11-11-2010: Bench, Wk. 4
This is the easiest of my deload weeks; in fact rather than do two sets of 5 at each weight, I just did a single set of 10. Not sure what to make of this, but it does mean the session takes all of about 20 minutes.
32.5 x 10
40 x 10
50 x 10
Squats today and then on to the next round. Looking forward to it because I’m scheduled to squat 140kg for the first time.
I do 60% of my assistance work on deload weeks. So for BBB I’d do 3 sets instead of 5.
11-13-2010: Squats, Wk. 4
60 x 10
70 x 10
85 x 5 x 2
70 x 20
Decided to take Joe’s advice and put some assistance work in on this. I’ve been doing these sets of 20 to finish on squats since I started 5/3/1, and while they seem like they should be easier than 5 sets of 10 at the same weight I’m completely winded at the end, and my legs are fried, so I’m going to keep doing them for a while like this.
On to the next cycle, probably tomorrow.
20 rep squats are a weight and cardio workout all rolled into one!
[quote]FarmerBrett wrote:
20 rep squats are a weight and cardio workout all rolled into one![/quote]
Very much cardio. Since I do them right after the heavy set I always start off thinking “Well, this is a nice light weight,” but when I’m done I’m usually lying on my back on the floor gasping for breath.
I think I forget that, in addition to the bar, I have to move my butt and gut up and down with each rep.
11-14-2010: Cycle 9, Week 1 - Overhead Press
I Hate This Lift…
So, rather than claim that I don’t need to be good at it, I’m trying to make even smaller steps than usual. Rather than increase the working max by 2.5kg from last time, I’ve gone up by only 1.25kg, and I’ve also changed my spreadsheet to round the calculated weights to multiples of 1.25kg. The overall effect of this is that I happen to be doing the same weights as last cycle, except for the assistance which I’ve bumped up by the 1.25kg increment.
I am going to lick this damn thing.
Warmup: 20x5, 25x5, 30x3
Work: 32.5x5, 37.5x5, 42.5x5+ (made 5, just barely)
BBB: 26.25 x 10 x 5; tough, but I made all of them.
So, my hope is that if I essentially keep the main lifts at essentially the same number for a few cycles but manage to increase the assistance each cycle I’m going to count that as progress.
I also snagged a discarded car tire over the weekend that I’m going to try to fashion into a sled. If anybody has suggestions about the best way to do this I’m all ears.
11-16-2010: Cycle 9, Week 1, Deadlifts
[As always, weights are in Kg]
Warmup: 60x5, 75x5, 90x3
Work: 100x5, 115x5, 130x5+ (made 7, +1Rep PR)
Assistance: 70x10x5
Traps are sore today - that hasn’t happened in a while, but I take it to be a good thing.
Also, I tried dropping the weight more quickly on the work set, but it just felt like I was going to do something unfortunate to my back, so I reverted to my somewhat slower descent.
The assistance work killed me; after the fourth set I was laying on the garage floor gasping for breath and waiting for one of my neighbors to come over to see what all the clanging was about…
That which does not kill me can still be very unpleasant.
I have the same issues with lowering the weight. I can’t just let the damn thing drop because the gym people will soil their pantaloons so I have to lower it. Thats good puling you did there.
[quote]JoeGood wrote:
I have the same issues with lowering the weight. I can’t just let the damn thing drop because the gym people will soil their pantaloons so I have to lower it. Thats good puling you did there.
[/quote]
I can understand that situation, and I’m glad I’m not normally faced with it. I’m still making a fair amount of noise when the plates hit the ground, which I can imagine might not be popular at the average commercial gym.
I’m going to be in Florida over Christmas vacation and planning to work out in the local YMCA, assuming they have a squat rack. We’ll see how long it takes before somebody comes over to tell me to use a little less gravity in my lifts.
[quote]soldog wrote:
Welcome!
