Rugby In-Season 5/3/1 Log

Training Over 35 Lifter
1

I’ve decided to join the cult…
About me:
43 y/o
5’11"
226lbs
Max Lifts, all raw including no belt. No gear hating here, just like to do my thing.

Squat
363 - local NASA meet in 2004 I think, missed 3rd attempt at 385, had it but took a step forward at lockout. I think I left some on the platform.
425 - gym lift, box about 2" above parallel about a year ago

Bench
319 - same NASA meet
350 - touch & go gym lift in 05

Deadlift
440 - same NASA meet

I’ve lifted most of my life since I was about 13 y/o. First for football, and then just because… Never made any real progress to speak of until I found Berry Merriman’s Periodized plan on the web. I think the main thing that did for me was to force me to keep records of where I was. That first year of keeping records took my sorry 255 bench to 305. That was 96-97 timeframe.

Fast forward to 07. I started playing rugby. That brought me to WS4SB I and then III. Very slow progress on those. But I figure, at my age, any progress while playing 2 seasons of rugby a year is good.

Summer 09 I bought and started 5/3/1. I just started cycle 12 without a reset and I am very pleased. I go between 2, 3, and 4 days a week, depending on the rugby seasons and work/life demands.

I’ve also had 3 surgeries since 01 that have seriously impacted my training.

Fall 2000 I injured my neck playing flag football (yeah, I know) which finally resulted in surgery in Jun 01. No lifting from fall 2000 until fall 01.

Spring 05 I had a nasty broken pinky that resulted in the PIP joint being fused. Machines only, and very limited upper body work for a couple months.

Fall 07 ruptured distal biceps tendon. Very limited upper body training for 6 months.

Enough of that for now. If anyone is interested enough to follow my log, I’ll elaborate as needed.

BTW, yes I am a grandpa.

2

Monday, Jul 5, 2010

Box jumps - 6 sets of 3, progressively higher, but not near max height. I use those aerobic steps with the risers. Not ideal but it works. I start with 10 risers and move up from there.
Risers x Reps
10 x 3
12 x 3
14 x 3
15 x 3
16 x 3
16 x 3

TBDL
135 x 5
185 x 5
225 x 5
265 x 5
305 x 5
345 x 15 Very happy with this! Probably didn’t leave any reps in the tank though…

Pull throughs s/s with chins
110 x 10 / 5 chins
110 x 10 / 5 chins
110 x 10 / 5 chins

Leg curl
65 x 12
65 x 12
65 x 12

machine arm curl - RP/DC style
80 x 19
80 x 10
80 x 6+

3

Hello to another NASA lifter

4

Welcome LA - and nice work!

5

[quote]bulldog9899 wrote:
Hello to another NASA lifter[/quote]

Thanks for the greeting…

I wouldn’t really consider myself a NASA lifter… I did that one meet just because some dude in the base gym talked me into it.

I did enjoy it, but not enough to make powerlifting my primary focus. I would do another but they always seem to conflict with my rugby schedule. NASA seems to have regular meets just up the road from me in Springfield OH.

6

[quote]LA wrote:

[quote]bulldog9899 wrote:
Hello to another NASA lifter[/quote]

Thanks for the greeting…

I wouldn’t really consider myself a NASA lifter… I did that one meet just because some dude in the base gym talked me into it.

I did enjoy it, but not enough to make powerlifting my primary focus. I would do another but they always seem to conflict with my rugby schedule. NASA seems to have regular meets just up the road from me in Springfield OH.
[/quote]
Hell ill be in Springfield at the end of october:)

7

[quote]soldog wrote:
Welcome LA - and nice work![/quote]

Thanks dog… I’ve followed your log off and on. Yours is one that helped convince me to put mine up here.

8

[quote]bulldog9899 wrote:

[quote]LA wrote:

[quote]bulldog9899 wrote:
Hello to another NASA lifter[/quote]

Thanks for the greeting…

I wouldn’t really consider myself a NASA lifter… I did that one meet just because some dude in the base gym talked me into it.

I did enjoy it, but not enough to make powerlifting my primary focus. I would do another but they always seem to conflict with my rugby schedule. NASA seems to have regular meets just up the road from me in Springfield OH.
[/quote]
Hell ill be in Springfield at the end of october:)[/quote]

NASA meet? If I don’t have rugby that week, maybe I’ll make the trip over to watch.

