Atlas Shrugged; I Pressed

Bigger Stronger Leaner Over 35 Lifter
601

[quote]kpsnap wrote:
That MP of yours is amazing. That is one lift I cannot do since my shoulder repair. Just have no oomph or consistency with anything overhead. So I find other people’s accomplishments in that area particularly impressive. Glad to see that Lexie is still training. My daughter started high school this past Monday. There was a lot of stress and worry on her part, so I can relate to what you are dealing with regarding Lexie and school.[/quote]

Thanks. I am trying to get it back to amazing.

Yeah…Lexie is stressed beyond words. In fact, anxiety is a major issue for her. Thank God school starts, Monday. So we can get that behind us.

602

Quick update. About to head out the door to my nephew’s ballgame.

Paul, you have all the respect I can give. I got in the gym “early” today (8:50) and it sucked. Everything felt asleep. I always thought I was somewhat of a morning person. Obviously not!

Started a new program of my own creation, on Wednesday. Got the reps I needed. I am looking forward to doing this next week…when I am awake.

Military Press
barx20 - 10 front/10 back
95x10
135x10
165x3
195x3
225x3
235x3
245x3
255x2 - 1st time doubling this since returning. Only needed one but felt the 2nd was there.

Rear Delt Raises
45x10
50x10
40x10x2

DB Laterals - one drop set
35x15
25x6
15x8

Off to the game.

603

Great pressing and getting back to form.

604

Skip- 8:30 ? I was contemplating lunch !! I am going to petition the meet director and see if they will start the meet at 4:30AM …I could use the advantage.

I actually stopped in here looking for a football update , but alas none to be had…well since I’m here …Nice pressing…looks like the big engine is coming back to life!

605

[quote]OldGoat wrote:
Skip- 8:30 ? I was contemplating lunch !! I am going to petition the meet director and see if they will start the meet at 4:30AM …I could use the advantage.

I actually stopped in here looking for a football update , but alas none to be had…well since I’m here …Nice pressing…looks like the big engine is coming back to life![/quote]

Football update…

My nephews team (7th grade), which my brother is a coach on, won their game. I don’t recall if it was 32-0 or 34-0. Either way, it was pretty handily.

The defense was smothering. Not surprising, since my brother is the defensive coordinator. I am not sure the other team got more than 2, maybe 3, 1st downs during the game.

Meanwhile, on offense, they have a jitter bug for a running back. He is as slippery as a greased baby pig on speed.

My nephew…well, he could have played better. He is a stump of a kid. Strong, thick and a bit…well… He wants to play noseguard…and only noseguard. With only 14 kids on the team, though, and him being one of the biggest, he has to play both ways. He suffered from a severe lack of effort, on offense. On defense, from the tackle position, he was a bit more aggressive.
When he finally got in at noseguard, he blasted through the line before anyone knew what was happening. The poor quarterback was running for his life almost immediately.

If he can lose some of the “I’” mentality, and start thinking about the needs of the team, he will be a bruiser. Fingers crossed.

That better, Paul?

606

Back/slacker Day

Sundays are always down days. After the amp of Heavy MP, on Saturday, there just isn’t a lot to mentally push Sundays.
Lexie did get back in there with me. She didn’t do much, which was fine. She didn’t want to hurt her back again, she said. Of course, she didn’t hurt it lifting. But…whatevs…

Lat Pulls
100x20x2

Face Pulls
100x15x2

Kroc Rows
120x20

Strict DB Rows
120x10

Seated Rows
280x10x3 - Narrow Grip
280x10x2 - Shoulder Width Grip
280x10x3 - Reverse Grip, using EZ Curl attachement

Lexie’s Workout

She wanted to stay light. So, I didn’t argue.

Bench
45x10
65x10x2

MP
45x10x2

Seated Rows
50x10x3

Once school is underway, and she is settled in, I suspect that she will start ramping up again.

607

[quote]LittleStrick wrote:

[quote]OldGoat wrote:
Skip- 8:30 ? I was contemplating lunch !! I am going to petition the meet director and see if they will start the meet at 4:30AM …I could use the advantage.

I actually stopped in here looking for a football update , but alas none to be had…well since I’m here …Nice pressing…looks like the big engine is coming back to life![/quote]

Football update…

My nephews team (7th grade), which my brother is a coach on, won their game. I don’t recall if it was 32-0 or 34-0. Either way, it was pretty handily.

The defense was smothering. Not surprising, since my brother is the defensive coordinator. I am not sure the other team got more than 2, maybe 3, 1st downs during the game.

