Great thread! Very inspiring
Question–In the earlier threads (perhaps in the later ones also but I haven’t read through all 18 pages)
I noticed you work up to a 1RM DL on ME day and then after that pull a heavy triple for your last set. What’s the purpose of doing that? Just curious–to get a bit more volume? Going to total failure?
Thanks,
Dan
Hey Dan,
Thanks for checking out my thread! Let me try to answer your question about my DL ‘routine’. When I am training for a contest, I begin my DL cycle at some arbitrary weight I think I can get about 3-6 reps with.
Whether or not the weight is too easy or not doesn’t matter to me…I progressively each week add weight(usually 10lbs/week) to my top set and attempt to get as many reps as I can that week with that particular weight. I then drop 50lbs for a triple. I know eventually, whatever I can triple in the DL, I’m usually good for a single with ~50lbs more.
As the weeks progress, I shoot for more than 3 reps on my work set, but eventually I will only get 3, then two, then singles. When I get to the singles, I don’t feel I get enough out of them to gain strength anymore, so I drop 50lbs for the triple for more work, in the hopes it will cause some strength gain for the next week’s DL.
Sometime before the contest, I will FAIL with a single, sometimes for several weeks…I don’t like failing so I try to fool myself into thinking that I need to do something close to equivalent to that missed single…a triple minus 50lbs for me. I try to leave on a positive note.
I know if I miss my top single 2 weeks in a row, I will not single anymore but make my work set 50lbs less than what my training log says I should single that day. I aim for a triple, if I get it, I have the confidence to know that I have a fighting chance at the single if I try it again(but I don’t).
Each week, that triple is my goal as my work set until I can no longer get a set of three, usually 2 weeks before the contest if I guesstimated right. I stop my DL workouts then and take no more DL’s until contest. My opener is whatever I got for the last triple, 2nd attempt 20-30lbs more, and my third attempt at or around that triple plus 50lbs.
If I’m not too beat up and tired by then, I give myself a 75-80% chance of making it in the contest even though I consistently missed it in training. This is what works for me now. It may not be like that forever, BUT I will adapt when the time comes. There is no way to know if it will work for you but I thank you for following my 18 pages of posts.
I will gladly try to give you my rationale for anything you see in the posts. Good Luck with your training!
Art
04/10/07 - Tuesday
Flat Bench DB Press
35x10x2; 55x8; 75x6; 95x5x5
Pull-ups
BWxfailurex3sets
Chin-ups
BWfailurex 2 sets
Keiser Seated Rows
6 repsx3sets
DL’s with 2 doubled Pink Bands
135x8; 185x5; 225x1; 250x3x8(45-60 secs rest bet sets)
Hi all! Hope all is well with JimmyT, Barry, HT, Jack et al.
04/12/07 - Thursday am
Standing Single-arm DB Press
L - 25x8x2; 40x8; 55x8x3
R - 25x8x2; 40x8; 55x8; 75x8; 95x5x2
Delts using tubing/DB(8lbs) combo
Front raise x 8 x 2
Lateral Raise x 8 x 2
Bent-over rear delt raise with a 2 second hold at end ROM x 8 x 2
Rotator Cuff - IR/ER supine on floor
8x10x2; 15x8; 20x5x3
Hang Cleans
95x10x2; 135x10; 185x8
Hang Snatch
45x10x2; 95x3x3
How about a funny? I met a Rams coach this week. He’s a young guy. One of my doctors ask him if they could use me? Ha I told him about our group and our numbers. He was in shock. He asked me why I worked out this way. I told him that I liked to mess with children like him. As Jimmy T would say Batta bing Baata Boom
Barry - You are a man after my own heart! Isn’t it ‘funny’ how us ‘older’ fellas still have some balls and it sometimes shows in our sense of humor! Heavy lifting brings about a certain level of confidence and knowing one’s capabilities and limitations…from time-to-time my ego gets in my way, maybe even more than time-to-time, I just don’t notice it until others make a point of bringing it to my attention. We do what we do because we like it AND because WE CAN! Your little story bought to mind something an ‘old bull’ said to ‘this young bull’, many, many moons ago…went something like this as best I can recall…old bull and young bull were up on a hill overlooking a green valley. In the valley, a herd of cows were grazing on the lush greenery. Young bull says to the old bull, “See that one over on the edge of the herd, the black & white one?” Old bull nods ‘yes’. “Ain’t she pretty?” Old bull not paying much attention seemingly nods ‘yes’ again. Young bull says, “Let’s run down the hill and fk her!" Old bull kinda gives him a sidewards glance & says, "SON, LET"S WALK DOWN & FK THEM ALL!” Us old-timers have heard many renditions of the story, & most probably, could be the characters in it. Whatcha think???
