Creating a weapon of mass destruction.

[DstryEvrytng]

Hello all, im new here and figure i will just jump right in. First off thanks to the people who post the wealth of knowledge i have found thus far in these forums. Now a little history. I have been training on and off since my teens. I have had very good gains in the past but never stuck to it. I have been going about it with far to much complexity. Thank you to this forum for making me realize this. So back to basics for me. The program will be the madcow 5x5. Starting 05/21/11. My job is very demading and it is shift work that canges at least every six weeks. I am planning to use my shift switches to my advantage. I have little time to eat on all shifts exept day shift so 12 weeks of slightly above maintinace to six of well. above. I am mostly sedentary for 10 hours a day so here is my size and nutrition intake. 5'8" 180# and im guessing at 15- 18% fat. 30-50 gr fats. 180-250 protien. 150-250 carbs 2k calories Major adjustment on carbs and fats depending on cardio for the day same with protien depending on training intensity. Cardio consists of a half hour of running 6-8 mph on very hilly terrain ( i live in the green mtn range) 4 days a week. I plan on major adjustment to the diet when the need arises, right now i am at quite a deficit. Starting 5 rep max's as follows. 325 dead lift, 245 squat, 225 bench, 185 row, 135 overhead press. The bench is way down due to a fairly minor rotator issue that i am working on (caused by never working delts properly and benching too heavy). Squat is down because. of lack of proper training. Start pics and measurements are on my bodyspace. This should be a very good example of what the 5x5 can do as i am very diciplined. and determined to destroy every plate in the gym. I may have forgotten some details, i am using an i phone to post so its a pita to scroll around and see. Thanks to the silver backs here and theyre many posts that have made me realize my routine suked a$$.

[DstryEvrytng]

6.5 mile run in 54 minutes. Easy day today.

[DstryEvrytng]

I started the 5x5 today and am hopeing that it stacks up fast. Maybe i will change my mind in the coming weeks but the workout today was far too easy. Maybe i should have upped the starting weight. Also ran my normal loop and cut a little under 2 minutes off so thats 17 minutes of pretty hard cardio. Nutrition was 2600 cals. 60 grams fat, 193 g protien, 347 grams carbs. Carbs were sky high. Usually i am around 200 grams, fawking raisin bran. Feeling good. Would like to get in another training session but i am goin to stick with the program and see how it works.

[DstryEvrytng]

Not even the slightest bit of muscle soreness today. Very dissapointed. I am not sure the 5x5 is gonna do it for me, the volume just isnt there. Normally i would ramp 12 sets for each group, pyramid reps. Oh well. Ran about 5.5 miles today in 40 minutes. Nutrition looks like this. 44 fats, 261 carbs, 185 protien. One last thing, midnight shift suks balls.

[DstryEvrytng]

So i threw a big FU to the 5x5 today. I was still pissed about the waste of training time two days ago. I dont like not knowing if i have accomplished anything with a session and to me if there isnt any muscle pain at all then i didnt move foreward. Maybe stupid but thats the way i am. Ran my normal loop and took over 3 minutes off, i was so exited about that i decided to keep going for a 12 minute "cool down" that caused me to almost spill my oats on the road. Training was chest and tris, like i said i was still piissed about the tiny session two days down. Incline barbell press, 135x8, 145x8, 155x8, 165x8, 175x8. Flat bench barbell press , 155x8, 165x8,175x8, 185x8, 195x8. Decline barbell press, 185x8, 165x8, 175x8, 185x8, 195x8. Triceps, dips 8x no weight, 45x8, 55x7, 45x4, 25x5, bodyweight x 8. Crossface tricep dumbell extension, 20x8, 25x8, was not getting a good range of motion so switched to standing behind head dumbell extension. 25x6, 25x8, 30x8. Dumbell skull crusher, 80x10, 90x10, 100x10. Side laterals 15x10, 20x10, 25x10. Weighted incline sit ups with a quarter on chest 3 sets 12 reps. And a bunch of leg raises. Wanted to hit more. medial delt but my training partner was gettin pissed. Ha. Session was An hour and 15 minutes. Nutrition, calories = 1760, fats = 26 gr, protien = 192 gr, carbs = 206 gr. I still have 8 oz of tuna to eat that is included in those numbers and an apple a banana and a yogurt. Then i need to hit uP some convinience store jerky i guess. One more thing, midnight shift still suks. Did some dirty calorie pounding and ended with 2300 cals today.

