Becoming STEEL

[NuLifting56]

Hey guys, so I'm fairly new to the lifting community but have always had the desire to improve and become more immersed, so here's to finally taking that step.

Background: I started lifting in summer 2009 for football, going into my freshman year of high school. Had injuries here and there, including the need for shoulder surgery in August 2013. Just recently was able to start getting serious again whilst in college with a fellow powerlifting friend. I've had a hodge-podge of programs and workouts the past few months, but recently decided to start on an low-demand adaptation of the Texas Method with said friend (he is much more knowledgeable than me on the program). Been doing some light lifting the past few weeks to gauge myself, but I'm now ready to dive into my first powerlifting program on my own. Keep in mind, though, that I do have to balance my workout with an on-average 20 credit load for school, which means some sleepless nights and not-so-consistent diet (beer and pizza). This means I might have to sacrifice a few days off here and there for the sake of passing, as well as some inconsistent posting. But, I'll try my best!

I'm looking for critique and encouragement on the workout and possibly on my lifting form if I decide to throw in some videos in the future of my workout highlights. So, without further ado, the program itself!

General Outline
Tuesday: Squat (Volume 5x5s at 85% of Friday) and Deadlift (1x5 *for now, increase by 5lb/week unless fail)
Wednesday: Bench (3-week rotation of 5x5s, 5x3s, and 5x1s)
Friday: Squat (Intensity 1x5, increase by 5lbs/week unless fail) and Power Cleans (5x3 *for now, mostly form tweaking)
Saturday: Overhead (same rotation as bench)
Monday, Sunday, Thursday: Rest

Here's my first two workouts from earlier this week.

Monday
Squat
1x10x45
1x8x135
1x5x225
1x2x315
5x5x345 (Work Sets)
*Had a friend cue me to push my knees out. Felt great otherwise

Deadlift
1x5x135
1x4x225
1x3x315
1x1x385
1x5x415 (Work Set)
*Grip isn't quite where I'd like it. Ripped a few calluses on my one work-set. But felt strong, fairly easy.

Tuesday
Bench (Singles Week)
1x10x45
1x8x135
1x5x185
1x3x225
1x1x275
5x1x300 (Work Sets)
1xUntilFail(6)x255
*Felt fairly strong, but had some trouble hitting just below the groove. Focused on that primarily in my back-off set.

Weighted Dips
1x5xBodyweight
3x5x95 (2 45-plates attached to a 5lb belt)

Neutral Grip Pull-Ups
3xUntilFail(6,5,5)xBodyweight

DB Hammer Curls
3x[8-12](12,12,8)x45

[NuLifting56]

Friday
Squat
1x10x45
1x8x135
1x5x225
1x2x315
1x1x365
1x5x405 (Work Set)
*Felt super strong, though had a little trouble with knee drive on reps 4-5.

Power Cleans
1x10x95 (Hang Clean)
1x5x135
1x2x165
5x3x195
*Still having trouble with the triple extension and my leg spread was wider than I'd like it to be. But slowly pulling it all together.

RDLs
1x5x135
1x3x225
3x5x275

[NuLifting56]

Saturday
Overhead Press
1x10x45
1x5x95
1x3x135
1x2x165
1x1x185
5x1x200 (Work Sets)
*Had to make a few lay-backs for #5, but otherwise felt great. Two plates coming soon.

Pull-Ups
1x3xBodyweight
3x5x25
*Only got 3 on the last set. Already starting to feel dead.

DB Flys (Side, Front, Bent)
3x[8-12](12,12,12)x17.5s
*Moving up to 20s next week

DB Hammer Curls
3x[8-12](12,12,12)x45s
*Moving up to 50s next week

[NuLifting56]

Can't lift rest of the week due to a conference I'm leaving for today thru Sunday. Doubtful the hotel I'm staying at will have the necessary equipment, so I doubled up yesterday.

Tuesday
Squat
1x10x45
1x8x135
1x5x225
1x2x315
5x5x345 (Work Sets)
*No problems. Will probably bump up to 350 in two weeks, depending on how my intensity day goes.

Deadlift
1x5x135
1x4x225
1x3x315
1x1x385
1x5x425 (Work Set)
*Still felt strong, going to be stick to the +10lbs weekly increments until fail.

Bench (5x5 Week)
1x10x45
1x8x135
1x5x185
1x2x225
5x5x260 (Work Sets)
*Still severely undershooting my bench. Need to jump up to at least 270 next cycle.

Dips (Unweighted)
3x20xBodyweight

DB Hammer Curls
3x[8-12](10,8,8)x50s

[NuLifting56]

Sunday
Squat
1x10x45
1x8x135
1x5x225
2x5x315 (Work Sets)
*Just wanted a light leg day to make up for my missed intensity. Regular volume on Tuesday.

