They made me do it

[taichi1]

Wed 23-4-2025

84 now.

Very late getting to gym this morning, due to waiting for a contractor. Thought it would be less crowded due to the early birds being finished, but there were so many it was a hard job getting equipment. So it was a weird workout.

Bend, stretch, squat. 5 reps each.

Cleans and Presses. (20k) 2. (22.5) 5. (27.5) 3. (32.5) 1. (37.5) 1. (42.5) 1. … Power clean (45) 1. (50) F + F.

Heels raise. (105 k) 10. (117.5) 10. (122.5) 10.

One arm chest supported rows. (30 k) 12. (25 k) -----.

Trap bar deadlift. Low handles. (67.5 k) 3. (87.5) 3. (107.5) -----. (120) -----.

Training time 1 hour and 4 minutes.

[taichi1]

Mon 28-4-2025.

84 now.

I’ll be well and truly glad when the tradesmen have finished. Getting to gym late morning is living in a crowd.

Bend, stretch, squat. 5 reps each.

Squat 10 sets of 3, each set followed by 5 rader pulls.

Back squat. (20 k) 3. (30) 3. (42.5) 3. (52.5) 3. (62.5) 3. (72.5) 3. (82.5) 3. (97.5) 3. (50) 3. 3.

rader pulls. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5.

Cleans and presses. 2 sets warmup and 3 sets 5.

(20 k) 2. (35) 1. (32.5) 5. 5. 3.

Heels raise. 3 x 20.

(70 k) 20. (80) 20. (92.5) 20.

Assisted Chins. (23 k. assist) 15. (41 k. assist) 15.

Training time 1 hour and 15 minutes.

[taichi1]

FRI 2-5-2025.

84 now.

Bend, stretch, squat. 5 each.

Cleans and Presses. (20k) 2. (32.5) 1. (35) 3. 3. 1. (32.5) 3. 3.

Seated Heels raise. (51 k) 14. 14. 13.

One arm dumbell rows. (17.5 k) 10. (27.5) 13.

Breathing Squat. warmup, 10 singles, (20 k) ----- (65 k) 2 Rader pulls after each squat.
75 k - 20, followed by Rader pulls. 20.

Training time 1 hour and 24 minutes.

[taichi1]

WED 7-5-2025.

84 now

Bend, Stretch, Squat. 5 reps each.

Front Squat 10 sets of 3, each set followed by 5 rader pulls.
(20 k) 3. (30) 3. (40) 3. (45) 3. (50) 3. (55) 3. (60) 3. (67.5) 3. (72.5) 3. (50) 3.
rader pulls. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5.

Dumbell Cleans and presses. 5 sets of 3.
(6 k’s) 3. (8 k’s) 3. (10 k’s) 3. (12.5 k’s) 3. (15 k’s) 3 Cleans and partial presses. They are getting higher.

Single leg Heels raise on block. (10 k.) 10. (20 k.) 13. (12.5 k) 15.

Assisted Chins. (18 k assist) 10. (41 k assist) 15.

Workout time 1 hour and 16 minutes.

[taichi1]

MON 12-5-2025

84 now.

Bend, stretch, squat. 5 reps each.

Cleans and Presses. (20k) 2. (22.5) 5. (27.5) 3. (32.5) 1. (37.5) 1. (40) 1. (43.75) F.

Trap bar deadlift. Low handles. (67.5 k) 3. (87.5) 3. (107.5) 3.

Heels raise. (107.5 k) 10. (117.5) 10. (122.5) 10

One arm chest supported rows. (30 k) 12. (25 k) 15.

Training time 1 hour and 7 minutes.

[taichi1]

FRI 16-5-2025.

84 now.

Bend, stretch, squat. 5 reps each.

Squat 10 sets of 3, each set followed by 5 rader pulls.

Back squat. (20 k) 3. (30) 3. (42.5) 3. (52.5) 3. (62.5) 3. (72.5) 3. (82.5) 3. (97.5) 3. (50) 3. 3. … ready to increase weight to 100 k next time. Then I’ll just need to do 10 reps with it to get back to where i was before my medical episode.

rader pulls. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5.

Cleans and presses. 2 sets warmup and 3 sets 5.

(20 k) 2. (35) 1. (32.5) 5. 5. 4.

Heels raise. 3 x 20.

(70 k) 20. (82.5) 20. (92.5) 20.

Assisted Chins. (23 k. assist) 15. (41 k. assist) 15.

Training time 1 hour and 27 minutes.

[taichi1]

WED 21-5-2025.

84 now.

Bend, stretch, squat. 5 each.

Cleans and Presses. (20k) 2. (32.5) 1. (35) 3. 3. 2. (32.5) 3. 3.

