Old Lardass

Training Over 35 Lifter
61

DE Bench, 11/26/08
Bench
205x 3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3
1x 235/265/265
Close Grip Bench
3x 45/95/135/185/215/235/235
One arm DB Extension
40x 5
30x 10/10
25x 10
Front Plate Raise
25x 10
35x 10/13 ^
Farmers Walk
90x 85 steps ^

Great workout today. I had fantasies of making 300 pounds ?my bitch? today, but the bar went up so slow on 265 that I stopped there. I am getting a little more satisfied with my bar speed on the triples. I?ll stay at 205 for the next several weeks and make the bar speed faster.

I did the close grip bench with my index finger on the smooth part. Skid, is that close enough? Or should I be going even closer?

I get to go up to 100 pounds per hand for the farmers walk, now. Since I am doing that primarily for grip strength, I decided to move up in weight as soon as I can go 80 steps or more.

I am beginning to feel pretty good about my lifts. Now, I?m starting to get impatient with the gains. Its hard to remember that you don?t get your fastest gains at age 45.

Tomorrow will be a day of sled dragging and shoulder rehab complexes, and no internet access.

Have a great Thanksgiving!
Old Lardass

62

[quote]mjnewland wrote:
DE Bench, 11/26/08
Bench
205x 3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3
1x 235/265/265
Close Grip Bench
3x 45/95/135/185/215/235/235
One arm DB Extension
40x 5
30x 10/10
25x 10
Front Plate Raise
25x 10
35x 10/13 ^
Farmers Walk
90x 85 steps ^

Great workout today. I had fantasies of making 300 pounds ?my bitch? today, but the bar went up so slow on 265 that I stopped there. I am getting a little more satisfied with my bar speed on the triples. I?ll stay at 205 for the next several weeks and make the bar speed faster.

I did the close grip bench with my index finger on the smooth part. Skid, is that close enough? Or should I be going even closer?
[/quote]

Well - I think you would be the best judge of that. I used to do my hands almost completely on the smooth part but now do them just outside it. Was getting elbow problems from the former. I also find that where I land the bar and where my elbows track has more to do with triceps stimulation than my hand positioning, within certain limits, of course.

Wish I had a sled.

Have a good Thanksgiving, yourself :).

63

One of these days, I’m going to post a video and charge 5 bucks, but this is special for Skidmark. I got the idea from one of Dave Tate’s articles.

Old Lardass’s Guide to Building Your Own Cheap-Ass Dragging Sled

First, go to the tire store. They have to pay to get rid of their old tires, so they will give you one for free. Try to get a tire from a pickup truck.

You need a 3/8 in drillbit and a drill. you take 2 scrap pcs of 2x4 (about 6 in long)and drill a 3/8 in hole in them. Then, you lay the tire on its side, and drill a 3/8 in hole about 1 or 2 in down from the top of the treadline.

Get a 3/8 in eye bolt (less than a dollar at home depot) and push the threaded end into the tire. Reach inside the tire and impale the scrap pcs of 2x4 on the threads of the eye bolt. put washer and nut at the end. Use loctite on the threads so you don’t have to constantly tighten the nut. So, what you have just done is used 2 pcs of 2x4 as a big washer, so that the the eye bolt wont punch through the tire.

Take a scrap pc of plywood and cut it so it will fit inside the tire. This is so you can load the tire will all manner of heavy shit without it falling out the middle.

The rest of the stuff you need is available at walmart inexpensively. You will need 2 each of 1/4 in replacement chain links (a 2-pak is about 3 bucks). a 10’ chain (the 880 lb chain at walmart is 11 bucks) a 6 inch snap link (4 bucks). a 20 ft tow strap (15 bucks - you could also use an old fire hose).

Now, take one of the replacement links, and use it to connect one end of the chain to the eyebolt. use the other link at the other end of the chain to connect the 6 in snaplink. connect the ends of the towstrap together to make a long loop. Run the loop through the snap link so that you now have 2 loops, one on each side of the snap link. put these over your shoulders like pack straps, or crossed over your chest. Load the tire with rocks, children, old sears cement weights. Drag lots.

I leave mine in the back of my Outback so that I can drag at the park or anywhere else.

Now, if you dont mind dragging in your nieghborhood (or you have a gym or someplace where you can permanently abandon your sled), here is a great way to pimp your sled. Get 2 very large yard bags, and put 1 inside the other. put it inside the tire. get an 80 lb bag of cement, and dumpt it inside the bags. Add water and stir. You now have a 80 lb sled once the cement cures. You want a permanent place for the sled, cuz lifting it in and out of your car can be a pain.

