Joe - Congrats! I wish I could be that focused. I can only manage one passion at a time when working full time. I did 12 semester units since Jan. and taking another 5 through Aug. No time for anything else.
KMC - Thanks! It was your deadlift video that fired me up again. Would love to enter the race, but I’ve lost at least 30% of my strength. Guessing 9 months to get back to where I was.
LS - Thanks brutha!
Cavalier - Thanks! Got a BS in Organzational Behavior and Leadership Studies. The movie never ends.
Happy that my joints and ligaments feel good, but otherwise I feel like a dough boy. Really can’t wait to spin back up. I have a program ready, but want to check out Wendlers 5/3/1 for powerlifters. Anyone using it yet?
Kicked off my new program today and glad to be refocused. Been quite a summer - I’ve taken 17 semester units since January, finished my degree, son returned from Afghanistan and got married, and I turned 52 a few weeks ago. Last week I knocked out my final class so now its time to fill the void.
I’ve taken about 9 months off from lifting, and now the fun begins. Here’s the plan for what its worth.
I’m taking my best 1RM from last year and dividing it in half. I figure I’ve lost about 35 to 40% of my strength and I need time to build up the stabilizers and tendons before I get into the heavier stuff. I’m not going to risk injury.
So I took my 5/3/1 spreadsheets and literally recalc’d them at 50% off the top 1RM.
For each cycle instead of adding 5 or 10lbs, I’m adding 10 to 25lbs. I’ll get back to my old maxes in 7 to 9 months but I’m not in a hurry.
Also doing BBB to help stablizers and tendons get ready.
Did a bench session today. Felt good to get a little pump again even though everything was really light.
OP_ Congrats on the degree, the boy being home and getting married and welcome back…its the same, we’re all just a tiny bit older…but probably not much wiser…Best of luck with your training.
Thanks OG. Definately older and not any wiser. As proof I got a speeding ticket the other day in my little race car. Doing the twisties at 72 in a 35 but I guess the motocop liked my old guy attitude, so he wrote it for 10 over.
Squatz Day
Forgot my cheat sheet so I winged it.
Squats:
warmup sets
3 sets 5 x 190
3 sets 10 x 135
Set the pins where my arms hang lowest at my side. Like carrying a suitcase low. Just below my butt pin height. I was able to bang on the pins for all the sets, so I got that going for me even though I haven’t squated in a loonnng time.
Good Mornings:
3 x 10 x 135
Seated and standing calf work
I’m going to rethink the 50% of 1RM plan. Its probably OK for the first week or two, but I’m going to need to go heavier soon. Maybe take it to 30% instead.
I like your plan. Muscles heal in 2 weeks or less, fascia/tendons and joints take 4-6, maybe 8. Only makes sense to take that into account when building them up.
I like your plan. Muscles heal in 2 weeks or less, fascia/tendons and joints take 4-6, maybe 8. Only makes sense to take that into account when building them up.[/quote]
Thanks - Thats definately the thought process.
That said, I’m going to increase my 5/3/1 1RM from 50% of my previous, to 30% and let the BBB work do its thing on the tendons, joints and pesky little stablizer muscles. Right now the weights feel rediculously light.
[quote]Oldman Powers wrote:
I’m going to rethink the 50% of 1RM plan. Its probably OK for the first week or two, but I’m going to need to go heavier soon. Maybe take it to 30% instead.[/quote]
Must admit, like Pete, I thought the 50% sounded a bit extreme. I’d be very surprised if you’d have lost that much strength.
I like your plan. Muscles heal in 2 weeks or less, fascia/tendons and joints take 4-6, maybe 8. Only makes sense to take that into account when building them up.[/quote]
Thanks - Thats definately the thought process.
That said, I’m going to increase my 5/3/1 1RM from 50% of my previous, to 30% and let the BBB work do its thing on the tendons, joints and pesky little stablizer muscles. Right now the weights feel rediculously light.[/quote]
Standing Military:
Warmup to 85
3 x 95
3 x 105
8 x 120
Standing DB Military:
5 sets 10 x started at 40’s and worked down.
Dips:
3 x 10 x BW
Chins:
4, 6, 5
Curls:
3 x 10 x 75
Reset my program to 30% of my previous 1RM and feels a lot better.
So now we get to find out how long it takes to get back to previous PR’s after taking 9 months out of the gym.
[quote]OldGoat wrote:
You’re still sitting on the beach singing with your daughter! get back into the gym!!! I like the approach coming back after the layoff.[/quote]
Haha - Thanks OG. I love that photo of us singing on the beach at South Padre. My daughter is so awesome.
[quote]username42 wrote:
Good to see you back at it. Nothing like DOMS to let you know you’re back at it. And it really has been hot back in Texas.[/quote]
Thanks UN. I’m sure its pretty darn hot where you are, but its a dry heat right?
Been checking in on your log and its looking good! I like how you are mixing up programs. You’ve come a long way even while overseas.
Warmup sets to 170
5 x 170
3 x 190
8 x 210
3 x 225
BBB 5 x 10 x 115 - various grip widths
Bar Dips:
3 x 15 x BW
Chins and Pull Downs - some x some
Whips out the Wendler 1RM calculator - looks like I’m at 265, so I’ll reset to that in a few weeks. That would be 25% off my 1RM last fall. Not bad under the circumstances, but not good either. BBB is a killer as usual. Everything felt heavy today.
On a high note, got to help a young girl with great lifting potential learn how to bench. She is a pure jock and teaches spin classes. As she finished some DB bench next to me, I told her it was time she learned how to BB bench. Worked her up to a 100lb 1RM concentrating on form. Not bad for the first time out. She studied my 5/3/1 sheet and asked lots of questions.
As I left the gym she yelled, “Teach me squats next time”.