So Mr. X Goes To The Gym

Training Over 35 Lifter
101

Oh, yeah… I’m still here!
Started a new workout, since I’ve had to modify the way I’m going to be training. It’s called EDT (Escalated Density Training) and was presented to me by Charles Staley. The way it works is, you work out antagonistic muscle pairings (you’ll see what I did below), and start at 5 reps each exercise and do as many sets at 5 as you can, then drop to 4, then 3 then 2, etc. And you have 15 minutes to do one PR Zone. It would be an understatement to say it was intense.
Also, I will be seeing my Dr. next Tuesday (I knew he would work me in!) and will be finding out exactly what I did to my knee.
Soldog, welcome, and glad you’ve found my thread worth reading! LOL! I’m not as regular a poster as the other guys, but at least I’m moving and working out. Good luck on your journey! Have you started a thread of your own? (Sorry, I haven’t taken the time to look)If you do, you will get lots of good comments, suggestions, and occasionally the well deserved criticism.
Anyhow, here’s what I did for my workout…

A1
BB Bench Press @ 135#
A2
Close Grip Lat Pulldown @ 160#
(Both exercises match reps and sets. If you can only do 4 of one, but could still do 5 of the other, you have to match the 4 rep exercise. It sounds confusing, but is actually quite simple.)

7x5
1x4
4x3
Total of 50 reps (or a total of 100 reps combined)

B1
Seated DB Overhead Press @ 30#x2
B2
BB Curl @ 65#

5x5
1x4
5x3
4x2
Total of 52 reps (or a combined 104 total)

And I wondered why I felt this today! LOL!!!

Keep on Rockin’!!!

102

Soldog, I see you DO have a log, so ignore my previous question about if you have one… LOL!
OK, I was trying to figure out my w/o today, and I was planning on doing Chin Ups paired with Military Press (as antagonistic pairings).
Well, even after thinking I knew what I was going to do, I made a last minute change�?� I checked the book Muscle Logic, and decided that the perfect pairing for chin ups would be dips.
Man I need to work on Chin Ups… they were definitely the limiting factor in this pairing, I could have doubled the number of Dips.
Crank up Pantera’s ‘Cowboys From Hell’ and let’s get started!!!

A1
Chin Ups (Body weight)
A2
Weighted Dips (35# weight belt)
5x2
3x3
4x2
Total reps = 27

B1 & B2
DB Snatch at 27.5#
5x6
4x2
9x3
2x2
Total reps = 69
I was sweating like a… well, like a person who just did a total of 69 DB Snatches!!! LOL!

All in all, this was a good workout, my chin ups sucked, but a positive note is, there are lots of people that can’t do 27 chin ups in 15 minutes (especially if they’re paired with weighted dips!).
So Keep on Rockin’!!

103

Sorry that hip pain isn’t just gonna go away quickly. Keep up the work and don’t do anything to aggravate it.

104

[quote]Mr. X wrote:
Soldog, I see you DO have a log, so ignore my previous question about if you have one… LOL!
OK, I was trying to figure out my w/o today, and I was planning on doing Chin Ups paired with Military Press (as antagonistic pairings).
…
[/quote]

Yep - I started a log recently. Will be back to lifting next week and I’ll be adding some body weight exercises to the list! Chins & dips - sounds good but I think I’m starting with body weight only. I did suprise myself yesterday and got 20 good pushups before my shoulder gave a twinge.

105

[quote]soldog wrote:
Chins & dips - sounds good but I think I’m starting with body weight only. I did surprise myself yesterday and got 20 good pushups before my shoulder gave a twinge.[/quote]

I’m sure I’m gonna preach to the choir here, but if you have a shoulder issue, take care with the dips. I wouldn’t normally suggest this, but until you know how your shoulder is going to react, consider doing half dips to begin and slowly work down to a full dip as the muscles and the shoulder adapt. Our gym has a dip/chin assisted machine, and I used that (pretty much at my body weight to start with) while I was rehabbing my shoulder after surgery.
Good luck, and I’ll check your w/o log regularly.
Peace

106

[quote]Mr. X wrote:
I’m sure I’m gonna preach to the choir here, but if you have a shoulder issue, take care with the dips. I wouldn’t normally suggest this, but until you know how your shoulder is going to react, consider doing half dips to begin and slowly work down to a full dip as the muscles and the shoulder adapt. Our gym has a dip/chin assisted machine, and I used that (pretty much at my body weight to start with) while I was rehabbing my shoulder after surgery.
Good luck, and I’ll check your w/o log regularly.
Peace[/quote]

That is pretty much how I’ve been working up to the push-ups and will definitely take your advise on both the dips and pullups. We don’t have an assisted dip/chin machine so if I have to I’ll work the half dips and negative pullups for a while.

107

OK, Got in another w/o yesterday… Hope I’m putting together a decent program. (It would be a lot easier if I were able to include a regular lower body workout!)

A1
Lat Pulldown @ 140#
A2
Standing Military Press @ 75#

7x5
8x3
1x2
Total 61 reps each.