Overhead Press
1x8x45
1x5x95
1x3x135
1x1x155
3x5x175 (Work Sets)
*Did not feel good at all after second set. End after third set, no energy to finish the workout (5 sets were planned).

Chin-Up/Pull-Up Switch
2x[3,3]xBodyweight
*Did 3 chin-up reps, then quickly switched to pull-ups for 3. Again, after second set, I was dead.

Lat Pull-Down
3x10x110

DB Hammer Curls
3x[8-12](10,8,8)x50
*By now, I'm just happy that the workout had ended. Had zero upper-body strength today all around. Didn't take care of my diet while away at the conference. Looking forward to getting back at it for Tuesday.

[NuLifting56]

Tuesday
Squat
1x10x45
1x8x135
1x5x225
1x2x315
5x5x345 (Work Sets)
*Felt great, good to get back in the groove after a short, inconvenient break and my crappy session on Sunday.

Deadift
1x5x135
1x3x225
1x2x315
1x1x385
1x5x435 (Work Sets)
1x1x500
*Had to go for it. Felt so easy doing my intensity set, I had to make sure I could get it. I'll try and find a way to post it on here.
*Also, I now do all my warm-up sets with a double-overhand grip. I don't switch to mixed until my work sets to really train my grip.

Wednesday
Bench (Triples Week)
1x10x45
1x8x135
1x5x185
1x2x225
1x1x265
5x3x287.5 (Work Sets)
*First time ever using an arch (was always a flat-bench user because of football). Still have to get entirely used to it, as I fell out of the groove a few times and barely got the weight up. But hit every single rep, felt strong. Awkward, but strong.

Weighted Dips
1x10xBodyweight
3x5x95 (Work Sets)

Neutral Grip Pull-Ups
3xUntilFail(8,6,4)xBodyweight

DB Hammer Curls
3x[8-12](11,9,8)x50s

[NuLifting56]

Friday
Squat
1x10x45
1x8x135
1x5x225
1x2x315
1x1x365
1x3x410 (Work Set)
*Had a scary bail when I tripped after coming out from the bottom of rep 4. Decided to stop my workout then and there cause I wasn't mentally engaged whatsoever after that. Will reattempt 410 for 5 next week.

Sunday
Overhead Press (Triples Week)
1x8x45
1x5x95
1x3x135
1x2x165
5x3x182.5
*Felt great, but I knew I chose a conservative load after last week + friday's incident. Just trying to build up confidence again.

Weighted Chin-Ups
1x3xBodyweight
3x5x30

DB Flys (Side, Front, Bent)
3x[8-12](12,12,12)x20s
*Will move up to 22.5s next week

DB Hammer Curls
3x[8-12](12,12,10)x50s

[NuLifting56]

Tuesday
Squat
1x10x45
1x8x135
1x5x225
1x2x315
5x5x350 (Work Sets)
*Went barefoot for a change. Played with my stance a bit. Might stick with this until my Romaleos come in in about a week.

Deadlift
1x5x135
1x3x225
1x2x315
1x1x385
1x5x445 (Work Set)
*Deadlift has easily become my favorite and best lift thus far. Great way to end a workout.

[NuLifting56]

Wednesday
Bench (Singles Week)
1x10x45
1x8x135
1x5x185
1x2x225
1x1x285
5x1x307.5 (Work Sets)
1x10x225 (Back-off Set)
*Arch form is getting better. Finally found my groove, now I just gotta be consistent in hitting it every rep!

Weighted Dips
1x5xBodyweight
3x5x110 (Work Sets)
*Missed my last rep, so only 14 reps total @ 110

Neutral Grip Pull-Ups
3xUntilFail(8,5,4)xBodyweight

DB Hammer Curls
3x[8-12](12,12,10)x50s

[NuLifting56]

Was on Spring Break for the week, so I had a few here and there off-program workouts. Back on it, though, here's the last two since getting back to school.

Tuesday
Squat
1x10x45
1x8x135
1x5x225
1x2x315
5x5x350(Work Sets)
*Still barefoot and loving it.

Deadlift
1x5x135
1x4x225
1x3x315
1x1x405
1x5x455 (Work Set)
*Grip was pretty weak after the week off, but still got all 5 just fine. Excited for the next +10lbs next week.

Wednesday
Bench (Triples Week)
1x10x45
1x8x135
1x5x185
1x2x225
1x1x275
5x3x292.5 (Work Sets)

Weighted Dips
1x5xBodyweight
1x3x45
3x5x110
*Missed 5th rep on second set, but came back and got all 5 on third one. Aiming to get all 15 next week.

Neutral Grip Pull-Ups
3xUntilFail(8,6,5)xBodyweight

DB Hammer Curls
3x[8-12](12,12,12)x50s
*Moving up to 55s next week.

