Starting at Age 52

Training Training Logs
62

Friday, May 27th, 2022. 12 rep sets.

Workout 27 May 2022

Squat 95 lb 1x5 120 lb 1x5 150 lb 1x12 170 lb 1x2
Deadlift 135 lb 1x5 160 lb 1x5 177.5 lb 1x12 210 lb 1x2
Shoulder Press 55 lb 1x5 70 lb 1x5 85 lb 1x4 100 lb 1x3
Pull Ups 3x6
Bench Press 105 lb 1x5 120 lb 1x5 135 lb 1x4 150 lb 1x3
Bent Over Row 125 lb 3x5
Landmine Press 75 lb 1x12 50 lb 1x12
Single Arm Landmine Press 25 lb 2x12

Time: 1:11
Volume: 17,475 lbs (excluding 4th squat and deadlift sets, and excluding landmine sets, volume was 14,615 lbs.)

Sets of 12 reps for squat and deadlift was a way to get a set into the 54th percentile at strengthlevel. I thought I could try that once per week to stimulate hypertrophy and get my lower body level to match upper body. Sets of 12 at 80% 1RM were hard. I had to do the last 4 reps rest/pause. If I keep doing sets of 12 once per week, I should probably skip the 4th set. Iā€™ll have to gauge how that feels over time.

Landmine press, especially one-arm, seem like a good home gym alternative for cable flies. Two arm landmine press also seems like a dumbbell press out or goblet press, but the land mine feels a bit easier on my lower back, which helps after squats/deadlifts/rowing. I might focus on just the one arm variation as ā€œbonusā€ chest sets.

63

Tuesday, May 31, 2022

Workout 31 May 2022

Squat 95 lb 1x5 120 lb 1x5 150 lb 1x12
Deadlift 135 lb 1x5 160 lb 1x5 177.5 lb 1x12
Shoulder Press 55 lb 1x5 70 lb 1x5 85 lb 1x4 100 lb 1x2 70 lb 1x8
Pull Ups 3x7
Bench Press 105 lb 1x5 120 lb 1x5 135 lb 1x4 150 lb 1x3
Dumbbell Row 40 lb 3x10
Single Arm Landmine Press 25 lb 2x10 30 lb 2x10

Time 1:00
Volume 15,770 lbs.

1 Like
64

Awesome consistency man! How are things going for you?
I wouldnā€™t stress about the percentile and where you stack up. Keep in mind strength is a skill as much as an attribute - some folks may have just figured out some lifts in a way that skews what youā€™re seeing.

65

Thursday, June 2nd, 2022

Workout 2 June 2022

Squat 95 lb 1x5 120 lb 1x5 145 lb 1x4 170 lb 1x3
Deadlift 135 lb 1x5 160 lb 1x5 185 lb 1x4 210 lb 1x3
Shoulder Press 55 lb 1x5 70 lb 1x5 85 lb 1x4 100 lb 1x2
Pull Ups 3x7
Bench Press 105 lb 1x5 120 lb 1x5 135 lb 1x10 150 lb 1x5
Dumbbell Row 40 lb 3x10
Landmine Press 50 lb 2x10
Single Arm Landmine Press 25 lb 2x10
Squat 120 lb 1x10
Dumbbell Shoulder Press 22 lb 3x10

Time 0:56 m
Volume: 17,110 lbs.

Re-weighed my home made concrete 40 lbs. plates. Two 40 lbs. plates plus the bar were 102.5 lbs. So actual weight is a tad higher that Iā€™ve been recording.

This the last month of my one year challenge.

1 Like
66

Thanks! I have my ups and downs, but on the whole it all feels good. Nagging joins being the only problem. Motivation is not a problem at all. Strength as a skill is something Iā€™ve definitely started learning in this year. Lately Iā€™ve been doing progressive sets and making the last one pure strength focused, ex. squat 170x3 and deadlift 210x3. Not big numbers, but for me, at 150 lbs, itā€™s the heaviest Iā€™ve used for reps. The point being to get the feel of working heavy.

2 Likes
67

I hear you on this - it gets tough. Iā€™ve found some things that work for me, if you get to a point where itā€™s really bothering you, but it may not mesh totally with your goals right now.

Great! You have been in there consistently, which is really the battle anyway.

Weā€™re all only competing against ourselves. Iā€™m seriously one of the weakest guys on here, for folks that have been in the gym awhile. Itā€™s all about our own measures.
Glad itā€™s going so well!

