2020: IronOne Levels Up

I wouldn’t guess that your training is exceeding your ability to recover - especially since your complaints are minor but annoying back strains and joint aches. I don’t think there’s a recovery period for joints. A movement is either bad for you or not.

What are your goals?

Your physique is great. Are you trying to get stronger or grow muscle (against the odds)? Have you considered experimenting with a minimalist approach? I’m not necessarily talking about PC’s stuff, but maybe we’re all overestimating the amount of work we need to do to maintain what we have.

We all want to improve, but sometimes life wins. Are you better now than last year (any aspect of training)? How about the year before?

For me, the answer is a clear NO. My body is rebelling. I don’t feel like a failure, but I’m weaker and I can’t say I’m leaner or more muscular. I’m really just me - I’m an older version of myself, but I haven’t changed much for the past decade.

Now if we change the perspective and admit that time defeats all, then we can see things differently. Do I have the same strength and/or body fat as last year despite time trying to break me down? For me, it’s close to yes and I think that’s worth something.

Sorry, went down one of my philosophical rabbit holes there.

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I honestly don’t think this applies to anyone under 50. I agree maintaining muscle isn’t as big of a deal as some people see, but building muscle isn’t futile. Especially not in your 30s and 40s.

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I appreciate you making me think, seriously.

I have a hard time understanding why I can’t recover either. Hell, I’ve been performing sets of 8+. Still close to failure though.

But…

I’ve got 17 years of heavy lifting on my body and a helluva lot of strains, tendonitis’s, and general soft tissue injuries.

Goals? They are more aesthetic long term. I’d like to reach somewhere between 190-200 at 10%. Id say I need 10lbs of muscle for that. Maybe 8.

But I like to perform. In the last couple years I’ve ran a 5:59 mile, completed 80lb simple and sinister, benched 300, squatted 185x50. I have not done anything real heavy because I get so wrecked. It’s been that way for 5 or so years. You can go back to my first log here , IronOne’s Strength Journey, and see some mid 300s squat sets and mid 400s deadlift sets. I would have to look back 10+ years for 400s squats and 500s deadlifts.

So it’s been a downward slide after about 5 years in and peaked performance/strength wise.

Really makes me think.

I do think I need to ditch particular movements. Bilateral hip hinging ruins me (deadlifts) especially with strength progression in place.

Barbell pressing has not been good for some time now. I don’t necessarily think this is permanent though.

I agree, I think I got 10-15 more pounds of muscle in me, but damnit I got to stay healthy. That’s my damn problem the past 10 years.

HELP :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

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Yup, I’m pretty much done with squatting, after trying every possible method to start light and build back up. Deadlifting is out too. Honestly though, I’m lucky I’m at a gym. I have smith machines, all sorts of cable setups and different machines, DBs up to 120, and all the cardio equipment I could use. If I had a home gym I’d have to invest serious money (leg press, cable attachments, lots of DBs, etc) to avoid doing big movements.

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It’s not futile. It’s just very difficult. We can’t build muscle while battling injuries. I think 8-10 lbs is possible, but it’s going to take years and it’s very hard to measure progress on that scale.

I also think training age plays a big part. Just look at @jackolee. He started late and made great progress. But that’s a lot different than me doing the same thing at the same age. I’ve been at this for 17+ years.

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I’d consider rejoining the Y, but I have no patience for other people in the gym. So that’s not going to happen.

For some reason public gyms attract idiots. I can’t handle it.

Time is another thing. Having it at home is a game changer, and gives me zero excuses to miss.

I need to add a cable attachment to my rack. I’ll go ahead and do that :+1::ok_hand:

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Im good with years. I love this shit.

But you’re right, we have to change and adapt.

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There are some strong guys around here and guys with great physiques, but, seeing the entries for the T-ransformation reminded me that I’m doing pretty good for a 35 year old.

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Damn right you are. And honestly, barring your CrossFit journey, you’d likely be deadlifting 600 lbs right now. Possibly even for a double. These things happen, but it’s important to remember how recently you were at the top of your game, and how small adjustments (which you couldn’t have foreseen, but you can adjust in the future) could have prevented a lot of this.

Also remember, you’re seeing entries on a fitness blog, from people brave enough to show themselves. Even if some of the pictures are unflattering, they’re still better than most people who don’t ever take their shirts off.

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If you could get cable attachments and a leg press machine, you’d be golden.

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I think I’m so used to seeing all the badasses around here that I started thinking everyone fit the bill.

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This is how supplement companies have made their millions for the past 50+ years. Make everyone believe that those crazy physiques are what all people training look like, and promise a powder will help you get there. The sad reality is that most people don’t look good with their shirts off and even fewer actually get better or progress in any way year to year.

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Already feeling much better, but will not touch a weight until next Saturday. A full week off. Been a long time.

Doing McGill big 3, band handcuffs, ext rot wall slides and ext rot band OHs twice daily. Long walks. Diet is back on track.

Looking at Max-OT for next training plan. I’ll expand the reps to 4-8. The program is basically a 1-2 body part per day split, allowing for more recovery. Each hit every 5-7 days. High intensity, low(ish) volume. However I plan to moderate the intensity some and move the rep range from 4-6 to 4-8.

