Some Revisions

Training Over 35 Lifter
81

Thanks, Soldog. I thought I left at least one rep in the tank on the first chin set, but still could not get that tenth rep the second time around.

Monday, 22 September 2008

Squat
70 x 14, 100 x 8, 3 x 120 x 5 reps
Pull-through
2 x different x 20 reps
Ab wheel
2 sets (standing) x 7 reps
Weighted incline crunch
2 x BW + 10 x 6,5 reps

Squats felt good today. I am moving the weight up steadily on the pull-throughs and really feeling them in the glutes. Also increasing the extension on the ab wheel. Practiced afterwards going to full extension several times but collapsed each time like a house of cards; lots of work still to be done there.

82

Coming back strong, Geech.

83

Hey, I was never gone, just retooling.

Tuesday, 23 September 2008

Wide-grip Bench press
70 x 15, 100 x 6, 3 x 105 x 5, 4, 4 reps
Wide-grip weighted dip
2 x BW + 15 x 7, 8 reps
Pull-up
4 x BW x 9, 7, 7, 6 reps

Like doing pull-ups regularly again, feel they are more effective for back and shoulder than chins. Hope that translates into some better musculature and improved lift numbers.

84

Workouts are looking great Geech!

85

Thanks for the encouragement, DZ.

Wednesday, 24 September 2008

Stair jump
3 steps x 18 (+ various 1 and 2 steps), 2 x 4 steps x 10 reps (+ various 1, 2 and 3 steps), 5 steps x 7 reps (+ a few 1, 2, 3 and 4 steps), then a few 3 and 4 steps lightly weighted
Cable seated row
4 x various x 9-20 reps
Press
50 x 8, 2 x 60 x 4 reps (first rep cleaned)
Face-pull
4 sets x various x 10-20 reps

3 steps = 21 inches high, 30 inches distance, 4 steps = 28 inches high, 40 inches distance, 5 steps = 35 inches high, 50 inches distance

Had fun today. Did the whole stairwell for 5-step jumps today, after having done the 3-step jumps quickly in succession without pauses except in turning at the landings (feeling more comfortable hitting my marks). Will try to accelerate the 4-step jumps next week, too.

86

Thursday, 25 September 2008

Squat
12 x 80 x 2 reps (speed, 1 min pause)
Lunge
BW x 20, BW + 12 x 16, BW + 20 x 12 reps
Hanging straight leg raise
2 x BW x 8,6 reps
Standing cable crunch
3 x various x 20,7,12 reps

Finally figured out today, having been unsuccessful on the free-standing cable crunch (lacking mini-plates for the gaps) in making a 5 kg jump (not using any external stabilization, such as legs or hips touching part of the machine) from the weight I can do for 20+ reps, that by widening (or conversely narrowing) my stance I can increase (or decrease) the amount of inherent stabilization in the movement.

This allowed me to get in some good hard reps at the higher weight. As my abs continue to strengthen I can move in my stance, then move it out again for the next plate (dumbbells or pinned regular plates don’t work on this tower). Who would of thunk? - Probably most everybody else a bit sooner.

87

Friday, 26 September 2008

Deadlift
70 x 20, 100 x 16, 125 x 12, 150 x 5
Wider grip bench press (with pause)
70 x 12, 90 x 8, 2 x 100 x 4 reps
Closer grip bench press
70 x 12 reps (fast as possible)

DLs went fine up to last rep of last set, which was way too slow for my liking. Will move up next week’s final set, which will be preceded by fewer reps at the lower weights, just 2.5 kgs.

Took a page from DZ and Skid for this bench variation day and tried the pause benching, counting ‘one-one thousand etc.’ at the bottom (NB: I did not really say ‘et cetera’). Assume that is the length of pause at issue. Found out I had to focus on two related items: 1. not relaxing at the bottom and 2. not resting the bar on my chest. Will try these next week with the closer grip. Stopped the final speed set, no pause, at 12 reps because the bar was not really going up fast by then, evidently tired triceps as a function of the pause benching.

