View Full Version : Starting back after many years
A little about myself: I competed single ply in the old uspf and usapl from about 1992 to 2003. Mostly trained linear periodization based around 3 sets of 5, best sets of 5 with a belt added up to about 1500. I have trained very little the last 10 years for a variety of reasons. Mostly drifted away from the sport as I didn't like the direction it was going with the gear and gradually just stopped training all together. I'm about to hit 40 in a couple of months and started training again a few weeks ago with the plan of doing some raw meets later in the year. I'm playing around with auto regulation loosely based on Bryan Mann's stuff just feeling my way up in weight each week.
Last two training sessions:
1/1/17
Squat no belt: 6x154, 6x198, 2x6x242, 2x6x198
Good mornings: 3x10x110
1/3/17
Bench Press: 5x132, 10x167, 10x169, 2x10x132 (i was mixing kilo and pounds on the small plates which is the reason for the weird numbers)
Military Press: 10x45/65/75, 5x85, 12x65
Pulldowns: about 60 reps spread over 4 sets
superset:
flies: 3x15x15
pushdowns: 10,10,12x50
ChrisTuttle
01-05-17, 3:04 pm
Must feel great to be back in the game? Good luck bud!
1/5/16
Dips: 5x4xbw
Front squat 2x10x44
Squat no belt: 2x6x132, 3x176, 3x198, 11x220, 10x231, 6x198
Deficit deadlift off red bumper: 6x242, 3x6x272
Shrug 2x15x132
Rdl: 6,8x198
npcdusty
01-06-17, 11:56 am
Welcome back to the iron game!
1/7/17
Buffalo Bar Bench press: 10x45, 4x10x135
Incline DB Press: 15,15,12x40
DB Row: 4x6x90, 15x70
CG Bench: 4x10x121
Hammer Curls: 4 sets
ChrisTuttle
01-09-17, 12:55 pm
How are your joints feeling being back?
[QUOTE=ChrisTuttle;1444716]How are your joints feeling being back?[/QUOTE
My hips felt awful at first but getting a little better every week. I think they are mainly just tight and weak. Have been squating closer stance and Havent tried to pull sumo yet as my hips don't open enough to get in a good starting position. I think I may try some light sumo block pulls this coming week if things keep progressing
1/9/17
Squat. 12x44, 2x6x154, 3x198, belt on: 3x242, 3x5x262, 2x5x242
Hi bar 2x8x132
Leg curl 4x10
1/10/17
Bench: 12x44, 6x132, 5x154, 10,8,8x176; 10x132
Military Press: 6x65, 5x80/88, 6x103
Superset:
Pulldowns: 6x8
Flies: 3x12
Pushdowns: 3x12
did de'franco's agile 8 between sets and then a couple of sets of paused front squats after with about 40 kilos, basically just sitting in the bottom of the front squat for 10 seconds. Really got my hips and groin loose, believe I'm going to add these in to my squat and deadlift warmups.
1/12/17
Front sq 12x44, 6x110, 4x5x154
Con dl no belt 6x264, 4x6x308
Shrug 14,12,6x154
Rdl 4/4/4/2x220
Every thing felt good and fast but massive glute and erector pump after the front squats
MRmichael.hooker
01-13-17, 10:51 am
My hips felt awful at first but getting a little better every week. I think they are mainly just tight and weak. Have been squating closer stance and Havent tried to pull sumo yet as my hips don't open enough to get in a good starting position.
That was one of my biggest challenges getting back into serious training, especially squats. Took a while to really get the hips loosened back up, just takes time.
1/14/17
Buffalo bar bench 10x45, 4x10x145.
Db incline. 3x15x40
Bent row 8x110, 3x5x154
Close grip bench 4x10x131
Db curl 3x8
The House
01-15-17, 6:38 pm
Hear that it's tough to get the joints going again
1/15/17
Squat 5x132/154/198, 3x242, 2x264, 5x6x242. Moved feet to just outside hips, felt pretty good
1 leg rdl: 4x4x30s
Tempo squat 4:2:0. 3x3x154. 4 second eccentric with 2 second pause. Never played around with temp before and wanted to try it to work on form some more, these were an asskicker
1/16/17
Bench 2x5x135. 5x155. 11,7,7x180
Mp 3x95,110,120,95,95. 6x95
Pulldowns about 50 reps
Cable flies 2x10
Push down 2x10
Felt still as benched on Saturday and squatted yesterday but am moving everything up a day this week to go pig hunting next weekend
1/19/17
warmup of a bunch of swings, leg curl/extensions, lunges and goblet squats
Front Squat: 8x44, 5x110, 3x5x166, 8x166
Con DL No belt: 5x264, 3x6x330, 8x330
Shrug: 15/13/8x154
RDL: 4x4x220
Was really happy with this workout, both front squats and dl were about an 8 rpe, while last week felt like a 9rpe while being 10-20 pounds lighter. think the extra warmup work really helped.