68

Monday, June 6th, 2022. 5/5/3

Workout 6 June 2022

Squat 95 lb 1x5 120 lb 1x5 145 lb 1x5 170 lb 1x3
Deadlift 135 lb 1x5 160 lb 1x5 185 lb 1x5 210 lb 1x3
Shoulder Press 55 lb 1x5 70 lb 1x5 85 lb 1x5 100 lb 2x2
Pull Ups 3x6
Bench Press 105 lb 1x5 120 lb 1x5 135 lb 1x5 150 lb 1x3
Dumbbell Pullover 40 lb 3x10

Time 1:10
Volume: 13,240

2 Likes
69

Wed. June 8th, 2022. 5/5/4

Workout 8 June 2022

Squat 95 lb 1x5 120 lb 1x5 145 lb 1x5 170 lb 1x4
Deadlift 135 lb 1x5 160 lb 1x5 185 lb 1x5 210 lb 1x4
Shoulder Press 55 lb 1x5 70 lb 1x5 85 lb 1x5 100 lb 1x4
Superset w/ Pull Ups 3x7
Bench Press 105 lb 1x5 120 lb 1x5 135 lb 1x5 150 lb 1x4
Superset w/ Dumbbell Pullover 40 lb 3x7

Time = 1:02
Volume = 13,560

Added one rep on final sets.

For squat and deadlift I accidentally had my rest timer set to 0:30 sec instead of 1:00! Grip started failing on last deadlift set. Deadlift lower back fatigued during sets, partly the too short rest times, Iā€™m also lowering the bar with more control, less slamming. Upper body rest was 1:00 per set except last OHP set where I took 2:00 to allow a max. effort.

70

Workout 10 June 2022

Squat 95 lb 1x5 120 lb 1x5 150 lb 1x12
Deadlift 135 lb 1x5 160 lb 1x5 177.5 lb 1x12
Shoulder Press 55 lb 1x5 70 lb 1x5 85 lb 1x5 100 lb 1x3
Pull Ups 3x7
Bench Press 105 lb 1x5 120 lb 1x5 135 lb 1x5 150 lb 1x4
Dumbbell Row 40 lb 2x10 35 lb 1x10

Time = 1:06
Volume = 14,530

Final squat set of 12 reps was straight with no re-racking the bar. My idea recently is to alternate final squat set from heavy to high reps - currently being 170 lbs x 4 reps vs. 150 x 12 - to try improving this lift.

Pullover supersets with bench press as starting to really hit my triceps - they actually got sore - so I dropped the weight just a bit so I can concentrate on pecs doing the work and not triceps.

1 Like
71

Workout 13 June 2022

Squat 95 lb 1x5 120 lb 1x5 145 lb 1x5 170 lb 1x4
Deadlift 135 lb 1x5 160 lb 1x5 185 lb 1x5 210 lb 1x4
Shoulder Press 55 lb 1x5 70 lb 1x5 85 lb 1x5 100 lb 1x3
Pull Ups 3x7
Bench Press 105 lb 1x5 120 lb 1x5 135 lb 1x5 150 lb 1x4
Dumbbell Pullover 35 lb 3x10

Time = 1:02
Volume = 13,670

I havenā€™t been able to get OHP @ 100 lbs x 4 reps since June 8th. I think Iā€™ve accumulated a lot of fatigue, probably in triceps rather than shoulders.

Iā€™ve really noticed that my forearms are fatigued, sort of sore, and I think that must be from deadlifting. My wrists are very small, but I can feel a thickening of my forearm muscle at the lower part closer to my wrist and along the ulna. The fatigue build up is noticeable, because each workout my deadlift grip seems to start failing earlier and earlier.

Iā€™m planning a de-load at the end of the month so I hope to catch up on these fatigue points.

1 Like
72

itā€™s no shame in using straps once in a while to rest the grip

1 Like
73

Workout 15 June 2022

Squat 95 lb 1x5 120 lb 1x5 145 lb 1x5 170 lb 1x5
Deadlift 135 lb 1x5 160 lb 1x5 185 lb 1x5 210 lb 1x4
Shoulder Press 55 lb 1x5 70 lb 1x5 85 lb 1x5 1x8
Pull Ups 3x7
Bench Press 105 lb 1x5 120 lb 1x5 135 lb 1x5 150 lb 1x4
Dumbbell Pullover 35 lb 3x10

Volume = 14,220

Squat set of 170x5 finally gets me a bit above what Iā€™ve been stagnating at for the past 6 months. The good news is the day after my legs donā€™t feel destroyed. 170x5 with an alternate 150x10-12 reps for final squat set seems like a good training level, it seems to be stimulating strength increase and Iā€™m recovering.