[NuLifting56]

Friday
Squat
1x10x45
1x8x135
1x5x225
1x2x315
1x1x370
1x5x410 (Intensity Set)
*Nailed all 5, felt great. Going up to 415 next week.

Power Cleans
1x10x95 (Hang Clean Warm-Ups)
1x5x135
1x3x185
1x3x195
1x3x200
*Stopped after that last set, shoulder was hurting. Decided not to push it.

RDLs
1x5x135
1x5x225
3x5x275

[NuLifting56]

Sunday
OHP (Triples Week)
1x10x45
1x8x95
1x5x135
1x2x155
5x3x187.5 (Work Sets)

Pull-Ups/Chin-Ups
5xWide-Grip
5xRegular-Grip
5xNarrow-Grip
5xWide-Chin
5xRegular-Chin
5xNarrow-Chin
*Started to die out after switching to chin-ups. Took a few sets at each grip.

DB Hammer Curls
3x[8-12](10,8,8)x55s

[NuLifting56]

Tuesday
Squat
1x10x45
1x8x135
1x5x225
1x2x315
5x5x355 (Work Sets)

Deadlift
1x5x135
1x4x225
1x3x315
1x2x365
3x3x405 (Work Sets)
*Grip was ****, decided to do a volume deadlift workout over the usual single intensity set.

Wednesday
Bench (Singles Week)
1x10x45
1x5x135
1x2x225
1x1x285
5x1x315 (Work Sets)
1xUntilFail(11)x225 (Back-off Set)

Weighted Dips
1x10xBodyweight
3x5x110

DB Hammer Curls
3x[8-12](10,10,9)x55s

[NuLifting56]

Tuesday
Squat
1x10x45
1x8x135
1x5x225
1x2x315
5x5x355 (Work Sets)
*Felt good in my brand new Romaleos. But didn't have time for deadlift unfortunately.

Wednesday
Bench (5x5 Week)
1x10x45
1x5x135
1x3x225
1x1x255
5x5x275 (Work Sets)
*Felt great

Weighted Dips
3x5x90

Skullcrushers
3x[8-12](10,10,9)x65

DB Hammer Curls
3x[8-12](12,12,10)x55s

[NuLifting56]

Saturday
Squat
1x10x45
1x8x135
1x5x225
1x2x315
1x1x375
1x5x415 (Intensity Set)
*Used a walk-out at 455 to help me get comfortable. Nailed all 5 reps, felt super strong!

Power Cleans
1x10x45 (Hang Clean Warm-Ups)
1x5x105 (Hang Clean Warm-Ups)
1x3x135 (Floor onwards)
1x2x185
5x3x205 (Work Sets)
1x2x225
*Clean form is coming along well. Much better triple extension.

RDLs
1x5x135
1x5x225
3x5x275 (Work Sets)

[NuLifting56]

Took a week off due to a ton of school work and feeling somewhat under the weather. Back at it this week.

Tuesday
Squat
1x10x45
1x8x135
1x5x225
1x5x315 (Work Sets Onwards)
1x5x325
1x5x335
*Tweaking stance. Still needs a little work on it, will fix on Friday.

Deadlift
1x5x135
1x4x225
1x3x315
1x1x365
3x3x405 (Work Sets)

Wednesday
Bench (Off-Program)
1x10x45
1x5x135
1x3x225
1x1x290
4x10x225 (Work Sets)

Weighted Dips
1x10xBodyweight
1x5x45
3x3x90

Neutral Grip Pull-ups
3xMaxReps(7,5,4)

Seated Rows
3x[8-12](10,8,8)x150

DB Hammer Curls
3x[8-12](10,8,8)x55

Skullcrushers
3x[8-12](12,12,12)x50

[NuLifting56]

Friday
Close-Grip Bench
1x5x45
1x5x135
1x5x185
5x3x225 (Work-Sets)

OHP
1x5x45
1x4x95
1x3x135
5x3x155 (Work-Sets)

Squat
1x10x45
1x8x135
1x5x225
1x2x315
3x5x355,365,375 (Ramping Work-Sets)

Power Cleans
1x10x45 (Hang Clean Warm-ups)
1x5x95 (Hang Clean Warm-ups)
1x3x135 (Floor pulls onwards)
1x2x185
1x1x210
6x2x225 (Work-Sets)
*I. Love. Cleans.

RDLs
1x5x135
1x5x225
3x5x280 (Straps Used)

[NuLifting56]

Tuesday
Squat
1x10x45
1x8x135
1x5x225
1x2x315
5x5x355 (Work Sets)

Deadlift
1x5x135
1x4x225
1x3x315
1x1x365
1x1x405
1x5x455 (Intensity Set)

Barbell Shrugs (Strapped)
3x12x315