[30MileMarie]

Are you cutting or are you bulking. In my opinion you have to do one or the other. If you are cutting and only consuming 1750 cals, all that time and work at the gym will be a waste, because especially with all that cardio your body doesnt have enough energy and is burning muscle. Up the calories and lower the cardio or lay off the weights a little...meet quinoa your new best friend!

[DstryEvrytng]

Im still somewhere between 15 and 17 percent fat. Not worried about using lean mass for fuel yet. Those lifts were not very heavy for me just quite a bit of rep volume and little rest between sets I consider that session to almost have a slight cardio effect. Ended up with 2300 cals for the day anyways. So yes i am still on a cut. ThAnks for looking and commenting.

[30MileMarie]

I stand corrected, I didnt know that wasnt really heavy for you and you were resting so little. I see your strategy now. Keep up the good work!!!

maybe drop your sets to keep your workout to an hour, and I bet your workout partner will be a happy camper!

[DstryEvrytng]

****ty really rainy day today. Ran 3.5 miles in 30 minutes on a treadmill at 1.5 incline, i hate treadmills. Forgot my program at home so i did a few sets of squats while i waited for the wife to find it and text me my routine for today. Squats = 135x10, 185x8, 195x8, 205x8, 215x8, 225x8. The one thing i beleive i will keep from the 5x5 is the 3 days a week on legs. My wheels need work. So program says back, calves, biceps and rear delt. Severely time constrained by now. Dead lift = 135x10, 225x8, 235x8, 245x8, 255x8, 265x8. Barbell row= 135x8, 155x8, 175x8, 195x8. Pull ups = 4 sets of 10. Bent dumbell lateral = 15x10, 20x10, 25 x10. Barbell curl. 45x10, 55x10, 65x10, 75x10. No calve work due to time constraints. Nutrition = calories = 2011, fats = 40 g, protien = 177 g, carbs = 258. Just realized im goin to need a dbl shot of whey when i get home. Feeling very wound up, fuggin oats are like rocket fuel. Strength isnt up, i guess due to the calorie intake. Ill have to deal with that. Down to 177# and starting to feel really small.

[DstryEvrytng]

Rained like hell again today, back on the pos treadmill for another half hour (3.6 miles today). Training was shoulders, calves, and some upper chest. Standing cable flys on low pully = 30x10, 40x10, 50x10. Standing military press behind head = 45x10, 95x8, 105x8, 115x8. Compound lateral raise with dumbell = 25x8, 30x10, 35x10. Bent over lateral = 20x10, 25x10, 30x10, 35x8 last set was real ugly form. Barbell shrugs = 135x10, 185x8, 195x8. Calf press = 325x10, 415x10, 415x10. Standing barbell calf raise = 225x10, 315x10. Seated calf raise = 90x10, 135x10x4 sets. Nutrition. Cals = 2300, Fat = 34 gr, carbs = 214 gr, protien = 224 gr. Chest is a little sore from a few days ago. Legs also slightly sore from yesterday. I am expecting my front delts to be pretty tweeked due to me not doing presses behind my head in years. Slept like a champ yesterday, hard to do during the day with 2 dogs. Hopefully i can continue that.

