To journal or not to journal......

[TreHockey]

I wasn't sure if I should start doing a journal, but I figured why not. It may help keep me motivated and accountable.

So here is my back story. I'm 41 and have been overweight since my 20's. About 8 years ago I was around 320lbs. I got myself down to around 250lbs before my daughter was born 7 years ago. After she was born I stopped going to the gym for numerous bad reasons (essentially being tired and lazy with a new baby). Since then I got myself back up to my worst at 345lbs. That was last last summer. I decided I need to get healthy and started watching my portions and cut out pop and other crappy food/drinks. I lost 30lbs over about 5 months doing this. I recently got a gym membership to start working out. I mostly used the treadmill and stayed away from the weights if there were a bunch of people there. I'm mostly over that fear and I've been messing around with weights for a couple weeks now. But I needed a routine to stick to. I finally settled on doing the Fierce 5 novice routine which I officially started Monday. I've started lighter than I thought I could but my main concern at this point is getting the right form..The only thing I'm subbing is doing cable rows instead of the pendlay rows. I'm just not comfortable doing them just yet. So here's the start of the journal...

Weight as of Friday March 2 - 306.8lbs

Squat 3x5 45lbs (just the bar)
Bench 3x5 65lbs
Cable Row 3x8 70lbs
Face Pull 3x10 70lbs
Calf Raise 2x15 50lbs
Tricep Pressdown 2x10 70lbs

Squats are a bit of a challenge, probably due to my weight. A few weeks ago just bodyweight was hard.
Can't wait for Wednesday.
Now to stay focused and make no excuses

[TreHockey]

Fierce 5 Workout week 1B - yeah for not missing a workout

Front Squat 3x5 45lbs (bar only)
Shoulder Press 3x5 70lbs
RDL 3x8 65lbs
Lat Pulldown 3x8 70lbs
Crunch 2x15
Bicep curl 2x10 50lbs (barbell)

Inner thighs are feeling extremely worked. I'm guessing this is from the front squats

[TreHockey]

Back at it today for day 3 of the first week of Fierce 5. My legs were still sore this morning from Wednesdays workout and I actually debated not going today and putting it off until tomorrow. Well I smartened up and got my ass to the gym. As per the program, same workout and weights as Monday.

Squat 3x5 45lbs (just the bar)
Bench 3x5 65lbs
Cable Row 3x8 70lbs
Face Pull 3x10 70lbs
Calf Raise 2x15 50lbs
Tricep Pressdown 2x10 70lbs

I was dreading the squats. I did a good stretch before. I had images of going down and not being able to get back up. Well, it didn't happen and after the first set my legs weren't sore anymore. So glad I went!

[Unikatze]

Keep it up! Keeping a journal definitely helps see the improvements and keep you motivated.

[TreHockey]

Alright, the start of week 2. I couldn't up the weight according to the plan for the Lat Pulldowns and Bicep Curls. I remembered reading if you couldn't up the weight due to equipment limits, to up the reps. I couldn't remember how many to up it by so I just added 2 to each set.

Front Squat 3x5 55lbs
Shoulder Press 3x5 75lbs
RDL 3x8 75lbs
Lat Pulldown 3x10 70lbs
Crunch 2x17
Bicep curl 2x12 50lbs (barbell)

[TreHockey]

Weight when I found the forum and started reading - Jan 22 325.8lbs
Fierce 5 starting weight Mar 6 - 307.2lbs
Current weight - 305.1lbs
Second week and back to workout A.

Squat 3x5 55lbs
Bench 3x5 70lbs
Cable Row 3x10 70lbs*
Face Pull 3x12 70lbs*
Calf Raise 2x15 60lbs
Tricep Pressdown 2x12 70lbs*
*same weight as week 1 but upped the reps

I think some of my starting weights were a bit low as some of the sets are too easy. I'm not going to change anything at this point and see it through with the proper progressions

[CombinationDrew]

nice. keep that **** up!

[TreHockey]

Made it through Fierce 5 week 2! All weights go up next week and I'm looking forward to it

Front Squat 3x5 55lbs
Shoulder Press 3x5 75lbs
RDL 3x8 75lbs
Lat Pulldown 3x10 70lbs
Crunch 2x17
Bicep curl 2x12 50lbs (barbell)

[TreHockey]

Start of week 3. Weighed myself Sunday and was down to 303.2lbs

Squat 3x5 65lbs
Bench 3x5 75lbs
Cable Row 3x8 80lbs
Face Pull 3x10 80lbs
Calf Raise 2x15 70lbs
Tricep Pressdown 2x10 80lbs

My bench press still feels way too light. I was reading in one of the threads that I should be able to increase my next workout by 10%. So I'm going to give that a shot.