Meanwhile, on offense, they have a jitter bug for a running back. He is as slippery as a greased baby pig on speed.

My nephew…well, he could have played better. He is a stump of a kid. Strong, thick and a bit…well… He wants to play noseguard…and only noseguard. With only 14 kids on the team, though, and him being one of the biggest, he has to play both ways. He suffered from a severe lack of effort, on offense. On defense, from the tackle position, he was a bit more aggressive.
When he finally got in at noseguard, he blasted through the line before anyone knew what was happening. The poor quarterback was running for his life almost immediately.

If he can lose some of the “I’” mentality, and start thinking about the needs of the team, he will be a bruiser. Fingers crossed.

That better, Paul?[/quote]

Much!!! Thank you…

608

Paul, there is another game this Saturday. Apparently it is a grudge match. Also, apparently, southern grudge matches and northern grudge matches differ…I have heard no talk of blood.

609

Military Rep Day

I switched, kind of, to the new plan. Kind of, because I was too invested in the idea of trying to get 10 reps with 215# to completely forego the barbell for dumbbells.

Military Press
barx20 - 10 front / 10 back
95x10
135x10
165x3
195x3
215x10 - last rep was a grinder. Don’t know that it was a completely clean rep, but it went.

DB Standing OHP
70x8
75x6

Holy cow these were difficult, as opposed to its sitting kin. It was my core that was straining, not my arms. I had no idea that standing DB presses were so different from sitting. It felt like I was doing Z Presses.

This raises a question. I can do more weight sitting than standing, like most folks. Obviously, though, this really worked my core in a way that BB MP and seated DB OHP doesn’t…at the expense of weight on my shoulders. So…
Should I stick with these?
Go to seated, to get better shoulder work?
Or alternate the two each week?

Input is greatly appreciated.

Face Pulls - alternating inside and outside grips
175x12x4
175x10

Bench - hands just inside the rings
225x8
235x8
245x8

Lexie wussed out again, but swears she will be back at it this weekend.

610

After having a day to feel the effects of adding Standing DB OHP, I think I am going to keep it as it is, for now.

Seated OHP will de-emphasize the core work and lends itself to more backward lean for the movement. Standing helps me to keep more vertical and keep the weight directly over my shoulders, instead of out front, like a really high incline press.

Since where I feel it most is in my medial delts, and they are something I have wanted to target and were actually a bit sore this morning, it seems a good variation. Having my elbows directly out to the side, instead of pulled forward, like MP, seems to have caused the shift in focus…not surprisingly.

An added bonus is getting to work the stabilizers, even if the weight isn’t as high.

So, rep days will be to work up to a single all out set of 10, on MP. If I miss 10 reps, I will just stay with the same weight the next week.
That will be immediately followed by 2-3 sets of Standing DB OHP.

We’ll see how it goes.

611

Sounds like a good plan, Skip… And I agree Seated DB presses always seem to turn into a modified incline press.

612

[quote]OldGoat wrote:
Sounds like a good plan, Skip… And I agree Seated DB presses always seem to turn into a modified incline press.[/quote]

Hopefully it is a good plan, since it is what’s going to happen. At least for the time being.

It would be nice to actually start gaining back strength at a faster rate.

613

I have suspended weight loss efforts. I am not abandoning watching what I eat. I am just trying to eat at maintenance levels.
After allowing more carbs into my diet, I am sitting almost 38# down from where I started.
I have noticed though, as often happens at that 10-12% loss of body weight, that things were starting to shift in a negative way.

So, I am going to try to maintain for a couple of months and then ease back into the weight loss. I would like to drop another 10# by years end.

My wife has already told me that I am not allowed to go back down like I did several years ago. I got down to 222# and she thought I looked anorexic. My arms were 3.5" smaller than now. My shoulders were significantly smaller. So, since I am carrying significantly more muscle mass now, than then, I think my ultimate goal is to hit 255-265# and decide from there.

614

Sounds like a solid plan on the weight loss. Good luck.

615

[quote]DBasler wrote:
Sounds like a solid plan on the weight loss. Good luck. [/quote]

We’ll see how it works. Eating maintenance definitely helps with the recovery!

616

Military Day … Lexie’s Triumphant Return

Felt a bit…uh…not sure…sleepy? Beat down? Lethargic? All of the above…
Normally Lexie is the one yawning and dragging into the gym. Today it was me. I got the reps I needed, but it still felt heavier and slower than it should have.