88

[quote]1Geech wrote:
Friday, 26 September 2008

Deadlift
70 x 20, 100 x 16, 125 x 12, 150 x 5
Wider grip bench press (with pause)
70 x 12, 90 x 8, 2 x 100 x 4 reps
Closer grip bench press
70 x 12 reps (fast as possible)

DLs went fine up to last rep of last set, which was way too slow for my liking. Will move up next week’s final set, which will be preceded by fewer reps at the lower weights, just 2.5 kgs.

Took a page from DZ and Skid for this bench variation day and tried the pause benching, counting ‘one-one thousand etc.’ at the bottom (NB: I did not really say ‘et cetera’). Assume that is the length of pause at issue. Found out I had to focus on two related items: 1. not relaxing at the bottom and 2. not resting the bar on my chest. Will try these next week with the closer grip. Stopped the final speed set, no pause, at 12 reps because the bar was not really going up fast by then, evidently tired triceps as a function of the pause benching.
[/quote]

Bingo on 1 and 2. Really different, eh? It’s tough to get that bar moving again once the stretch reflex is gone…

“etcetera.” I’ll bet you did say it, just to show off.

89

I have to practice the pause in my bench also. It is really hard for the ego when you have to start taking the big plates off in order to complete the lift correctly.

Now that I am returning to the WS4SB program, I will be doing more jumping exercises. I will have to give the stair jumps a try. I will let you know on Monday how many I get. I will try and work up to five steps.

90

Looking to you for some insights on jumping, Mday.

Saturday, 27 September 2008

Chin-up
BW x 10, 10, 6, 6 reps
Ironmind pinch block pick-up
12.5 x 8, 15 x 5, 20 fail, 2 x 17.5 x 3, 15 x 10, 17.5 x 4 reps (L/R equal throughout)
Wrist roller
6 x 17.5 pronated, 3 x 11.25 supinated
Weighted neck extension
2 x 21.25 x 20, 1 x 22.5 x 14 reps
Weghted neck flexion
3 x 15 x 20 reps

Pleased to hit double digits twice on the chins – a first.

I believe that the silica-based GRRRIP lotion that I use on occasion instead of chalk makes a real difference in my gripping ability when measured against the smooth surface of the Ironmind block. (Having been doing much of my pinching inside at home, I naturally gravitated towards the lotion - no mess to clean up.)

What I am not sure of is the extent, or exactly why there is a difference. Harboring that suspicion, and curious because the few contest rules I have seen stipulate chalk only, today I used solely the latter to see what would happen.

Intentional heavy overchalking to this end for the first lift had the result of rendering my hands proprioceptively numb (absolutely no ‘feeling’ for the grip). Only by wiping off chalk could I complete any of the lifts. These then became more difficult as my hands began sweating, at which point the reduced amount of chalk was becoming greasy.

It seems to me right now that the silica lotion, which does not have a tacky feel, either a. offers some advantageous frictional properties, b. is effective in a thin-enough coating that does not impede proprioception even as it keeps the hands dry, and/or c. does not dissolve as easily as chalk through sweat into a slippery substance.

Let’s see what happens next time, as I get more of a sense for using the chalk only.

91

[quote]1Geech wrote:
Looking to you for some insights on jumping, Mday.

Saturday, 27 September 2008

Chin-up
BW x 10, 10, 6, 6 reps
Ironmind pinch block pick-up
12.5 x 8, 15 x 5, 20 fail, 2 x 17.5 x 3, 15 x 10, 17.5 x 4 reps (L/R equal throughout)
Wrist roller
6 x 17.5 pronated, 3 x 11.25 supinated
Weighted neck extension
2 x 21.25 x 20, 1 x 22.5 x 14 reps
Weghted neck flexion
3 x 15 x 20 reps

Pleased to hit double digits twice on the chins – a first.

