[quote]LittleStrick wrote:
Ortho did strongly suggest that I use a belt. I have an old one that I have been using, but could definitely use an upgrade. Any suggestions?
10mm or 13mm?
single prong, double prong, lever?
Name other than Inzer?
Thanks[/quote]
I want. Want. WANT! an Inzer lever belt. That thing will last forever.
[quote]skidmark wrote:
LittleStrick wrote:
Ortho did strongly suggest that I use a belt. I have an old one that I have been using, but could definitely use an upgrade. Any suggestions?
10mm or 13mm?
single prong, double prong, lever?
Name other than Inzer?
Thanks
I want. Want. WANT! an Inzer lever belt. That thing will last forever.[/quote]
Thanks, skid. Does the 10mm - 13mm really matter?
[quote]LittleStrick wrote:
skidmark wrote:
LittleStrick wrote:
Ortho did strongly suggest that I use a belt. I have an old one that I have been using, but could definitely use an upgrade. Any suggestions?
10mm or 13mm?
single prong, double prong, lever?
Name other than Inzer?
Thanks
I want. Want. WANT! an Inzer lever belt. That thing will last forever.
Thanks, skid. Does the 10mm - 13mm really matter?[/quote]
You’re going to squat big so I would get 13mm
Bench Day - Starting my “new”, hodge-podge cycle
dislocatesx10x2
Bench
barx20
95x15
135x10
185x5
225x5
270x3x2
270x5
High Pin Press
370x3x3
Standing Military Press - left shoulder is still bothering me. Not on bench, but on military, incline, decline, upright rows and laterals.
155x5x2
155x10
Tricep Pushdowns
100x8x3 – 30 sec. rest between sets
1-Arm DB Tricep Ext.
35x8x3/each arm – No rest between sets 1 and 2…30 sec. between sets 2 and 3.
Using a conversion factor of 1.2 (which assumes a 5 rep max is 80% of your 1RM max) you have a max bench of 330. You’re getting a better arch and I’m seeing a good amount of leg drive when you press. You’re on your way to being a big bencher.
Nice job on the overhead press too.
[quote]skidmark wrote:
Using a conversion factor of 1.2 (which assumes a 5 rep max is 80% of your 1RM max) you have a max bench of 330. You’re getting a better arch and I’m seeing a good amount of leg drive when you press. You’re on your way to being a big bencher.
Nice job on the overhead press too.[/quote]
Thanks, skid. Although, I am pretty sure that 330# would come an inch or two off my chest then come right back down 
I’ll get there…
I was really trying to concentrate on my form, with the bench. I have seen many arches higher than mine, but, honestly, that is about as high as it will go…right now. I think I was trying to concentrate on too many things during the set. I was watching where the bar came down, my forearms (to make sure they were staying under the bar), concentrating on pushing with my legs, keeping my shoulder blades pinched and trying to stop that lift before I descend thingy. You can see my legs relax at times, because I am checking something else and not paying attention to them.
I did seem to get a lot of push out of my legs, when the weight started up. I worry that getting that much movement is indicative of not pushing hard enough during he whole set.
The OH press felt strong, except for the nagging shoulder. I really need to work on it, though. I used to be able to hit 225# for a 1RM. I MIGHT be ale to get 205# right now.
Thanks for checking the vids!
LS- seriously nice benching going on there! You is a strong mo-fo.
[quote]SteelyD wrote:
LS- seriously nice benching going on there! You is a strong mo-fo.[/quote]
Thanks SteelyD. I am trying. Bench has always been enigmatic for me…see next post
BTW - your squats and DLs are coming along nicely…weight and form!
Warning! Boring story about my bench! Read only if ready to go to sleep!
I mention in the previous post that bench has always been enigmatic for me. This is a brief history of that…
When I was a kid (upto 11 1/2 years old), I could not do a single pushup or situp. I was a typical kid…spent lots of time outside, running, playing, climbing, etc… I just didn’t have the strength. Telling my wife this, oneday, she suggested that it might be resultant of my apparent Aspergers. Low muscle tone is a symptom of Autism. I can’t say that is truly why, but I was no less active than any other kid. So, not being able to do a pushup, or situp, when I was almost 12, would indicate that something was going on.
