MercilessMing's Road to Galactic Domination (or Just Getting Strong) at 43 y.o

Training Logs
1

Well, I lurk around T-Nation reading the blogs, and taking a look at the forums, but decided to go ahead and start my own training log here. My initial goals for lifts are BP 275, DL 405, and Squat 365, but I really am more concerned about overall fitness, and dropping to about 12-15% BF. Last year, was at 200 BP, 300 DL, 285 Squat before injury (I mean, excuse).

About me:
A couple enlistments in the Marines, at my peak when I was about 26, was lifting the numbers I posted above for my goals. That was after about 9 months of dedicated lifting. I am currently about 6’0", 195, probably in the 20% body fat area. I was in the gym regularly last year, then out for 10 months with a small rotator cuff tear (just lazy about getting back in). I think upright rows were the culprit.

My diet:
I eat well. Typical day is a bowl of oatmeal with walnuts, apples, cinnamon, and a little brown sugar, peanut butter sandwich on whole grain bread, 16 oz fat free milk with a heaping scoop of protien powder, a couple pieces of fruit during the day, probably a bowl of Greek yogurt with walnuts and berries, maybe a couple “oatmeal/PB/protien powder snack bites” that the wife and I make (happy to share the recipe), and usually a low carb dinner with fish or chicken and veggies. I probably have one alcoholic drink per day, as in a legit one, like 1.5 oz whiskey. And like three cups of coffee per day.

Cardio:
4-5x per week. Typically 15 mins on the elliptical MWF after I lift, and on T-Th I row about 5k meters, and finish with 10 mins on elliptical. Occasionally I will hit a rowing session on the weekend.

Current lift routines:
I alternate two routines (on military press, bench press, squat I run 4 warmup sets).

Routine A-
Military press 3x5
Bench press 3x5
Overhead tricep press 3x10
Lateral raise 3x10
Pec deck flyes 3x12
I also run 3 sets of dips, but don’t keep track, I just crush out as many as I can each set.

Routine B-
Squat 3x5
Deadlift (1 warmup set) 1x5
Hammer curl 3x10
Dumbbell curls 3x10
Lat pulldown 3x10
Seated row 3x10
I’ll mix in some pullups, but not really focused on them now. (At 26, I was doing 20+ REAL dead-hang pullups, not these half-pullups literally every dude in the gym does here.)

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Mr. Ming welcome to the logs.
Im in, Galactic Domination, better be friend here.
You might have a good time around, there are a lot of good information and funny people.
How far away are you from your youth strength?

3

From today (weight)x reps, I’m 5 weeks into this program when I started this log today.:

Squats (187.5)x5,5,8
Deads (135)x10, (275)x5
Hammer curls (20)x10,10,10
DB Curls (15)x10,10,10
Pulldowns (100)x10,10,10
Seated Row (120)x10,10,9

With the exception of deadlifts, I still feel plenty under my capabilities in the other lifts. Deads really are hard for me. I had a bad lower back injury and a broken ankle in my 20’s, so pull sumo now, but man, they drain me. I’m running curls before pulldowns and rows right now to hit them when I am more fresh. Really makes me pull with my back more on the rows and pulldowns.

1 Like
4

Welcome to the club…I’m 43 also. I’ll add you to my log so two old guys can make fun of each other from time to time.

Keep grinding bro. U ra or what ever you jar heads say to each other.

5

Today:

OHP: 85x5, 85x5, 85x9 (could have knocked out a couple more on last set, but going slow for my shoulder)
BP: 145x5, 145x5, 145x10 (definitely can do more on bench, but I’m increasing weight by just about 5 pounds each day…milk that LP)
Tricep press: 50x12, 50x12, 50x10
Lateral Raise: 15x12, 15x12, 15x10
Pec deck fly: 80x12, 80x12, 80x10 (really working on a squeeze with these)
3 sets of dips to failure

Weighed in at 193.3

I have started drinking another protein shake before bed, I really feel like I’m not eating enough. Definitely think I can be lifting a lot more, but need to make sure I don’t get injured. Not to mention doing bench press after OHP, but I’m trying to work on my shoulders first for now.

1 Like
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That nighttime shake is money. I get one first in the morning, pre and post workout, and casein at night. I skip the mid day stuff when I don’t workout.

