Lunch-Hour Log

Bigger Stronger Leaner Over 35 Lifter
1

The novelty and, perhaps, potential appeal of this topic, planned to run for 9 weeks, are meant to lie in its articulating results attained through a five-day (Monday-Friday), relatively low-volume training schedule of ca. 30 minutes or less of actual weightlifting each session (i.e., what I – a 48-year-old male, 185 cm, 90 kgs – accomplish during the ordinary work week on my lunch hour). General warm-up as well as pre- and post-training stretching are not included.

A variation of this schedule, with no speed sets and (even) less squatting, was used from October 2007 (three months after I resumed training after 4 years of inactivity) to March 2008 towards establishing these current modest 1RMs (kgs): Deadlift 170, Squat 130, Bench press 125, Power clean 85, Press 75. Goals for the end of the current training cycle (test week of 23 June 2008) are: Deadlift 185, Squat 145, Bench press 140, Power clean 90, Press 85. (For information, PRs are: Deadlift 220, Squat 160, Bench press 130, Power clean 85, Press 75.)

Monday
Squat: 2 sets warm-up, 2 sets x 3-6 reps, then 1 set x less than or equal to 20 reps @ 77% current 1RM
Power clean: 4 sets x 3 reps

Tuesday
Bench press: 10 sets x 3 reps speed, 1 minute pause @ 56% current 1RM
ALTERNATING WEEKLY WITH
Bench press: 2 sets warm-up, 2 sets x 3-6 reps
Weighted dip: 2 sets x 4-8 reps
Hanging straight leg raise: 1 set BW
Crunch machine: 1 set

Wednesday
Deadlift: 15 sets x 1 rep, speed, 30 seconds pause @ 59% current 1RM
ALTERNATING WEEKLY WITH
Deadlift: 2 sets warm-up, 2 sets x 4-6 reps
Bent-over row: 2 sets x 6-8 reps
Barbell shrug: 2 sets x 10-14 reps

Thursday
Close-grip bench press: 1 set warm-up, 3 sets x 4-6 reps
Press: 3 sets x 4-6 reps
ALTERNATING WEEKLY WITH
Press: 10 sets x 3 reps, speed, 1 minute pause @ 55% current 1RM
Hanging straight leg raise: 1 set BW
Bicycle crunch: 1 set

Friday
Squat: 10 sets x 2 reps, speed, 1 minute pause @ 54% current 1 RM
Lying leg curl: 2 sets
Weighted chin-up: 2 sets
Hyperextension: 1 set

Comments, suggestions and criticism, should any of this be of interest, are all welcome. Not all elements of this schedule are optimal in my own view, but this is what I have decided on for the time being.

2

Monday, 28 April 2008

Squat:
70 x 12 reps, 100 x 8 reps, 117.5 x 3 reps, 117.5 x 4 reps
100 (77% current 1RM) x 18 reps
Power clean:
50, 60, 70, 72.5 x 3 reps

Felt pretty good throughout, and surprised myself with the 18 reps on the final squat set – still a psychological challenge trying to get a full 20. Power clean form was not smooth on the final set.

3

wow, tough to do squat and power clean on the same day. nice work.

4

Interesting concept!

Welcome to the group!

5

Welcome -

Best thing is to do explosive or skill movements first, then eccentrics then, max work, then the rep work.

Ideally only two of the four should be worked together in a session as attempting to do all tends to confuse the nervous system and slow gains in any particular area - this according to Louis Simmons of Westside Barbell.

iow - put the power cleans first. Then do the squats.

Can combine any two as long as the most neurally fatiguing movements are performed first.

But if it’s working for you, don’t listen to me… It’s all theory anyway.

6

[quote]soldog wrote:
Interesting concept!

Welcome to the group![/quote]

Thank you, Soldog. I have already enjoyed viewing your log and hope to be able to contribute something sometime.

7

[quote]ecogenx wrote:
wow, tough to do squat and power clean on the same day. nice work.[/quote]

Thanks for the remark, Ecogenx. I am sure the relatively low volume (and low weight amount) is an aid in this respect, as has proven too, in terms of concentration, keeping to the intended half hour max.

8

[quote]skidmark wrote:
Welcome -

Best thing is to do explosive or skill movements first, then eccentrics then, max work, then the rep work.

Ideally only two of the four should be worked together in a session as attempting to do all tends to confuse the nervous system and slow gains in any particular area - this according to Louis Simmons of Westside Barbell.

iow - put the power cleans first. Then do the squats.

Can combine any two as long as the most neurally fatiguing movements are performed first.

But if it’s working for you, don’t listen to me… It’s all theory anyway.[/quote]

I appreciate your insight, Skidmark – and have also been following your impressive log. You have identified a training aspect that is indeed questionable. My aim with the ‘unconventional’ order and mix chosen for this session is to focus on squats. My recent 1RM tests revealed to me that I needed to attend to my squat technique, so I placed them first, when I am fresh (and added the speed work on Friday); they are themselves a neural challenge for me. (The intended 20-rep set at 77% maximum is also a new item in this program cycle introduced to the same end.) If progress is not satisfactory, you have outlined a potential reason; but I am inclined to test the theory this time around.

