# Faultline - Back To Basics



## faultline (Feb 5, 2010)

I've decided to take things back to basics, no overthinking things just lift and eat.

After a good few months of no lifting, the best option I think is a 5x5, simple and effective.

I'm throwing some accessory work at the end of each session, I'll alternate it around a bit, do 1 or 2 of them each time, just some dips, shrugs, curls, pull-ups etc

Cardio will be done a few times a week, running or incline walking.

Should be a decent mix for a few months to get me going again.

1st session:

Squat 30kg 5x5

Row 30kg 5x5

Deads 50kg 5x5

Bar shrugs 50kg 3xf


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## jimmywst (Aug 22, 2012)

Tadaaaaaa found it ... technophobe.

Nice and simple mate... proven effective


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## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

Morning all.

IN.


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## faultline (Feb 5, 2010)

Workout B complete in work gym.

Squat 40kg 5x5

Bench 40kg 5x5

Ohp 30kg 5x5

Bench dips 3xf

Curls 3xf

Edit: ended it with a 2km run.

I want to keep track of cardio do adding this in also


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## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

A solid start to a new routine. Am I correct in assuming you will be squatting on every session ? Are you following any set routine or are you using a basic template and working around it whilst adding in a few things of your own ? I know there are several different 5x5 workout systems and they all operate slightly differently.


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## faultline (Feb 5, 2010)

Yeah squatting every session, and the basic template is:

A.

squat

Bench

Ohp

B.

Squat

Dead

Row

And then at the end if each sesh I'll just through in a bit of assistant work, shrugs, dips, curls, pull-ups etc

I've been reading alot of 5x5 stuff and a few times I've read that some assistance is needed .

I'm not looking to hit every single muscle into submission but I want a well rounded workout.

I'll follow this simple routine until my holiday at the end of September then reevaluate when I get back.


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## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

Sounds like a good plan and you cant go wrong with the big basic lifts. Plenty of very impressive bodies build on them.


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## jimmywst (Aug 22, 2012)

Split opinion on the assistance being required mate

Obviously the devout say that the core compound is all you need such as ripptoe on the basic starting strength routines

Imo do what you feel you want and just enjoy for now.


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## Kiwi As (Nov 4, 2013)

Enjoy (Y) I'ma go b2b this week as well!


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## faultline (Feb 5, 2010)

Finished work, straight in the gym.

Squats

50kg 5x5

Deads

60kg 5x5

Rows

40kg 5x5

Pull-ups

3xf

Shrugs

26kg 3xf

Now off to have some Cajun chicken then the rest of the afternoon off


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## Quintillius (Jun 19, 2013)

How do I sub to a thread? This looks good!


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## jimmywst (Aug 22, 2012)

Getting back in the saddle swiftly spud


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## faultline (Feb 5, 2010)

Enjoying it bud, under 40 mins all done.

I was tempted to chuck some more plates at the squats and deads but I'll run it as it should, don't want to overdo it and risk an injury or something, I'll soon be struggling with them in the next couple of weeks!

As for matey up there asking about subbing...I have no idea lol I just look under my participated threads to follow the ones I want to


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## jimmywst (Aug 22, 2012)

Quintillius said:


> How do I sub to a thread? This looks good!


Click on thread tools .... subscribe mate.


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## jimmywst (Aug 22, 2012)

faultline said:


> Enjoying it bud, under 40 mins all done.
> 
> I was tempted to chuck some more plates at the squats and deads but I'll run it as it should, don't want to overdo it and risk an injury or something, I'll soon be struggling with them in the next couple of weeks!
> 
> As for matey up there asking about subbing...I have no idea lol I just look under my participated threads to follow the ones I want to


Nice and sensible last thing you need is getting crocked or stalling early on mate


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## faultline (Feb 5, 2010)

Into the gym before work this afternoon.

Squats 60kg 5x5

Bench 50kg 5x5

OHP 35kg 5x5

Then after hearing/reading a lot about TUT lately I decided to use it with my assistance stuff.

DB press 16kg 3xf

Curls 18kg 3xf

Bench dips 3xf

Arms pumped to **** after this and feeling abit wobbly lol

Nice bit of chicken tikka n rice then an afternoon driving 30 ton containers around in the sun


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## jimmywst (Aug 22, 2012)

I'm surrounded by lunatics

Good session mate. Clean and cut


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## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

The lunatics are taking over the asylum.