9

[quote]LA wrote:

[quote]soldog wrote:
Welcome LA - and nice work![/quote]

Thanks dog… I’ve followed your log off and on. Yours is one that helped convince me to put mine up here.
[/quote]

well shucks man, if I can lay out all my trials and tribulations over the past couple of years, anyone can! I’m glad I’ve played some part in bringing you on board.

10

Welcome. “Base gym”? AF or Navy? You’re puttin up some good numbers.

11

[quote]hel320 wrote:
Welcome. “Base gym”? AF or Navy? You’re puttin up some good numbers.[/quote]

Thanks! AF… Retired MSgt in 06, working the GS life now. If I remember correctly, you are a retired Chief, no?

12

Nice work on the trap bar deads

13

Yeap, but just your friendly neighborhood mailman, now. Colin’s a retired MSgt, too.

14

Hey LA I am thinking we could have probably went through AFFEE’s together. We are about the same age, I have a couple of years on you, and I am originally from Stow. If you are anywhere near Wadsworth there is a great bunch of guys lifting at Head Hunter Barbell. Oh btw … What base?

Welcome look forward to reading your log!

15

[quote]Colin Wilson wrote:
Hey LA I am thinking we could have probably went through AFFEE’s together. We are about the same age, I have a couple of years on you, and I am originally from Stow. If you are anywhere near Wadsworth there is a great bunch of guys lifting at Head Hunter Barbell. Oh btw … What base?

Welcome look forward to reading your log! [/quote]

Hey Colin… I grew up in Youngstown and still haver family there. I don’t know much about Stow/Wadsworth, but I drive through Akron occasionally on my way up to Y-town.

I retired at Wright-Patterson and still work there.

LA

16

[quote]LA wrote:
Monday, Jul 5, 2010

Box jumps - 6 sets of 3, progressively higher, but not near max height. I use those aerobic steps with the risers. Not ideal but it works. I start with 10 risers and move up from there.
Risers x Reps
10 x 3
12 x 3
14 x 3
15 x 3
16 x 3
16 x 3

TBDL
135 x 5
185 x 5
225 x 5
265 x 5
305 x 5
345 x 15 Very happy with this! Probably didn’t leave any reps in the tank though…

Pull throughs s/s with chins
110 x 10 / 5 chins
110 x 10 / 5 chins
110 x 10 / 5 chins

Leg curl
65 x 12
65 x 12
65 x 12

machine arm curl - RP/DC style
80 x 19
80 x 10
80 x 6+

[/quote]

Another fan of the trap bar. Welcome.

17

I always tried to get stationed back at Wright Pat, ended up at Andrews for 10 years, lol. Retired 5 days before 911…

18

Nice lifts. Welcome :slight_smile: .

19

Tuesday July 6, 2010

Rugby 7s practice 6-8PM… man it was hot out there… still 91 when we finished.

Working the night shift now. Then bench day when I get off at 7AM.

Colin - I had 10 assignments in just under 21 yrs, and two of them were Wright-Patt!

20

Wednesday July 7, 2010 7:15 AM after working overnight. BW = 223

Bench
Warm up
45 x 10
95 x 10
135 x 10
Work
195 x 5
225 x 5
255 x 12 *PR for 255 - Surprised with the PR because all sets prior to the 255 felt like shit. Shoulders and right elbow were cranky. The 12th rep was a bit of a grinder but there was never a doubt I would get it.

Incl DB bench s/s with DB shrug
65 x 10 / 65 x 15
65 x 10 / 65 x 15
65 x 10 / 65 x 15
65 x 10 / 65 x 15
65 x 10 / 65 x 15
5lbs more than last time. The shrugs were harder than the bench.

Kroc Row
80 x 10 warmup
80 x 16
80 x 12
5lbs more than last time. Basic plan on progression is move up when I get 20+ on first set.

Tricep pushdown w/V-bar, RP/DC style
190 x 15
190 x 6
190 x 4
5lbs more than last time. Sort of expected 7-9 reps on set two and 5 or more on last set based on last time.

LA