Just before turning 12 I decided that I wanted to be able to do both. My dear Dad showed me how I could do partial weight pushups…put my legs, from mid thigh down, on the bed (low bunk bed) and do them that way. As I got stronger, I could move more and more of my body off of the bed. At the same time, I started working on situps, using a situp board, with a belt to hold my feet, and God awful form. Long story short, just before turning 14, I completed my 1st set of pyramid pushups. Basically, you get up, do one rep, go to knees. 2 seconds later, get up, do 2 pushups, back to knees. 2 seconds, up 3 and so on. This went on until we had finished a set of 15. I did every one of them, perfect form. That same year, I got bored one night, got on my situp board and did 1220 straight situps. The only reason I stopped was that the vinyl cover on the board had rubbed the skin off of my tailbone. Yes, I was hyperfocused…also an Autie trait.
At that time, my bench was just over 100#. I started going in early to school and using the weight room. At the end of my sophomore year I finally managed to press 225#. That was an ENORMOUS day for me. I had dreamt of getting 2-45s on each side. By the time I was graduating, I had moved upto to 290-295#. That is when it got weird.
When I arrived at college, 3 months later, even though I had been working out, I could only max 260#. By the time the semester ended, I was down to 245#. I ended up abandoning school and football and went back home. (Not because of my bench )
3 years later I had become a cop and started working out again, with some fellow officers. Over the next year my bench went up to 300#. I stopped lifting at 22 and didn’t start back until I was 27, after having moved to OK. I worked out for about 18-20 months and got my bench up to 320#, but stopped after a surgery put me out of action for better than a month.
Since then, I have worked out off and on with a home gym and dumbbells. Nothing heavy enough to make me really stronger, but enough to help me in my aim…losing weight. Now, a decade after I last worked out for strength, and 5 days from 40, while my max is not back at 320#, I feel stronger than I ever have. Achier, yes…slower to recover, yes…more prone to injury, yes…but stronger nonetheless.
Life is a weird thing. After hitting 315#, a decade ago, all I could think of was 405#. I really didn’t think that I would ever get there. Now, in middle age, I know that I will. So much for the confidence of youth and the reserve of age.
Sorry for the long boring story…
405 is coming!!! Thanks for the background story. I’m betting on the confidence of age!
[quote]mathineer wrote:
405 is coming!!! Thanks for the background story. I’m betting on the confidence of age!
[/quote]
I thnik that is a lot of it. Honestly, I think I am doing the easy part here…the actual lifting. The hard part seems to be interpreting what my body is telling me, straightening out form and getting on a program that works (as evidenced by results, not ego). Since there are so many good folks here that are willing to help and guide through the form, interpretation and routine guidance, all I really have to do is walk across the hall, to the weight room, and move the weights.
I can do that!
Awesome story, Strick. Thanks for sharing.
[quote]sfp wrote:
Awesome story, Strick. Thanks for sharing.[/quote]
Thanks, sfp. I know that some folks find such stories boring and pointless. I, however, really appreciate people’s stories…such as the one you shared. Seeing the wide variety of where different people start from, where they are and where they want to be is extremely interesting.
Stinking thing ate my post…I think.
Edited to clear the dupe…
Leg Day…
If I took anything away from this workout it is that there were too many heavy (for me) sets. I was literally on the floor, by the end of the 1st set of rack pulls. Shoulders ached…head was pounding…heart was pounding. I REALLY need to split squats and DLs, or really go light on whichever is not the ME.
Workout
about 10 minutes of hip mobility work. Still hasn’t completely abated the pain issues, but is definitely making a dent in it.
Squats
Barx10x2
135x10
185x5
225x5
275x3x3…at or just above parallel. Form was good on the 1st set. Later reps in the last two had me on my toes and leaning forward. Daughter was taking the vids, as my wife was occupied. None were worth posting. Oh well, live and learn.
