I've been weight training since March 2009 and keeping a sporadic log in a composition book. I started 5/3/1 in October and have logging more consistently since then. Its helped my progress for all the obvious reasons. I think posting a log here might prove even more beneficial especially if I receive any feedback. Anyway, here goes...I'm a 132 lb female. 5'3" and 21 yrs old.

Workout on 1/1/2010
Squats:
1x3 @170lbs
1x3 @180lbs
1x9 @190lbs*
big but boring squats:
4x10 @130lbs
1x14 @130lbs

*form during working set degraded during last 3 reps. I shifted my feet a few times. Need to be extra careful to break this habit

Workout on 1/2/2010

Overhead Press:
1x3 @67lbs
1x3 @71lbs
1x8 @76lbs

Chin-ups:
9/8/5/7/6

bbb overhead press:
5x10 @55lbs.

Alright, tomorrow is 5/3/1 deadlift day. Working set will be @190lbs. I'm excited to set a new PR.

impressive squatting...and i heart ur name. =+)

haha another 132..

Welcome!

I lust after just your BBB squats.

video of squats

plzkthxbye.

Hey there!

Those squats are quite impressive! Good stuff.

I'm looking forward to seeing how you progress.

Thank you kimbakimba. I developed a love of squatting for higher reps after attempting a 20 rep scheme. It didn't last long because I effed something up in my neck at a mere 145lbs and had to take a week off from squatting, but it did do something for my mental fortitude.

CBear84, I just got a new digital camera, so i'll post one after my Friday squat workout which will be my last max effort squat day before my deload week.

>Yeah, I know,another 132,...I wasdown to 124...before thanksgiving.......... :( I need to clean my diet back up a bit as I'm feeling sluggish and greasy. I can't complain too much though because my otherwise piss poor deadlift has seen improvements in the last couple of weeks, so I guess the additional calories have done some good.

Alright, its just about that time...

Oh, yea, dejavued, I chose the name because I look like a owl a bit, or so my boyfriend tells me. I'll get some pics up as a point of reference...

good squatting!

Holy mother of back pain.
If the soreness I'm (already) experiencing is any indicator, today was an effective dead lift day.

Squats(as warm up)
8 x bar
1x5 @135lbs

Dead lifts:

1x5 @150lbs
1x3 @170lbs
1x8 @190lbs

Overhand grip on first 2 sets. Mixed grip on final set. I rested 5 sec then did one more rep @ 190lbs for good measure because I wasn't happy with my form on the 8th rep.

Bent-over dumbbell rows:

3x7 @55lbs
2x5 @55lbs

bbb dead lifts:

1x6*
4x10 @130bs

*I immediately loaded up a bar after rows and attempted a first set, apparently I wasn't rested enough because I only did 6 before needing to rest so I could actually breath. After resting I was able to do 4 sets of 10. I would also like to note that 130lbs is well over 50% of my 1RM when last tested, but I am female(duh) and if I can do it, without overreaching/training, I feel like I should.

bb curls (for the hell of it):
9/8/7/5/5 @40lbs
reverse-grip
3x8 @30lbs

I'm pretty happy with how I did today. I also noticed my shitty grip is improving.

I would like to get your warmup squat. :)

8 at 190 lbs -- very nice. I'm looking forward to seeing your videos!

hehe oh gosh! This is turning out to be pretty exciting. I have a gym partner whom I trust who critiques my form, so I actually haven't made any vids of myself yet. I can see it doing me a world of good to actually see what I look like performing the movements from the crucial plane.

Now that I have decided to do it I'm kinda pissed that I haven't before. I guess I have just been a little nervous/freaked out at the idea of making videos, but now that I have agreed to I can't chicken out. I might not have even thought to take videos at this point had I not been encouraged by you ladies. I knew I started this log for a reason!

Hey --
we're the same age, same size, similar numbers (though your squats are quite a bit better.)
Let the (friendly) competition begin!
And, yes, videos would be great.

Alright, sounds good. I can definitely use the motivation.

Today's Workout-

Bench Press:
1x5 @90lbs
1x3 @102.5lbs
1x6* @115lbs (PR+1)

Attempted but failed a 7th rep. I chalk this up to shitty form on the 2nd rep. I recovered and completed 4 more reps but I think the momentary loss of back tightness cost me a rep @ the end.

Dips
13*/9/9/8/7/6/6
*Most I've done in a single set. Previously, I was only able to do 10 for a set.

More Bench
3x10* @70lbs
*Was going for 5x10 but I was so fried from dips I called it quits after 3 sets.

I weighed myself last night and I was back down to 129lbs, though I had pie for like 2 of my 6 meals today, so I might have put back on 1 or 2. I'm going to clean the sugar out of my diet though...really..I'm happier eating healthfully and with restraint. Junk affects my mood and regular indulgence makes me miserable. Need to be good tomorrow...one day @ a time.

