The hack squat machine can be hard on your knee. Hope all is well. And dude, 56 reps with 185? Crazy volume. You'll be lean and jacked if you keep that up.
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The hack squat machine can be hard on your knee. Hope all is well. And dude, 56 reps with 185? Crazy volume. You'll be lean and jacked if you keep that up.
7/28
SQUATS!!!
135X8
185X6
225X4
245X4
275X3,2,1
225X5X3sets
Calve Press on Leg press machine
210X12
230X10
250X10
270X10
290X10
310X6
Notes:
I was careful given the recent knee strain, but I think that's the first triple I did with 275 since I've started back up. Knees felt great. Left a lot in the tank, didn't even feel like I worked out.
Morning weight 188.8. Breaking 188 has become a thorn in my side. It's going down!!!
Morning weight: 187.4. New low. Going after it.
One of the great benefits of this community, is that there is so much to draw from. When I take a look at what Guns did, I got no Fn excuses.
7/29
T-bar rows
2PX10
2P+25X10
3PX10
3P+25X10X5sets
3PX17
Notes:
Love this movement.
7/31
Bench
135X10
185X6
205X4
225X2
205X4X6sets
Superset:
Pulldowns (front)
120X10
140X10X9sets
Notes:
Not ready for 225 but I had to try. Did I mention dieting sucks?
Nice work
8/01
Deads:
135X10
185X10
225X10
275X7,7,7,7,8
225X17
Notes: Big jump, I don't know what happened. I was scheduled for 240X10X5sets, but when I pulled 135 it felt like I was pulling the bar, when I hit 225 for 10 with speed I was like you got to jump. I'll bake at 275 for a while to get sound structurally, but these developments are very encouraging to me given my age. Because while I don't dwell on it in the back of your head you wonder, will I still respond. I really don't wonder about that now. Now it's: just don't get hurt.
8/2
Wasn't feeling the gym today, hit the sledding hill with the 40lb vest for 14 flights and walked 3 times for a total of 7 miles. Figured lets keep pushing on leaning up. I'll get a weight tomorrow.
One thing for sure I do not like this feeling small. As you strip the fat away you do lose a lot of volume, it's a little unnerving. And clearly the muscles have not enjoyed the deficit while I'm pushing them. So I do look forward to finishing up the leaning up process and getting back to an anabolic meal plan. But I have no interest in repeating this extensive of a leaning up process. In the last 19 weeks I've taken off about 15lbs which is about a 400 calorie daily deficit. Prior to that I lost 10 lbs at a slower pace. It's no fun.
And now it's literally 31 days to go and I remove the deficit, but while I'm very interested in gaining lean muscle, I have no interest in gaining fat and 400 calories does not allow for indiscriminate intake. It's got to be measured, discipline must remain. But I am looking forward to the extra food.
8/3
Morning weight: 186.8.
4.8lbs to go now and it was a good call to lower the goal to 182. Almost there.
8/3/15
T-bar Rows:
2PX10
2P+25X10
3PX10
3P+25X10
3P+30X10X4sets
3P+30X9
3PX19
Notes:
We're working now. Skipped the accessory day because I need to bench on wed. Programming remains challenging and the changes are being forced on me in that I simply can not pull everything off. I need to stay focused on good programming for the main lifts.
8/5
Squat
135X8
185X6
225X4
275X4,3,3
225X7X3sets
Calve Press:
250X10
270X10
290X10
310X10
330X10
350X8
Notes:
Very happy with how the Squats are going, it's just a matter of getting them in. I was having fun for sure.
Wanted to bench in the morning but my forearms were screaming with the warm up so I shut it down. It's a programming problem, I want to bench every 5 days but I can't do Pulldowns and then T-bar rows 2-3 days apart. Either I'll alternate or drop the pulldowns, just hit back every 5 days and structure it so the forearms are recovered by the bench day. Maybe change the programming on the upper body to a push/pull. And I got to tuck in the weighted abs somewhere. We'll figure it out.