This is back to roots training for me. No supersets. Intense sets, get in get out. WAY LESS overall volume than I’ve been moving.

Still thinking!

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Did a metcon style workout today start firing things back up again.

5 rounds:

3-5 minutes of incline treadmill brisk walking
-with-
Chins
5x10
-with-
Feet elevated Ring Pushups
10, 10, 10, 12, 15
-with-
KB Swing
26x20, 44, 62, 62, 62

I can get down with this. I’m going to order the adjustable 60lb weight vest from Titan and use these types of workouts to get lean af this summer.

Two more days rest and start push/pull/lower Saturday. Body is feeling MUCH better. Amazing what a week off can do. Have to do this regularly.

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I have one of these but rarely ever get it out of the cupboard. I really should consider adding some vest walks or other conditioning into me week. Hmmmmmmm

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Saw my sports PT/chiro guy today to get some work done on my shoulder.

Got some cuff tendonitis, AC joint is wonky, but nothing crazy. Need to make sure I retract and set scaps/shoulders prior to pressing. When I do my shoulder does not click when I raise my arm. Postural/position fix. I also have 3 ext rotation exercises to hammer.

He did a bunch of manual work then dry needled me.

Got home did a 30 min incline treadmill walk and a bunch of upper and lower PT.

Foam rolled for a good 10 minutes to finish. I feel so good after I foam roll. If I had more time, I’d foam roll daily.

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New split, Push/Pull/Lower. I’ll rotate 2 different workouts as below. Will aim for 4-5 workouts per week.

Push 1
Axle Bench 3x4-6
Standing DB OHP 3x6-8
Dips 2x max BW reps
Leaning laterals 3x8-10
French Press 3x8-10
Band Pressdowns 2x max reps

Push 2
Axle OHP 3x4-6
DB Flat Bench 3x6-8
Feet Elevated Ring Pushups 2x max BW reps
Band Lateral raises 2x max reps
Lying Swiss Bar Ext 3x8-10
OH Band Ext 2x max reps

Pull 1
Pendlay Row 3x4-6
Pull Ups 3x max BW reps
Seated Band Row 2x6-8
SA Bent Over DB Lateral 3x8-10
Axle Curl 3x8-10
KB Hammer Curl 2x8-10

Pull 2
Weighted Chin Up 3x4-6
DB Row 3x6-8
Inverted Row 2x6-8
Band Face Pull 2x max reps
Incline DB Curl 3x8-10
Reverse Axle Curl 2x8-10

Lower Day 1
Barbell Squat 3x4-6
DB RDL 3x6-8
Single Leg Squat 2x6-8
BW Lunge 2x max steps
Calves 3x max reps

Lower Day 2
Front Squat 3x4-6
Good Morning 3x6-8
RFESS 2x6-8
Glute Bridge 3x6-8
Calves 3x max reps

Abs and prehab on off days.

Start with Push 1 today. RPE7-8 max week 1. The goal here is MMC, very high quality reps, eventual positive failure (max-ot principles). I’d rather do less volume, but it be very high quality work, than all this high volume, lower intensity sloppy work. I know the lower quantity of sets and reps will help me achieve this. As long as I get in 3 workouts per week, I’ve succeeded. Probably on the recovery front too. Feeling good? I’ll go for 4 or 5 workouts.

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1/11/2019 - Push 1

Axle Bench Press
185x3x6

DB Standing OHP
40x3x8

Dips
20, 14

Leaning Lateral
20x3x10

High Incline French Press
55x3x10

Purple Band Pressdown
2x15

30 min walk/run outside

—————

To say I enjoyed that is an understatement. The fact that nothing hurt was the icing on the cake. What’s funny, is, the strongest and healthiest I’ve ever been is when I was on a split some 10 years ago. Coincidence? I plant to run this template for 8 weeks then take a week off and change up the exercise sequence.

Pizza and beer smash tonight. I had a great diet week. I can demolish 4000 calories tonight and won’t feel bad about it.

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1/12/2019 - Pull 1

Strict Pendlay Row
115x2x6, 125x6

Pull-up
13, 10, 7

Seated Single Arm Green Band Row
2x8

Single Arm Bent DB Raise
20x10, 30x2x10

Axle Curl
45x10, 55x2x10

KB Hammer Curl
26x2x10

30 min brisk outdoor walk.

70* and sunny today, Jan 12. Shirt was off and it felt like heaven. Good workout. 100% quality reps, good mmc, no pain.
Have not done pull-up straight sets in a long time. 2:30 rest. Very humbling.

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Damn Iron, totally missed your new log, sorry man.

I’m in, of course.

Great home gym, looking awesome.

4-5 days a week sounds like a lot of training Iron, especially if you’re going to do some running as well.

Good luck with all your goals… Btw what is S&S?

I saw your 2 day A/B split… I’ve just started 531 1000% awesome, and had I been around 10 days ago I would have pointed you that way.

day 1: squat PR set + Bench 5 x 5 or 5 x 10 depending on goal + assistance
day 2: DL 5 pro and OHP 5x5 (I’m doing pr on both DL and OHP) + assistance
day 3: squat 5 x 5 or 5 x 10 depending on goal + bench PR set + assistance

I’m doing giant sets like you did as assistance.

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