9

[quote]1Geech wrote:
skidmark wrote:
Welcome -

Best thing is to do explosive or skill movements first, then eccentrics then, max work, then the rep work.

Ideally only two of the four should be worked together in a session as attempting to do all tends to confuse the nervous system and slow gains in any particular area - this according to Louis Simmons of Westside Barbell.

iow - put the power cleans first. Then do the squats.

Can combine any two as long as the most neurally fatiguing movements are performed first.

But if it’s working for you, don’t listen to me… It’s all theory anyway.

I appreciate your insight, Skidmark – and have also been following your impressive log. You have identified a training aspect that is indeed questionable. My aim with the ‘unconventional’ order and mix chosen for this session is to focus on squats. My recent 1RM tests revealed to me that I needed to attend to my squat technique, so I placed them first, when I am fresh (and added the speed work on Friday); they are themselves a neural challenge for me. (The intended 20-rep set at 77% maximum is also a new item in this program cycle introduced to the same end.) If progress is not satisfactory, you have outlined a potential reason; but I am inclined to test the theory this time around.
[/quote]

You betcha. We’re all just figuring out what works for us. Theory and what someone else says be damned if it’s been tried and didn’t work …

More power to you :slight_smile:

10

Tuesday, 29 April 2008

Bench press:
60 x 12 reps, 100 x 7 reps, 112.5 x 3 reps, 112.5 x 3 reps
Weighted dip:
BW + 35 x 5 reps, BW + 35 x 6 reps
Hanging straight leg raise:
BW x 9 reps
Crunch machine:
1 superset descending weight 20 reps total

Expectations going in did not fully match bench press results: I anticipated getting 4 reps on the work sets, but they were not in there today. Dips, by contrast, were better concentrated, which helped me to ‘salvage’ the day in some respects.

11

[quote]1Geech wrote:

Thank you, Soldog. I have already enjoyed viewing your log and hope to be able to contribute something sometime.[/quote]

Sure - just drop on by and say “Hi!”

12

Welcome. Your’s is one seriously thought out plan. Looking forward to seeing your results and progress.

13

I must agree with hel320, you have a focused plan.

14

[quote]hel320 wrote:
Welcome. Your’s is one seriously thought out plan. Looking forward to seeing your results and progress.[/quote]

Thank you for looking in, Hel320. I prefer a detailed plan: I believe it helps me attain my modest longer-term goals to know what I am going / supposed to do each time I step in the gym. Others don’t need or like this, and I admire them for it, hoping at least for myself to be aware and flexible enough to make adjustments when things are not working out as expected.

15

Wednesday, 30 April 2008

Deadlift:
70 x 12 reps, 120 x 8 reps (snatch grip); 155 x 4 reps, 155 x 4 reps (alternating grip)
Bent-over barbell row:
97.5 x 6 reps, 97.5 x 6 reps, 97.5 x 6 reps
Barbell shrug:
140 x 14 reps, 140 x 14 reps (1st rep off the floor, straps)

Deadlift reps were sure but slow (perhaps the contrast with the (new) weekly alternating speed work exaggerated the impression). Shifting DL to Wednesday from Monday, as previously, seems so far to have had a (minor) detrimental effect on my power in the lift, but I hope in the long run the extra squat work introduced that caused this rescheduling will indirectly prove beneficial there as well. I felt that I was (finally) using more glutes than I have been activating in the recent past; but I don’t know what positive or negative factors to attribute this to. It occurred to me towards the end of the session that it probably makes more sense (both programming- and time / plate setting-wise) to put shrugs directly after DL and before the rows. The extra set of rows just happened … despite all planning!

16

Welcome, I look forward to following your progress.

17

[quote]daddyzombie wrote:
Welcome, I look forward to following your progress.[/quote]

Thank you, Daddiezombie. Congratulations on your recent meet success.

18

Thursday, 1 May 2008

Labor Day, gym closed. Today’s session shifted to (extraordinary) Saturday session to maintain squat session tomorrow. At-home:

Weighted neck extension (Neck harness):
4 sets x 17kgs x 20 reps
Ab wheel:
4 sets x 10 reps (from knees)
Self-myofascial release:
Foam roll lower body and shoulders, tennis ball back / neck.

I started using the ab wheel on weekends a few weeks ago and am still getting used to it. It takes me a set-and-a-half to really stretch out without feeling like I am overstressing my lower back and shoulders. The self-myofascial release has been a weekend staple since January, the foam roll mostly benefitting my quads: I owe it to T-Nation to alerting me to this.

19

Geech,

Good stuff! Keep up the hard work. You are probably going to improve just by writing down your plan.
One thing that you might consider is to increase the weight on your deadlifts, but lower the number of reps. You might be amazed at how much more weight you can lift with fewer sets.

20

still looking good. I keep meaning to add the ab wheel, nice addition.