To give an idea of what I am doing with MP training…my plan.

Rep Days
Work up to one set of 10 on BB MP. This week was 215#. Next will be 225#. If I don’t get 10, weight stays the same the next week.
Do 2-3 sets of Standing DB OHP for 6-8 reps.

Heavy MP Days - going for 10 heavy reps in total.
Last week I did 225x3, 235x3, 245x3 and 255x2 (1 extra rep)
Today I was supposed to do 225x3, 240x3, 250x2 and 260x2 or260x1x2. (I forgot the plan today and did an extra rep)
Next week would be 230x3, 240x3, 250x3 and 260x1

Then I have the chance for a deload if I think I need it and can stomach actually doing it.

Military Press
barx20 - 10 front and 10 back
95x10
135x10
165x3
195x3
225x3
240x3
250x3 (this was only supposed to be 2)
260x1

BB Shruggs
315x15
405x10x3

Rear Delt Raises
50x10x2
40x10x2

DB Laterals
35x10
Dropset
30x12
20x8
10x8

Lexie finally returns to the gym…supposedly full-time

Bench
barx10
55x5
70x3
85x2
95x2 - PR +1 Rep
105x1 - PR +5# - easily had 5# more on this rep
115x0 - She misloaded the bar when I was doing a set. It was supposed to be 5# more…total, not per side.
95x4 - PR +2 reps from 3 sets earlier - in fairness, I tapped the bar, once, when she got out of proper path, on the last rep, but the rest was all her.

Military Press
barx8
60x5
65x5x2

Lat Pulls
60x6x3 - I have no idea why she was doing sets of 6

Seated Row Machine
65x10
90x10x2

So…she is already seeing progress and was taken aback by how light 105# felt. Her enthusiasm was high and I think she was pleased.
Not to mention, she got to put 25# plates on each side and rep it! I have only ever seen one other female have 25’s on the bar, at this Y.

Very proud of her. And, more importantly, I think she is very proud of herself.

Edit: This is for Paul.

We ran late in the gym. So, I missed my nephew’s game. The report from my brother, though, is that they won…52-14. I gave him grief for his defense giving up 14 points. He said, (after all, he is my brother) that it pissed him off as well.
They scored on two busted assignments on his defense, but otherwise moved the ball very little.
Not a lot of detail, here, but a good result.

617

Great stuff by Lexie! Glad to see she did get back at after it

52 pts? they must have scored on every possession. But fire the D coordinator he is over paid.

618

[quote]OldGoat wrote:
Great stuff by Lexie! Glad to see she did get back at after it

52 pts? they must have scored on every possession. But fire the D coordinator he is over paid.[/quote]

Yep. She seems to be enjoying herself. That is the big thing.

619

Leftover Day

Did a little legs. Did a little back. Upper traps are so damned sore and tight it feels like they might explode.
Lexie decided to go off script today and do her own thing…somewhat.

Leg Extensions
90x15
110x15
125x15

Leg Curls
90x15
110x15
115x15

Lat Pulls - Just to warm up a little
100x10x2

DB Rows
120x10x3

Seated Cable Rows
280x15 - shoulder width underhand grip
280x12x2 - shoulder width underhand grip
280x12 - shoulder width overhand grip
280x10x2 - shoulder width overhand grip

Leg Press - on the machine
300x10
350x10
400x10

Just trying to do something with my legs until the IT Band pain subsides

Lexie’s Workout
Leg Curls
50x10
65x10
55x10x2

Leg Extensions
50x10x2
65x10x2

Bench Press - Yes, she asked to do this again
barx10
65x10x3

Seated Row Machine
50x10
90x10x3

Another workout in the books. I think she has fallen in love with Bench Press.

620

Military Rep Day

Kind of an off night. For lack of a better word, my shoulders felt “fragile”. They ached, creaked and kind of felt like they were made of glass. This led to no pop. I have been getting after it for months straight, twice a week. It might be time to scale back for a week.

Lexie went with me, but wasn’t really interested. A little of this…a little of that… She spent more time on the exercise bike than anything.

Military Press
barx20 - 10 front 10 back
95x10
135x10
165x3
195x3
225x5x3

Face Pulls - alternating inside and outside grip
190x10x6

Bench Press - hands just inside the rings
135x10
225x8
240x8
255x8

Seated Row Machine Thangy
15ox10
170x10
190x10

Lexie’s workout

Military Press
barx10
65x5x3

Seated Rows
70x10x4

Stationary Bike
30 minutes

Onward…