1/21/17
Buffalo bar bp 12x45, 5x135, 3x10x155
Incline db 12/10/9x50
Temp db row 5:2:5. 4x4x60
Cgbp 4x19x142
Curls: 3x5
Barbell ext 3x6
Db fly 3x12
1/22/17
Sq 12x44, 4x154, 3x198, 4x5x257, 10x257
1 leg db rdl 4x4x40s
Tempo sq: 3x4x169
Face pulls 3x10
Squats felt really good and solid in the hole. Think the tempo squats have been helping to reinforce form
1/25/17
Bench: 2x5x132, 3x162, 10x187, Rest/Pause Set: 6,2,1,1,1,2x187 (15 breaths between each subset)
Military Press: 10x88, 8x98, 6x108, 3x6x88
Flies: 3x14x20
Dips: 5xBW/10/15/15/Bw
curls: 5 sets
dumbell rows: 9x6x60
1/26/17
Front Squat: 12x44, 5x110, 3x5x176, 10x176
Con. DL no belt: 5x264, 3x6x352
Good Mornings: 3x10x110
Shrug: 3x10, 1x12
1/28/17
4:2:0 tempo spoto press 8x110 6x4x154
Steep close grip incline 4x8x110, 10x110
Db row: 12x5x70
Rolling db extension 5x6x30
Db curl 5x6x20
1/29/17
Squat 10x44, 10x110, 6x154, 3x220, 4x5x275, 8x275
Walkout 10 seconds at 363
Sumo block pulls 6x154, 5x4x264
Superset
Leg curl 5x8x50
Bulgarian split sq 5x6x25s
1/31/17
Bench 10x44, 5x132, 3x176, 11x193. Rest pause set: 7,2,2,2,2,2x193
Military press 5x95/105/115/95/95/95
Close grip pulldowns 13x5x120
Dips 7x3x20
Reverse curls 3 sets of 6
training's was very sporadic for the last 2-3 months, business partner had some heart issues and since we're a two man firm I found myself working a lot more than anticipated. Most training since February has been just hitting some assistance exercises and trying not to get too out of shape.
5/29/17
squat no belt: 2x8x45, 6x154, 5x220, 10x264, 2x10x220
vert pulls: 3x6x154 first time doing these, the movement pattern felt akward but really felt them in my hams
Lunge: 2x8stepsx20
Hypers: 3x5x10
Overhead carry: 2 sets of 1 lap at 70 pounds.
5/31/17
Bench: 10x45, 5x135, 5x155, 10x175, Rest/Pause Set: 6,2,1,1,1x175, 2x10,6x140
Straight arm pulldowns: 5x10x50
3 count paused db bench: 7,7x50, 11x40
REar Delt Flies: 6x8x10
Barbell Curls: 6x65/70/75, 10x45
Dips: 6,4,4 at bodyweight
Hypers: 2x12
external rotations: 3x15x5
Flyes: 12,8x20
6/1/17
Safety Bar Box Squat: 8x45, 6x88,6x110, 6x154, 2x6x175
Sumo: 6x154, 3x6x242, 3x6x198
Hypers: 3x6
First time pulling sumo in years, have no external rotation in hips and couldn't get down to the bar with feet much outside my shoulders. Really want to pull sumo as its always been stronger than conventional even when not trained for long periods of time, but dont' think its in the cards for right now. Believe next week I'll go back to pulling conventional and add in a couple of sets of sumo block pulls at the end.
6/3/17
60 degree incline: 10x45, 10x88, 10x108, 2x10x88
Seal Rows: 10,10,10,7x145, 10x135
Dips: 7x3x15
Curls: 4x6
Hypers: 2x13
6/5/17
Low Bar Sq: 2x10x45, 5x154, 3x220, 3x275 hips still shot from pulling sumo last week, could not sit back at all on squat dropped the weight down and did some high bar to work on rom, will squat again later in the week.
Hi Bar : 3x10x154
Vert Pulls: 3x6x154
Lunge: 2x6x20
Hypers: 2x8x10
6/7/17
Decided to drop the reps down for a couple of weeks to see where I'm at.
