Bobo: Do you think doing this program has improved or decreased your running speed? I saw what you wrote about being slower when actually lifting, but do you think you would be faster if tapered?

I've just completed week one. So far it is not particularly challenging. I'm not too sure about starting with the low weight (45#), but I do know that I know very little about weight lifting, so I'm going with it. I'm hoping building strength will pay off with speed gains running and cycling in the future.

I did make the mistake of going from my second weight set directly to a track workout on Tuesday. That left me with some wicked bursitis in my right hip on Wednesday.

It was just a matter of my body adapting to weight lifting and running. It did slow me down in the beginning but eventually, my body adapted and I'm doing just fine. You do want to make sure you are eating enough to fuel both workouts. Lifting takes a lot of protein and running takes a lot of calories. Play around with your macros/total calories whenever the lifts start getting heavy to know how much you need to get.(protein you'll want to try and hit 1g/pound of body weight).

Definitely stick to the progression and put all your focus on correcting your form in the beginning. I've deloaded squats 3x to correct my form because I should have put more focus on it in the beginning. I'm at the 3x5 stage now as well, so my time on the program will be coming to an end. I'm hitting intermediate lifting numbers according to most websites. I haven't really decided what I will be going to next.

Finally, always split up your day. I lift at lunch(around 12:00) and run in the afternoon(around 5). It gives your body that time to recover from 1 workout. I also generally take in a protein shake between those but that is more of a mental thing. Protein timing is broscience and there isn't 1 shred of evidence that says you must take in protein immediately following a workout. I do it because in my head, it makes me feel better.

Also, feel free to ask for a form check on your squat/deadlift. You can upload a video onto youtube and either PM me or just post it on this board to look at. I send a squat check at least once every 2 weeks to a friend who has been competing in powerlifting for the past 10 years.

Hit my goals! My goals, set 6 months ago, were squat of 225 for reps, and bench 200 once.

I actually did squat of 225 3x5, and I maxed on bench at 215 lb.

I switched a couple weeks ago to 3x5, and am very glad I did. The lower volume is far more fun, and easier to recover from.

Thanks bobo. I'll definitely get some video posted...I'll just have to figure out a way to mount the camera. I've definitely figured out that most peoples form at the gym is between bad and horrible. People watching there is amazing.

I actually did an A & B workout today, which is just proof that the starting weights are too low. I did the B before lunch, and frankly wasn't fatigued so I did an A on the way home. I'll be glad when I get the weights a little higher. I'll keep focusing on form for now, and I imagine the weight will get heavy quickly.

Be patient and just use this time to keep discipline and work on form/flexibility. Trust me, it gets heavy very quickly.

Starting this tonight.

340 SQ
265 BP
150 Rows

Strongest I have ever been and have lifted for 20 years

Second time on this. First time went to heavy with poor form on squat, rows and DL. Got a Best Belt and started again in January. Lowered down on DL and Rows to work form.

Today

SQ: 95 x 5
OP: 55 x 5
DL: 75 x 5

(About in my 3rd week or so, but first time recording on TA).

SQ: 105 x 5
BP: 220 x 5 for 4 sets, 3 on last set
BR: 70 x 5

Iowaggie, thanks for sharing those numbers. I'm curious as to why your bp seems so high compared to the rest of your numbers.

I started this 4 weeks ago with some very low weights and am starting to get to some challenging levels. I don't always walk out of the gym feeling like I did that much, but I can always feel it the next day.

[This message has been edited by Chris1515 (edited 2/21/2014 4:40p).]

No special reason.
I had been regularly benching, and I didn't want to stay at 45 for that.

Actually, I did start squat with just the bar, and really tried to get low, but I ended up with terrible back pain a few days later.

I stopped Lifting and only did bench and upper body for abouta month, But started 5x5 on bench only.

In January, I had access to a strength guy whoi could have watch all the lifts.

Much better, and my back problems were probably from inflexibility in left ankle

[This message has been edited by Iowaggie (edited 2/25/2014 6:49p).]

I'm training for my first Sprint Tri next month so I'm reluctant to start this right now, but after that Tri, then I'll add this to the workout plan.

My starting place is 5'9", 195 in Mid January, haven't done a real weight workout in years, consistently in over a decade. I'll be 50 in July, want the gut and the spare chin, gone.