Looks like another sound session. The tut is fun.


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## faultline (Feb 5, 2010)

It was fun, even though they were relatively light weights by the last rep my arms were like jelly.

See what the DOMS are like over the next couple of days...


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## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

My legs are suffering after sundays session.


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## faultline (Feb 5, 2010)

Got some good DOMS in upper chest and tris today, and woke up starving, could eat a scabby horse, muscles need feeding!


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## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

Time to feed the beast.


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## faultline (Feb 5, 2010)

Today's session turned into a back sesh as I couldn't get near the rack for squats.

Deads 80kg 5x5

Row 47kg 5x5

Pulldowns 40kg 3x10

Shrugs 26kg 3x10


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## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

Missing one squat session won't do any harm and I'm sure the extra energy for the other exercises will have helped. How are you finding the new training system ?


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## jimmywst (Aug 22, 2012)

Deads will still keep them firing mate...


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## faultline (Feb 5, 2010)

Loving it at the moment, pleased to be getting back in the swing of things, and as the weights are not too heavy it leaves plenty for the assistance and recover quickly.

In the next couple of weeks as the weights get challenging I might have to cut some of the extra stuff.

I'll run this until sept 22nd when I go on holiday and then reassess when I get back.


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## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

If it's working well for you and you are enjoying it there's no reason to change things.


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## jimmywst (Aug 22, 2012)

Main thing is your enjoying it ... nothing more nothing less


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## faultline (Feb 5, 2010)

Deads must have hit the spot, got some nice DOMS in the lumbar region this morning.

Got a solid 9 hours sleep, the sun is shining and off work today....life is good


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## faultline (Feb 5, 2010)

I've found a stream for 'generation iron', that's tonight's viewing sorted....and a few cold beers, well it is a rest day


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## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

Sounds like a nice evening. Enjoy.


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## jimmywst (Aug 22, 2012)

Seen the topic bounded about actually .... is it worth a watch ?


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## faultline (Feb 5, 2010)

Yes, find a stream and give it a watch, it's more about what they go through mentally, you see a bit of training and nutrition and even a tiny bit on steroids.

If you want to see mainly training there's better ones out there but for overall of what they do it's good.


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## faultline (Feb 5, 2010)

I was going to clear the shed out today and set back up the dungeon but I felt the first effects of manflu today, sore throat, very tired, headache etc so I just chilled out and got food and fluid down me.

12 hour shift tomorrow lashing on a container ship so that's a workout in itself, hopefully I'll be fighting fit on Sunday and I'll get my next session in then.


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## platyphylla (Feb 17, 2014)

Can't go wrong with the 5x5 mate, i was about where you are now when i started 5 months ago. I've since got my squat up to 149ish kg 1 rep max, 5x5'ing 120kg.


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## faultline (Feb 5, 2010)

Been laid low for the past few days with manflu, still feel crap, just resting up this week it seems.

Over and out


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## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

You and me both. Hope you pick up soon.


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## jimmywst (Aug 22, 2012)

faultline said:


> Been laid low for the past few days with manflu, still feel crap, just resting up this week it seems.
> 
> Over and out


speedy recovery dude


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## faultline (Feb 5, 2010)

Had a workout yesterday, feeling back with it now just been busy at work, will have a little catchup on here later....


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## Im-Bald-Ok (May 11, 2014)

Glad to hear you're recovering from man flu. How long were you lifting before you started this routine? Your lifts are increasing pretty rapidly!


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## faultline (Feb 5, 2010)

Im-Bald-Ok said:


> Glad to hear you're recovering from man flu. How long were you lifting before you started this routine? Your lifts are increasing pretty rapidly!


I've been lifting a while but in the last year due to injuries etc it's been a bit on off so just getting back into it at the mo


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## faultline (Feb 5, 2010)

Right time for an update, been mega busy at work, on nights and on them all week but I'm back on it.

Had a few decent sessions at the end of last week.

Now the original plan was to keep at the 5x5 for another 3 weeks until I go away and then reacess when I come back....but......I've acquired not one but two training partners!

