An Over 50 Lifter

Training Over 35 Lifter
361

Signs of aging there are many. I will turn 54 years young on 12-5. I celebrated my 35th class reunion 11-29. There are two camps. The ones who simply say we are old, or the others that are doing something about it.

At the reunion my wife and I with a handful of others danced all night because we could. We were asked don’t you know you are suppose to BE OLD. NO I DON’T.

16 months ago I felt that way too I was old. BULLSHIT there is no magic pill,but there is hard work and desire. The desire to be the best you can be at any age.

I’m not going to lie to you I started back benching 135 lbs. Now my light days are 305/15. I squat with 305/30 I do two full body workouts a week that last 3 hours. My body seems to recover best that way.My heavy day bench sets are in the High 300’s and low 400’s and squats are in the low high 500’s and low 600’s. I still weigh 320 but where did the fat go???

My cardio was non exsistent I was an over the road trucker. The first two miles I walked I thought I would die. Now I walk 5 miles . I run a mile .I exercise bike,and I run 10/40 yard sprints the way basketball players run suicides one after another.

What is great is I lost 60 lbs of fat. I got my health back. I feel great. My grandkids love that Pappy can beat them in a sprint.

Age is a state of mind. Again there is no magic pill . We are all terminal ,but that doesn’t mean you can’t be all you can be while you are alive. Lift,Run, Exercise, and live. Who got old on me ? NOBODY .I didn’t think so… Dance Baby Dance ROCK ON!!!

As a ending note supplements like Alpha Male work very well to keep things up and running for us OLD GUYS…

362

I wanna be GrandpaButch…

363

I wanna bench 300 pounds.

How long did it take you to work up there GandpaButch?

364

11/29 had a bad cold, but made it anyway

Neutral Grip Pull-up
-12.5 … 8 reps … no change (but my personal weight was up …)

Wood Chop
135 x 9 … +2.5 lb

Shoulder Press
107.5 x 9 … +2.5 lb

Bench Machine
125 lb x 0 … +2.5 lb

Rotary (rotator cuff rotations, both sides, both ways)
52.5 x 10 reps … +2.5 lb

Wife is now doing some skidmark flaming wheel of doom reps every day.

365

[quote]Elaikases wrote:
11/29 had a bad cold, but made it anyway

Neutral Grip Pull-up
-12.5 … 8 reps … no change (but my personal weight was up …)

Wood Chop
135 x 9 … +2.5 lb

Shoulder Press
107.5 x 9 … +2.5 lb

Bench Machine
125 lb x 0 … +2.5 lb

Rotary (rotator cuff rotations, both sides, both ways)
52.5 x 10 reps … +2.5 lb

Wife is now doing some skidmark flaming wheel of doom reps every day.[/quote]

You’ll be glad she did. :wink:

366

You will get all the credit skidmark!

BTW, some interesting video:

367

Colonscopy this Saturday, guess I’ll have to get in Friday morning and get my Saturday split done then.

Tuesday split

Not quite recovered from the cold I cam down with over Thanksgiving.

Hip Abduction
350 lb x 17 reps … +1 rep

Hip Adduction
340 lb x 12 reps … +1 rep

Shoulder Cable Fly (rotator cuff rehab exercise)
50 lb x 12, each side … +2.5 lb PR

Dip Machine
237.t lb x 8 … +2.5 lb PR

Seated Row Strict Form (pull rather than row)
225 lb x 8 … +2.5 lb

Body Weight Dip
14 … same as last time

Cable Curl
137.5 x 10 reps … +2.5 lb PR

Face Pull Seated Cable Row
182.5 x 9 reps, + 2.5 lb PR Can still hear the shoulder knots pop.

Abdominal Board
+30 lb x 8 reps

Deadlift
180 lb x 8 reps … +10 lb. My back can still feel it. Next time +5 lb I think.

Will do the Flaming Wheel o’ Doom ™ tomorrow morning. I’m off for a long hot shower.

368

Survived my colonoscopy, doctor said no lifting today, so I’m probably going to let this be a rest day.

369

[quote]Elaikases wrote:
Survived my colonoscopy, doctor said no lifting today, so I’m probably going to let this be a rest day.

[/quote]

Here’s hopin’ for a clean bill of health E!

I’ve heard the prep is worse than the test…

370

I passed the test, err, cleanly.

It was easy, I turned on my side and went to sleep. Later I woke up and my wife took me out for a late breakfast.

The only downside is that they told me no heavy lifting for 24 hours, only the pink barbells (which we don’t have at the gym) …

But all is well that ends well.

371

[quote]Elaikases wrote:
I passed the test, err, cleanly.

It was easy, I turned on my side and went to sleep. Later I woke up and my wife took me out for a late breakfast.

