225 lbs - Goal ACHIEVED.

Got to 225 on the 5x5 this morning. This was a longer session than I thought or expected (but again this is much heavier weight). I had to take this to the gym today because I just don't feel safe without a spotter or a squat station with pins just in case I need to drop the weight. Todays workout was workout A of the stronglifts program which was essentially squats and bench press day. Did really good on the squats but at around the 3rd set on the bench press, I was definitely feeling my strength depleting...so I took it to the squat station and finished off the last 2 sets there. On the negative, it was assuring to have the safety bars on the sides just in case. I was slightly touching them on the negatives but it felt so good getting that weight up over my chest on each rep!

But now it's time for the Texas method. Same weight with the days split up by volume (5x5, adding 5 lbs every week), a recovery day (10% lighter than the volume day 3x3) and an intensity day (personal record 1x1, 1x2 or 1x3). May be able mix it up a little with some complexes after each workout or on off days.

I'm still doing HIIT after every workout..essentially treadmill sprints. Not doing much circuits or complexes. Today wasn't any different. Cals are up but I don't really worry about that too much but still making healthy food choices like brown rice and continue to avoid eating crap as best I can (well at least that's the mindset I've taken with this challenge). I just want to get stronger. If I can work on getting stronger - I believe I can definitely take advantage of future programs I intend on doing (and I do have a few on mind already).

I've realized you just can't put 2 different goals together. You want to lose weight - go fat loss programs. You want to get strong, do strength programs. You can definitely do both - but I'd rather focus on one particular goal than to mix them up. Usually that's a bad approach for the average guy or gal - because it only leads to disappointment I like to think. Focus on one goal and concentrate on that. When it's time to cut - then that's when you do everything you can to cut. Right now, it's all about strength training. Conditioning and fat loss will come around. It always has for me in the past. But I need to do this for my own benefit. I personally think the past few years I've been lifting lighter weight than I should - maybe because of my diet and goals were more geared towards fat loss - so it was obviously different then. What am I going to do with all this strength training? Toss cars around? No..that's not the intention of all this. I just know what I need to do to get better results and I know I'm getting there.

That's the whole concept right now for me. Strength development. 1.2 x BW...may sound puny to the hardcore fit guy. But honestly...this is definitely a personal accomplishment today for me.

~ a.