One of them is an ex-army PT and the other is a 17 stone brick ****house.....and today was our first session.

I was pushed hard, it went like this:

Pull-ups

4 sets to failure

Bench

50kg 12

60kg 10

70kg to failure x2

Incline DBS

16kg 12 10 10

Cable flyes

8kg 20 18 16 15

Cgbp

40kg 10 10 10

Push-ups 1 set to failure

Good session and looking forward to the next!


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## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

I think it's a great advantage having a training partner. You can really push hard and they offer a safety aspect and also help you push past failure. The one thing I have noticed over the years is that when people train together if one person is a lot stronger than the other the weaker person tries to lift the same weight and as a result their form is poor and they only do a few reps. I'm not saying this is the case here but it's something to be aware of. There are two lads in the gym I use and one is far stronger than the other so when he's doing sets of 10 to 12 with a weight the other lad is doing either half reps for 6 or 7 reps of full reps for 3 or 4. As a result the stronger lad is growing well and the other lad shows little progress.


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## faultline (Feb 5, 2010)

The ex-PT is about my size but stronger a bit than me, I got 6 good reps on the 70kg while he got 9, but he pushed me past failure to get 10 and wouldn't let me press until the bar was down to my chest.

The other bloke was pressing a good 10 with 80kg.

For me to get 10 full reps I would have had to go down to 60kg but the 2 70kg sets were the only 'heavy' all out sets that I needed spotting with, so I think it was a good mix of training.


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## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

Like I say having a partner certainly helps and it seems you are fairly well matched. The additional gains you will get training together will certainly show after a while. I wish I could find a reliable training partner but they are very rare.


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## faultline (Feb 5, 2010)

Hit the gym before work tonight with one of my new gym buddies, nice bit of back and shoulders.

Pull-ups wide grip

4 x f

Pulldowns

35kg 4 x 12

Low row

30kg 4 x 12

Rear flyes

6kg 4 x 10

Lower back raises(?)

30kg 3 x 10

Db shoulder press

18kg 4 x 10

Shoulder circuit

Front raises 8kg

Side raises 8kg

10kg plate raise above head

10kg plate out in front

4kg windmills

1x8 1x6 1x4 1 min rest between circuits

Military press

30kg 3 x 10

Shrugs DBS

20kg 2 x 10

Defiantly some muscle fibre tearage going on there


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## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

Very nice looking workout there, as you said the muscle will have been well stimulated with that lot. I think combining back and shoulders works well as there is a lot of cross over.

How are you finding the increased volume.


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## faultline (Feb 5, 2010)

First time I've done volume for a good while, hopefully get some gains kicking in.

I'm feeling the pull-ups the most, as I've never really done them, but getting more every time I do them, and it's surprising how much they engage the core, feels like I've done a load of dragonflags! Lol


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## faultline (Feb 5, 2010)

Back in the gym...running out of training days this week so a legs and arms session before tonight's shift.

Leg extention

40kg 4 x 12

Squats

60kg 4x5

The intention was to start at 60 and progress up but hammys started cramping and couldn't even do a fifth set!

Work needed.

Chin ups

4 x f

Bench dips

4 x 12

Tri pushdown

26kg 4 x 12

Bar curls

25kg 2 x 12

20kg 2 x 12

Cable cross curls(?)

7kg 4 x 12

Now for work!


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## jimmywst (Aug 22, 2012)

Bloody hells bells mate ... how you finding the new slant on things


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## faultline (Feb 5, 2010)

Enjoying it mate, gets you more fired up when you know your in for a battering rather than just going through the motions.

Having gym buddies has given me a kick up the **** too.

Most of my body has DOMS today


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## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

Full body DOMS lol

Seems like your enjoying things.


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## faultline (Feb 5, 2010)

No work today so training on my own in the dungeon.

Bench

50kg 12 12

60kg 10 10

Incline DBS

14kg 4 x 12

Pullovers

14kg 4 x 12

DB flyes

9kg 4 x 12

Cgbp

40kg 4 x 10

Bench dips

4 x 10

DB tri ext

22kg 10 8 6


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## faultline (Feb 5, 2010)

Off work again so another shed workout.