[DstryEvrytng]

Still raining so another 30 minutes on the treadmill, 3.6 miles again. Arms and upper back. Dips= 15xbody weight, +45#x8, + 55x8, + 65x8. Close grip bench= 135x10, 185x8, 195x8, 205x4, 195x7. Overhead cable extension= 120x8, 130x8 (super set 70 dumbell ovrhead extension for 10) 140x8.(super 80 dumbell for 10), 150x8. V grip pulldowns= 140x8, 150x8, 160x8, 170x8. Seated row= 130x8, 140x8, 150x8, 160x8. Nutrition= 2682 cals, 99 grams fat, 229 carbs, 234 protien. For some reason i decided to pound down 12 ozs of lean ground beef rolled up into 2 wheat tortillas. That was about 5 hrs ago and im still feeling it so i probly will not finish my eating tonight and end up under thise numbers by a bit. I havent eatin anything that greasy in a while, fuggin gross really. Oh well.

[DstryEvrytng]

Finally got to run outside today so did a half hour of running. Then legs. Squats= 135x10x2, 185x8, 205x8, 225x8. Leg press= 375x8, 415x8, 505x12, 555x7. Laying ham curls= 80x8, 100x8, 110x8, 120x8. Straight leg deads= 45x10, 135x12, 185x12, 205x12. Calf press=325x12, 415x12, 505x12, 555x12. Seated calf raise=100x15, 145x13, 125x13. Work in between leg sets was 5 sets of 10 pull ups and tricep extensions with rope= 100x8, 120x8, 130x8, 140x6. Nutrition is, cals= 1779 gr, protien= 159 gr, carbs=223. I just realized i need to have some whey when i get home so protien will go up 48 grams and cals up 240. Going camping for 2 days so my diet will be fuked. I do need the rest days though. With my job i do not always have the same days off every week and i use my days off for rest days. The thing that suks is when i work 7 8 or 9 days in a row it really screws with my program and i get a little burnt from all the cardio. Oh well, Nut Up or Shut Up, right.

[DstryEvrytng]

Ate like **** and drank way too much beer over past two days. Just ran today for 35 minutes. Idk the distance but i was running slow. Nutrition was. 1900 cals, 239 carbs, 158 protien, 36 fat. Carbs way too high. I was lazy and ate pasta for dinner. Feel like **** from too much partying.

[New Evolution]

You and I have pretty much the same stats.

Subbing to follow along and check for progress.

[DstryEvrytng]

You and I have pretty much the same stats.

Subbing to follow along and check for progress.

Thanks bro, the only progress im making is getting smaller. Thats the point tho for now. My strength seems to be staying close to normal levels. Dropping a bunch of fat so thats good.

[DstryEvrytng]

3.6 miles in 30 mins today. Training is chest , triceps, medial delt, abs. I am trying to cut time in the sessions when i have to use the treadmill and today i had to run on That pos due to more rain. Flat barbell press= 135x10, 190x8, 200x8, 210x8. Improvment here from last week. Decline barbell press= 210x8, 215x8, 220x8, 225x8. Improvement. Dumbell skull crusher= 80x8, 90x8, 100x8. No improvement. Dips= bodyx15, +45x8, +50x8, +55x9. Improvement. Side laterals= 17.5x8, 22.5x8, 27.5x8. Improvement. Lateral raise machine= 70x12, 100x8, 105x8, 110x8. Sit ups= bodyx25, +25# x 13 x 3 sets. Leg and assss raises x 12 x 3sets. Weighted ab machine= 120x12, 130x12, 140x12. I am going to try and move weight up by 1 1/4 pound on dumbell movments and 5 pounds up on barbell movements every week untill i fail, that should happen quik with that big of jumps but who knows. When i get to failure i will stay at that weight untill i no longer fail and for another week after that trying to increase by one or two reps. When i really slam into a wall and see no progress for a few weeks i will change up the routine and repeat the procedure. This all sounds easy to me right now but we will see if i can keep clean enough books to acuratly do it. Main thing i want to accomplish is to not spend and hour and a half in the gym and still make progress. I really do not understand how guys can get in a full workout inside of and hour but im going to try it. Today was and hour and a half. Nutrition= cals 2400, fats 55 gr, protien 220 gr, carbs 229. Weighing 175.6 today. Down from 189 when i started to diet down a few weeks ago. I will getbsome prog pics up here as soo as i find time to use a pc. I dont know how to do it on an iphone.

