after all the bicep work.

3 sets reverse planks

10 minutes stretching

Still tight from Thursdays squats, so this stretching was absolutely necessary.

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

squats were easy again, well, not easy, but not a grind. no doubt that 2 full clear days between squats does me wonders.

5x5
squats 257.5lbs
bench 165lbs
rows 172.5lbs

and more of a narrower deadlift stance for my rows and it felt easier.

 

[Oblivian]

Nothing better than doing 2.5 times the weight you started with and it feeling easy. Great progress.

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

Thanks mang, you have definitely put me in the right direction.

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

arms are still fried from yesterdays 21's so the pullups were a struggle. still got 8, but that 9th is in there somewhere hiding.

Pull ups
8 strict - 7 assisted
4 strict - 11 assisted
4 strict - 11 assisted

pushups
20, 20 & 17

Dumbbell flies
25x15, 30x15, 40x15

bent over dumbbell rows
30x15, 35x15, 40x 10

tricep dips off bench
1st set + 25lbs plate - 15 reps
2nd set + 35lb plate - 10 reps
3rd set - 15 reps

calf raises - 8 sets x 10 reps

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

10 minutes jump rope

5 rounds Bas Rutten's Boxing with abs and neck bridge between rounds

3 sets reverse planks into leg raises

stretching 10 mins

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

Neck is fried from yesterday's neck bridges. My OHP sucked today big time, but also because I discovered I was cheating. Instead of breathing in, starting at the sternum and ending the press at the sternum, I was doing one continual motion. As far as I have learned, like most of these exercises, you need that starting point with a deep breath, then perform the movement, and bring back to the starting point with your exhale before the next rep.


5x5
Squats 260lbs
OHP 4/2/1/2/2 reps @ 110lbs
Deadlift 285lbs x 1 set

I foresee a major drop in weight for OHP.

Nearly lost my grip on the last rep of the deadlift - i might have another 5lbs before needing to switch to yin/yang, but good news is, there is nothing really difficult about this weight level for me.

The last 2 reps of the 5th set for Squats were tough, I muscled through and can feel it in the legs/ass big time.

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

TODAY WAS THE DAY!!!!

Finally got that elusive 9th rep and managed 2 additional on the 2nd set. I was watching a video last night of some of those core trainers who do nearly nothing but hanging from a bar making it look so effortless - I noticed one thing that differed from my grip

Theirs

Mine

So I tried theirs and it made the workout seem much more back strenuous than bicep strenuous - it also mean that I got those extra reps. I don't know if they are proper technique, but I definitely plan on continuing with this 'thumb over' method.

I also happened across a video of a guy doing a Z-PRESS challenge - it called for a 10 minute nonstop seated OHP from the ground. I knew there was no way I could go 10 minutes so I decided to go as long as I could for 3 sets. These were fucking tough and my shoulders are DEAD.

Pullups
9 strict - 7 assisted
6 strict - 11 assisted
4 strict - 11 assisted

Z-Presses (sit on the ground and OHP)
3 minutes 1st set
1 minute 2nd set
1 minute 3rd set

Dumbbell curls
1st set- 20lbs x 10reps, increase to 25lbs x 10reps, increase to 30lbs x 10 reps
2nd set - 35lbs x 10reps, drop to 30lbs x 10reps, drop to 25lbs x 10reps
3rd set - 40lbs x 5reps, drop to 35lbs x 5reps, drop to 30lbs x 5reps, drop to 25lbs x 7reps, drop to 20lbs x 8reps

Side/Front/Up - Dumbbell shoulder flies
10lbs -10 reps each way
15lbs - 10 reps each way
20lbs - 10 reps each way

Alternating Calf raises - until I COULD DO NO MORE

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

10 minutes jump rope

5 rounds Bas Rutten's Boxing with neck bridges between rounds

3 sets reverse planks - 45 seconds each

3 sets leg raises - 5 reps each (these are tough after the planks)

stretching 10-15 mins