Pull ups from yesterday is another matter. I decided to give special attention to engaging my lats, especially at the top of the pull. Apparently that worked, because my the day after my back feels like I got kicked! Dumbbell pullovers may have contributed too, because I tried it a bit differently keeping my elbow very straight and close to my head, trying to focus on pecs pulling. Itā€™s hard to tell. Pull over is a complex movement.

Final OHP set 85x8 was trying to feel out a more volume focused set. In terms of equivalent 1RM 85x8 is roughly 100x3 or 100x4. Nothing surprising there, but I had hoped to get 10 reps with 85 lbs.

1 Like
74

Friday, June 17th, 2022.

Workout 17 June 2022

Squat 95 lb 1x5 120 lb 1x5 145 lb 1x5 170 lb 1x5
Deadlift 135 lb 1x5 160 lb 1x5 185 lb 1x5 210 lb 1x4
Shoulder Press 55 lb 1x5 70 lb 1x5 85 lb 1x5 1x9
Pull Ups 3x7
Dumbbell Floor Press 50 lb 3x10
Bent Over Row 100 lb 3x10

Time = 1:09
Volume = 15,355

1 Like
75

Wed, June 22nd, 2022

Workout 22 June 2022

Squat 95 lb 1x5 120 lb 1x5 145 lb 1x5 170 lb 1x5
Deadlift 135 lb 1x5 160 lb 1x5 185 lb 1x5 210 lb 1x4 120 lb 1x12
Shoulder Press 55 lb 1x5 70 lb 1x5 85 lb 1x5 100 lb 1x4 70 lb 1x6
Pull Ups 3x7
Dumbbell Floor Press 50 lb 2x10 1x9
Dumbbell Pullover 35 lb 3x10

Time = 1:12
Volume = 14,850

76

Sat, June 25th, 2022

Workout 25 June 2022

Squat 95 lb 1x5 120 lb 1x5 150 lb 1x7 1x4 120 lb 1x12
Deadlift 135 lb 1x5 160 lb 1x5 185 lb 1x9 120 lb 1x10
Shoulder Press 55 lb 1x5 70 lb 1x5 85 lb 1x8 1x6
Pull Ups 3x7
Dumbbell Floor Press 50 lb 3x10
Dumbbell Pullover 35 lb 3x10

Time = 1:10
Volume = 16,020

I meant to do squat 150x12 and deadlift 185x10 for final sets. I failed those and so added on extra low weight/high reps sets.

1 Like
77

Tues, June 28th, 2022. DE-LOAD

Workout 28 June 2022 - DE-LOAD

Squat 95 lb 1x5 120 lb 3x5
Deadlift 160 lb 4x5
Shoulder Press 55 lb 1x5 70 lb 3x5
Pull Ups 3x5
Dumbbell Floor Press 35 lb 3x10
Dumbbell Fly 15 lb 2x10

Time = 0:41
Volume = 10,400

1 Like
78

Thursday, June 30th, 2022, DE-LOAD

Workout 30 June 2022 - DE-LOAD

Squat 95 lb 1x5 120 lb 3x5
Deadlift 160 lb 4x5
Shoulder Press 55 lb 1x5 70 lb 3x5
Pull Ups 3x5
Dumbbell Floor Press 35 lb 3x10
Dumbbell Pullover 35 lb 3x10

Time = 0:53
Volume = 11,150 lbs.

Well, yesterday was the big day for me, it was the day marking one year of my dedicated weight training!

I didnā€™t want to end the year long effort with a de-load, but I had driven myself into the ground again with fatigue.

This weekend I will take measurements and follow physique photos and post them here.

1 Like
79

Really great to hear. Why not check out the website of Clarence Bass. He is 84, still going strong and has a wealth of wisdom for training at different stages of life. A modified version of his 3 x per week full body workout might be well-suited to what you want to achieve.

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Congrats

81

Yes, I recognize Clarence Bass. Iā€™ll spend some time on his web site. A quick look shows a lot of interesting articles.