[New Evolution]

Thanks bro, the only progress im making is getting smaller. Thats the point tho for now. My strength seems to be staying close to normal levels. Dropping a bunch of fat so thats good.

We have the same goal as well. I am trying to lean out and lose belly fat.

3.6 miles in 30 mins today. Training is chest , triceps, medial delt, abs. I am trying to cut time in the sessions when i have to use the treadmill and today i had to run on That pos due to more rain. Flat barbell press= 135x10, 190x8, 200x8, 210x8. Improvment here from last week. Decline barbell press= 210x8, 215x8, 220x8, 225x8. Improvement. Dumbell skull crusher= 80x8, 90x8, 100x8. No improvement. Dips= bodyx15, +45x8, +50x8, +55x9. Improvement. Side laterals= 17.5x8, 22.5x8, 27.5x8. Improvement. Lateral raise machine= 70x12, 100x8, 105x8, 110x8. Sit ups= bodyx25, +25# x 13 x 3 sets. Leg and assss raises x 12 x 3sets. Weighted ab machine= 120x12, 130x12, 140x12. I am going to try and move weight up by 1 1/4 pound on dumbell movments and 5 pounds up on barbell movements every week untill i fail, that should happen quik with that big of jumps but who knows. When i get to failure i will stay at that weight untill i no longer fail and for another week after that trying to increase by one or two reps. When i really slam into a wall and see no progress for a few weeks i will change up the routine and repeat the procedure. This all sounds easy to me right now but we will see if i can keep clean enough books to acuratly do it. Main thing i want to accomplish is to not spend and hour and a half in the gym and still make progress. I really do not understand how guys can get in a full workout inside of and hour but im going to try it. Today was and hour and a half. Nutrition= cals 2400, fats 55 gr, protien 220 gr, carbs 229. Weighing 175.6 today. Down from 189 when i started to diet down a few weeks ago. I will getbsome prog pics up here as soo as i find time to use a pc. I dont know how to do it on an iphone.

Strong volume today and you finish all these in 1.5hrs? How long is your rest time in between sets?

[DstryEvrytng]

Rest between sets of chest is long enough to do a set of ab work. I also superset triceps with laterals. Everything gets a superset exept the top set, for those i just take about a minute. I need to drop the volume, been spending too much time in the gym. I am having difficulty getting in what i feel is a proper amount of work within an hour. Guess i need to up the weight and lower the volume. Maybe stop supersetting and only leave 30 seconds between sets. Or just chill the f out and go with a normal routine.

[DstryEvrytng]

34 minute run. Got around my hilly loop in 17:30. One of these days im going to measure the distance to see if thats a good time, i am certain i hold a pace of 7 to 7.5 MPH so i guess its about 2 miles if my math is correct. There are two steep inclines of about 300 yards in length and a gradual incline for about a third of the way. Did two laps in 34 minutes. Legs and upper back today. Squat = 135x12, 190x8, 210x8, 230x8 five pound improvment. Seated calf raise in between squat sets = 100x12, 185x15, 185x5. Leg press= 325x10, 525x8, 545x8, 565x8. Calve press between sets with same weights and reps of 12 each set. Straight leg deads = 135x10, 185x8, 205x8, 225x8. Pulls ups in between deads= 10, 10, 8, 10. Reverse grip lat pull down 140x8, 160x8, 170x8. Superset with seated rows 150x8, 160x8, 170x7. Was in the gym for an hour and twenty minutes cardio not included. I need to take it down a bit i think. Either that or just hurry it up. Nutrition = 1755 cals. 35. Gr fats. 189 gr carbs, 179 gr protien. I plan on eating a meal when i get home. Wont be able to sleep due to a fuggin parade that will be passing my house so i figure ill just eat. Haha.

[DstryEvrytng]

34 minute run today. Fuggin carnival goers kept me awake most of the day. 2400 cals, 56 fat, 256 carbs, 241 protien.

