Cav I find it’s a strange dichotomy between comparing myself to those around me (wouldn’t need to get off the couch all that much) vs. comparing myself to some of the beasts in this forum (oh the unhappiness at being weak). You’re not alone in this, just different degrees of separation.
You’re probably a heck of a lot “smarter” and more educated than a lot of folks in this forum, so you just have to find a geek site somewhere and lure everybody here into posting there… ;-))
[quote]cavalier wrote:
Techno, it’s strange how many people on T-Nation have some kind of scoliosis, I was under the impression it was pretty rare, especially for guys. I saw a statistic that only 1 in 6000 boys get it or something like that…[/quote]
You can actually get it from training and muscle imbalances, according to my Dr. They diagnosed me with mild scoliosis last year, and I never had it before. I was in the military and everything, I was pretty shocked when my Dr was all nonchalant and said oh you have scoliosis.
I had to look up what scoliosis was…Matt, are you see a chiro for this at all?
[quote]Kairiki wrote:
I had to look up what scoliosis was…Matt, are you see a chiro for this at all?[/quote]
I do go to a chiro, but not really for that. I pretty much just ignore it. It doesn’t really mess with me that I know of, I wouldn’t have even known if that doc hadn’t pointed it out. I think mine is real mild, since it is from training (we think). You can’t really see it when you look at my back. He could tell because he had me bend over (insert witty joke here), and said one shoulder was higher than the other and I guess that is a way you can tell.
[quote]cavalier wrote:
Observation: I’m nowhere near the levels of most other folks. Still, considering where I started, have made a lot of progress. I’m way stronger than my father, he was a terribly frail man, even though he worked outside a lot. I’m stronger than my brother, stronger than my nephew. I come from very mediocre stock, so it’s been an uphill battle for me, but definitely made progress.
[/quote]
Hey progress is progress. My strength isn’t that great either when I compare myself. I could go on about the should’ves, could’ves and would’ves since I feel I started a bit late with lifting, but I’ll be so happy once I can snatch again, even just 25kg. Of course I’ll just be happy not to have to take pain killers too. What do you teach again?
Punnyguy, this is my way of expressing optimism, I’m grateful for your understanding. My point is that my starting position was so far behind everyone else that few people appreciate how far I’ve come.
Matt, I’ve heard of structural scoliosis, mine appears to be idiopathic. Exercise doesn’t affect it much. I’ve managed to even up the muscles, more or less, in the back. The 1 in 6000 figure I heard was for idiopathic. If yours is structural, rehab exercise should knock it out.
By the way, the only way to verify scoliosis is through X-ray.
Techno, I hope you get where you want to go. Even though I’ve worked hard in gyms for 30 yrs, it’s only within the past 5 - 10 yrs that I really started doing things right, so maybe I’m a late starter too. BTW, if anyone tries giving you the “you’re too old to get strong” routine, throw them on their butt. You’re not.
Oh, and I teach computer software, specifically Flash animation for games. I’m qualified to teach several courses in the department, including motion graphics, animation, web design, and database.
Really good workout today. Managed to work up a good attitude . . .
Deadlift (sumo)
135 x 7
155 x 6
185 x 5 . x 5 . x 5 . x 5
big improvement over last week, where 155 was challenging. 185 was actually a little easier than 155 last week. Still getting used to sumo, but looks like it may be my lift of choice.
Smith machine Shrugs
90 x 10
180 x 8 . x 10
annoying having to lean back a bit, but works
Leg curl
70 x 15
90 x 12
110 x 10 . OK, now this is the max I’ve done on the machine, then one of the guys working there comes over and tells me I make it look so easy, just have to go up. No problem.
130 x 10
DB curl
20 x 10
damn, gym was filling up, everyone grabbing db’s
30 x 3 . too much
25 x 8 . x 8
20 x 8
Face Pulls
60 x 12
70 x 10
last week did 80 for 8 . . .
80 x 10 . x 12
blast, a little sore in rite shoulder area, jerked too hard on curls, otherwise feeling great.
[quote]cavalier wrote:
My point is that my starting position was so far behind everyone else that few people appreciate how far I’ve come.
[/quote]
I remember where you started. And you have come such a long way.
Many of us have had to overcome challenges. Starting over, for example. I will probably have to start squatting with a bare bar again.
Thanks very much, Snap. Remember, I only started posting here a year ago, you didn’t see what I was like 10 yrs ago . . . or in college . . . or in high school, yech. Like when you’re playing baseball, and it’s your turn at bat . . . and everybody walks toward you, cause they know you can’t hit far . . .
I’ll post some vids of my DL, Snap, just for you.
Last session with trainer Randy:
Bench
45 x 10
95 x 8 . he’s checking what I can do
115 x 6
135 x 1 . pausing briefly on chest, he says would get white lights
145 x 1 . he likes it, so we go for the gold:
160 x 1
Now technically I’ve done 165 before, but form was awful and I wouldn’t swear the spotter didn’t help a little. This time, Randy did not touch the bar, and it actually wasn’t painful - went up fairly quickly. So I’m calling it a PR!!
