Fierce 5 results thus far

[Hutrapper]

When I started this program 9 months ago, I was untrained and felt like Forrest Gump: I am not a strong man Jenny..

Felt pretty good today. Never thought I would squat over 300 lbs given where I started, but here I am and not slowing down.

Started end of February.

Numbers in lbs in nine months:

there are F5 working sets, not 1 rep max numbers.

Squat- 135-320
Bench 145-240
Pendlay 100-170
Front Squat 115-255
RDL 140-330

I know these numbers are not considered "strong". however the improvement from where I started feels pretty great.

I recall the squat especially feeling like a ton of weight when I started at 135, hitting the bottom and struggling to stand up. Finishing the first set and feeling weird hamstring pains for the first three weeks. Having never had strong legs 300 felt like a great milestone. Eating like an absolute fiend has helped. 6'2", currently 238. Goal is to cut down a bit to be around 220 with 12-15% bodyfat. Not competing in anything. Dealt with an impinged shoulder, and back pain at first. Both feel great now.

Next stop, four plates.

[TolerantLactose]

I know these numbers are not considered "strong".

Yes, it is. Good going.

[Hutrapper]

Yes, it is. Good going.

Based on the "charts". I would guess I am just stepping into intermediate territory on some lifts. I guess maybe I am selling myself a bit short because these arent one rep max lifts, which those chart things are based off. Not that I care really, just trying to be better than I was yesterday.

It always seems week by week that you make little progress, but when I look back at my lifting log it is pretty clear. The process works, and it hasn't been a year yet. Thanks to all on here who have assisted.

Man, I can't wait to load four plates a side. Might take a while, but Ill get there.

[TAWS6]

Easily intermediate. Awesome work.

[WakingOp]

You got me beat. For sure. Why's your deadlift so low? I mean comparatively, 340 pounds is still a lot. I can bench and squat about 150. But I can almost deadlift the same as you. You scared? Deadlifts always scared me

[WolfRose7]

You got me beat. For sure. Why's your deadlift so low? I mean comparatively, 340 pounds is still a lot. I can bench and squat about 150. But I can almost deadlift the same as you. You scared? Deadlifts always scared me

Nothing abnormal about his deadlifts.
Probably slightly more built to squat n bench than deadlift

Remember hes doing RDLs for 8s and squats for 5s.

Big discrepancies between squat and deadlift usually indicate a lack of squatting practice and technique or a very light lanky lifter built to pull

[WolfRose7]

Nothing abnormal about his deadlifts.
Probably slightly more built to squat n bench than deadlift

Remember hes doing RDLs for 8s and squats for 5s.

Big discrepancies between squat and deadlift usually indicate a lack of squatting practice and technique or a very light lanky lifter built to pull

Lift are excellent btw OP, don't stop until you stall, but don't be afraid to switch as soon as you stall too.

Barbell medicines "the bridge" is a very good follow on program from 3 day beginner templates like ss and fierce 5.
Tge first version is still free and is good.
3.0 edition is excellent though costs a small sum for template

[sunsean]

[QUOTE=WolfRose7;1591545081
Big discrepancies between squat and deadlift usually indicate a lack of squatting practice and technique or a very light lanky lifter built to pull[/QUOTE]

Wow this is pretty much me...my back/pulling exercises have always been stronger than my pushing exercises...and I do have a relatively lanky build, small wrists etc...never knew there was a correlation.

[LifterWest]

Excellent work and good job on staying the course for this long! You seem to be a big guy but so are your numbers! How much weight did you gain during the program?

[rtpmarine]

Lift are excellent btw OP, don't stop until you stall, but don't be afraid to switch as soon as you stall too.

Damn this is great advice.

OP - I’m curious how did you fix the impingement and back pain?

[TolerantLactose]

Wow this is pretty much me...my back/pulling exercises have always been stronger than my pushing exercises...and I do have a relatively lanky build, small wrists etc...never knew there was a correlation.

Long arms are conducive to DL but very much the opposite for bench.

[Hutrapper]

You got me beat. For sure. Why's your deadlift so low? I mean comparatively, 340 pounds is still a lot. I can bench and squat about 150. But I can almost deadlift the same as you. You scared? Deadlifts always scared me

Ibeing that they are Romanian deadlifts, I really try to isolate the hamstrings as much as possible. I really feel it with three sets of eight. I start by doing a standard deadlift to get into position, and the weight seems pretty light for a standard deadlift.


I'd love to add regular deadlifts into it, but like front squats too much, as I was told that that would likely be the place to add them, and add hamstring curls as well.

Maybe at some point in my life I will try get a key good deadlift numbers, but for now I am happy doing the rdls

[Hutrapper]

Lift are excellent btw OP, don't stop until you stall, but don't be afraid to switch as soon as you stall too.

Barbell medicines "the bridge" is a very good follow on program from 3 day beginner templates like ss and fierce 5.
Tge first version is still free and is good.
3.0 edition is excellent though costs a small sum for template

Thanks! I have been wanting to add some conditioning type work, so I picked up the book barbell conditioning. Haven't implemented anything yet, but thinking about it.

I am gonna see what happens with this. Three days a week really works well for me, but I realize I'll need to change it up at some point

[Hutrapper]

Excellent work and good job on staying the course for this long! You seem to be a big guy but so are your numbers! How much weight did you gain during the program?

