[quote]Elaikases wrote:
I’m seated and pulling up.
Like this, only instead of to the neck, I’m pulling so my hands come to either side of my face:
[/quote]
Another for me novel movement. Thanks, E.
[quote]Elaikases wrote:
One thing I have learned is when I’m not making progress at some point I need to just cut the crap, drop the weight and improve the form.
I’ve also learned that sometimes I just need to shift my lifts around. If nothing else, it lets me make progress around as I hit the muscles differently and have to reduce the weight – that is a whole new chance to make improvements.
[/quote]
Great points here E!! At times, we all need to refocus on form and technique and not worry about the weight. This type of work will always pay off in the long-term. Thanks for reminding us.
[quote]mday wrote:
Elaikases wrote:
One thing I have learned is when I’m not making progress at some point I need to just cut the crap, drop the weight and improve the form.
I’ve also learned that sometimes I just need to shift my lifts around. If nothing else, it lets me make progress around as I hit the muscles differently and have to reduce the weight – that is a whole new chance to make improvements.
Great points here E!! At times, we all need to refocus on form and technique and not worry about the weight. This type of work will always pay off in the long-term. Thanks for reminding us.[/quote]
At 52 I’m finally almost able to take the long view on lifting sometimes 
Wrote a blog post on why I’m probably going to have to give in and start doing early morning lifts …
Guess I better get to bed.
169.8 lb this morning at my weigh in.
I’m off to a meeting (well, I’ve got to shower first), then my daughter’s soccer, then I’m going to lift.
But it is a great day!
Also put some personal essays at:
Well, my daughter’s team won its first game in four years! A default, but they’ll take it. They then scrimmaged with the parents.
Finally got errands run and got to lift around 3:00 or so (p.m., I know, a little late for an early morning lift) and then dug out a sprinkler.
Neutral grip pull-ups, -25/9 5lb heavier
Bent over dumb bell rows, 70 lb x 7 reps, +2.5 lb, -4 reps
Wood chop, 120 lb x 8 reps, +2.5 lb
Shoulder press 90 lb x 9 reps (back to a warm-up weight)
Cable triceps, 112.5 x 9 + 2.5 on the progression (last week was a rabbit trail).
Rotation exercises, all four at 37.5 lb x 10 reps, +2.5 lb. The torso muscles I’m using to stabilize while I do it are starting to feel it.
Cable Fly 55 lb x 8 reps, +2.5 lb.
All in all I’m pleased. Wood chop is improving at about 10 lb a month. If I have thirty more pounds by January it will be about perfect.
Off to the showers.
[quote]Elaikases wrote:
Wrote a blog post on why I’m probably going to have to give in and start doing early morning lifts …
Guess I better get to bed.[/quote]
Hel’s secret is out.
[quote]1Geech wrote:
Elaikases wrote:
Wrote a blog post on why I’m probably going to have to give in and start doing early morning lifts …
Guess I better get to bed.
Hel’s secret is out. [/quote]
Nah, his real secret is how he mans up and does it, not why it works for great results.
Abduction 335 lb x 12 reps … +5 lb
Adduction 325 lb x 12 reps … +5 lb
Cable Shoulder Fly (rotator rehab exercise)
30 lb x 10 reps each side … +2.5 lb
Dip Belt +25 lb x 8 reps, barely - 2.5/+.5 rep
Seated Row 265 lb x 8 reps, barely same
Dips … 11 … +1 dip
Cable Curl 117.5 lb x 10 reps … +2.5 lb
Cable Face Row 162.5 lb x 8 reps … +2.5
Abdominal Board +40 lb x 10 reps … +5 lb
Back Extension 355 lb x 10 reps … +5 lb
That does it. I’m cutting the Dip Belt back to 20 lbs next work out, the Seated Row to 250. I only make progress at rep ranges of 8 to 12 and the reps have to be clean. When I barely make rep 8, that means I need to cut back and do it right.
If I compare exercises since August 5 to October 7
+10 on the abdominal, doing it the “Full Capacity” method to +40 lb
Cable Curl 102.5 to 117.5
But where I was not cutting back enough, no progress. No real progress on the dip since July.
I’ve changed some exercises up, so the leverage and such was different, but if I dropped enough weight, the progress has come nice and smoothly.
Not to mention, I weigh less now than I did in July, which means the lack of progress on the weighted dip is even worse.
Maybe I should go back to the seated dip machine.
I’ll have to think. Might try it just to see if I’ve lost strength that way or not.
[quote]Elaikases wrote:
That does it. I’m cutting the Dip Belt back to 20 lbs next work out, the Seated Row to 250. I only make progress at rep ranges of 8 to 12 and the reps have to be clean. When I barely make rep 8, that means I need to cut back and do it right.
…
But where I was not cutting back enough, no progress. No real progress on the dip since July.
I’ve changed some exercises up, so the leverage and such was different, but if I dropped enough weight, the progress has come nice and smoothly.
Not to mention, I weigh less now than I did in July, which means the lack of progress on the weighted dip is even worse.
Maybe I should go back to the seated dip machine.
I’ll have to think. Might try it just to see if I’ve lost strength that way or not.