For my next trick, I’ll show you how to make a power rack out of 3" galvanized pipe.

64

[quote]mjnewland wrote:
One of these days, I’m going to post a video and charge 5 bucks, but this is special for Skidmark. I got the idea from one of Dave Tate’s articles.

Old Lardass’s Guide to Building Your Own Cheap-Ass Dragging Sled

First, go to the tire store. They have to pay to get rid of their old tires, so they will give you one for free. Try to get a tire from a pickup truck.

You need a 3/8 in drillbit and a drill. you take 2 scrap pcs of 2x4 (about 6 in long)and drill a 3/8 in hole in them. Then, you lay the tire on its side, and drill a 3/8 in hole about 1 or 2 in down from the top of the treadline.

Get a 3/8 in eye bolt (less than a dollar at home depot) and push the threaded end into the tire. Reach inside the tire and impale the scrap pcs of 2x4 on the threads of the eye bolt. put washer and nut at the end. Use loctite on the threads so you don’t have to constantly tighten the nut. So, what you have just done is used 2 pcs of 2x4 as a big washer, so that the the eye bolt wont punch through the tire.

Take a scrap pc of plywood and cut it so it will fit inside the tire. This is so you can load the tire will all manner of heavy shit without it falling out the middle.

The rest of the stuff you need is available at walmart inexpensively. You will need 2 each of 1/4 in replacement chain links (a 2-pak is about 3 bucks). a 10’ chain (the 880 lb chain at walmart is 11 bucks) a 6 inch snap link (4 bucks). a 20 ft tow strap (15 bucks - you could also use an old fire hose).

Now, take one of the replacement links, and use it to connect one end of the chain to the eyebolt. use the other link at the other end of the chain to connect the 6 in snaplink. connect the ends of the towstrap together to make a long loop. Run the loop through the snap link so that you now have 2 loops, one on each side of the snap link. put these over your shoulders like pack straps, or crossed over your chest. Load the tire with rocks, children, old sears cement weights. Drag lots.

I leave mine in the back of my Outback so that I can drag at the park or anywhere else.

Now, if you dont mind dragging in your nieghborhood (or you have a gym or someplace where you can permanently abandon your sled), here is a great way to pimp your sled. Get 2 very large yard bags, and put 1 inside the other. put it inside the tire. get an 80 lb bag of cement, and dumpt it inside the bags. Add water and stir. You now have a 80 lb sled once the cement cures. You want a permanent place for the sled, cuz lifting it in and out of your car can be a pain.

For my next trick, I’ll show you how to make a power rack out of 3" galvanized pipe.[/quote]

Nice.

65

Well man, I must say your posts have really inspired me to just get back into the gym. I use to powerlift myself with a team in my area, and loved every painful drip of sweat I’d put out there. They are an awesome group of guys,…but unfortunately I had to stop training with them completely.

It was very hard to give up what I loved so much to do. And it helped me to trim down from 217 to 198!! I had family issues that needed more of my time. I love my family and I was there for them. Now that things are settling down “some”,…I needed something to motivate me to get back to the iron.

Your stories, “and” all the supportive replies have giving me the boost I needed to see. The two only reasons I have not returned to the gym are,…#1 I haven’t found the time to do anything,…I work all over this damn city, so ALOT of my time goes to DRIVING!,…and #2 I have severe Plantar Faciaitis with bilateral Heel Spurs. Most days its extremely painful and I can barely walk. I’ve wrestled with Orhotics, Massage, Stretching, Therapy, Ice, New Shoes, Different Shoes, on and on,…,…but my love for the iron is still there. I have really smoothed out all over cuz the fat just enveloped my body. I don’t like one bit,…and I know my wife isn’t turned on by it either!

So before I turn this into one long ass story, (shit,…sorry,…I just looked up at the post and saw it),…I want to thank you for your willingness to post your “turn around”. I will use this to help me. And maybe I’ll post my turn around too,…without hijacking your thread,…I’ll put it up somewherelse maybe or not at all. Now the only thing I need to do is, to control my appetite!

Thx again,
Mike

66

12/2/08 Draggy Sled
50lbs x 400 steps
75lbs Tabata drags (20s on 10s off times 8)
I haven?t dragged for a while, and I am questioning the wisdom of hard dragging the day before a ME squat workout. Time will tell?