I started at age 46 and now three years later I’m still going. In better health than before as well.[/quote]
I will be 46 in a few months. I have been working out steady now for 2 years and feel great, I have a younger workout partner and I keep up with him and push him some days too. I feel like my intensity and knowledge from years of trial and error are finally paying off. Diet is something I really watch now too… I guess I’m more disciplined now that the years are behind me.
11-18-2010: Week 1, Bench
Suboptimal workout today. I was hoping to hit 7 reps on the top weight but stalled out hard after just 4! Got the rest of the work in, so I’m hoping this was just a one-time lack of energy and not a real limit, as I’m still not benching that much.
Warmup: 35x5, 42.5x5, 50x5
Work: 55x5, 62.5x5, 72.5x5+ (made 4)
Assistance:
Bench: 47.5 x 10 x 5
Bent-over row: 40 x 10 x 5
I’m still trying to figure out what weight to go with for the rows. I’ll probably bump it up at least 2.5kg for the next cycle, but for now this seems to be working my upper back.
My goal on bent-over barbell rows is to keep the weight even with my bench weights but have more reps
[quote]soldog wrote:
My goal on bent-over barbell rows is to keep the weight even with my bench weights but have more reps[/quote]
Yes, getting them to par is my first objective, so I’m going to try to move the rows up as quickly as possible. I just started doing them on my last cycle and I wanted to start off light to make sure I had the form down before jacking them up.
Thanks for the confirmation.
11/20/2010: Squats, Cycle 9, wk. 1
Warmup: 60x5, 75,x, 90x3
Work: 95x5, 110x5, 125x5+ (made 8, +1Rep PR)
Assistance: 75x20 (up 5 kg from last cycle)
Bent-knee horizontal floor gasps: 120sec
After last session’s unexpectedly poor showing on the top set, I was a little concerned about how this was going to go. However, I was determined to make a good showing of it and am pretty happy with how it came out. On rep 6 I came to a dead stop in the hole and had to employ Superior Mental Fortitude to get back up, so decided to avoid that mistake on the last two. Heavy as all get out, but a good session.
[quote]ag918w35 wrote:
On rep 6 I came to a dead stop in the hole and had to employ Superior Mental Fortitude to get back up[/quote]
Unfortunately, I do this more often than I wanna admit. But doesn’t it feel so good when Superior Mental Fortitude works?
[quote]kpsnap wrote:
[quote]ag918w35 wrote:
On rep 6 I came to a dead stop in the hole and had to employ Superior Mental Fortitude to get back up[/quote]
Unfortunately, I do this more often than I wanna admit. But doesn’t it feel so good when Superior Mental Fortitude works?[/quote]
Indeed it does. I just wish it worked more frequently than it seems to 
11-21-2010: Cycle 9, Wk. 2 - Military Press
Senior moment: forgetting that this was the “3 Rep” week, I decided to do 5 reps on the first two work sets. It was only when I found myself thinking “I’ll never be able to lift that for 5” that I realized I didn’t have to…
Warmup: 20x5, 25x5, 30x3
Work: 35x5, 40x5, 45x3+ (made 4)
Assistance: 26.25 x 10 x 5
I also worked up a tire sled for my conditioning work. At first I was worried it would be too easy; then I tried it. Part of the time I spent dragging it with my 50lb daughter and/or her friends sitting on it, and part of the time I hiked up our hill and back down.
I could barely move my legs this morning. I’ll try to post a picture of my DIY rig in a few days.
11-23-2010: Cycle 9, Week 2, Deadlift
Warmup: 60x5, 75x5, 90x3
Work: 105x3, 120x3, 135x3+ (made 5, +2 Rep PR)
Assistance: 70x10x5
This actually wasn’t too bad; I wasn’t even about to die at the end of the assistance work. Hopefully the video will show the 135kg work set.
Nice work.
Looks like you do a pronounced shrug at the top?
[quote]kpsnap wrote:
Nice work.
Looks like you do a pronounced shrug at the top?[/quote]
Yes, I noticed that. It’s not at all intentional, so I have to figure out why I’m doing it and try to stop. I think I have in my head that I need to get the bar a little farther up than it goes without the shrug, but who knows where that idea came from.