8/7
Bench
135X10
185X10
205X5X2sets
205X3X8sets
Notes:
Benching without a spot, sucks. I hope I did enough volume to make up for having to be cautious. Forearms are still screaming. I'm going to continue to strip the programming down to basic movements. Yesterdays weight was 186.6, 4.6lbs to go.
8/8
Deads:
135X10
185X10
225X10
275X10X4sets
275X8
225X15
Notes:
Sucking wind. No structural issues.
A.M.
Sledding hill with the 40lb Weighted vest 16 flights.
Afternoon:
T-Bar Rows:
2PX10
2P+25lbsX10
3PX10
3P+25lbsX10
4PX5X4sets
4PX6
3Px20
Walked 3 times for a total of 6 miles.
Notes: Might be better programming to do pulldowns after deadlifts and T-bar rows after Squats, as the traps and erectors are fatigued after the deadlift day not sure though. Maybe why guys handling the heavier weight gravitate toward chest supported rows, or one arm dumbell rows. On the other hand doing them back to back gives the erectors a complete break till the Squat day. And I really like the rows, forces you to stay tight.
Might need a new belt, I'm now down to the last notch on my size large Inzer.
8/10
Bench
135X10
185X8
205X5X3sets
205X3X7sets
Notes:
The bench is really starting to piss me off now. Have a conflict Wed so I had to move it up and 3 days is not enough recovery, but still. Going to put more focus on this movement, go every 4-5 days.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...psr5rbdx7s.jpg
I thought it turned out fine and it was a pretty simple procedure. The holes are spaced out an inch, so I centered and punched it. Then I used a hammer and nail to establish a pilot. Then I put my knees on either side of it on top of a 2X6 to keep it flat and just started with a thin drill bit and moved up to the bit that I had premeasured as the right size. That was pretty easy. The tricky part is to clean up the outer suede. For that you got to come in from the inside of the belt and pull back with the bit running to clean it up. Didn't take 5 minutes.
8/14
Bench
135X10
185X6
205X6X2sets
205X5
205X4X5sets
205X3X2sets
Notes:
Rep PR at 205, which is a little encouraging as I felt the bench was lagging. Definitely can go every 4 days on the bench at least with these lighter weights, so I'll go every 4-5 days, feels like I need more time under the bar. Working without a spot, leaves a lot in the tank, but looks like the volume is making up for it. Went on a vigorous 7 hour hike on Wed over challenging terrain, so things are out of sequence. Got to get back on the Squat rack, but my legs were cramping all night after that hike so I wanted to give it a little time. Hopefully by Tuesday everything is back in.
Morning weight 185.8. 3.8lbs to go. I do not like being this small. I'll finish it, but then that's it. I'm surprised I'm getting stronger because I've definitely lost muscle.
8/16
Squats
135X10
185X6
225X4
245X4
275X4
285X2X3sets
245X4X3sets
Calve Press on leg press
250X10
270X10
290X10
310X10
330X10
350X10
370X8
390X6
400X4
Notes:
Had to push the Squat out as the Wed hike really strained the joints. Back on track now with the Squats, just got to keep creeping up slowly, so the structure gets used to it. Now we just got to get the deads in later this week and have everything back in. Life gets in the way and it kinda pisses me off, got to learn to take it in stride.
8/16
Afternoon
T-bar Rows
2PX10
3PX10
3P+25lbsX10
4Px7,7,5,5,6
3PX21
Notes:
Right now 5 plates seems like a long ways away. Forearms still beat up - the limiting factor.
Nice squats brother!
Thanks man!Quote:
Originally Posted by Ed Eliason
17 days final push. Going on Vacation on 9/2, which I will use as a deload. I have no interest in dieting after that so I have decided to give it a 17 day final push. Nothing massive just further reduce the daily intake 200 calories and add an additional 2 mile walk daily. This is it. Final push.
I agree, nice squatting, and lots of volume on that bench day. Lots of work there. Props for killing the dieting on top of all that.
8/18
Bench
135X10
185X6
205X4
225X3
225X2X9Sets
Notes: Threw up 4 with 205, forearms weren't too bad so decided to jump. Still getting used to benching without a spot. I did get a spot for the last set, it was a good spot which is rare at this gym, didn't need it lots of speed. As I get stronger there is an increased willingness of some guys to help me out, I just got to figure out who the good spotters are there. I'll bake at 225 for a while try and up the rep count.