The only downside is that they told me no heavy lifting for 24 hours, only the pink barbells (which we don’t have at the gym) …

But all is well that ends well.
[/quote]

Glad to hear that that end is well…

372

Best news I’ve heard.

373

Well, I’m headed to bed early, will try to get up and lift at 5:30 tomorrow morning.

Daughter needed some time and attention tonight, more than I needed the lifts.

BTW, my yearly Christmas letter is at:

http://ethesis.blogspot.com/

Multiple choice … figure that people can chose a better year for me than I had for myself :wink:

(though the real year was better than I expected).

It has been a good year.

Was realizing how much I’ve improved on the weights. I’m pleased. If I can string together a year on the dead lifts the same way, I’ll be really happy.

Thanks everyone, for all the inspiration and encouragement, it has really helped.

374

Been sick, hope to lift again Tuesday.

375

Still had a touch of the flu, carried it back from New Orleans.

Realized that I was still sick (different stuff, another cold, etc.), but that if I didn’t get out it would be more than just a rest week.

12/16/2008

Hip Abduction
350 lb x 18 reps … +1 rep

Hip Adduction
340 lb x 12 reps … same

Shoulder Cable Fly
52.5 lb x 12 reps each side … +2.5 lb

Dip Machine
240 lb x 8 reps … +2.5 lb, 30 lb over machine max, PR

Seated Row
225 lb x 8 reps … same

Body Weight Dip
11 … -3 reps (body weight is a little higher, in pants and sweat shirt as well)

Cable Curl
140 lb x 10 reps … +2.5 lb PR

Face Pull Seated Cable Row
185 lb x 10 reps … +2.5 lb PR

Abdominal Board
highest slant, +30 lb dumbbell x 10 … same

Deadlift
185 lb x 8 reps … +5 lb. Took off my shoes because my NB608s aren’t stable when I deadlift.

I’m still getting broken in to deadlifts. The weight is too light for parts of my body, a touch too heavy for others. My goal is only to be able to deadlift 200 lbs from a belt and collar grip …

I’m glad I got out, almost didn’t.

Birthday on the 19th, I’m going to make sure to get out on the 20th and lift again.

Oh, managed to get snowed on in New Orleans and in Dallas. :wink:

376

[quote]Elaikases wrote:
Still had a touch of the flu, carried it back from New Orleans.

Realized that I was still sick (different stuff, another cold, etc.), but that if I didn’t get out it would be more than just a rest week.

12/16/2008

Hip Abduction
350 lb x 18 reps … +1 rep

Hip Adduction
340 lb x 12 reps … same

Shoulder Cable Fly
52.5 lb x 12 reps each side … +2.5 lb

Dip Machine
240 lb x 8 reps … +2.5 lb, 30 lb over machine max, PR

Seated Row
225 lb x 8 reps … same

Body Weight Dip
11 … -3 reps (body weight is a little higher, in pants and sweat shirt as well)

Cable Curl
140 lb x 10 reps … +2.5 lb PR

Face Pull Seated Cable Row
185 lb x 10 reps … +2.5 lb PR

Abdominal Board
highest slant, +30 lb dumbbell x 10 … same

Deadlift
185 lb x 8 reps … +5 lb. Took off my shoes because my NB608s aren’t stable when I deadlift.

I’m still getting broken in to deadlifts. The weight is too light for parts of my body, a touch too heavy for others. My goal is only to be able to deadlift 200 lbs from a belt and collar grip …

I’m glad I got out, almost didn’t.

Birthday on the 19th, I’m going to make sure to get out on the 20th and lift again.

Oh, managed to get snowed on in New Orleans and in Dallas. :wink:
[/quote]

Glad you’re feeling good enough to lift.

Good call on the shoes. Running shoes/Cross trainers will through you forward onto your toes and that’s how your back gets hurt if you choose not to bail.

You’re a heck of a nice guy El. It’s always a pleasure to read your notes on the other threads. That’s one thing I really appreciate about the forum: Constant encouragement for those who are trying to improve themselves and patience with the others.

377

Case I’m busy playing santa on the big day, happy birthday in advance. Got to agree with skid, pleasure reading your posts.

378

Happy early birthday E. And hel you must make an awesome Santa.

379

That is bizarre, my log post with my lifts and all, went missing.

?!

Then I post this and it comes back, with the comments. I’m perplexed (I even had hit refresh a couple times).

Anyway, before I lost weight I made an awesome Santa … but now, that I’m in the low 170s (160s before the Christmas season pie, candy and cookies) I’m about 70-80 lbs smaller. I’m hoping to keep the “look like Santa Claus” days behind me – I’m glad to leave that to Hel (who can probably squat with the sleigh and all the reindeer in it).

380

E, Merry Christmas to you and your family. Glad you’ve become a skinny Santa.