B1
(EZ-Bar) Tri Pressdown
B2
Barbell Reverse Curl

10x5
4x3
Total 62 reps each

C1
Oblique Side Raises (R) w/10# plate at chest
C2
Oblique Side Raises (L) w/10# plate at chest

10x5
Total 50 raises each side

[RANT ON] Just on a side note, thank goodness I have an MP3 player that I can crank up! Have any of you ever tried to work out to HipHop/Rap??? I mean, Beyonce’ can sing just fine, but “If I Were a Rich Man” by the Pussycat Dolls or whoever, just ain’t doin’ it for me! Now give me Metallica ‘Ride the Lightning’ or Pantera, or any metal, and I will be happy! LOL! The counter girls are sweet, but sometimes they just don’t have a clue what music needs to be played while people are lifting, I mean, I don’t expect anyone else to listen to my kind of music, but I think they turn on what they listen to on their radios at home or in their cars…
SHEESH! [OK, RANT OFF]

So Rock Hard, and Lift Heavy! LOL!!!

108

No rants this morning! Just a hell of a workout yesterday! (and my MP3 player had batteries! LOL!)

Week 2 of EDT

A1
Bench Press @ 135#
A2
Close Grip Lat Pulls @ 160#
7x5
3x4
4x3
Total of 59 reps each, an increase of 9 reps each from last week!

B1
Seated OVHD DB Press @ 30# (x2)
B2
BB Curl @ 65#
5x5
2x4
7x3
4x2
Total of 62 reps each, an increase of 10 reps each from last week!

So I guess you could say I PR’d on all 4 exercises, but it wasn’t on video so it never happened… LOL! All kidding aside, I was stoked on the improvement, and I can hardly wait to see how much I can get next week. I will then be able to decide if, and how much, I need to increase.

Got my Dr.'s appointment today to see what’s up with the knee. Hopefully he will say it’s just a strain and that I can go back to exercising my lower body.

Rock on!

109

[quote]Mr. X wrote:
Got my Dr.'s appointment today to see what’s up with the knee. Hopefully he will say it’s just a strain and that I can go back to exercising my lower body.[/quote]

Well, I’m not gonna get fixed by rubbing some dirt on it… baling wire and duct tape won’t fix it either.
My Dr. thinks I’ve got a “bucket handle tear of the medial meniscus”.
I go in for an MRI Thursday morning, and then the Dr. will let me know what the results were. So I guess I need to decide who I want as my ortho… probably just go with the same guy that put my shoulder together. At least, if I do need surgery, the recovery is fairly rapid.

The good news is I can start doing a modified lower body w/o (no squats or lunges, for example) and work on quad strength, since that will assist with recovery too.
So I just gotta Keep on Rockin’…

110

[quote]Mr. X wrote:
Mr. X wrote:
Got my Dr.'s appointment today to see what’s up with the knee. Hopefully he will say it’s just a strain and that I can go back to exercising my lower body.

Well, I’m not gonna get fixed by rubbing some dirt on it… baling wire and duct tape won’t fix it either.
My Dr. thinks I’ve got a “bucket handle tear of the medial meniscus”.
I go in for an MRI Thursday morning, and then the Dr. will let me know what the results were. So I guess I need to decide who I want as my ortho… probably just go with the same guy that put my shoulder together. At least, if I do need surgery, the recovery is fairly rapid.

The good news is I can start doing a modified lower body w/o (no squats or lunges, for example) and work on quad strength, since that will assist with recovery too.
So I just gotta Keep on Rockin’…[/quote]

Aww man that sucks - not as bad as it could have been but it still sucks. Here’s hopin’ for a quick and complete healing…

111

Add another one to your list and keep on pressin’. Do what you need to to get better and then start another comeback. Keep working that upper body.

112

Speaking of working the upper body…
So I upped my weight on the belt to a 45# dumbbell. It was also easier to take the weight off and move to the chins, so I’m sure I picked up some reps just by not taking as long to transition between exercises.
A1
Weighted Dips - 45# DB on weight belt, increased weight from 35# plate
A2
Chin Ups - Body weight - palm out
5x3
4x1
3x4
2x2
Total 35 reps (up 8 reps)

B1
DB Snatch (R) - 27.5#
B2
DB Snatch (L) - 27.5#
6x5
3x4
9x3
2x2
Total 73 reps (up 4 reps)

So, a little better on the chins… I won’t be adding more weight any time soon, I just am working towards the 50 rep mark on BW chins and then I will consider increasing weight on the dips. And besides, 45#'s of weight hanging between my legs is more than enough to handle at this point.

If I get up to 80 reps on the DB Snatches, I’ll jump up to 30# DB’s, that should knock my numbers down a hair… LOL.
Overall, I’m pleased with EDT, and I think I will be seeing some body composition changes soon.

Head out early in the A.M. for my MRI, then will see if I have time for a w/o before I have lunch w/the wife. Otherwise, I’ll w/o after lunch. Gonna do lower body tomorrow! WooHoo! OK, so maybe not a killer w/o, but at least it will be a leg w/o.
Keep on Rockin’!