Train Harder,
John

67

12/3/08 ME Squat
For the record, hard dragging the day before a ME squat workout WAS INDEED a bad idea:
Low Box Squat
3x 45/135/185/225/275
1x 315/335/275
GHR
5/5/5/5/8
Dimel Deadlift
155x 20/15/10
Reverse Hyper
75x 8/4/5
Pull Down Abs
120x 10/9/8/8

Low box squats are seriously kicking my butt. After I (barely) hit 335, I actually missed 275 and couldn?t get my monstrous ass off the box on the first try. I really went after it on the Dimels, but they kicked my butt too. By the time I hit abs, I was ready to sleep for a week and see a chiropractor.

Tough shit, sled draggy tomorrow!

Train harder
john

68

12.4.08
DRAGGY-SLED!!!

400 steps with 50 lbs
200 steps with 75 lbs
Tabata draggies with 95 lbs

Train Harder
OL

69

If you start to feel any unexplained pains it is because I’m sending a cyberhex your way. Why would I do such a thing? I quote,"you can do just one set. You know you want it. Just 1 set. we wont tell… ".

So this morning after my normal workout, nobody else in the gym, I get on the glut/ham torture machine. How hard can they be? 1,2, arggg, cramp in my left hamstring. Hopping around the gym tryin to stretch that sucker out. So that’s what those handles are for. Stretched that sucker for 30 minutes in the sauna. I will definitely warm up before trying them again. Which I will.

And your getting some good workouts in.

70

Sorry, Hel, but you’ll thank me later…when your hammies are as big as your head…

I wish I belonged to a real gym that had a GHR. You should see what I have to do to make a scabbed-together replica. it works, but I’m sure its not as good.

71

[quote]theonekaos wrote:
Well man, I must say your posts have really inspired me to just get back into the gym. I use to powerlift myself with a team in my area, and loved every painful drip of sweat I’d put out there. They are an awesome group of guys,…but unfortunately I had to stop training with them completely.

It was very hard to give up what I loved so much to do. And it helped me to trim down from 217 to 198!! I had family issues that needed more of my time. I love my family and I was there for them. Now that things are settling down “some”,…I needed something to motivate me to get back to the iron.

Your stories, “and” all the supportive replies have giving me the boost I needed to see. The two only reasons I have not returned to the gym are,…#1 I haven’t found the time to do anything,…I work all over this damn city, so ALOT of my time goes to DRIVING!,…and #2 I have severe Plantar Faciaitis with bilateral Heel Spurs. Most days its extremely painful and I can barely walk. I’ve wrestled with Orhotics, Massage, Stretching, Therapy, Ice, New Shoes, Different Shoes, on and on,…,…but my love for the iron is still there. I have really smoothed out all over cuz the fat just enveloped my body. I don’t like one bit,…and I know my wife isn’t turned on by it either!

So before I turn this into one long ass story, (shit,…sorry,…I just looked up at the post and saw it),…I want to thank you for your willingness to post your “turn around”. I will use this to help me. And maybe I’ll post my turn around too,…without hijacking your thread,…I’ll put it up somewherelse maybe or not at all. Now the only thing I need to do is, to control my appetite!

Thx again,
Mike[/quote]

Hey Mike, thanks for the props. We are a bunch of supportive old coots here, longing for simpler days of lifting, loving and laughing. If you start your own thread, let us know here so we can check in on you.

Train harder
john

72

12/5/08 ME Bench
Mobility/prehab
Floor Press:
3x 45/95/135/185/225
1x 245/265/275
2x 245/245
JM Press:
3x 45/98/135/185/215/215/225/225
Incline DB Press:
60x 10/65x 10/70x 6
Seated DB Cleans:
15x 8/8/8/8 ^
Straight Leg Raises
15/9/9/8
Farmers Walk
100x 75/25

Floor press felt a little better this time ? no spotter, and 275 came up r-e-a-l?s-l-o-w. I should have done more work down. JM Press felt tons better, increased at the top by 20lb ? although I?m still unsure about my form. Seated db cleans, my shoulder is so weak that this exercise is a huge embarrassment for me. St leg raises too. As Dave Tate and all the other writers at Elitefts.com would say ?that means do more of them, pussy?.

I really need to find a hardcore gym. I can?t afford to join, and I?m not strong enough (yet!) to be part of the crew, but I really need some form coaching?.

All in all, one of my better training sessions. I felt spent, but strong as a fucking gorilla. Maybe not as strong as some of the other gorillas, but a gorilla none the less.

Train Harder
john

73

Damn strong workouts John! Love the home made sled plans, great idea.

74

nice work mr gorilla!