If you want to know how the program works from someone who will start and follow the program exactly because I don't have any head start anywhere, then I'll be your guy.

Right now I'm running 11 min miles, biking about 14mph(mtn bike converted to touring), and swimming about 3 mins/100yd. Been at the tri training for a month and a week, 3 weeks to go until race day.

I like the old schoolness of the program, the prospect of benching my body weight in 10 weeks is intriguing to say the least since the most I've ever done a set of is 125 or 135.

Thanks to those who got my attention with this thread!

PS: I'm going to start with these while I finish the Tri prep. http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance/the_thirdworld_squat I noticed this is the form that Mahdi uses in his squats, and if you are having trouble with squats, could be why. I was trying the 3rd worlds earlier, and they are hard to do just as the article indicates, I was surprised actually.

[This message has been edited by Jetpilot86 (edited 2/25/2014 10:35p).]

Look forward to reading it.

Ok, showtime for the tri is this weekend. Been practicing the Third World Squats with no weight and was surprised how I first could not get close, and after only a few days of a few attempts per day I can now squat for nearly at minute at a time without falling.

I somehow think that they will be the difference down the line in stronglifts...

So I just completed my 5th week on the program. I actually did 19 workouts, just since the weights were so easy at first. I don't know what my top lifts were before I started, but I've been increasing my lifts steadily with very similar perceived efforts. 135 on the squat this morning felt minimally harder than 110 did. My squat, bench, and deadlift still have a bit to go before stalling. OHP is basically there at ~80# where I'm starting to notice form breakdown, so I'm repeating weights.

Barbell rows are the most interesting. I seem to have strength left, but as weights have gone up, I get a electrical type twinge just medial to my wrists. Not painful, but not really pleasant. Any thoughts on what that is?

I do crossfit 3 days a week, but I want to supplement it with some more weight lifting.

Planning on doing Stronglifts TR in between crossfit MWF.

Sounds like too much lifting.

quote:

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I do crossfit 3 days a week, but I want to supplement it with some more weight lifting.

Planning on doing Stronglifts TR in between crossfit MWF.

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What are your goals?

Started phat training this week.

http://www.simplyshredded.com/mega-feature-layne-norton-training-series-full-powerhypertrophy-routine-updated-2011.html

Basically lifting in the mornings now(5 times a week) and running in the evenings(5 times a week).

My legs are the most sore I've been in a while.

bobo

Primarily I just want to build some strength, and also have consistent programming when I'm not at crossfit.

quote:

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bobo

Primarily I just want to build some strength, and also have consistent programming when I'm not at crossfit.

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Not knocking crossfit, but crossfit will help you get better at crossfit. You'll gain strength/muscle in the beginning but that will eventually stop because crossfit isn't a strength program, although in pretty sure they don't claim to be either.

To your original question, probably. The athletes you see winning cross fit games are people who impliment a powerlifting/strength routine into their training. How they balance that with crossfit? I have no idea.

I know muscle grows when you rest and if you don't rest muscle groups, which I don't see happening if you are hitting the same muscle groups 5x a week, you'll stall and you'll probably injure yourself. That's not to day you can't do more than just stronglifts. I very successfully incorporated a high mileage base and SL5x5.

I know my answer doesn't help a lot. If your goal is truly strength, drop Xfit and get a gym membership. Pick either SL5x5 or starting strength. Those linear progression programs will take you far, when the program has run it's course, there's a lot of good intermediate routines after that. (PHAT, BBB, 5-3-1, etc)

[This message has been edited by boboguitar (edited 3/21/2014 11:25a).]

thanks bobo


My motivation in more detail:

There are a handful of movements in crossfit that I suck at, and my box doesn't hit them often enough that I see much improvement on my end (not that improvement isn't there. it's just really slow). Namely, anything to do with upper body strength, so pullups, toes to bar (mostly abs, but my shoulders aren't strong enough for me to hang and swing for very long), overhead press ,etc.

Thanks for the tip about making sure to rest the muscle groups. I'll keep that in mind.


Who knows, if I don't like it or it doesn't work out, I'll probably drop it in favor of some light running.

Then just make sure you are giving major muscle groups at least a day of rest in between.

Vacationing this week, so SL will start on the 31st. Play with some 30lb goblet squats this weekend, a touch of soreness in the hammies from the below parallel work. Plan to do a few more sets this week to try to lessen the shock of SL when i start it.

