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#1
12-17-2008, 02:52 AM
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Beyond being a beginner - Getting serious with a 5x5 Linear Program
Thought if I started posting a journal it might help motivate me to keep going with my progress.
A little bit about me - As of February of this year it had been about 15 years since I had done any form of physical activity or exercise. I was 270 pounds, had high blood pressure, and almost no energy. On top of all this, I have a condition called Ankylosing Spondylitis, an autoimmune condition that is a chronic, painful, degenerative inflammatory arthritis primarily affecting spine and sacroiliac joints, causing eventual fusion of the spine. I’m putting this in the journal so if anyone else has this condition and does weight lifting, I’d love to hear how it is either helping or, hopefully not, hurting them. I have a 3 and a 6 year old boy, and I found I couldn’t do the things with them a father should be able to do, and I was starting to really worry I’d end up in a wheelchair or have a heart attack and not be there for my boys. That is when I decided to join a gym and get healthy again, and even though my doctors said I shouldn’t be lifting heavy weights and should stick with light cardio or aquatic exercise, I did my own research and found there were no studies to back this up and was just their opinion. I figured as long as I kept good form and didn’t do any jerking type motions, strengthening my core muscles that support my spine could only be a good thing. So I hit the gym and got serious about nutrition. I was on a mission and I went from being weak and 270 pounds to getting down as low as 225. I’m no longer doing a 2000 calorie diet since I want to start adding some serious mass, so I’m up to 230 now, and am in my second week of Bill Starr’s 5x5 - Linear Program. This program is based on weekly linear progress. You take your current 5 rep maxes (5RM) and work up to them systematically by increasing weights in steady increments over 3-4 weeks. You then hit your current 5RM on lifts and continue these incremental increases week to week which pushes you further and further out making new personal records (PRs) every week until you stall on the majority of your lifts. My next post will be the start of my Journal.
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Fighting and winning (sort of) a battle with Ankylosing Spondylitis - I have pain . . . But pain does not have me. 230 lbs. | Bench: 295 | Squat: 315 | Deadlift: 365 
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#2
12-17-2008, 03:07 AM
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Week 2 - Day 1
Week 2 – Day 1
Squats 5x145 5x170 5x195 5x220 5x245 Bench 5x145 5x170 5x195 5x220 5x245 Pendlay Rows 5x135 5x155 5x175 5x195 Assistance Exercises 2 sets weighted Hypers 2 sets decline situps
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Fighting and winning (sort of) a battle with Ankylosing Spondylitis - I have pain . . . But pain does not have me. 230 lbs. | Bench: 295 | Squat: 315 | Deadlift: 365
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#3
12-17-2008, 02:19 PM
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Quote:
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 James 1:16-17 ESV Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights With God's help...Mens sana in corpore sano
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#4
12-19-2008, 03:46 AM
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Week 2 - Workout 2
Tough getting to the gym since I have a wicked head cold - but once I got there actually had a good workout . . .
The deadlifts were leaving my back a little sore so I recorded the last set with my cell phone, and if I can figure out how to post a video I may post it to the Hardcore Training Forum and let the experts here analyze my form. Could just be I need to strengthen my back. Squats - Light Day 5x145 5x170 5x195 5x195 Incline Bench 5x136 5x156 5x175 5x195 Deadlifts 5x176 5x205 5x230 5x255 Assistance: 3 sets of situps 3 sets close grip lat pulldowns
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Fighting and winning (sort of) a battle with Ankylosing Spondylitis - I have pain . . . But pain does not have me. 230 lbs. | Bench: 295 | Squat: 315 | Deadlift: 365
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#5
12-19-2008, 03:48 AM
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Quote:
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Fighting and winning (sort of) a battle with Ankylosing Spondylitis - I have pain . . . But pain does not have me. 230 lbs. | Bench: 295 | Squat: 315 | Deadlift: 365
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#6
12-20-2008, 06:36 PM
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Sick as heck today and made the tough decision to get some rest and not work out. Throat hurts so much I can't swallow so most of my protein is going to be from shakes.
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Fighting and winning (sort of) a battle with Ankylosing Spondylitis - I have pain . . . But pain does not have me. 230 lbs. | Bench: 295 | Squat: 315 | Deadlift: 365
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#7
12-22-2008, 08:01 PM
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Still not feeling the best but decided to get back to the gym today. Didn't have a lot of energy but got through the workout ok.
Week 3 – Workout 1 Squats 5x150 5x175 5x200 5x225 5x250 Bench 5x150 5x175 5x200 5x225 5x250 Pendlay Rows 5x135 5x145 5x160 5x180 5x200 No assistance work today - working out not feeling good was hard enough
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Fighting and winning (sort of) a battle with Ankylosing Spondylitis - I have pain . . . But pain does not have me. 230 lbs. | Bench: 295 | Squat: 315 | Deadlift: 365
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