Once question for anyone reading. I've been doing cable rows in place of pendlay rows. Are T bar rows a better option? And if they are is it okay to sub an exercise in the middle of a routine? I just realized a little device in the corner is for putting a bar in to do t bar rows.

[Unikatze]

Why are you replacing Penlay rows in the first place?

[Unikatze]

I went back to the sticky to see acceptable replacements.

"Pendlay Rows-Any horizontal pull to the chest with a wide grip and elbows at 45 degrees."

From what I see, the T-Rows have a narrow grip. You're probably better off doing the cable rows.

[TreHockey]

I'm not trusting my form yet and I wanted to get into a routine. I've been trying a warm up set of pendlays before the cable rows. I do plan to put pendlays in sometime in the future.

[Unikatze]

I'm not trusting my form yet and I wanted to get into a routine. I've been trying a warm up set of pendlays before the cable rows. I do plan to put pendlays in sometime in the future.

Sounds good.
I'd stick to the Cable rows though

[TreHockey]

Will do, thanks

[TreHockey]

So onto week 3 day 2. Weighed myself today and am now down to 301.6lbs. That's about 25lbs gone in 2 months. I have a short term goal of 297lbs to hit by March 30th.

Front Squat 3x5 65lbs
Shoulder Press 3x5 80lbs
RDL 3x8 85lbs
Lat Pulldown 3x8 80lbs
Crunch 1x20 and 1x22
Bicep curl 2x12 60lbs (barbell)

My gym has a 90 day fitness challenge starting up in 2 days that I'm debating on joining. It's $80 to get in. You get weighed, measured and a picture to start. Then you weigh in monthly and at the end they do the weigh in and final measurements and picture. I'm unsure how they judge but top prize is a trip to Vegas.

[Unikatze]

Are you also tracking your nutrition?

Does that 90 day challenge also come with a fitness program that would mean you switching out Fierce 5 or is it just based on results?

I'd totally join if I were you. $80 bucks for the chance of going to Vegas!? Awesome!
It may help you stay on track and also, even if you don't win, the results you get in those 90 days may be prize enough!

[TreHockey]

I'm tracking my food with cronometer. I used my fitness pal in the past but I like how cronometer tracks macros better. It's been pretty good. It doesn't have as many foods but as I'm eating pretty clean I don't have a big need for the "Subway cold cut trio with onions peppers lettuce and mayo" kind of entries. I have my off day every once in a while but that happens maybe once a month now instead of once a week. I still track it no matter how bad and I generally feel like $hit mentally the next day for allowing myself to do it.

For the $80 challenge its just to enter. They do have trainer packages as well but I'm not using them so I'll still be doing the F5. When I asked about it yesterday they only had 20 entries so the odds are pretty decent

[TreHockey]

Last day of week 3. I signed up for a 90 day challenge at my gym. It cost $80. Worst case scenario, I don't win but get a round of golf or some supplement coupons. Best case, I win and get a trip to Vegas. Either way I plan to see some noticeable results so it's a win all around. When they did all my measurements I should have kept a copy for myself to track. I can always ask next week.

On to the workout. My bench press felt way too light so I upped the weight. I read on one the the Fierce 5 posts you can do this by adding 10% to get to 85% is max by week 3. So I added 10lbs today. A bit more than 10% but it was still fairly easy. I probably should have done this during week 1

Squat 3x5 65lbs
Bench 3x5 85lbs
Cable Row 3x8 80lbs
Face Pull 3x10 80lbs
Calf Raise 2x15 70lbs
Tricep Pressdown 2x10 80lbs

oh yeah, and I'm down to 300.9lbs

[TreHockey]

Start of week 4. I stepped on the scale this morning and 299.6lbs. Haven't seen the 200's in a long time. Here's the workout. It's starting to get tougher and I'm finding with a couple exercises I need the rest time.

Front Squat 3x5 75lbs
Shoulder Press 3x5 85lbs
RDL 3x8 95lbs
Lat Pulldown 3x10 80lbs
Crunch 2x25
Bicep curl 2x12 60lbs (barbell)

[Pomegranate23]

Good job man. Seeing some results already

[TreHockey]

Thanks! Another thing I've noticed is that I'm sleeping a hell of a lot better than 3-4 months ago

[Unikatze]

Awesome stuff man!