Seated Heels raise. (51 k) 14. 14. 14.

One arm dumbell rows. (17.5 k) 10. (27.5) 14.

Breathing Squat. warmup, 10 singles, (20 k) ----- (65 k) 2 Rader pulls after each squat.
75 k - 20, followed by Rader pulls. 20.

Training time 1 hour and 10 minutes.

[ActivitiesGuy]

An 84 year old Olympic lifter is one of the most inspiring things I can imagine, and as an aspiring “I want to be lifting until I can’t walk any more” type myself, this provides hope and motivation to carry on that way.

All the best to you.

[taichi1]

Thank you Mr Guy. I guess if we end in a wheelchair or bed bound, we will get hold of a dumbell, and keep going.
Right now I am a mess. I used to be more flexible than the young ones, and drop low under the lifts. When we lost the state olympic weightlifting gym, I trained wherever I could. A couple of years back I had an event that froze my body – couldn’t lift my hands higher than my chin, and getting up from a chair was a painfull struggle. Worked to get myself back. Now I am more flexible than an old person, and my progress to respectability is so so slow. I am using the clean and press, THE whole body exercise, to rebuild power and athleticism. Maybe in 12 more monthsI will get back

[taichi1]

MON 26-5-2025.

84 now

Bend, Stretch, Squat. 5 reps each.

Front Squat 10 sets of 3, each set followed by 5 rader pulls.
(20 k) 3. (30) 3. (40) 3. (45) 3. (50) 3. (55) 3. (60) 3. (67.5) 3. (72.5) 3. (50) 3.
rader pulls. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5.

Dumbell Cleans and presses. 5 sets of 3.
(6 k’s) 3. (8 k’s) 3. (10 k’s) 3. (12.5 k’s) 3. (15 k’s) 3 Cleans and partial presses.

Single leg Heels raise on block. (10 k.) 10. (20 k.) 14. (12.5 k) 15.

Assisted Chins. (18 k assist) 10. (41 k assist) 15.

Workout time 1 hour and 14 minutes.

[taichi1]

FRI 30-5-2025

84 now.

Bend, stretch, squat. 5 reps each.

Cleans and Presses. (20k) 2. (22.5) 5. (27.5) 3. (32.5) 1. (37.5) 1. (40) 1. (43.75) F. Power cleans (45) 1. (50) F. Got to neck high, just didn’t drive elbows under it. Got to get back to lifting mode.

Trap bar deadlift. Low handles. (67.5 k) 3. (87.5) 3. (107.5) 3.

Heels raise. (107.5 k) 10. (117.5) 10. (125) 10

One arm chest supported rows. (30 k) 13. (25 k) 15.

Training time 1 hour and 5 minutes.

[mirkoccp]

nice to see people still training! there’s a weightlifting masters meet in Singapore come June. I dont suppose you’ll be there?

[taichi1]

Hi mirkoccp. Nope, never likely to go off country, especially being relatively stiff and unpracticed at the moment. Hope to set new state records in the next year, but have never had the power for the world stage.

[mirkoccp]

all the best in your training!!

[taichi1]

WED 4-6-2025.

84 now.

Bend, stretch, squat. 5 reps each.

Squat 10 sets of 3, each set followed by 5 rader pulls.

Back squat. (20 k) 3. (30) 3. (42.5) 3. (52.5) 3. (62.5) 3. (72.5) 3. (85) 3. (100) 3. (50) 3. 3.

rader pulls. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5.

Cleans and presses. 2 sets warmup and 3 sets 5.

(20 k) 2. (35) 1. (32.5) 5. 5. 5. … 5 reps cleans and presses is more grievous than 5 reps of squats. Just wonder, would 20 reps be like 20 reps breathing squat? It would certainly be a world of pain.

Heels raise. 3 x 20.

(72.5 k) 20. (82.5) 20. (92.5) 20.

Assisted Chins. (23 k. assist) 11. (41 k. assist) 15.

Training time 1 hour and 27 minutes.

[taichi1]

“Nice work. Seems everyone has a different opinion on 20 rep sqts. I do believe they have a place in most training programs, if even for short time.”

Yep, they’re in my dna now. When I started, Peary Rader at Iron Man got me into them. I was so skinny, so up and down. Over many years they have built me up, so I can now easily build my weight and size. Don’t do it because I am old, and increasing weight with more fat is a bad idea.
Can remember the dread of the next workout when the weight will be heavier.
Got around this a few years ago. Wanted to build up my breathing squat to the weight I did at my peak. 242 lb. Nothing much, but that was it for me.
I started with a weight that was quite easy, and only gradually increased it when it felt more comfortable. The cycle went on for a couple of years, til I made that weight.
Do not applaud an old guy doing this, because I was much heavier than when I first did it.
At the moment, I am doing 165 lb, and staying with it until it gets easy again.

