I stumbled across this in my phone library today. This 226 lb look is just fine by me. Not sure if that’s where I’ll be if/when I get down there, but we’ll see.
I went back to see what I was doing with my training to get that physique. Unfortunately, I had just finished week 12 of SGSS. I don’t think I have that in me right now. I don’t have the time for those leg sessions of 5x8 on four straight exercises… or the will power.
Yeah, I guess 225 looks pretty good too.
SGSS was a Thibaudeau plan I think? Simple Guaranteed Size and Strength? I forgot about that one.
Great to see you still around frank!
Me too, might have to give that a run at some point in the not too distant future!
SGSS is still my greatest success story. I just don’t have the time or energy to do it these days. I get about 45 minutes to train after work unless my wife picks our daughter up from daycare. She’s coaching cross country so that makes her miss practice and/or take our almost two year old to practice. The temps are still hitting 90 degrees here, so that’s not ideal for the little one.
It’s such a simple program, but it’s brutal (by my standards). The first cycle is sets of eight and you get to do 5x8 on days three and four which means 5x8 on squats, deads, lunges, and RDL’s all back to back (those were the lifts I chose). I really did like the alternating progression, though. The program increases volume in the training week and then adds weight. Doing 3x8 on the workouts following the 5x8 was a relief even though the weights went up. And then when it was time to do the 5x8, I would tell myself after set three that I’d already done that work earlier in the week and two more sets was nothing.
If you ever decide to run it, here’s a spreadsheet template I made. It appears I was going to try SSB squats when I made this because it’s in the place of lunges. I worked it all out backwards. Enter your goal numbers in the green boxes under week 12 and it will calculate the weights for all the weeks and workouts.
That’s a file you can edit on my end, but I suggest downloading it and using Excel. I just couldn’t upload an Excel file here.
Training ADD is wreaking havoc in my brain. I’ve tried a lot of different things over the years and my muscle mass has peaked considering the effort I’m willing to give. With that in mind, I’ve backed way off on leg training. I’ve continued to scale it back more and more because my legs have been tired. It finally occurred to me that I may just be out of shape. Time to suck it up.
I recently saw a post by Dr. Schoenfeld that looked at the results of free weights vs machines. Surprisingly, the results were very close. They even checked functional transfer like vertical jump. I’m using that to spare my joints some unnecessary wear and tear including leg training. My left hip has been painful during squats - even bodyweight squats. It feels exactly how impingement sounds like it would feel. Squats are out again.
I did my first squat-free and mostly machine left workout yesterday and I’m smoked in areas that haven’t been sore in awhile. I did RFESS for 5x6 (my main “heavy” lift) followed by the Cybex machine leg press (this thing is so much better than loading a dozen plates on the leg press). That was followed by RDLs, seated leg curls, leg press calves, and seated calves. That beats the heck of my recent pathetic leg days. The result is tons of DOMS without the systemic effect of squats.
I’ve been trying to find a minimal effective dose workout because of my robe restraints. I’ve been trying full body routines like some of the old 5/3/1 workouts but it hasn’t done the trick. I have 30-45 minutes a day to train, so the Tried & True Bodybuilding Plan is back in play.
Hope everyone is doing well in life and training. Thanks for everything you’ve done for me in the past and for checking in. God bless!
Can’t believe it’s been a month and a half since my last post!
Well, like usual, I have no idea what I’m doing. I looked back and decided I really liked my physique following a run of SGSS. I was 226 at the time. I’m good with that weight and close to it now, so I figured it’s a good program to try.
I might be wrong. 
My hip(s) have been screaming with deep squats as of late so I’ve stopped doing them. The issue started while I was demonstrating a clean transition drill in class. It requires me to drop into a deep front squat as fast as possible and it’s been hurting - like torn and angry soft tissue hurting.
I started SGSS the week before Thanksgiving and then traveled out of town. I took the week off so I started over this week. I also had the bright idea to run. 
That’s a no no with the SGSS program. Typical me - too many goals and not enough time.
I tried week 1 day 4 (legs) today and it was a disaster. Here’s the program and what I actually did:
Deadlift 5x8 @ 355
20" Box Squat 5x8 @ 185
Lunges 5x8 @ 70 total pounds
RDLs 5x8 @ ??? doesn’t matter
Reality:
Deadlift 2x8 @ 355, 1x4@355 + 1x4 @ 315, 2x8 @ 315
24" Box Squat 4x8 @ 185
Seated Leg Curl 1x10 @ 130, 4x8 @ 160
Leg Extensions 3x20 @ 110
Limp away.
My back is currently jacked. I’m sure I’ll need a trip to the chiro to get back to normal. That leads me to the way-too-common thought of “what’s the point?” And I have no answer.
What are my goals?
