Coming Out of The Closet...

Training Over 35 Lifter
21

I’ve been focusing on reviving my crappy fantasy football team, and on launching my fantasy basketball team. Yeah, I’m that guy.

So I read the Wendler article today. I’m thinking once(if?) I get 315 on my squat, I’m going to switch to his 2x a week template, with the powerlifting emphasis. (I’m into singles…) I’m also gratified to note that the Manly One is a fan of the barbell curl, because I’ve always thought that for the average Joe, the barbell curl (dumbbells excluded!) is the most functional (there, I said it!) exercise of all.

The haters of the barbell curl have obviously never had to lug their Mom’s heavy A/C up a flight of stairs. And did I mention having to “spot” some dude doing seated “militaries” with 4 45s on the bar? (at 5’ 8", I was too short to do the “row spot”)

22

You make an interesting point re: functional strength. Gotta admit, I’m not a curler. No big surprise there.

23

Wow! How did I miss you starting a thread? Need to get my head out of my a…

And, dammit, you have a bicep! Why am I the only one here who has no discernible biceps??
Yes, I tried curls. And after 2 full weeks, nothing!

24

[quote]hel320 wrote:
You should have stayed a moving target. Nice bi, I mean bicep development, considering the title of thread.[/quote]

Ouch. I should have come up with that one. :wink:

25

(I have been working out.)

10/24: Incline Bench
warm-up with bar, etc.
135 x 3
165 x 3
185 x 3
195 x 3,3,3,3,3
185 x 3

supersetted with neutral grip pullups BW + 50lbs, 7 sets of 3 (I can use the most weight with NG, with no detectable joint stress(es); pronated grip stresses my shoulders, supinated stresses my elbows.)

Followed by one-arm “assisted” pushups, 21 reps total each arm, for time (currently between 7-8 minutes); by “assisted”, it means I push with one palm, while maintaining my balance (trying not to push) with 1-3 fingers of the other arm; I find this enables me to keep good pushup form, and also to focus on the muscles I want to use, rather than some FUBAR version where I get all contorted and shit. Back in the olden days, I weighed about 150, did not barbell bench at all (only dumbbell bench), and after a few sets of practice, did a 1 RM test of 255 lbs, which I don’t think I can do today (was 225 a few months ago), even though I’m much stronger overall, and heavier. I attribute that to my using crappy, unsafe form(elbows out, lotsa shoulder joint stress), and the fact that I was able to crank out double digit one-arm pushups from karate training. Hence, my choice of assistance exercise.

Followed by barbell curls, 100 lbs, 21 reps total for time -currently between 9-10 minutes, will up weight if I can do it in less than 5.

Followed by a whole bunch of reverse flyes for posterior of shoulder, pronated grip, 5 lbs up to 25 lbs.

26

10/26: deadlift

My right hip felt tweaked going in, my right knee joint was a little stiff, and I think less than a week between heavy (for me) squat sessions is too much for my faulty joints. Didn’t affect my actual lifting, but I felt it throughout my workout.

SLDL warmups with bar, then 95, then 145. RDL warmup with 185.

225 x 3, double overhand
275 x 2, "
315 x 1, double supinated, for kicks, (add chalk)
335 x 1, alternate grip, switching sides with each rep
365 x 1
385 x 6 singles for time, ~12 minutes; plan is to work up to 10 in < 10 minutes, at which point I add weight

(For Farmer Brett: max pull is currently 405.)

Followed by front squats, working sets 3 x 3 with 135 lbs.
Once I get past the learning curve with grip issues (finally settled on Olympic grip with 2 fingers under bar), hope to get up to 100 lbs or so less than my back squat, which should be 175 or so.

Followed by ab wheel rollouts, 5 kneeling, 7 standing.

27

10/29: Overhead Press
warmups with bar, 75, 95, 110

135 x 3
140 x 3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3
135 x 2 both reps from dead stop

supersetted with NG pullups BW + 50, 3 reps

all sets done with 1st rep only from dead stop, goal is to get 10 sets of 3 in 30 minutes

I alternate 10 sets across with ramping up to max 3 RM for the day; when ramping to max 3 RM, I only aim for 21 reps in 30 minutes (supersetted with pullups).

Followed by incline one-arm DB bench, 12 reps (5,4,3) 60 lbs, 9 reps (3,3,3) with 55 lbs, 21 total in < 5 minutes, will stay with 60 lbs all the way through next time.

Followed by lateral cable raises, reverse DB flyes.

28

In case anyone notices my obsession with 21 reps in a set amount of time, I want to note that I was and still am a huge fan of this article: Test Your Metal: Introducing Valeria

Before the end of the year, I plan to do the “Good” level, maximum weights*. One of my ultimate goals is to be able to do the bodyweight adjusted “Very Good” level, or the max level, w/o a time limit.