MON 9-6-2025.

84 now.

Bend, stretch, squat. 5 each.

Cleans and Presses. (20k) 2. (32.5) 1. (35) 3. 3. 3. (32.5) 3. 3.

Seated Heels raise. (51 k) 15. 14. 14.

One arm dumbell rows. (17.5 k) 10. (27.5) 15.

Breathing Squat. warmup, 10 singles, (20 k) ----- (65 k) 2 Rader pulls after each squat.
75 k - 20, followed by Rader pulls. 20.

Training time 1 hour and 12 minutes.

[taichi1]

FRI 13-6-2025

84 now

Bend, Stretch, Squat. 5 reps each.

Front Squat 10 sets of 3, each set followed by 5 rader pulls.
(20 k) 3. (30) 3. (40) 3. (45) 3. (50) 3. (55) 3. (60) 3. (67.5) 3. (72.5) 3. (50) 3.
The top weight isn’t so grievous now. Will be able to increase it soon.

rader pulls. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5.

Dumbell Cleans and presses. 5 sets of 3.
(6 k’s) 3. (8 k’s) 3. (10 k’s) 3. (12.5 k’s) 3. (15 k’s) 3 Cleans and partial presses.

Single leg Heels raise on block. (10 k.) 10. (20 k.) 14. (12.5 k) 15.

Assisted Chins. (18 k assist) 8+3 partials (41 k assist) 15.

Workout time 1 hour and 10 minutes.

[taichi1]

WED 18-6-2025

84 now.

Bend, stretch, twist, squat. 5 reps each.

Cleans and Presses. (20k) 2. (22.5) 5. (27.5) 3. (32.5) 1. (37.5) 1. (40) 1. (43.75) F.

Trap bar deadlift. Low handles. (67.5 k) 3. (87.5) 3. (107.5) 3. (120) 3.

Heels raise. (107.5 k) 10. (117.5) 10. (127.5) 10

One arm chest supported rows. (30 k) 14. (25 k) 15.

Training time 1 hour and 10 minutes.

[taichi1]

MON 23-6-2025.

84 now.

Bend, stretch, twist, squat. 5 reps each.

Squat 10 sets of 3, each set followed by 5 rader pulls.

Back squat. (20 k) 3. (30) 3. (42.5) 3. (52.5) 3. (62.5) 3. (72.5) 3. (85) 3. (100) 3. (50) 3. 3.

rader pulls. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5.

Cleans and presses. 2 sets warmup and 3 sets 5.

(20 k) 2. (35) 1. (33.75) 2. (32.5) 5. 5.

Heels raise. 3 x 20.

(75 k) 20. (82.5) 20. (92.5) 20.

Assisted Chins. (23 k. assist) 12 and 3 partials. (41 k. assist) 15.

Training time 1 hour and 24 minutes.

[taichi1]

24-8-2023
Sudden unexpected freezing up of my body. Raising my hands to chin level was too painful.
Whole body suddenly stiff and painful.
Medical profession not much help. Said i had partial tears in both subscapularis of shoulders,
and injected them, and told me to go to a physiotherapist.
Stuff that. I know more about how my body works than they do.
Could hardly get up from a chair, or out of the bath. When I loosened myself up enough to
start training, it was 3 reps front squat with 20 k. Could not get my hands up to hold the bar
for a back squat. Press 20 k to nose height.
Developed training into the whole body 4 way split I have been using. Oh so slowly got to
where I am today, able to do 3 reps squat with the 100 k, I was doing 10 reps with before.
I’m now back to good flexibility, (not great like it used to be.)
I am happy with this training, and it is very slowly bringing my weights/reps up.

BUT

I’m going in to a new program now. Aimed at bringing up my clean and press and squats up, a lot.

So, first day heavy low rep C+P and squats.
Second day muscle building rather than power building. Lots of isolation exercises pushed hard, but not heavy.

My body is looking good - arms, shoulders, back, calves, traps. Belly? - not so good.

Plan is to do the new program to the end of the year. If it just doesn’t work, I will abandon it.

FRI 27-6-2025.

84 now.

Bend, stretch, twist, squat. 5 each.

Cleans and Presses. (20k) 2. (32.5) 1. (35) 3. 3. 3. 1. (32.5) 3.

Seated Heels raise. (51 k) 15. 15. 14.

One arm dumbell rows. (17.5 k) 10. (30) 10.

Breathing Squat. warmup, 10 singles, (20 k) ----- (65 k) 2 Rader pulls after each squat.
75 k - 20, followed by Rader pulls. 20.

Training time 1 hour and 13 minutes.