Post by jaysun on Dec 11, 2014 20:16:42 GMT
When I began doing CF in March of this year, I was excited and thought it was the coolest thing. I worked and worked and saw improvements in my metcon as well as in my flexibility and some weight loss. The one area that never got any easier was the weight bearing exercises. I worked on my technique and threw weight around, etc, but I never got any stronger and nothing ever got an easier. Doing heavy load, high rep movements went against everything I had learned when weight training in the past. I decided to take a different approach after reading some interviews with Rich Froning who said that he did he own programming and especially worked on weightlifting in isolation to build strength. I did my research and discovered a vast array of choices. The simplest for me was the MadCow 5x5. There is a bevy of info I'm not going to repeat. You can read it here. MadCow also comes with a handy dandy spreadsheet.
I have been doing this program for about 16 weeks with one week off and a couple of weeks where I was ill, or sore or busy. Quantifiably, I have done about 14 weeks worth of training. I did modify the program slightly to meet my needs. Due to a pre-existing injury, I am unable to barbell bench press. I can DB bench press though. I also added a few supplementary exercises to complement the big movements.
The facts:
THEN - Me: 6'0" 215 I'm a little pudgy around the middle but otherwise fairly vascular in my arms, legs, shoulders and neck.
5 Rep Maxes
Squat- 240
Overhead Press - 100
Pendlay Rows - 115
DL - 215
NOW - 6'0" 228 with about the same fat levels, though I have been drinking Publix's eggnog with way too much fervor lately
5 Rep Maxes
Squat - 285 I did hit 315x3 on a whim though
OH Press - 135 I clean my presses from the floor after reading and watching a Chalk Talk at 70's Big. You can see it here.
Pendlay Rows - 205 Pendlay rows are flat backed rows that you pull from the ground to just below the nipple line.
DL - 265 I have hit 280x5, but I have backed off to focus on technique and explosive power.
So, my total for all the lifts 16 weeks ago = 570lbs. and my new total is 890 if you add in the 315 squat in stead of 285 it would be 920lbs. That is a difference of 320 or 350lbs. So, I have increased my total by 60% or so. Did it work for me? Succinctly....yeah, it did!
I have been doing this program for about 16 weeks with one week off and a couple of weeks where I was ill, or sore or busy. Quantifiably, I have done about 14 weeks worth of training. I did modify the program slightly to meet my needs. Due to a pre-existing injury, I am unable to barbell bench press. I can DB bench press though. I also added a few supplementary exercises to complement the big movements.
The facts:
THEN - Me: 6'0" 215 I'm a little pudgy around the middle but otherwise fairly vascular in my arms, legs, shoulders and neck.
5 Rep Maxes
Squat- 240
Overhead Press - 100
Pendlay Rows - 115
DL - 215
NOW - 6'0" 228 with about the same fat levels, though I have been drinking Publix's eggnog with way too much fervor lately
5 Rep Maxes
Squat - 285 I did hit 315x3 on a whim though
OH Press - 135 I clean my presses from the floor after reading and watching a Chalk Talk at 70's Big. You can see it here.
Pendlay Rows - 205 Pendlay rows are flat backed rows that you pull from the ground to just below the nipple line.
DL - 265 I have hit 280x5, but I have backed off to focus on technique and explosive power.
So, my total for all the lifts 16 weeks ago = 570lbs. and my new total is 890 if you add in the 315 squat in stead of 285 it would be 920lbs. That is a difference of 320 or 350lbs. So, I have increased my total by 60% or so. Did it work for me? Succinctly....yeah, it did!