[/quote]
Have you considered going the other direction once a week? I mean add 10#s but only do 3x3. Changing the rep scheme around might shake things up.
I also think revisiting the seated dip machine is a good idea even though I’ve never seen one and am having a hard time imagining one.
I’ve never done a 3x3. I’d have to find someone at the rec center to explain it to me to try it.
I’m only lifting each set of exercises once a week. I’m doing one set on Tuesdays and one set on Friday or Saturday mornings. Generally I’m improving by between 2.5 and 5 lbs a week at the same number or repetitions.
You can see the places I’ve stalled, though on the seated row I’m trying to do it all pulling with my upper back rather than using my lower back. I can move 315 or more (the weight stack and some extra) if I’m “rowing” at the seated row rather than pulling with my chest on the pad like I’m supposed to.
Realized I wasn’t hitting some muscles so I decided to change up the way I do it – which also helps pump my biceps some.
Anyway, a seated dip machine looks kind of like this:
http://www.exerciseandleisure.com/nnp12.htm
The one I use looks like this:
http://www.matrixfitness.com/products/singlestation/seateddip.asp
I’m glad they have a decent catalog on the web Not to mention, a good strong seat belt to keep me down as I was moving more weight than I weighed.
I’ll try the seated row and just do some bodyweight dips without a cadence (which is what I’m doing now for a second set – it is a completely different exercise when I just go up and down rather than up and four second negatives).
Thanks for the encouragement.
[quote]Elaikases wrote:
I’ve never done a 3x3. I’d have to find someone at the rec center to explain it to me to try it.
[/quote]
Well - what I meant by 3x3 is to put enough weight on the belt that you can do 3 good reps and then do 3 sets of 3 reps each. Then if you can easily do that either go to 5 sets of 3 or 3 sets of 4 reps. Whatever works best for increasing the total exercise. Or boost the weight.
You say 8-12 reps works best for you, have you tried other rep schemes? ie more weight and fewer reps? It’s been suggested to me that the wore weight and fewer reps is better for building strength.
I’ll have to try that some time to get the feel of it. Thanks for the idea.
Got my Saturday Split Done:
Assisted Neutral Grip Pull-ups
9 x -22.5 … 2.5 lbs less assist
Bent Over Dumb Bell Row
8 x 70 lb … 1 more rep
Wood Chop
122.5 lb x 9 … 2.5 more pounds
Shoulder Press Warm-up
92.5 lb x 9 reps … back on track
Cable Triceps
115 lb x 9 reps … +2.5 lb
Rotary Rotary Cuff x 4 (two internal, two external)
40 lb x 10 each … +2.5 lb
Cable Fly
57.5 lb each side x 8 reps
I’m thinking of merging the Cable Triceps and Cable Fly into a bench press. I’ve never really done the bench press, may be time to start.
I feel like I’ve worked after this one. Had to go to work today, so I did not get the lifting done until around 1:45 p.m. today.
[quote]Elaikases wrote:
Got my Saturday Split Done:
Assisted Neutral Grip Pull-ups
9 x -22.5 … 2.5 lbs less assist
Bent Over Dumb Bell Row
8 x 70 lb … 1 more rep
Wood Chop
122.5 lb x 9 … 2.5 more pounds
Shoulder Press Warm-up
92.5 lb x 9 reps … back on track
Cable Triceps
115 lb x 9 reps … +2.5 lb
Rotary Rotary Cuff x 4 (two internal, two external)
40 lb x 10 each … +2.5 lb
Cable Fly
57.5 lb each side x 8 reps
I’m thinking of merging the Cable Triceps and Cable Fly into a bench press. I’ve never really done the bench press, may be time to start.
I feel like I’ve worked after this one. Had to go to work today, so I did not get the lifting done until around 1:45 p.m. today.
[/quote]
From what you’ve written in previous posts it sounds like the rotator cuffs are ready. I’d recommend starting with incline or decline bench presses up to the point you’re sure the rc’s are are solid. For some reason both those movements are less stressful on the rc’s - I think because they mimic more closely how you actually use your pressing muscles in real life.
[quote]skidmark wrote:
[b]From what you’ve written in previous posts it sounds like the rotator cuffs are ready. I’d recommend starting with incline or decline bench presses up to the point you’re sure the rc’s are are solid.
For some reason both those movements are less stressful on the rc’s - I think because they mimic more closely how you actually use your pressing muscles in real life.[b][/quote]
Thanks, I think I’ll definitely keep that in mind.
Really appreciate the feedback.
Since Dr. Powerclean is leading the way, I’m posting a couple of pictures to show where I am now. I still need to lose about 10-12 pounds of fat and put on more muscle, but here are some benchmark photos.
I’ll note that I’m now twelve pounds lighter than when I did the videos at - YouTube and my form is a lot better. I appreciate the advice everyone gave me.
Torso shot. Makes it clear I’ve got fat to lose.
Mebbe so, mebbe not. V-taper is beginning to show though.
[quote]Elaikases wrote:
Torso shot. Makes it clear I’ve got fat to lose.[/quote]
Not much from what I can see. Only minor “love handles”.
Legs are looking strong.