Honestly, zero from start till now. I was kind getting...well ..fat, so I got a bit more serious about getting into a program. I bulked for two months at first, then did a cut for about three or so months and went from 245 at the start to 218...because I cut early I was able to keep progressing somewhat well. Now I have some room to add weight (fat and muscle obviously) and I am eating like a horse to try and get stronger. Seems to be working decently
As I stand now, I am somewhere just south of 240. Still adding a bit of fat, but I look way better. Plan is to keep at it till April, then cut down 20 lbs by July.

So, weight gain, not so much, but muscle gain, yessir. How much I cannot tell

[WolfRose7]

Thanks! I have been wanting to add some conditioning type work, so I picked up the book barbell conditioning. Haven't implemented anything yet, but thinking about it.

I am gonna see what happens with this. Three days a week really works well for me, but I realize I'll need to change it up at some point

The bridge is also 3 days, but has 2 general physical preparation sessions a week (conditioning and lacking muscle groups). That Can be done after sessions or on off days.
So while the base is 3 days it can be made 3, 4 or 5

[Hutrapper]

Damn this is great advice.

OP - I’m curious how did you fix the impingement and back pain?

Back pain going away has been recent. I listened to rippetoe talk about it, and he basically said that for someone like me, with general pain, not to really worry about it. Back pain happens and will likely lessen over time. I tried stretching, inversion table, massage, ...some sort of voodoo chant ...nothing seemed to help. I went on a multivitamin and it seemed to help, but might have been coincidental. While I realize it may return, I think it just took my back a while to adjust to the forces being exerted on it.

As for the impingement, I still feel it, but it doesn't hurt any more. The impingement was doctor diagnosed. I hurt it during one workout where I decided stupidly to add incline lateral raises to the f5 routine...I (again, stupidly) went really heavy on them and felt pain afterwards. Poor form, heavy weight. I fixed it by taking a week off, deloading a lot, and changing my overhead press form to have my arms in front of my body a bit as opposed to really wide.

It's actually cool to have a hurt shoulder because you can feel every single movement that hurts it and can modify your form to make it hurt less.

Over time I tweaked my form, and slowly worked the weight back up, and now am back 100 percent.

The only thing I changed from the program is I did eventually add slightly bent over lateral raises to the program. I just felt my lateral delts were lagging. Seems to be working.

[Hutrapper]

The bridge is also 3 days, but has 2 general physical preparation sessions a week (conditioning and lacking muscle groups). That Can be done after sessions or on off days.
So while the base is 3 days it can be made 3, 4 or 5

Awesome. I am not at a "which program next" stage just yet, but I will look at this because I do like to plan. I workout at home, so barbell and dumbbell exercises are preferred and the program will have to work for a the equipment I have. That's what I liked about f5. Plus it makes use of the big movements, squat, press, deadlift and I'd like to keep progressing on those if possible . I'll check out what you mentioned for sure.

[Hutrapper]

Thanks for all the replies and support. Will rep when I get back on a desktop. Never figured out how to do it on a phone. Lol

[WolfRose7]

Awesome. I am not at a "which program next" stage just yet, but I will look at this because I do like to plan. I workout at home, so barbell and dumbbell exercises are preferred and the program will have to work for a the equipment I have. That's what I liked about f5. Plus it makes use of the big movements, squat, press, deadlift and I'd like to keep progressing on those if possible . I'll check out what you mentioned for sure.

Yeah not suggesting to switch next but good to have a plan
https://www.barbellmedicine.com/the-bridge/

[Hutrapper]

Yeah not suggesting to switch next but good to have a plan
https://www.barbellmedicine.com/the-bridge/

Very cool. I downloaded the program and gave it a quick read through.

I'll need to study it a while before it makes sense.

[rtpmarine]

Thanks for all the replies and support. Will rep when I get back on a desktop. Never figured out how to do it on a phone. Lol

I do it on iPhone by clicking the little star next to the user's name:

https://imgur.com/a/x893OLZ

[Hutrapper]

I do it on iPhone by clicking the little star next to the user's name:

https://imgur.com/a/x893OLZ

Repped!

[WakingOp]

Ibeing that they are Romanian deadlifts, I really try to isolate the hamstrings as much as possible. I really feel it with three sets of eight. I start by doing a standard deadlift to get into position, and the weight seems pretty light for a standard deadlift.


I'd love to add regular deadlifts into it, but like front squats too much, as I was told that that would likely be the place to add them, and add hamstring curls as well.

Maybe at some point in my life I will try get a key good deadlift numbers, but for now I am happy doing the rdls

It's not a bad number. It just stood out, like you had difficulties behind it or something. All your other numbers kill mine, so it seemed off

[Hutrapper]

Holy crap this is some inspiring stuff.

Been iffy about trying Fierce 5 myself but this made me wanna give it a shot.

Try it out man. Just don't think the linear progression means you will just keep moving up every workout. I had some really lousy depressing weeks. Several weeks together even. Drop weight, try again .Then one day I found myself loading three plates on the bar for squat and and I thought shyt is this happening?? I would feel bad about the lousy workouts, but failing a lift or a set feeling oppressively heavy isn't failure. Just part of the process.