Bah, I should probably start jogging again too. Its been a good month and a half. Even though I don't get all hot and excited by cardio, it generally improves my mood when I do it on a regular basis. Also, its just a matter of pride, for me, to be able to run a few miles without passing out...esp. considering I used to be decidedly out of shape. Ok that is all..

How can you put up so much on bench and dip so little?

Today was my 5/3/1 squat day. It was a miserable disappointment.

Squats:
1x5 @160lbs
1x3 @180lbs
1x4* @200lbs
bbb squats:
5x10 @135lbs

*Failed 5th rep I attempted. I was surprised to see I did so poorly after my satisfactory working set last Friday. I should have gotten 6 reps easily and squeezed out a 7th to grow on. The frustrating thing is, I KNOW I could have done it. Back in September, when I was messing around with the Texas Method, my squats were up to 205lbs for 5x5 on volume day. I know why I messed this set up and it was because I allowed my form to deteriorate after the third rep. I did make a video which I will not be posting because it is embarrassing, but it revealed to me exactly why I failed my 5th rep. It started with my foot placement. My stance was too wide, thus I could not push my knees out far enough at the bottom. Hip drive was killed, 5th rep failed. Next week is my deload week, which I need. This next cycle, I will focus on knees out at the bottom so I don't go around failing reps I would have otherwise easily gotten up.

5/3/1 OHP day. Last max effort day before I deload deads on Monday. I'm very pleased with how I did. I have had a hard time with getting my strict press form to a point where it feels natural and efficient. As such, my progress as been slow and spotty at times. Because of these past difficulties, the PR I set today was especially satisfying.

Press:
1x5 @60lbs
1x3 @70lbs
1x8* @80lbs
I was only honestly expecting to put up 6 clean reps. This set was especially beautiful form-wise. Each rep was perfectly straight up and not "out in front"(as past efforts had been). I was glad to note my progress in the form department as well as the strength gains.

Pull-ups
5/5/4/3/3
This is definitely NOT a PR. Don't know what was up with that. Either gaining 7 lbs took their toll or I didn't rest long enough after my working set of press.

BBB Press:
Used preloaded barbells
2x10 @50lbs(felt way too light)
3x10 @60lbs

barbell curls:
4x5 @50lbs

My training partner/boyfriend has a sister who has been expressing some interest in exercising. We convinced her to come with us to the gym today. I hope we can keep her away from the cardio machines long enough to brainwash her on the overall superiority of weight training. (Though stepping on a treadmill probably wouldn't kill me....and I think I will tomorrow.) Anyway, she was a good sport about it all, and we got her to benchpress, deadlift, and OHP, and went over bodyweight squats...it was an akward movement for her so we're going to let her get used to it before we add load.

De-load day for dead lifts/recovery squats

Squats:
3x5 @135lbs
*Really drilling form here!!!! Trying to keep my stance a little narrower and feet from shifting...which really isn't a probably under light weights, but I pretend they're heavy :)

Deads:
1x5 @135lbs
1x5 @140lbs
1x5 @145lbs

Chins
7/7/7/5/4
*honestly, feeling lazy

BO dumbell rows
3x5 @60lbs
2x10 @45lbs

Bench Press Deload day-

Bench:
1x5 @65lbs
1x5 @75lbs
1x5 @95lbs

solid work ;)

25 lbs is alot of weight for your first weighted dips. Good job!

So I finally decided to stop being a lazy asshole and took my belly for a run this morning. It wasn't as horrible as I thought it was going to be. I'm going to keep up the running on Sundays(following my press day) and Thursdays(after bench press). I think the mistake I made in the past with running was trying to do it every day I didn't lift, which I guess it fine for some, but I really don't feel like fucking around on a treadmill when I'm sore from a heavy squat or dead lift workout the day before. Sore pecs don't stop me from running though...which they are, very, by the way...makes me ecstatic to be honest. They haven't felt this sore in awhile.

Also, general question here to anyone who feels like addressing it...

Should I add weight to chins for sets of 5 the same as with dips? I usually have just tackled chins by doing sets to failure, but I really haven't been making gains this way. I've been thinking, if I can add weight maybe I should.

What kind of gains are you trying to make? Chances are the answer will be yes.

All kinds of gains. HUGE MASSIVE GAINS!!!!! GINORMOUS DELTS AND TRAPS!!!!! STRENGTH MUSCLE ARRGH!! hah, no really -specifically, in reference to the question, more body weight chin-ups and pull ups...so I guess, will doing weighted chins and progressively adding weight transfer to more body weight chins for a single set? I can easily do 9 chin ups for a set or 8 for a few sets across, but I've only been able to do 10 on one occasion at a lower body weight. I'd really like to do 10...then 15..etc..

I go back and forth and both weighted and bw have gone up. I do some variation of pullups every other day in the gym.