I pray one day Jimmy T, HT, and us can throw some iron around. Working with Jimmty T was a hoot and a privledge. He’s a stud. Lead. follow, or get the F… out of the way.
04/14/07 - Saturday
“Quickie” BP - every rep paused
45x10x2; 135x8; 185x5; 225x6x4(3 mins rest bet sets)
What have they done to the site?
Looks like they removed a couple of forum categories and disallowed comments directly on the articles…
Not that Barry’s opinion means anything but the changes suck. QT, the children miffed me again today. After 1 of the art’s ce fart’s guys were hanging out at the T-Bar row forever, I threw 5,6, 7 plates on there and did a set of 8. I want to do a pamplet on how to act in the gym.
Will keep going…
04/16/07 - Monday
Incline BB Press with Mini Band Doubled around back
45x10x2; 95x8; 135x4; 185x5x3
Seated DB Curls
35x8
Seated hammer Curls
35x8
Dips
BWxfailurex3sets with 60 secs rest in bet
Pull-ups
BWxfailurex3sets(WG; RG; CG)with 60 secs rest in bet sets
Barry,
Does stuff like this happen on a regular basis at your gym? Maybe a ‘pamplet’ is in order! Hope the environment at the gym doesn’t detract from your training…must kinda learn to not let it take you away from what needs to be done. Focus; use your training log to not only put in numbers, but your feelings & anything else that happened, as well. Hope this helps
Art
Due to my traveling I workout at 3 gyms. The hardcore place this stuff doesn’t happen or they would run your butt off. At the “Y” I go to they stay out of the way, they think I’m nuts. My weekend place is cheap but most of the clientel just don’t get it; don’t try to get it.
Monday I’m heading to my University to workout and vote for the yearly Hall of Fame vote. They have a great facility. Old baseball players aren’t supposed to lift weights, should be fun. Have a great week.
04/17/07 - Tuesday
Squat
45x10x2; 135x8; 225x5
295x3; 345x3
295x3; 345x3
295x3; 345x3
295x3 Pause in hole for a 3-count
Barry,
Hope the trip to the alma mater is an enjoyable one; hope you bump into old friends you haven’t seen or heard from in years!
QT, Got to be honest with you and the guys. I’m sorry to say I don’t keep a log. I bought a book for the log almost 2 years ago and the pages are still blank. I know I should, I need your help again.
To start, get a small spiral notebook, stick a pen inside the spiral, and the rest is up to you!
Things I put in mine are:
BW that morning after a dump or two
Workout & numbers I’d like to see
Numbers I actually get!
How I feel about the workout, in general,or, can be specific to whatever stands out in your mind
Amount of rest bet sets, if important
Equipment used, if any
Aches & pains present & what if any I did about them
Changes in grip width, stance width, etc when appropriate
How the day at work went or anything else that may influence that workout, + or -
Future adjustment(s) that need to be made
Each workout takes up about 1 page of writing for me - it’s more of a diary, I guess, than a workout log. I think it’s worth the time & effort, especially when I get ‘senior moments’ & can’t remember the weight or reps I got 2 weeks ago!
Keep it simple at first, then adapt as needed
Bad week for training for me…both jobs requiring work be done at home + preparing for my observation tonight at the College. Hopefully get back on track this weekend…may do a “mini meet” in the garage - Squat, BP, & DL all in the same workout…we’ll see how I feel
QT-Barry-HT,
Just got back from the oil field in Midland-Odessa.I was there for five days.Could not train.Good to hear everyone is doing well.
QT,
The mini meet sounds awesome.If we could all train together that would happen often!
Barry,
I always dig reading your posts.The children stay far away from me and my training partner.They heard we eat our young!Ha Ha!
Bench
1x10x135-1x10x185-1x7x205-1x3x225-1x8x185-Last set all pause reps
Incline
3x5x185
DB Pullovers-2x10x90lbs.
Dips-2x15xBW+10
Close Grip-2x5x185
Tri Pushouts off bar in rack-2x30xBW
I feel great and my shoulder is pain free.As soon as we can train regular I will try some weight in this lift.The rep training has helped alot.I will be home for a week or so and post my training.TRAIN HARD! Jimmy T
The last 2 days were brutal. I probably won’t train until Monday so I went “Hog wild and pig crazy”. Trying to do crazy stuff for a different shock to the body. Yesterday DB snatches and swings and major grip work. Let me tell you 100# DB swings for sets of 15-20 worrying about the DB crushing your skull isn’t for everyone. It’s an awesome cardio to boot. Today, my knees were suffering from yesterday so only volume leg presses and rack pulls. With my knees in the toilet I’ve been doing leg press from the bottom. I try and get my hips to the point of racking the weight at the bottom. Kind of like QT’s pause on the bench that I have come to love. At the bottom with some weight you still get the buzz. Talk at ya guys next week.