To maintain or slightly improve strength on bench and OHP and to get back to peak strength on deadlift. I would also like to have a less-than-embarassing level of conditioning and be able to jump a bit.
So I guess I need to figure out a program that addresses all those goals… or just take steroids.
probably this. LOL
Having loitered long enough in the pharma section I’m pretty confident that this option is definitely the answer and always works - what could possibly go wrong?!
Good to see you posting Frank( was about to type your old username, old habits die hard) , even if it is only once a month.
Reckon it might be worth building some consistency and getting back into the groove with some 531? Then push in to SGSS? Or…
Dark Horse!
That’s what I keep telling mysel. Surely it can’t be that bad 
Haha, thinking about turning to the dark side? I thought Oz was super hot on it legally?
Ha ha not really mate. They are pretty hot on illegal steroids down here although plenty of people use their yearly holiday to Bali to buy stuff over the counter. There are lots of ‘aging clinics’ that provide a legal avenue to cruize and blast but it is pretty expensive. For me the potential gains aren’t really worth the risk or cost. I am plenty strong enough compared to most and even with roids there is no way I am wining any world championships, so not worth it.
Exactly! I’d probably start on about a gram a week to make sure it really got in my system.
I’ve actually been consistent with training - just not a program. I like running Tried & True since it’s more of a framework and I’m not locked into specific lifts. But I stumbled across an old pic after running SGSS and I really liked how I looked. I wasn’t my biggest and I wasn’t my leanest. It was a good balance.
I think I got a bit nauseous just reading that. With the school gyms, I probably have the space and equipment to run something like that, but my brain enjoys leaving work and going to the Y to train. I also take full advantage of the cables and machines.
Still no clue what I’m doing. Weight was 226.4 this morning after fasting until dinner yesterday. I assume that means I was able to clear out the salt bloat or any other junk from my system and get back to my true weight. I’m happy with the weight, but not the look. It’s the worst possible outcome! I’m the same weight as a previous time in my life, but my stomach is fatter. Shame!
What’s the point of logging training sessions? It’s for moments like this when you find yourself frustrated or confused. Time to look back and see what else I was doing during the good times. I’m conflicted. SGSS is a great strength program and my physique coming off it was great. But was that a result of the strength work on top of previous training? My training volume has slowly decreasing over the past couple years and it’s a factor worth considering. I saw Dr. Schoenfeld aka the Hypertrophy Doctor share a study on weekly sets and hypertrophy. 37 sets was superior to 22 sets in terms of hypertrophy. This was split over two sessions and from what I could gather, about three exercises focused on quads. The rep ranges were 8-10 and 10-12 going to 2-0 RIR. In some cases, I’ve probably been doing less than 10 sets per week and not going over 8 reps in any set.
So what’s the culprit??? Volume is the only component of my training that has dropped off the table. I still get quality reps and that may be how I let my volume tank. I felt like I was doing enough, but the mirror says different. What do to… stick with SGSS or increase my volume…
And for the record, this is the worst case of training ADD I’ve had in a couple years. I’ve been doing good with that til now. 
EDIT
Well, it’s decided. Writing things out helps me work my brain through things. SGSS says no extra work - no conditioning, abs, etc. My two immediate goals are to look better and improve my conditioning (I’m learning the hard way that this is harder to get back as I age). The answer is clear - SGSS is out, Tried & True is back in with some adjusted volume and frequency. I ran that template for a month or so prior to my recent indecision, and I felt like the frequency wasn’t enough for me. I don’t like getting extremely sore from leg day every seven days. For that reason, I’m going to run T&T with no particular weekly split. If I can train four days in a row, then I will. If it’s every other day, that’s fine, too. I think it will result in more training sessions over time compared to sticking to a four day split on the same days each week. Happy training everyone!
Yesterday’s Session
Shoulder Press
5x8 @ 105 (1st time getting 8 on every set)
Machine Shoulder Press 1.5 reps
(all the way down, up til elbows hit 90, back down, up) x 5 sets
Rev Cable Fly
8F/8T/8B
9F/9B x 2 sets
Had a rear delt pump @alex_uk but I must admit I was a little sore from wide grip rows I did the day before.
Today was a trash leg session. Due to nagging pains, squats and deadlifts were scrapped. It’s really hard to get into a machine leg workout. Hoping to play basketball tomorrow so I don’t mind the bad leg session. I’ll still probably be sore enough to make running and jumping suck.
New Year, New Me!!! 
-Not really.
No changes here except I bailed on the 30 sets per week goal. I’m just doing push/pull/legs and hitting 15 sets for chest AND shoulders in one session is not happening. I don’t think it would benefit me anyway. I trust that there’s enough crossover on pressing that it counts as a set for pecs and delts with the exception of overhead press. I don’t have a structured program and I’m enjoying it. I have kept the approach of going to 0-2 RIR on every set, but there is no rep goal unless it’s to beat the previous session. I do three to four sets on each lift depending on how many reps I hit (if I stall out at 5, then I typically do a 4th set).