I believe that the silica-based GRRRIP lotion that I use on occasion instead of chalk makes a real difference in my gripping ability when measured against the smooth surface of the Ironmind block. (Having been doing much of my pinching inside at home, I naturally gravitated towards the lotion - no mess to clean up.)

What I am not sure of is the extent, or exactly why there is a difference. Harboring that suspicion, and curious because the few contest rules I have seen stipulate chalk only, today I used solely the latter to see what would happen.

Intentional heavy overchalking to this end for the first lift had the result of rendering my hands proprioceptively numb (absolutely no ‘feeling’ for the grip). Only by wiping off chalk could I complete any of the lifts. These then became more difficult as my hands began sweating, at which point the reduced amount of chalk was becoming greasy.

It seems to me right now that the silica lotion, which does not have a tacky feel, either a. offers some advantageous frictional properties, b. is effective in a thin-enough coating that does not impede proprioception even as it keeps the hands dry, and/or c. does not dissolve as easily as chalk through sweat into a slippery substance.

Let’s see what happens next time, as I get more of a sense for using the chalk only.[/quote]

Proprioceptively inert is the correct term. Jeez, don’t you know anything?

Great job on the chins, Geech.

92

Monday, 29 September 2008

Squat
70 x 12, 100 x 8, 3 x 122.5 x 5 reps
Leg curl
2 x 75 x 8, 6 reps
Ab wheel
2 sets (standing) x 10, 9 reps
5 reps (standing) to full extension then 5 reps (kneeling)
Weighted incline crunch
2 x BW + 10 x 5 reps

No big shakes today.

93

Just catching up with your training geech. How you liking benching twice a week?

94

I think you’re the only one of us works your neck. (maybe cappy does). How’s that working out? Are you using a machine or the head gear with a strap?

95

[quote]hel320 wrote:
I think you’re the only one of us works your neck. (maybe cappy does). How’s that working out? Are you using a machine or the head gear with a strap?[/quote]

Or that strange helmet Dr Darden put forward in one of his articles. Like a motorbike helmet with a rod through the top to put plates on. Like a big thick antenna, very wierd, but probably effective.

96

420×617 38.2 KB

The helmet to which Darden refers seems pretty cool, Burnsey. That would draw attention, especially since it is used on all fours.

97

But, Hel, I have found something else that utilizes newer technology:
Here is a picture of me doing some 3-gigawatt supersets.

98

Otherwise I just use the old headstrap and chain with a loading pin. Never liked the neck machines.

My neck, like most, I think, responds well to training, and will pretty much stay muscled where I work it up to when I keep lifting regularly even without any subsequent direct regular training for it.

But when I stop lifting, like the four-plus years prior to September 07, I metamorphose back into a classic pencil-neck deprived of the health and safety benefits strength there offers.

99

[quote]ecogenx wrote:
Just catching up with your training geech. How you liking benching twice a week?[/quote]

A lot, thanks again for the encouragement to do so, Eco. The extra work is helping me get more secure on the bench and work more forcefully – so my sense, at least, after just a couple of weeks. Too early for anything reliable really to be seen objectively in the numbers – but today was a good day.

Tuesday, 30 September 2008

Bench press
70 x 15, 100 x 8, 3 x 107.5 x 5, 4, 4 reps
Wide-grip dip
2 x BW + 15 x 7, 8 reps
Pull-up
4 x BW x 10, 7, 6, 6 reps

100

Wednesday, 1 October 2008

Stair jump
3 steps x 18 (+ various 1 and 2 steps), 4 steps x 10 reps (+ various 1, 2 and 3 steps), 2 x 5 steps x 7 reps (+ a few 1, 2, 3 and 4 steps)
Cable seated row
4 x various x 6-20 reps
Press
50 x 8, 2 x 60 x 5, 4 reps (first rep cleaned)
Face-pull
3 x various x 15-20 reps

Pretty good day all around.

3 steps = 21 inches high, 30 inches distance, 4 steps = 28 inches high, 40 inches distance, 5 steps = 35 inches high, 50 inches distance