Looks good. I hate asking for a spot. I want to focus on my lift and not worry about what random guy is going to do. I probably take too many risks sometimes just because of that.
I hate asking too. If my bench ever comes up I'm going to go to a powerlifting gym every couple weeks, so I can push it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cellardweller
8/27
Deads
135X10
185X10
225X10
275X10
315X4,4,5,4
225X17,12,10,8
Notes:
Got to bake at 315 for a while.
8/23
Bench
135x10
185x6
205x4
225x3x6sets
225x2x4sets
Notes:
Date night with the misses last night, says she's not used to me being this lean. 2 drinks and I swear I have a hangover i'm such a lightweight. Rarely drink. Didn't count calories yesterday but was still disciplined. Got 10 more days of the calorie deficit, will finish strong. Not taking a weight till I'm done with the final push. Forearms are still banged up but getting a little better. Going to just focus on the main lifts now until the vacation. Alternating squats and deads every four days and benching every four days. It's going good.
8/25
Squats
135X8
185X6
225X4
245X4
275X4
285X2
285X1
275X1
245X3X7sets
Calve raises on Leg press machine
290X10
310X10
330X10
350X10
370X8
390X4
400X4
Notes:
Hit 275 for 4 on the Squat and it felt fine. Hit 285 for 2 and it felt heavy, which was upsetting. So I told myself try again see if you can get 3 sets. After the first rep I racked it. I knew I didn't have it. So now I'm a combination of pissed and disappointed, I thought I was going to go up. So I calmed myself down and told myself either it's the day, or the diet or the training. If it's the day or the diet, there's nothing you can do. But if it's the training what do you need to do? Well the problem was I was weak at the bottom. So okay find a weight you can work the bottom. Hit one rep at 275 and that was a joke. Hit 3 reps at 245 going down real slow and controlled catching the little bounce off the bottom and driving up. It wasn't an easy set but the reps were clean and I figured I might recover some as more time passed from the heavier sets and that's what happened. So I ground out 7 sets of three with 245 and salvaged what started out as a disappointing session.
This is how you do it. Everyone half squats 405 in the gym and their egos won't allow them to drop down the weight to what they can handle and build back up out of the hole. It's how I learned. There is no other way. There's going to be some big things happening in here.Quote:
Originally Posted by Buckfever
8/27
Strained the right erectors on the Squat session. Shouldn't have taken out the weighted abs. I've been pretty injury free, it was bound to happen.
We'll see how long before I can get going again. Scheduled to bench tomorrow.
Morning weight 184.8, 2.8lbs to go.
Nice work
8/28
Bench
135x10
185X6
205X4
225X3,2
205X4X5sets
205X3
205X2X4sets
205X4
205X3
Notes: If someone doesn't think leg drive makes a difference on the bench, strain your erectors give the bench a go and get back to me. I felt strong on the bench till I got to 225 and couldn't hold tight to drive so I dropped to 205 and went to work. Erectors are healing rapidly, but I will be careful. Forearms feel are completely healed, no pain. 5 more days of a calorie deficit, then the vacation deload and then we get 2 it. I've averaged a 425 calorie deficit since March 25th and it's just starting to sink it that it's almost done. Personally while I understand the benefits of a bulk, I would caution against doing so without discipline, because needing to grind out leaning up plain sucks. Want to get another bench session before the trip. Bench gains are tough I don't want to lose too much.
8/30
Sledding hill with the 40lb weighted vest
15 flights.
Notes:
Erectors improving but still not recovered so won't get deads or squats in before the vacation so decided to get some conditioning on the sledding hill.
3 more days on the calorie restriction. On a side note leaning up is definitely an aphrodisiac. I'm getting approached on the street, which seems a little phucked up to me, however over drinks my wife revealed to me how much she appreciates my loss of gut. I'll take that.