*(21 reps of bench, 185 lbs; 21 deadlifts, 315 lbs; 21 BW pull-ups; 21 Curls, 85 lbs in < 30 minutes)

29

[quote]kpsnap wrote:
You make an interesting point re: functional strength. Gotta admit, I’m not a curler. No big surprise there.[/quote]

Sure, you say you’re not a curler. But, I look at your avatar, and I know what I see.

30

[quote]LittleStrick wrote:
Wow! How did I miss you starting a thread? Need to get my head out of my a…

And, dammit, you have a bicep! Why am I the only one here who has no discernible biceps??
Yes, I tried curls. And after 2 full weeks, nothing![/quote]

I’m going to say that in your case, the sheer size and fullness of your muscle bellies precludes discernibility. :wink:

31

[quote]Elaikases wrote:

[quote]hel320 wrote:
You should have stayed a moving target. Nice bi, I mean bicep development, considering the title of thread.[/quote]

Ouch. I should have come up with that one. ;)[/quote]

I teed it up, I’m honored Harry knocked it out of the park.

Your daughter looked singularly badass in that pic btw, thanks for sharing.

32

[quote]LittleStrick wrote:
Wow! How did I miss you starting a thread? Need to get my head out of my a…

And, dammit, you have a bicep! Why am I the only one here who has no discernible biceps??
Yes, I tried curls. And after 2 full weeks, nothing![/quote]

I know what you mean. Tri’s equal 'YES!!!..Bi’s equal 'are you f’in kidding me?". Of course, bicep tendonitis has a little to do with how little bicep work I actually do. IOW, I either chin or curl, not both. So, I usually ‘try’ to chin.

33

I certainly don’t see anything in this log that should ever have made you reluctant to post you training.

34

Yeah. Now that you’re outta the closet, it’s best to stay there.

35

[quote]DaCharmingAlbino wrote:

I certainly don’t see anything in this log that should ever have made you reluctant to post you training.

[/quote]

I am notoriously lacking when it comes to any type of record keeping activity.

I do like stating my goals in a public forum though, because it will definitely mean that if I am not injured, I will go all out to achieve any stated goals.

36

Prehab/rehab shoulder stuff abound for external rotators, but it’s rare to see anything wrt internal rotation, since 99% of us are overly tight or strong in that area, relatively speaking.

This video by DeFranco on upper body mobility (start right at the 3 min. mark, where he says “this has literally saved my shoulders” -hint, hint) made me realize, Duh, that loosening up overly tight or strong internal rotators would help my shoulder joint just as much as strengthening the external rotators. And sure enough, it has, lots.

The other place I’ve seen this stretch is Cressey’s stuff, but he did not place the emphasis on it that DeFranco did, so I never emphasized it. But Cressey does point out that to do this stretch properly, you should feel like your armpit area is what is pulling your arm down. My personal experience has been that when I simply pushed down on the hand of the shoulder being stretched with the other arm (like in the video), even gently, it tends to lead to too much stress on my shoulder joint. Depends on the person I guess.

Doing this stretch has, over a period of weeks, really increased the range of motion in my shoulder joints, and has really helped me scrub my back properly when showering. :slight_smile:

37

Good vid and I need it right now but if I can reach my back I’ll need another excuse to drag the wife in the tub with me.

38

[quote]punnyguy wrote:
I do like stating my goals in a public forum though, because it will definitely mean that if I am not injured, I will go all out to achieve any stated goals.[/quote]

Sometimes I regret this.

Regarding the stretch in the vid, that’s the kinda stuff my PT did to me after my shoulder surgery. Ouchie. But I’ve got great mobility already.

39

Tested my “bench” the other night. “Bench” is from dead stop off pins between 1-2 inches off chest (don’t like spotters, it’s your typical commerial gym). (I’ve been training incline bench only, imo it’s usually better for show, might change that though)

So my BW #s:

Bench 1.28
Squat 1.50
Dead 2.21

40

(When it comes to aches and pains in complex joints, the human body is truly a guessing game.)

So, I have this tricky left elbow, which has absorbed countless blows and kicks, plus a few falls; back in the day, ruptured the bursa sac there once, doctor had to drain it twice before it finally healed.

This darn elbow has been bothering me for weeks now, occasion mild swelling at the tip, some tightness when doing barbell pressing, nothing is helping. Even bothered me doing BW pullups the other night, I’m thinking, ah sheeeit. Randomly, I decided to do incline 1-arm DB presses, which I had not done in a long time (neutral hand at bottom, rotate to pronated position at the top). Warming up with 35s, I feel the pressure in the elbow, and I’m thinking, ah sheeeit. Amazingly, as I up the weight, by the time I settle on 65s, it feels like the weight in this position/exercise has somehow re-“set” something in my elbow, and it now feels the best it has in weeks. (still not 100% of course) Go figure.