Stronglifts Day 1 and 2 are in the books. Little leg soreness after day 1, no biggie.

3/31 Workout "A"
Wgt 192
Squat 5 x 5 x 45lbs
Bench 5 x 5 x 45lbs
Barbell Row 5 x 5 x 65lbs (forgot to rest the bar on the ground between reps)

4/2 Workout "B"
Wgt 192
Squat 5 x 5 x 50
Overhead Press 5 x 5 x 45
Deadlift 5 x 90

Off to a good start, feel the weight as I haven't worked out consistently in years. I turn 50 in July so I'm looking forward to looking better then than I ever have before. Week 12 will be a couple of weeks before my birthday.

If anyone is looking at this program, follow the 3rd world squats links in this thread. The form for them feels different and if you don't practice them some with no weight you will have trouble balancing properly flat footed, you will want to get on your toes. And as Mehdi and others here mention, start with the weight light and be nit picky about your form.

[This message has been edited by Jetpilot86 (edited 4/2/2014 7:53p).]

Some of y'all know I'm very new to weight lifting and this program was suggested to me by another poster.

I have a home gym because with my crazy hours, if I went to a gym, I wouldn't ever see my kids.

My question is this.....My gym is limited to bench, butterfly, lat pulls, etc..

I know I can't do any of the squat, LP, Rows or OHP so is there any way to supplement/adapt what I do have so I can get some semblance of the workouts in this program?

Here's a link to the gym I'm using. I know it's not the best but for someone starting out, I wasn't willing to drop a ton of money.

http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/marcy-mwm-988-150-lb-stack-home-gym/pid-580455

4/4 Workout "A"
Wgt 192
Squat 5 x 5 x 55lbs
Bench 5 x 5 x 40lbs
Barbell Row 5 x 5 x 70lbs

As for SecAg's question:

Pullups will sub for the rows. As for the rest, Mehdi would probably say that not having free weights will give you less "real" gains, and the forced range of motion of the machine is not good for your joints. The other side of the coin is if that is what you have then get all you can out of it, and get as close as you can to the exercises, and concepts (adding weight each workout) and see where it goes.

The workouts are pretty fast, so if you can get to a gym for 30-45 mins, 3 days a week then you can do Stronglifts.

Week one for me and other than feeling a little goofy for working with the bar + 5lbs, I like the concept.

HTH

Jetpilot -
I just completed week 2 of the program so you are not alone in this! Just a week ahead. So far it has been ridiculously easy but you gotta be discipline to see progress. Plus I think now entering the 3rd week, workouts that are worthy are just around the corner.

Looking forward towards gains and working thru this. One worry I have is I had a grade 3 separated shoulder just over 5 months ago so I feel like OHP is going to struggle once I put about ~20 more lbs on the bar. We'll see!

I am about 2 weeks in as well. Like you said, easy so far, but I imagine soon enough I'll need to go to the rec to find a rack for the back squats. Up until now I've been using a teeny 10lb bar with plates on it that I power clean then over head press to get it to my back.

Glad to know I'm not running solo. My challenge is going to be finding gyms with the proper equipment in each of the 7 cities I fly to that won't charge me an arm and a leg for a day pass. I have four of them covered so far, with maybe's on two more... Week 1 is in the books!

quote:

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I feel like OHP is going to struggle once I put about ~20 more lbs on the bar.

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Well you know the mantra "Form, Form, Form!"

Workout "B"
Wgt 192
Squat 5 x 5 x 60
Overhead Press 5 x 5 x 50
Deadlift 5 x 100

Week 2, workout 1, a day early because I'm traveling tomorrow.

Week two workout two tomorrow at 4 AM.

4/8 Workout "A" Week 2, Workout 2
Wgt 192
Squat 5 x 5 x 65 lbs
Bench 5 x 5 x 55 lbs
Barbell Row 5 x 5 x 75 lbs

Today was the first day I noticed any challenge with the workout. I took 90-120 secs rest between the Rows and walking or taking any stairs after the workout I noticed some fatigue in my legs that had not been there after earlier workouts.

[This message has been edited by Jetpilot86 (edited 4/9/2014 1:03a).]

Week 2 complete. I was pleasantly suprised that I had abolutely no soreness this week.

Squat 5 x 5 x 70 lbs
Overhead Press 5 x 5 x 55 lbs
Deadlift 5 x 110 lbs