I hope you win that trip to Vegas, but regardless, if you stick to it for 90 days you'll be a winner regardless.

[TreHockey]

Week 4 second workout is in the book. I'm still not totally confident I chose the correct starting weights. I'm going to continue with the routine but I will up some weights a bit more than recommended if I'm still finding them too easy. On to the workout......I included some extra sets that were purely for experiment

Fierce 5 starting weight Mar 6 - 307.2lbs
Current weight - 297.6lbs
Short term goal was to hit 297.0lbs by March 30th

Squat 3x5 85lbs
Bench 3x5 95lbs 1x5 105lbs
Cable Row 3x10 80lbs 1x5 90lbs
Face Pull 3x12 80lbs
Calf Raise 1x15 90lbs 1x15 105lbs
Tricep Pressdown 1x10 90lbs 1x10 100lbs

[TreHockey]

Last day week 4. Added some extras just to test myself

Fierce 5 starting weight Mar 6 - 307.2lbs
Current weight - 296.0lbs
Short term goal was to hit 297.0lbs by March 30th. Check! Next goal is 270 by May 25th

Front Squat 3x5 75lbs and 1x3 95lbs
Shoulder Press 3x5 85lbs and 1x3 90lbs
RDL 1x8 95lbs and 2x8 115lbs
Lat Pulldown 3x10 80lbs
Crunch 2x25
Bicep curl 2x12 60lbs (barbell)

[TreHockey]

Missed posting yesterday but I did workout. I'm not going to weigh myself until Friday. I had Easter dinner on Sunday and while I didn't over do it, I didn't feel like checking on Monday morning.

Squat 3x5 95lbs
Bench 3x5 105lbs
Cable Row 3x8 90lbs 1x8 100lbs
Face Pull 3x10 90lbs
Calf Raise 2x15 105lbs
Tricep Pressdown 2x10 110lbs

[TreHockey]

Week 5 2nd workout

Front Squat 3x5 95lbs
Shoulder Press 3x5 90lbs
RDL 3x8 115lbs and 1x3 135lbs (just testing)
Lat Pulldown 3x8 90lbs
Crunch 2x20
Bicep curl 2x10 70lbs (barbell)

[Unikatze]

Hey man! Give us some updates! Want to see you win that Vegas trip!

[TreHockey]

Hey man! Give us some updates! Want to see you win that Vegas trip!

Had a weird week (work training out of town) last week and a busy weekend. Still got my workouts in but wasn't home much to update.

Here's Friday
Pushing myself a little bit just to see where some limits are

Squats 2x5 95lbs, 1x5 105lbs, 1x5 115lbs
Bench Press 1x5 105lbs, 1x5 115lbs, 1x5 125lbs
Cable Row 3x8 90lbs
Face Pull 3x10 90lbs
Calf Raise 2x15 105lbs
Tricep Pressdown 2x10 110lbs

Today's Workout

Front Squat 1x5 95lbs, 2x5 105lbs
Shoulder Press 3x5 95lbs
RDL 1x8 125lbs, 2x8 135lbs
Lat Pulldown 3x10 90lbs
Crunch 2x25
Bicep Curl - barbell 2x12 70lbs

[TreHockey]

Getting my log done on time this time.

Squats 1x5 95lbs, 3x5 105lbs
Bench Press 3x5 125lbs
Cable Row 3x10 90lbs
Face Pull 3x12 90lbs
Calf Raise 3x15 105lbs ** Added an extra set of each for the superset
Tricep Pressdown 3x10 120lbs

And did one last set because I wanted to throw on 2 plates. My triceps were burning but I still got in 3 reps on the bench press at 135lbs. I probably could have squeezed out 5 but I had no spotter and didn't want to fail

Feeling pretty good right now. It was a really good workout

[TreHockey]

Fierce 5 starting weight Mar 6 - 307.2lbs
Current weight - 291.6lbs
Short term goal was to hit 297.0lbs by March 30th - Got it!
Next Goal is 270 by May 25th. A bit aggressive but I think I got it

Today's workout was rough. I was super tired and exhausted from lack of sleep the day before.

Front Squat 3x5 105lbs
Shoulder Press 3x5 95lbs
RDL 3x8 135lbs - need to fix my form before upping the weight next week
Lat Pulldown 3x10 90lbs
Crunch 2x25
Bicep Curl - barbell 2x12 70lbs - this was super hard today. I'll try to up the weight next week like the plan says but damn....