BP: 10x45, 5x135, 4x5x179, 3x199, 3x203
MP: 3x6,8x98
Dips: 4x4x15
Neutral Grip Pulldowns: 6x130/140/140, 8x120
barbell Curls 2x5x75, 10/8x55
6/10/17
Close Grip Bench: 10x45, 8x88, 12,10,10,10x132
Pulldown: 3x6, 2x8
3 count paused db bench: 10,7,7x50
Hammer Curls: 1x8, 3x6
6/12/17
3 count Pause Squat no belt: 10x45, 5x132/175, 4x5x225
Con. Deficit: 6x220, 2x8x264
Split Squat: 8,6,4x30
superset:
1 leg rdl: 3x3x30
Neg. Leg curl (2 legs up, 1 leg down) 3x3x50
banded clamshells: 2x10
planks: 2 sets
6/14/17
Bench: 5x132, 3x152, 2x176 Cluster Set 20 seconds rest between sets: 5x2,3x197
Med Grip Incline Cluster Set: 5x2,7x132
PUllups: 3,2,1
Dips: 2x6xbodyweight, 8x10
Fat Man Rows: 2x4 w/ 5 second eccentric
some rear delts and curls
MRmichael.hooker
06-15-17, 2:14 pm
6/14/17
Bench: 5x132, 3x152, 2x176 Cluster Set 20 seconds rest between sets: 5x2,3x197
Med Grip Incline Cluster Set: 5x2,7x132
PUllups: 3,2,1
Dips: 2x6xbodyweight, 8x10
Fat Man Rows: 2x4 w/ 5 second eccentric
some rear delts and curls
So how exactly do cluster sets work? I've only known one guy that did them, and he always swore by them
So how exactly do cluster sets work? I've only known one guy that did them, and he always swore by them
I like them so far. I did them years ago with mostly singles, say 85-90% for 6 to 8 singles with 30 seconds or so apart and they worked great for ingraining a movement pattern and getting more reps in at heavy weight without beating me up. the last few weeks are the first time that I've really done them for assistance lifts, we will see how they work for that but I like that I can get more work in a shorter period of time and that the bar speed/quality of movement stays fast. I most train late at night by myself so I want to get in and out and not take stuff close to failure due to lack of anyone else being in the gym until the next day. Usually I keep the reps in a subset to half or less than I can do with the weight for a straight set. Say take a 6-7 rep max and do sets of two or three counting to 20 in between each subset. I'll either set a time limit on the set or a certain number of sets. If I hit the last set and it feels good I will try to rep it out.
6/17/17
Close Grip Bench: 8x45, 5x110, 12/10/10/10x140
Military Press: 2x6, r/p set: 7/4/2x103
front raises: 3x8
rear delts; 3x8
DB extensions: 3x6x40
zottman curls: 2x8,10x15
did two pullups after every set
6/19/17
Hi Bar 2 count paused sq: 10x45, 5x132, 3x176, 6x2x206
Con. DL no belt: 5x225, 3x315, 3x375, 6x4x300
Neutral grip pullips: 3x3
Stiff Legs: 3x8x205
Bent Rows: 5x165, 2x5x145 went down in weight as low back was shot
shrugs: 15,15,12x135
Spread Eagle Situps: 5xbw, 2x5x5
6/20/17
Bench: 8x45, 5x135, 4x165 Cluster set:5x2,4x200
med. Grip INcline: 5x2,8x145
Incline Flies: 3x12x20
Face Pulls: 3x12
Dips: 4,4,4,1x25
Fairly happy with this 5-10 pounds heavier on everything and one more rep than last week.
MRmichael.hooker
06-21-17, 1:28 pm
I like them so far. I did them years ago with mostly singles, say 85-90% for 6 to 8 singles with 30 seconds or so apart and they worked great for ingraining a movement pattern and getting more reps in at heavy weight without beating me up. the last few weeks are the first time that I've really done them for assistance lifts, we will see how they work for that but I like that I can get more work in a shorter period of time and that the bar speed/quality of movement stays fast. I most train late at night by myself so I want to get in and out and not take stuff close to failure due to lack of anyone else being in the gym until the next day. Usually I keep the reps in a subset to half or less than I can do with the weight for a straight set. Say take a 6-7 rep max and do sets of two or three counting to 20 in between each subset. I'll either set a time limit on the set or a certain number of sets. If I hit the last set and it feels good I will try to rep it out.
Awesome. I've heard good things just wasn't sure quite how you performed a 'cluster set'. Thanks
6/22/17
Squat: 5x135, 5x220, 3x277, 3x318, 6x3x247 mixed pound and kilo plates so got some weird numbers
Front Squat:3x5x176
DB 1 leg rdL: 3x6x35
glute ham raise: 8x4
6/24/17
Close Grip Bench: 12,10,8,8x150
Military Press: 2x6x105, rest pause set: 8,2x105
6/26/17
Hi Bar Paused Squat: 6x3x205
Con DL: 3x225, 3x335, 3x395, 8x4x300 going to ditch the hook grip, just much slower off the floor without, most likely mental as i'm anticipating the discomfort.
Neut Grip pullups: 3,3,2,2
Stiff legs: 3x8x165
Bent Rows: 5x145, 2x5x155
Shrug: 2x5x155