At 197 I had gone for hydrostatic bodyfat testing and correlated that to the home bodyfat scale. And I know it's not perfectly precise but based on this past weeks reading at 184.4 I've lost approximately 4.9lbs of muscle. So with that in mind the next phase is going to be focused on getting that back but I want to be disciplined. So my thinking is recomposition. All I'm going to do is add 250 calories a day, I'm going to stay disciplined, just enough so that I'm no longer starving the muscles.
Still will remain focused on the main lifts and strength but I do miss the hypertrophy work, so some minor programming changes after the vacation.
For lower body I want to do deads, squats/calves and the sledding hill once a week. I'm going to modulate the volume so I can get that in. The sledding hill with the weighted vest is very much like a lunge and with those three movements I feel the lower body is solid.
On the upper body, Bench, Pulldowns, T-bar rows, Weighted incline abs are the staples but I also want to add DB overhead press, curls and triceps pressdown. The programming key for me on the upper body is to keep the volume just below the threshold where the forearms get beat up. Thinking benching every 4-5 days, pulldowns or rows every 4-5 days and maybe accessories only once a week.
Looking forward to the next phase.
Good job!
9/9
Bench
135X10
155X10
185X7X2sets
185X6
185X5
185X4X6sets
Notes:
First day back since vacation. I was only going to do 135 for 10 sets of 10 just to start back up, but 135 felt light, so I thought ok 5X10 at 155 and a pump set, but then 155 felt light, so I decided to just go to 185 and get to it.
This is a shot that my wife took of me on vacation, being playful, trying to piss me off.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...psswfjssp6.jpg
Now I'm not going to throw the baby out with the bath water. Admittedly I am very happy about leaning up. Also I am happy about picking a goal and sticking to it. But I have to say I was shocked at this photo. All my muscle is phucking gone. So a couple of things. I've been struggling with why I'm not moving any weight, well that picture explains it. There's no muscle to move anything with. The second thing after seeing the pics, I went back to my records and calculated that of the 17lbs lost 6.8lbs was muscle. Posting up a photo, this is not something I'm comfortable with, but I think it's very important especially for the older lifters. It is very costly to get fat and have to get the weight off. I know that strength gains are greatly enhanced when bulking, but as an older lifter all I can say is, don't do it. We do not have the metabolism to support recomposition, it is very, very hard to lose weight after 50. You don't cut back enough, nothing happens, you cut back too much you don't have energy to train or nourishment to recover, it's a hard thin line.
So having experienced this process and having seen the cost, I am not going through this again. Basically I'm setting a hard line at 187lbs, for at least a year, which gives me plenty of room to gain lots of muscle with out putting on any fat. I held a 425 calorie deficit since March, I'll start by adding back 250 calories a day and see how it goes. Basically my goal is to eat as much as I can but stay under 187lbs. For the Macros I'm going to keep it at 40/30/30 with protein at 40, but if I see that I need more energy I might take it to 40/30/30 with the carbs at 40. Also I'll up the volume. For reps I'll keep it in the 4-10 rep range for hypertrophy and for sets it'll between 5 working sets(and a pump set) to 10 working sets. I'll be honest I don't see the point to pushing the strength right now as there's only so much strength I'm going to gain with that little muscle IMO.
Erectors are healed up. Probably deads tomorrow.
Nice session! Way to get back at it! Dude you are lean! Time to start adding muscle! Yay! Man that's a lot of exclamation points!!
9/10/15
T-bar Rows
2PX10
2P+25X10
3PX10X10sets
Notes:
Change of plans, hiking tomorrow, had to push the deads out, so we got the rows going.
9/11
4 hour hike challenging terrain
9/13
16 flights on the sledding hill with the 40lb weighted vest
Notes:
Weight stable at 185. Appetite is kind of suppressed. The other day I ate BIG and when I added everything up I was only at 2400 calories. My tastes have changed, a lot of the unhealthy and calorie rich foods that I used to eat, are not appetizing anymore. Have to go hiking again on wed, so can't put legs back in till friday, should get going after that though.
That's one of the cool benefits of dieting. Looking good in the pic too. Hope you had a great vacation.Quote:
Originally Posted by Buckfever