113

Good news X, and great work! Yea, thank God for MP3 players right? I’ll make comments to myself about the music playing while I’m crankin’ Godsmack or the new Sevendust in my ears. Not sure if the rest of the gym can hear me, but who cares. :slight_smile:

114

Thanks DZ, and yeah… who cares if I’m not being sociable and have my ear buds screwed in tight… LOL!

Had the MRI this morning… had to get up at 4:00am so I wouldn’t be late for my 6:10 appointment, got there at about 20 to 6, and then had to wait 25 minutes for the darn office to open 5 minutes late.
Don’t know the results yet of course, have to have my Dr. give me the news, so it’s now time to sit and wait.

BUT… since my Dr. told me I could, and should, start exercising my legs… I did. I think I kept the weight low enough to not cause me any problems (I think), I was somewhat sore when I finished, and the knee only hung up on me a couple times, but it felt good to be working the legs!

A1
Leg extensions @ 80 on the cable machine
A2
Leg curls @ 80 on the cable machine
13 sets x 5 reps
4 sets x 3 reps
Total of 77 reps each for both exercises

B1
Seated Calf Raises w/DB’s (2) @ 65# (had DB’s resting on knees and did calf raises)
B2
Standing Calf raises (Smith Machine) @ 180# (4 plates plus however much the bar counts for…)
10 sets x 5 reps
1 set x 3 reps
Total of 53 reps each for both exercises

So the party continues… Rock On!
X

115

Today’s w/o… It’s gonna suck when I have to go back to work next week. I’ve really liked this working out in the morning, I can see why the wife doesn’t like going at my normal time.

OK, the w/o.
A1
Lat Pull-down - 140#
A2
Standing Mil Press - 75#
7 sets @ 5 reps
5 sets @ 4 reps
4 sets @ 3 reps
Total 67 reps - 6 reps increase

B1
(EZ Bar) Tri Press-down - 60#
B2
BB Reverse Curl - 55#
15 sets @ 5 reps
4 sets @ 3 reps
Total 87 reps - 25 reps increase (man my arms were burning by the time I was done with these!)

Then I did some accessory work…
BW box squats x 10 reps x 4 sets
Box squats - 55# x 10 reps x 4 sets (I tried different ways of holding the bar on the front squat, but I don’t know what my issue is! I just can’t quite get the right feel… Oh well.
Then I did some ab work. And the knee doesn’t hurt too bad.
Then I went home and actually got something else accomplished.
It was a good day.
Keep on Rockin’!!!

116

Today’s w/o was just kind of a mish-mash of stuff, I videoed a couple of the wifes lifts and she videoed some of mine.
I can tell you, EDT is working! My previous best BB Bench press was 185#, and not very good at that…
well today I did 200#! My first official PR!

I also PR’d on Box Squats… 225#! I’m not sure I did them all 100% correct, in fact on my first video I know I rocked back and forward on my last rep.

Second set, the camera decided to run out of room, so you just get my first rep.

In fact I probably shouldn’t have been even trying that much weight… but I had to try. What was I going to do, hurt my knee? LOL!
I also pulled my heaviest weight on the Romanian DL, 250#, but since my wife was now over talking to her sister, I don’t have it videoed,
so I’m just calling it a new Personal Best.
Oh, and FYI… I had my MP3 player screwed into my ears, so I never even heard Journey playing… LOL! (In fact I think I was rocking out to the Motley Crue’, Shout at the Devil.)

So my actual w/o numbers are…
Bench Press
5x135#
3x185#
4x200# PR!

Box Squat
5x135#
3x225#
2x225# PR!

RDL’s
10x135#
7x225#
5x250# (PB)

Cable Chest
5x70# (per side)
10x100# (per side)
10x100# (per side)

Lat Pull-down
5x100#
5x180#
5x180#

BB Shrugs
10x135#
10x185#
8x185# (I’m already starting to feel these in my traps… LOL.)

So, we had a good day, not a lot of structure, but it was fun.
X

117

Cool dude! Way to go!

118

Thanks, 'dog…
I had my bench critiqued by a competitive power lifter, and they noted my elbows were flaired out a little too wide. If I really want to gain strength, I need to bring them in closer to the body and lower the weight more over my sternum rather than my clavicles, and with them flaired out I take a greater chance of injuring my shoulders. (Been there, done that, don’t want to go there again!!!)
Peace Dude, and Rock On!

119

On going exploits of Mr X

“Who’s that over there lifting”?
“Man, that’s Mr X”!
“Just Mr X”?
“Yeah man, were afraid to ask his name”
“Who’s that with him”?
“That’s his girl, man. Don’t let him catch you staring”!
“Yeah, but they look familar.”
“They’re video stars, man.”

Really great vids. You are looking strong and the numbers are going up. Nothing like some PRs to to get you reved up.

120

Hel, you crack me up! LOL!
Dude, you know what’s crazy is, I videoed that little (4’10") woman squatting 205#, and DL’ing 185#!! She may be tiny, but she is a Power Lifting ANIMAL. :slight_smile:
Rock On!