75

DE Squat, 2/8/08
Mobility/rehab
Box Squat
205x 2/2/2/2/2/2/2/2/2/2
Reverse Hypers
75x 8/8/8/7/6
Chest supported rows
100x 8/7/6/6
GHR
6/6/6
Pulldown Abs
120x 10/10/7/6/8

Once again, I failed to have draggy sled over the weekend. I?ll get some tomorrow.

Still not happy with my speed or form on the box squat. Started out fairly strong, but by the 7ths set my right patellar tendon started to hurt. I am not using big weights, so I think it must be my form. I really need to find some guys that know how to box squat and have them coach my form.

Other than that, a killer workout. I was totally spent. My supplemental and accessory exercises are all showing gains, except for pulldown abs. That exercise is really kicking my butt! Because???you need to do more of them, pussy!?

I hope all my OLD buddies are enjoying their training as much as I am!

Train Harder
OL

76

Wow, just never stop doing what you’re doing. Great work and awesome progress.

77

[quote]mjnewland wrote:
DE Squat, 2/8/08
Mobility/rehab
Box Squat
205x 2/2/2/2/2/2/2/2/2/2
Reverse Hypers
75x 8/8/8/7/6
Chest supported rows
100x 8/7/6/6
GHR
6/6/6
Pulldown Abs
120x 10/10/7/6/8

Once again, I failed to have draggy sled over the weekend. I?ll get some tomorrow.

Still not happy with my speed or form on the box squat. Started out fairly strong, but by the 7ths set my right patellar tendon started to hurt. I am not using big weights, so I think it must be my form. I really need to find some guys that know how to box squat and have them coach my form.

Other than that, a killer workout. I was totally spent. My supplemental and accessory exercises are all showing gains, except for pulldown abs. That exercise is really kicking my butt! Because???you need to do more of them, pussy!?

I hope all my OLD buddies are enjoying their training as much as I am!

Train Harder
OL
[/quote]

Getting your feet out wide enough? Sounds like your pulling yourself out of the hole with the quads, which necessarily happens with a closer stance. Toes pointing out? The deceleration and subsequent acceleration can be hard on the joints for sure.

78

hey skid, I’m getting pretty wide, with my feet pointed out at about 45 degrees. I don’t think I’m getting perpendicular with my shins and sitting back properly, so I am quad-heavy coming out of the hole, but with a wide stance, so its probably putting unnecessary strain on my knees.

I need some help getting past the “sitting way back” idea. Intellectually I know that if the shins are perpendicular or farther, the quads are taken almost completely out of the lift. But, I don’t think I’m getting far enough back, so my knees end up over my toes instead of behind my heels.
ol

79

I AM AN OLD PUSSY, AND I DID NOT DRAG MY SLED THIS MORNING.

in my defense, it was 20 degrees and the ground was too icy to get a grip.

john

80

DE Bench, 12/10/08

So, I?m at the office right after my workout, building coffee and talking about working out with my boss?s boss. He was a minor league baseball player in his day, so he understands why someone would be interested in getting back into competition at an older age (I?m 45, and I don?t think he?s all that much older than me). Anyway, I was talking about powerlifting, and out of the blue he says ?I know the guy with the biggest squat in the world? and I thought to myself ?big Chuck??, and said Chuck Vogelpohl is a family friend, and his dad coached chuck when he was just a kid. And I said Chuck is my hero, and the boss said, ?yeah, we?re going back to OH in Christmas, and my son lifts now so we?re going to work out over at Louie?s place with Chuck and Louie?.

And of course I said ?wow, that?s awesome?. I?d sell my wife to make the Westside Barbell pilgrimage, and the boss get?s to go whenever he wants. Meanwhile, I can?t find anyone in my gym who can coach my squat form properly. It?s a small world, and sometimes I think I?m on someone else?s?

So, anyway, I get to live vicariously through my boss. In the meantime, I lifted like this today:

Dynamic Bench:
205x 3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3
Close Grip Bench:
3x 45/95/135/185/225/245/245
1-arm DB Extensions
30x 10/9/9
Front Plate Raises
45x 10/10/14 ^
Farmers Walk
100x 50/20/15/15

I started off a little late today, because I felt like I needed some extra sleep. DE Bench is about 45-60 min shorter than my other 3 workouts, so no biggy. The other meatheads made fun of me for coming in late. I did my mobility work, then speed bench. My ego is forcing me to have too much weight on the bar, and the bar is slow. I?m dropping it to 195 next week, and stop being a big ego pussy, and get the bar going fast.

PRs on cgb and plate raises. All in all a good workout, except for my pussy need to lift too much instead of too fast like I should.

Train Harder,
John