Rack chins

3 x 10

Deads

90kg 5 x 5

Db row

18kg 4 x 12

T row

35kg 4 x 12

Db curl

12kg 3 x 10

Bar curl

20kg 3 x 10

Rev bar curl

10kg 4 x 12

Not a bad little session there, feel quite pumped and well worked, should be in the works gym for Fridays workout.


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## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

Two very nice workout there. It's good to see your back and sticking with it :thumb: . I've recently added in reverse bar curls and I think they are a great exercise for hitting the lower section of the bicep.


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## faultline (Feb 5, 2010)

Enjoying it again pal, nice bit of shoulders and legs after work tomorrow.

Old jimbo been a bit quiet this week.. @jimmywst


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## faultline (Feb 5, 2010)

Shoulder workout with my pal at work.

Pull-ups

4 x f

Db shoulder press

12kg 1 x 12

18kg 3 x 10

14kg 3 x 12

Military press

30kg 4 x 10

Db shrugs

20kg 4 x 15

Upright row

30kg 3 x 8

Rev Flye

4kg 4 x 15

Shoulder circuit

Lat raise/front raise/OH raise/front hold/windmills

3 sets decreasing/various reps

Could hardly lift the water bottle to my mouth after, done in but happy


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## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

We all know that "I can't lift my arms" feeling. It's a sure sign of a hard work out.

I'm glad your enjoying it again and the new training seems to have given you a nice little lift.

No sign of Jim ? Probably busy working.


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## jimmywst (Aug 22, 2012)

faultline said:


> Enjoying it again pal, nice bit of shoulders and legs after work tomorrow.
> 
> Old jimbo been a bit quiet this week.. @jimmywst


Ello


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## jimmywst (Aug 22, 2012)

Looking nice mate ... I definitely like 5th way the shoulder heads got battered from all angles


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## faultline (Feb 5, 2010)

Off work (again!) so workout on my own.

Bench

50kg 12

60kg 10

65kg 6

60kg 8

Incline db (pushed together)

16kg 12 10 8 8

Db flyes

12kg 12 12 10 10

Cgbp

42kg 10 8 6 4

Bench dips

12 12 10 10

Bar ext

18kg 12 12 12 12

Weights up but reps down, trying to hit 12 on most things.

Niggle in my right shoulder slightly affected workout, nothing major


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## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

You will soon be back up to 12 reps on everything and then it will be time tyo go up again.


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## faultline (Feb 5, 2010)

Had a busy week, only 2 sessions this week but off to turkey tomorrow so it's all good!

Hit it hard when I come back, have a nice couple of weeks everyone


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## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

Hope the holiday goes well. Enjoy.


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## faultline (Feb 5, 2010)

Back from the sun, a lovely time was had by all.

Back in the gym tomorrow night at work, until then assessing the damage of 2 weeks all inclusive :0


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## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

My guess is 8 to 10lb increase in body weight, anything less and your weren't even trying.


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## faultline (Feb 5, 2010)

Not too bad tbh, fast metabolism you see 

Put on about 6 lbs, sitting at 14 stone 3lb ATM and that was having 2 plates of breakfast and 3 plates of lunch and dinner everyday plus snack time at 5pm and ice creams! Oh and of course enough free local alcohol to sink a ship....

Anyway I think with a little cutback I should be able to lose some weight pretty easy


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## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

I put on about 5lb in a week and lost it all the following week.


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## faultline (Feb 5, 2010)

As usual the last week has been busy busy, only trained once last week.

Had a full body workout yesterday at work and now plan to hit the gym tomorrow night and Thursday night, should get time.

Weighed in this morning at 14 stone so not lost much weight since the holiday 2 weeks ago, maybe 1 or 2 lb.

I'll cut back on the crap but not too bothered at the moment just gotta get back training regularly, I'll look at the diet side when I settle back into a routine, that's all for now!


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## faultline (Feb 5, 2010)

Back and shoulders just completed, yesterday did chest n arms, slowly getting back into it but 2am sessions ain't easy.

Over n out


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## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

At least you have that option. Not many work places have gyms.


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## faultline (Feb 5, 2010)

This is true and I'm lucky to use such a well equipped gym for free.

The hardest bit is having to go back to work for 4-6 hours after, usually start nodding off standing up lol


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