[DstryEvrytng]

34 minutes of running today. I pushed the run harder than normal doing some small intervals of sprint to jogging on the last half of the time. Nutrition= 1900 cals, 39 gr fats, 192 carbs, 208 protien.

Chest and upper back.

Flat bench barbell press = 135x10x2 sets warmup, 185x8, 205x8, 225x3, 225x1. next time i will only jump 5 pounds at a time, i **** out at the 225 sets.

Incline bench = 135x10, 155x8, 165x8, 175x8, moving up 5 pounds next week.

Bent over row = 135x10, 175x8, 180x8, 185x8. Next time i will start at 165, the reps got a little dirty towards the end.

Pull ups= 5 sets of 12 reps.

Reverse grip lat pull = 150x8, 180x8, 190x8, 200x8.

seated row = 160x8, 170x8, 180x8.

V grip lat pull = 170x8, 160x7, 160x6. Starting at 150 next time, the machine has 10 pound intervals only.

I had a little time left so i did some trap work.

Dumb bell trap raise = 70x12x3.

I lowered my rep volume a bunch and was done within an hour today not counting cardio.

I am on an actual computer today so i can throw in some pics. 2.5 weeks progress.

[New Evolution]

34 minute run. Got around my hilly loop in 17:30. One of these days im going to measure the distance to see if thats a good time, i am certain i hold a pace of 7 to 7.5 MPH so i guess its about 2 miles if my math is correct. There are two steep inclines of about 300 yards in length and a gradual incline for about a third of the way. Did two laps in 34 minutes. Legs and upper back today. Squat = 135x12, 190x8, 210x8, 230x8 five pound improvment. Seated calf raise in between squat sets = 100x12, 185x15, 185x5. Leg press= 325x10, 525x8, 545x8, 565x8. Calve press between sets with same weights and reps of 12 each set. Straight leg deads = 135x10, 185x8, 205x8, 225x8. Pulls ups in between deads= 10, 10, 8, 10. Reverse grip lat pull down 140x8, 160x8, 170x8. Superset with seated rows 150x8, 160x8, 170x7. Was in the gym for an hour and twenty minutes cardio not included. I need to take it down a bit i think. Either that or just hurry it up. Nutrition = 1755 cals. 35. Gr fats. 189 gr carbs, 179 gr protien. I plan on eating a meal when i get home. Wont be able to sleep due to a fuggin parade that will be passing my house so i figure ill just eat. Haha.

Great legs session.

Is there a particular reason why all your runs are 34 mins?

Your bi's are looking good and looks like your abs is starting to show. Keep it up man!

[DstryEvrytng]

I dont know why i end up with 34 minutes. Whats really f'd up is that i lost my watch. So for the last 2 runs i set my timer on my phone when i went out, and hit it when i got back, and it has been within 30 sec either way of 34 minutes on different routes. Im going to increase the intensity of the runs next week. Try and get more burn in the same or less amout of time. thanks for the encouragment. Definatly have quite a way to go. I figure im probably around 18-20%.

[New Evolution]

I dont know why i end up with 34 minutes. Whats really f'd up is that i lost my watch. So for the last 2 runs i set my timer on my phone when i went out, and hit it when i got back, and it has been within 30 sec either way of 34 minutes on different routes. Im going to increase the intensity of the runs next week. Try and get more burn in the same or less amout of time. thanks for the encouragment. Definatly have quite a way to go. I figure im probably around 18-20%.

You look leaner than 18-20%, probably around 12-14% maybe.

