I was doing some high level academic research the other day (TikTok) and someone I respect, but I forget who, said the best defense against aging is strength (obviously comes with lean muscle mass). I think the rationale is obvious from balance to metabolic benefits.
I will go back and re-read Dan John. I am in love with barbell training, specifically strength and hypertrophy, not very motivated by conditioning (I actually smoke two packs a week), but am open to revisiting and reconsidering.
I am well aware of the shortcomings of SS, am definitely a Rippetoe and Wendler Fanboy, but donāt take all of the dogma seriously. I am, of course, already preparing for the stall, which I shouldnāt be, and wondering what to do next. I was planning to switch to 531 for Beginners, possibly modify it a bit (YNDTFP), but will reread Danās stuff first.
I had convinced myself that I was too old to achieve 4321 plates but am not so sure about that now (I am enhanced). I have a lot more patience and appreciate the process as opposed to the past when I just wanted to get done.
The last few workouts have been challenging for me on squats. I have not been taking rest days and I often wake up sore/stiff and think that I might take the day as a rest day.
Eventually, by the time I get to the gym after copious amounts of coffee, I decide to do the program but fear not being able to get my reps with the new weight.
Then this shows up in my FB feed:
Rippetoe is a trip and he nailed it on the head for me in this article.
It JUST dawned on me what this stood for and I think itās now become my favorite way to describe āadditional workā on any program. That sums it up perfectly. You make the deviation: you experience the consequences. Not all consequences are negative, so FAFO.
In an attempt to follow ahimsa (non violence) and the eight fold path (right speech) I use it for Fool Around and Find Out.
Iāve seen enough Wendler responses to assistance questions to realize it pretty much doesnāt matter what you do - as long as you are doing the main lifts.
Ab machine 10x4, shoulder press machine 10x4, Overhead tri cable extensions 10x3, pec deck 10x2, incline bp machine 10x4
Everything moved slow and was very heavy. I am going to have to figure something out because I wonāt get another five pounds on any of the lifts at the next workout. I didnāt order the micro plates so I am thinking of doing five sets of three next workout (five pounds heavier) or switching to 531 for Beginners.
I am eating enough (up six pounds in three weeks), sleeping enough, and resting five minutes between sets. The SS portion of my workout was 45 minutes today.
I could drop the FAFO stuff but am not sure that would make a difference. I will let it marinate
Marination complete - I have decided to switch to 531 for the duration of my travel for several reasons.
My main goal right now is hypertrophy for beach season upcoming. I understand the connection between strength and hypertrophy, hypertrophy and strength, and think I am lifting heavy enough to grow some LBM.
I also understand that I am not a young man anymore and that I likely lack the recuperative powers to run a proper NLP despite ingesting enough calories, getting enough sleep, and taking enough time between sets.
There is some slight discomfort in my lower back that I believe has been caused by ego lifting and failing to maintain proper form. Switching to 531 will give me a āresetā to a brief period of lower weights to regain proper form.
Due to my inability to stuff my piehole intelligently, I feel like 531 is a better fit for recovery without resorting to a dirty bulk.
I have not yet decided exactly how my program will look but I will likely place an emphasis on upper chest - so Inclines with OHP, and probably also with BP.
Operation Yoke will remain in effect.
When I get back to California, and have access to barbells, I will revisit the SS/NLP decision.
BTW - I got a volunteer position at a Powerlifting Gym in California working one shift a week. I queried the head trainer at my gym regarding the PT certification and he strongly recommended NASM and requested I let him know when I complete it as āwe are always looking for trainers.ā
Notice the lack of an adjective in his statement, like āgood.ā
Fully on board this decision. I think you got what you can out of a NLP. You got your technique grooved and maximized what you can do at your current level. Now we build muscle so we can maximize it again.
Appreciate the approval. A little voice inside my head was telling me that a NLP designed for an 18 yo novice wasnāt meant for a 60 yo struggling with recovery.
I have been studying by listening to an NASM podcast and that cemented some key concepts for me. Initial strength gains come from the CNS recruiting more muscles, then it shifts to muscle hypertrophy. I feel like I have made enough CNS gains to switch to an intermediate program that allows me more time to recover.
I switched to regular 531 today so I wonāt squat again for a few days. I have solid TM information from SS so I donāt feel like I am wasting any time but feel like I am getting a bit of a deload right now. Having run 531 before I should be able to accomplish my strength goals with Joker Sets and my hypertrophy goals with FSL and assistance exercises if I am prudent and vigilant. I realized this morning that I am going to have to go to a notebook to maximize gains. I might have to start tracking calories as well since I broke through the threshold of being a fully grown adult male this morning - 202LBS at 18%BF. I have gained nine pounds in just over three weeks - I might need to slow that down a bit (think I was retaining water this morning).
I am thinking to slow down the weight gain until I get to 170LBS of LBM, or until I hit 210, whichever comes first. Again, hit Joker sets to increase strength.
Itās all cyclical, and why phasic training/eating works so well. Maximize strength with our current muscle, use the newfound strength to make our muscles bigger until we canāt, then we maximize the strength of those new bigger muscles. Accumulation and intensification: woo!
Thatās great! I have actually been thinking about something similar - I was thinking that when I retire I might volunteer to do Bone Builders . I think it would be a fun way to give old/infirm people a really good group workout experience, because Iād try to make it partly a support group. I figure when Iām ready to lighten up in terms of my work, I could do something that puts the skills and knowledge base to good use and gives me a light workout, too. I imagine they use 2-5 lb dumbbells? Who knows, but I thought it would be fun. I would like it to be a highlight of each group membersā week. I think theyād enjoy it and that I would, too.
I started volunteering at a homeless shelter - kind of a service to others for purely selfish reasons. I peel carrots and potatoes mostly, but hand out food and get a personal look at what homelessness looks like.
The gym where I am volunteering is owned by a female social worker that counsels troubled kids. There are a lot of woman power vibes and they cater to barbell beginners. My thought with the PT cert was working with beginners and seniors - the greatest anti aging medicine is lean body mass and strength. It is partially selfish in that I see this segment growing and think I could carve out a nice little niche in the industry, but much of it is also altruistic. I am, in my heart, a teacher, whether it be golf, English, or training.
I have decided to get certified with NASM and they offer a specialization in Senior Fitness which I think I am going to add to the CPT.
Iām bouncing all over the place because my mom is nattering at me while I type and I am losing my train of thought.
I spoke with the gym owner a while ago about using her space for community support groups. She pacified me with āWe can talk about itā but I got the idea from attending a menās support group that was sponsored by the Portland Psychedelic Society. The facilitator is a Psychologist and presents a fifteen minute monologue on a topic and then we go. It has been brilliant. I can definitely see a cohort of seniors or beginners coming together as a community.
Loneliness is what I encounter most at work - across all ages and socioeconomic groups - and I think maybe anti-lonely is what I do best. But I donāt want to continue doing therapy (unless something changes and I do, but in that case Iāll want to get paid). I like working out and could see being motivated to spend an hour that way, even if it doesnāt challenge me. Sort of like hiking with the elderly dog. Walk 30 yards, stop, wait for dog and hubs, maybe trot back if I have something to say to either of them, maybe just let them get closer then continueā¦rinse and repeat for anywhere from 1 to 5 miles with breaks every 30 minutes.
I taught water aerobics in my 20ās and loved that because the women in the class loved it so much. No way in hell Iād commit to getting in a pool living as far north as I do now, though.