Deadlifts
225x5
300x5x3
Rack Pulls
365x5x2
Supersets
Bent Over Rows
205x8x3
Shrugs (not power)
205x10x3
Doesn’t seem like a lot. The squats pushed me enough that the DLs almost finished me. The rack pulls finished the job.
Great read. I am sure when you get your form down you will be well in the 4’s. I think you just need time and practice.
63G- Thanks. I am pleased with the progress, if not impatient. I will get there, “If the good Lord’s willing and the creeks don’t rise.” Since there are no creeks anywhere near me, the battle is half won…
Feeling as I do after yesterday’s leg workout, though, I am definitely adjusting my leg workouts. My pecs were sore after that!
Bench Day -
Well, it’s been a taxing few days. Monday we got a new kitten. Sister-in-law, who is temporarily living with us, got one as well. Took them to the vet on Tuesday, as they were both really frail and dehydrated. Vet said that ours (Zoe - pronounced like Joey, with a Z) probably wouldn’t make it. Came home from work and the kids had found two dead baby birds in the yard. I had burial detail. Later that evening, one of our cats got another bird, right at flying age. I rescued it…put it in a safe place in the yard and left it. Had burial detail on this one the next day. I guess the cat had damaged it, even though it wasn’t evident.
Tuesdays workout, as mentioned, wiped me out. Slept for crap Tuesday night…got to bed late and constant kitten wailing kept me up. By Wednesday, though, Zoe was doing MUCH better. That evening, though, the dog got a baby bird. Again, I rescued it and couldn’t see any obvious injury. I brought it in, got it some water and worms, which it at. I released it this morning. Burial was this afternoon…along with the newly killed Blue Jay in the yard. Slept for crap last night. Not sure why.
Then, this morning, our recovering Zoe went down hill fast. She was fine at 6 a.m. By 7:30, she couldn’t stand up. By the time I could get home early from work, she was having seizures about every two minutes. We had to have her put down about noon.
Wife hasn’t stopped crying, nor has my daughter. Honestly, losing a pup or kitten tears me apart. My Mom is an animal fanatic and it definitely rubbed off on me. Burial was this afternoon, before the birds. I had burial detail and have been counselor all evening.
On top of all that, my body just aches…my back, my shoulders, my elbows, my wrists…whine, whine, whine… I would swear I have the flu, except the only symptom are aches and zero energy.
So, the workout was odd. I had planned on a 5x5 day, but ended up just playing it by ear, as everything felt heavy. Burned out fast and the aches didn’t help. Lots of rest before Sunday…
Dislocatesx15
Bench
barx25
95x15
135x15
185x5
225x5
255x5
285x1
300x1
310x1 - PR +5# - couldn’t have done 1# more
225x15 - PR +1 rep
Tricep Pushdowns
90x20
90x15
70x20
Machine close grip bench
160x12
That’s it. I cut my losses and decided to recuperate…see if I can get rid of these aches.
Non-physical stress can sap a workout like nobody’s business. You got it done anyway.
I admire a man who digs his GPP.
[quote]DaCharmingAlbino wrote:
Non-physical stress can sap a workout like nobody’s business. You got it done anyway.
I admire a man who digs his GPP.[/quote]
Well, it got me. To continue the saga…about 1/2 an hour after hitting the bed, last night, my daughter called and wated to come home (had attempted a sleepover, but was too emotionally drained to stay). Then, at about 1:30 a.m., I am awakened by my sister-in-law crying. Her kitten started exhibiting the exact same symptoms…seizures that started getting closer and closer, couldn’t stand, etc… My wife put him down (crushed valium in water). When she got back in bed she cried for a good bit. That funeral will be today.
Now I am actually worried, since both went the same way. It makes we wonder if something is in the air/water around here. They said they felt a tumor in Zoe’s abdomen. I can’t imagine that they both had one, though.
I think I am going to change my handle to “Dr. Death.”
On a lighter note…I am such a newbie. I had to go lookup GPP. I had no clue what in the heck it was. My education continues…