Yes, I am. I just started visiting the forum again in January and occasionally have time to look around at logs and discussions.
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Yeah, I just started training again the end of November after almost a year layoff, but things are going well except for my knee being an issue. The PA at work took a look at it today and suspects I may have a torn meniscus. I’ll do RICE for the rest of this week and see how it is, and if it doesn’t improve I’ll schedule a Dr visit. I also have very limited time for forum trawling like I used to do.
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That’s no good about the knee but I know how you feel. I’m constantly battling knee and back pain. I can’t even remember what it feels like to train without being in pain during the session.
4/18/25 5/3/1 whole body strongman, cycle 6 day 6
Deadlifts:
5x45#
5x95#
5x135#
5x185#
5x225#
5x275#
3x305#
5x340#
Superset with pull-ups 1,2,4,6,8,10,12,14
Press:
5x45#
5x65#
5x95#
5x115#
3x130#
5x145#
Superset with front squats 3x same weights.
Accessory -
Dumbbell overhead press per arm: 50# 10,10,10
Superset with dumbbell bent over rows: 65# 10,10,10
No conditioning today, I’m still babying my knee, don’t want to re-aggravate it.
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4/21/25 whole body strongman version, cycle 7 day 1
Warmup: barbell complex x3
Power cleans:
5x45#
5x65#
5x95#
5x115#
5x135#
8x150#
Superset with 25# weighted chin-ups: 1,2,3,4,5,8
Squats:
5x45#
5x95#
5x135#
5x175#
5x205#
5x235#
10x265#
Accessory:
Superset of Zercher squats: 5x145#, 195#, 195#
25# weighted dips: 10,10,10
EZ curl bar curls: 58# x8,8,8
Tricep extensions: 58# x10,10,10
New cycle, new training maxxes. My knee is feeling a lot better, and I should be able to do the elliptical conditioning tomorrow. Jury is still out on whether I want to try to run at all this week. Squats are getting easier, but power clean is still plenty challenging.
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4/22/25
Conditioning: Elliptical 30 minutes, difficulty 7, speed 4+. Final numbers HR: 128, Miles: 2.08, Calories: 311, peak HR 137. My knee felt mostly okay, but I took it easy anyway, backed off on both time and pace.
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4/26/25 5/3/1 whole body strongman version, cycle 7 day 2
Warmup: barbell complex x3
Deadlifts:
5x45#
5x95#
5x135#
5x195#
5x240#
5x280#
10x315#
Superset with pull-ups 1,2,4,6,8,10,12
Press:
5x45#
5x65#
5x85#
5x105#
5x120#
10x135#
Superset with front squat 3xsame weights
Accessory -
Dumbbell overhead press per arm: 50# 10,10,10
Superset with dumbbell bent over rows: 65# 10,10,10
Conditioning (but not really): Run 400m in 2:45. My knee is still not feeling 100%, so stopped right there.
5 Likes
welcome to my world
Yeah, it’s always something once you get past a certain age…
4/29/25 5/3/1 whole body strongman version, cycle 7 day 3
Warmup: barbell complex x3
Power cleans:
3x45#
3x65#
3x95#
3x115#
3x125#
3x140#
3x160#
Joker sets
1x175#
1x185#
Superset with 25# weighted chin-ups: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 5x35#, 3x45#
Squats:
3x45#
3x95#
3x135#
3x175#
3x215#
3x250#
3x280#
Accessory:
Superset of Zercher squats: 5x155#, 205#, 205#
25# weighted dips: 10,10,10
EZ curl bar curls: 58# x10,10,10
Tricep extensions: 58# x12,12,12
I decided to incorporate some Joker sets since I’m not training for a 5K anymore. It went fine with the power cleans, and I decided to do some heavier weighted chins to superset with them. Then on the squats I felt a little twinge in my right hamstring on my 3rd rep of my last set, so I cut it off right there on squats so as not to risk a real injury. It didn’t affect my Zercher squats at all, but I can still feel it a little. I feel like this is my fault because I was sick all weekend and fell off on my stretching, so I probably should have just taken it easy. Still a good workout overall, just disappointed on not getting any joker squats in. Also, first time I’ve power cleaned 185# in a very long time, so that’s a plus!
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4/29/25
Conditioning: Elliptical 30 minutes, difficulty 7, speed 4+, 5+ on the hills. Final numbers HR: 136, Miles: 2.33, Calories: 334, peak HR 143. I didn’t take it easy today, pushed a little more and my HR reflects it.
3 Likes
5/1/25 5/3/1 whole body strongman version, cycle 7 day 4
Warmup: barbell complex x3
Deadlifts:
3x45#
3x95#
3x135#
3x185#
3x225#
3x260#
3x295#
3x335#
Jokers:
3x355#
2x375#
Superset with chin-ups 1,2,4,6,8,10, pull-ups 4,6,8,10
Press:
3x45#
3x65#
3x95#
3x110#
3x130#
3x145#
Jokers:
3x155#
3x165#
Superset with front squats 3x same weights.
Accessory -
Dumbbell overhead press per arm: 50# 10,10,10
Superset with dumbbell bent over rows: 65# 10,10,10
Everything went well, including joker sets, except my right hamstring is still bothering me. I didn’t really notice it until the 2nd set of joker deadlifts, which I cut short because of that.
4 Likes
Strong Press
Thank you, sir, this is definitely the toughest lift to progress on.
So, I’m taking a deload week to give my hamstring time to fully recover. I’ll go to the gym tomorrow and do full body with light weights.
I also had to put my good boy, Shadow, down yesterday. He was about 14 years old, and he’s gotten to where he can’t get up without help, even with joint supplements and painkillers, so it was time. Digging a grave and burying a 110# dog is not a workout I ever wanted to have to do. RIP Shadow.
Here he is in 2021, last time he was fast enough to catch a squirrel.
And here he is back in 2019, chilling in the yard.
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That´s just a tough day to get through, sorry for your loss
Thanks. I knew it was coming, but still hit hard, he was the best dog I ever had.
Okay, so I took last week mostly off and my hamstring is feeling better. I’m going to take this week as a deload week, then restart at Cycle 7 day 1.
5/12/25 deload day one
Warmup: barbell complex x3
Power cleans:
Power cleans:
5x45#
5x65#
5x95#
5x115#
5x135#
Superset with chin-ups: 1,2,3,4,5
Squats:
5x45#
5x95#
5x135#
5x185#
Accessory:
Superset of Zercher squats: 135# x5,5,5
Dips: 8,8,8
EZ curl bar curls: 58# x8,8,8
Tricep extensions: 58# x10,10,10
I kept everything light, but I still felt like I worked at it. I don’t want to go heavy too fast and end up setting myself back.
3 Likes