120 x 5 . x 5 . x 5 . x 5 . x 5
He recommends a 5x5 routine. He says if I work on a general power routine, I could be benching 185 within a couple months. I can’t wait.
Pullover with plate
25 x 10
Dip off bench - feet on floor, lower torso till butt touches floor
x 15 . OMIGOD THESE WERE KILLING ME - gasping, grunting, flopping, took 5 minutes to get all the reps. When done, Randy walked out - guess he figured I was too wiped out to continue.
If so, he was wrong.
Pullover
25 x 10 . x 10 . x 10
supersetted with
Bench Dip
x 5 . x 5 . x 5
not so bad, once you get used to them and don’t try to do a few dozen at once
Seated Row
90 x 10
100 x 10
120 x 8
suddenly occured to me I had done deads the previous day and was really stupid to do rows - oh well.
Congrats on the bench press PR! Looks like you’ve got your grove back.
I am with you on those dips - the first time I did them I had to bend my knees because I couldn’t do them otherwise…
Congrats on the PR!
[quote]cavalier wrote:
Techno, I hope you get where you want to go. Even though I’ve worked hard in gyms for 30 yrs, it’s only within the past 5 - 10 yrs that I really started doing things right, so maybe I’m a late starter too. BTW, if anyone tries giving you the “you’re too old to get strong” routine, throw them on their butt. You’re not.
Oh, and I teach computer software, specifically Flash animation for games. I’m qualified to teach several courses in the department, including motion graphics, animation, web design, and database.[/quote]
Yeah I was the same, always doing some sort of activity, mainly outdoor stuff, although some of my party years got in the way. I remember I actually took a weight training class in community college, while the males were giving squats, dls, etc I was given some dumbbells and told to go do some lunges, pfft.
Now when I started weightlifting all of a sudden I’m surrounded by 20 somethings.
Do you do any avatar designing. I looked into that a good few years ago when it was just beginning. Of course this was when you could go make a sandwhich while a page was downloading.
Gborlase, thanks. Actually, he had me bend knees halfway through, didn’t really help. Now I’m really curious - why did that set absolutely put me through the meat grinder, yet the sets I did a few minutes later weren’t so stressful?
Matty, thanks! Bench has always been my nemesis, and now it looks like I just might start grinding through some obstacles. I want that 185 so bad I can taste it! And after that - 225!!!
Techno, nothing sucks worse than being given something to do that’s way easier than what the “real guys” do. Frankly, it’s perfectly possible to train weak people on squats & DL - just use broomsticks or empty bars.
Not sure what you mean by avatar designing, but have done a lot of graphics and web programming.
Squat day. focusing on getting good and low.
Squats
95 x 8
135 x 8
155 x 5 . x 5 . x 5
OK, have discovered I have a “sweet spot”, the exact place on my back to put the bar, the squatting suddenly becomes a piece of cake. Bar seems to get there by accident, have been trying to find it. Think I got it now, so up to 165:
165 x 5 . x 5 . Ha ha! I know I went lower than last week
Life Fitness Leg Press - a somewhat wimpy machine
90 x 12
150 x 10
170 x 10
210 x 10
only the last one felt like any real resistance
Standing calf
155 x 12
195 x 11
215 x 8 . x 9 . ** PR **
DB side raise
10 x 10
15 x 8 . x 8
then occurred to me I just blasted upper body 2 days ago, pretty stupid to do shoulders now
Your training hiccups sound like mine, Cav…we just laugh and move on…
[quote]cavalier wrote:
OK, have discovered I have a “sweet spot”, the exact place on my back to put the bar, the squatting suddenly becomes a piece of cake. Bar seems to get there by accident, have been trying to find it. Think I got it now, so up to 165:
[/quote]
Love when that happens! You struggle & struggle then one session something just comes together. It can be all about where the bar is placed for the most efficient mid-line stability.
I remember the first time my coach brought be down closer to the bar like only half an inch, all of a sudden getting the bar up for snatching became so much easier.
PR , PR , I missed it , well good job Cav, I would like to see that 225, haven’t been around much lately. awesome job. Talk to ya in a couple of weeks Cav, work calls me away, Maybe another PR say this time next month.
Kairiki, we laugh to keep from crying.
Techno, thanks, are you doing much snatching now? will check your log.
Dude, have fun with work. No idea what lies for me in a couple of months, will do what I can to make it good.
OK, deadlift day. Took time to make some vids, remember why I don’t like video:
Extreme Sumo DLs - intended to work hips in very low position
95 x 8
145 x 10
195 x 6
Supposed to be working hips by flexing them up & down, but realize they’re staying in place, turned into a sloppy DL
Sumo Deadlift
135 x 8
185 x 5 . x 5
195 x 5 . x 5 . x 5
Was really proud of going up in weight, looks like I’m getting strong - then realized my form went to hell just as I started to lift. Is it really so hard to lift the way he showed me?
Abbench crunches
x 30
Leg Curl
90 x 12
130 x 10 . x 10 . x 10 . x 10 . a PR on this machine
Fat man chins on Smith machine
x 12 . x 12 . x 10 . x 9
Good job, Cav…I feel your pain with vids…still, like anything this is a learning tool and keeps us honest.