I’m still trying to find my leg day session. I tried trap bar deadlifts, but didn’t love how it felt on my body. I’ve been trying to find something that replaces squats and deads, but nothing does the trick. I’m going to see my chiro who does lots of tissue work tomorrow with the hopes of figuring out why my SI joint has hurt for over a month despite resting that area. I tried rack pulls Friday followed by clean pulls from the rack and it felt great to lift something heavy. I also didn’t have any pain or issues following so maybe that’s how I’ll start getting back into heavy pulling. I tried squatting yesterday and really focused on stopping higher than usual to avoid hip impingement. I think it was a success even though I only did 3x5 with 225 (which is my bodyweight right now). I also did 3x5 on half squats from pins. My leg training goal is to get my vertical back so I’m doing half squats and some things I did in college when I could do 360s and windmills. I know I won’t get back to those days, but I can still get a few inches back if I focus on it.
Here’s a leg press method we did for baseball in my college days:
I’ve managed to do two sets of that in a session so far. That second round of 20 top half reps has been awful. I’ve been trying to go back to my old ways of only resting 60-75 seconds between sets, but that’s not happening here. I sat there for over three minutes between sets yesterday. I also felt muscles in strange places working - muscles I’ve never felt work or fatigue on the leg press.
I’m training just about every day of the week because it’s tough to spend more than 40-45 minutes in the gym on weekdays. I have to pick up my kiddos from latchkey and daycare so I’m on the clock. I’m skipping cardio when I’m pressed for time (like usual). I think I’m going to add a fourth day to my rotation for cardio and plyometrics. I might also throw abs in there depending on how things go. Today starts day one of the new rotation - push/pull/run & jump/legs. I should do cardio today since I’ve skipped it twice in the past week, but my body is beat up from yesterday’s leg session. I think running and jumping before I hit legs is the best approach given my current goals.
My current weight is right around 225-227 lbs most days which is right where I want to be. I still battle with pursuing one goal, but I think I’m close to figuring that out. As of right now, my hip doesn’t hurt so I’m squatting again. Unfortunately, my back has been out of whack for about a month. Sadly, it wasn’t even 100% when I aggravated it; I was still recovering from the previous incident. Before anyone lectures me, it should be known that I didn’t suffer an acute injury. I’ve finished a session and felt pain later. With that being said, deadlift is out.
Back to figuring out a singular goal to pursue… I squatted 380 back in May so I was only 25 lbs away from that pesky lifelong goal of four plates. I also want to improve my vertical for our staff vs senior basketball game in April. Those goals are not mutually exclusive, so I guess that’s where my training needs to go.
I had in-service a few days ago and we got to go hang out with the strength coach at a local NAIA college. It took me back to my younger days of working in a gym all day. I saw and learned some new things and I’ll be trying to implement them into my training. I heard the term triphasic training a lot, so I just to look into it. I got to do 8 sec eccentrics on squats yesterday as a result. I’ve never tried tempo training or isometrics, so I’m going to try to give this a solid try. It’s hard to ignore stories of an athlete adding 4 inches to his vertical with in-season training.
Another term I learned is “spring ankle” training. It ties into the triphasic stuff and focuses on the strength of the feet and ankles. The timing of learning this is perfect for me. I’ve recently been trying to figure out why I’m so slow when I try to jump. I’ve transitioned from being young with a quick and explosive step to being old with slow and methodical steps.
I won’t bore you with the details unless it all works, but I’m hoping my new focus on feet and ankle strength pays off. I’ve done the 1st of 5 progressions a couple times and my knees feel great. That’s a win regardless of what else happens.
Always good to get an update and hear how you are going.
Exciting to see you pursue squats - I know they’re a least favourite for you, but it’s always good to chase the stuff we’re less good at! (Although 380 is a solid squat already).
I’ll confess that I was waiting for an update on the basketball front most of all! Glad to hear things seem to be going well.
Thanks for caring about a stranger across the pond!
Would you believe I’m using a shoulder width stance and doing low bar squats? My body is strange. One month narrow hurts (like impingement) and next thing I know it’s the only thing that feels good. I’m convinced that I need to stop avoiding things that hurt (within reason). For example, my knees feel best after I put some strain on my patellar tendons even though those are the very source of the pain.
Oh it’s still in the picture. I can’t let it go, but I haven’t played lately. The Sunday morning game at my gym is annoying. I prefer playing with guys my age and they play while I’m at work on Thursdays and Fridays. Luckily I work at a school with two basketball gyms so I’m always near a goal and can get some shots up.
If this new training works, I might be able to do a 360 or windmill dunk again.