Fitness Journal #6

I've been lifting weights for about a month now, and have been on my current training program for about 3 weeks. (The first week of weights was like random) The program of choice is Stronglifts 5x5, and it looks like this:

Workout A
Squats 5x5
Bench Press 5x5
Barbell Rows 5x5

Workout B
Squats 5x5
Shoulder Press 5x5
Deadlifts 1x5

So you basically alternate between A and B every workout, adding 2.5kg each workout.

For the first 2 weeks + or so, I felt I wasn't really benefiting much from the workouts, because the weights were too light (It is recommended that you start with an empty bar, 20kg). I would leave the gym feeling having accomplished something (like some psychological effect), but my body wouldn't feel tired at all.

Recently, the weights are getting heavier, so I do feel a bit more tired after each workout. My current weights are posted here (all + about 2.5/5kg since that was a few workouts ago).

I've began to modify each workout abit to add in some accessory exercises because I am a vainpot and I want to have nicer ____ (fill in any body part). For example, I end off every workout with some arm work which can be forearm curls, bicep curls, tricep curls, etc. I've also replaced Barbell Rows with Chin ups, because they basically train the same area and I feel I'm somehow not doing Barbell rows with proper form as I don't feel the strain on my back at all (but more of my quads).

I've also taken to adding ab-work every workout, as well as doing benchpress every work out (instead of every other workout). Come on body bulk up!

Cardio is a bitch really... I would gladly do twice the lifting than do a session of cardio. But I need to do cardio because of this stupid blob of flat called my tummy/belly/paunch. I will be alternating between HIIT (30/60 sprint/jogs) and 20 min jogs. Hope to be doing cardio 3 times a week... though it's soooo tempting to just skip one, unlike weights which I will never skip because of lack of discipline because I enjoy it!

 

Sorry for really boring blog posts haha I'll try to write more interesting stuff next time. But I do want to chronicle my progress and process, thus all these Fitness Journals! Next post probably has to do with something personal, so stay tuned for that ;)