[DstryEvrytng]

33 minutes cardio today. Followed the wife as she was riding her bike and the pace was pretty intense at times, definatly cleared at least 1/2 mile more than normal. Lower back and shoulders today. Dead lift= 135x10x2, 315x8, 335x8, 355x6, 225x12 T&G. Standing barbell press behind head= 45x20, 95x10, 110x8, 115x8 drop to 95x2 drop to 65x8. Sit ups (super sets with presses) 40, 12 with 30# dum bell, 10 with 30# bell drop to 25# for 2, 12 with 25# bell, 6 with 25# bell (failure). Bent over 1 arm db lateral= 30x8, 35x8, 40x8. Leg raise (below plain)= 12x3 Side laterals= 15x10, 20x8, 25x8 drop 20x3 drop 15x5 drop 10x6. Ab machine (seated)= 120x15, 130x15, 140x15. Front delt raise with plates (favorite of mine) drop set 45x12, 35x12, 25x10. Nutrition= 1950 cals, 33 gr fat, 223 gr carbs, 189 gr protien. Felt awake and strong despite working a modified shift last night (started and ended 2 hrs later than norm) so free time was cut to 3 hrs and my sleep (if you could call it that) was cut to 6.5/7 hours. Got a five day weekend coming. Goin campin with the wife and am pretty exited. Tomarrow is legs, i kinda want to work them right now but im stuck at work. Session was a little over an hour. Cutting down on the volume is working out timewise. I need to play with the weight and get that straigtened out so i can start progressing. Otherwise i am still cuttin fat and morale is high at this point.

[DstryEvrytng]

Had some plumbing issues at home to deal with and i slept for 2 extra hours for some reason. FML. 30 minute run at about a 5 of 10 intensity level. 10 being not able to run any furthur. Chased the wife on her bike again. /. Nutrition= 1825 cals, 200 gr protien. 60 gr carbs, 39 gr fats. Im not getting enough fats but i really dont give a ****. I feel fine so im guessin its alright. Tomarrow is gonna be fun. Need to double up legs and arms due to no session today. Then i work a day shift and then im outta here for 5 days. Going to be hard to eat right while camping, and cardio with a hangover, gotta do what ya gotta do i guess. Lol

[New Evolution]

Strong DL number bro.

What is the avg hr that you get to sleep per night? Having 6-7hrs of sleep sucks, but you will get used to it. I often get 5hrs and it sucks.

[DstryEvrytng]

Strong DL number bro.

What is the avg hr that you get to sleep per night? Having 6-7hrs of sleep sucks, but you will get used to it. I often get 5hrs and it sucks.

I try to get 8 hrs. Being on 3rd shift is hard though. It is more like i am lying there for 8 hrs but only getting 6 of sleep at best, between our dogs and living in town it is hard to sleep during the day.

[DstryEvrytng]

For the past few days i have only gotten in one cardio session and zero training. I have been hiking,biking and climbing alot and eating a real lot. Haha. I just asked the wife why i cannot find a place to go and order 10 eggs for breakfast. Next place we walk into has a buffet hahahaha. 10 eggs 6 sausage links and about 2 whole potatoes later we walked out. I am thinking of just calling these five days a mini bulk just for an excuse. Lol.

[DstryEvrytng]

Playtime is over, back to the grind today. Stepped in at 179.6 today. Thats righ, a 4 pound gain in 6 days. FML. Leg day went like this. Squats= 135x12, 195x8, 215x8, 235x8, 255x5. + 5 pound improvment and added the heavy 4th set. Leg press = 325x10, 530x8, 550x8, 570x8, 600x8. 5 pound improvement and added the heavy 4th set. Those 4th sets i added are killers, i rest for 2 minutes before the 4th and then just kill it with some crazy intensity. I plan on incorporating this heavy 4th set on day 1 of the week. I may possibly add this set to my deads also. Calve press= 550 x12, 550x12, 570x12, 600x12. Seated calve raise= 100x15, 185x12, 145x12, 145x12. Much more needs to go into my calves. My program is all over the place. I plan on keeping better books and straightening out my program for calves. Straight legs deads = 135 x10, 195x8, 215x8, 235x8. Laying Hamstring curls = 100x8, 110x8, 120x8, 130x4 drop to 90x5. Leg extensions = 70x12, 90x15, 100x5, 110x15. DB shrugs = 70x10, 75x10, 80x12, 85x12, 90x12. Cardio was 36 minute run at a 6 intensity level. Nutrition= 2100 cals, 50gr fats, 190gr carbs, 240gr protien.