At our age extra protein is good for muscle preserve…the body will respond. 1g per lb is a floor for my protein intake. I’ve done as much as 2g per. That may have been excessive.

1-1.5 seems to be a sweet spot for me. Find your sweet spot. As we age our insulin sensitivity is not as good and coupled with lower Test levels keeping BF in check is critical for growth

Older lifters also respond to volume better than max weights. Low weight high rep is not a bad thing…

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welcome!

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Thx for the tips. I imagine I’m still not getting 195 g protein per day, even with two shakes/day. I’m planning on adding about 4 eggs/day to my diet next.

I plan on sticking to this routine until mid-march, then may switch to more reps/set with lower weight, I’ll just have to see how it goes. I know that with exception of deadlift, I can be lifting much more. Just kind of taking it slow. I suspect that I can be lifting more on deadlift, I just have a big problem cracking the weight off the floor.

1 Like
9

@duketheslaya Thanks!

1 Like
10

Today started with waking up at 1:30 a.m., not getting back to sleep, and having a headache all day. Drug my ass to the gym anyway.

Squats 190x5, 190x5, 190x8
DL 135x10 (working on generating momentum), 285x5 (my headache turned into what it must feel like to have a stroke…)
Hammer curls 20x10, 20x10, 20x10
Dumbbell curls 15x10, 15x10, 15x10 (really working on a squeeze here)
Lat pulls 3 sets 120x10
Seated row 120x10, 120x10, 120x7 (biceps gone by this point)

DL just still seems really hard. No problem locking out, but getting the weight moving is a beast. Squats on the other hand, felt great.

Weight: 194.25

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:joy: felt like a stroke​:joy:

Nice job man. Way to grind!

12

Didn’t get a chance to get on yesterday. Anyway, from Monday:

OHP: 90x5, 90x5, 90x9
Bench: 150x5, 150x5, 150x10 (Still don’t feel these are that hard)
Tricep press: 55x12, 55x12, 55x12
Lat raise: 15x12, 15x12, 15x12
Pec fly: 80x14, 80-x14, 80x12
3 sets of dips to failure. I don’t count them, just go till I’m done.

Weight: 196.25

2 Likes
13

Glad to see you are not a one and done…grind on

14

Today was fail day. I don’t know what the deal is.

Squat: 195x5, 195x5, 195x8
DL: 295x2, 295x1

Just could not lift this. I was planning on 5 reps, did two, then was like “WTF”…Went back in for another go, and may as well tried to lift the Earth. I got one rep, and felt like both pecs were ripping out. From what I understand, that is due to your back losing tension. I know I have a weak back. I think I’m going to take @losthog advice, and cut back on weight, maybe 245 or so, and go for higher reps until my back catches up. I really have a problem even getting the weight moving, period. FWIW, I DL sumo, don’t know if that matters. All I did different this time was not using an alternate grip, both hands were overhand. I also think I am just psyching myself out, and mindscrewing myself into DL failure.

Hammer Curls: 20x10, 20x10, 20x10
DB Curls: 15:10, 15x10, 15x10
Lat Pulls: 120x10, 120x10, 120x7 (felt defeated after DL I think)
Rows: 120x10, 120x8, 120,7

Weighed in at 194.6

Next DL day in Monday, so I’ll just eat a lot, sleep a lot, and tackle it again then with less weight. I’m convinced it is because I trimmed my beard this morning. Never trim your beard…

2 Likes
15

You got this brother. Focus form over weight. The weight will come.

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OHP: 95x5, 95x5, 95x7
BP: 155x5, 155x5, 155x10
Lat Raise: 15x12, 15x12, 15x10
Chest Dip: 10,10, 8
Tricep Extension (overhead on pulley this time): 50x6, 35x10, 35x10
Tricep Pressdown: 50x10, 40x10, 40x10
Machine Flyes: 90x12, 90x12, 90x12

Even though I’ve been adding weight to bench every session, it feels almost easier and easier each time as well. Could have easily done more I feel.

1 Like
17

Sounds like you are finding the groove again. Nice work man.

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18

From Monday:

Squat: 195x5, 195x5, 195x8
DL: 135x10, 225x7, 225x5
Hammers: 20x12, 20x10, 20x10
DB Curl: 15x10, 15x10, 15x10
Lat Pulls: 120x10, 120x10, 120x8
Seated Row: 120x10, 120x10, 120x7

1 Like
19

Hey…