Clydesdale to Thoroughbred

Hello T-nation, enjoy the site, thank you for all the incredible information!

Starting a training log for some extra dietary accountability as well as to be able to look back at my progress.

I am 45 years old, 5 foot 11, weighed in at 255 lbs on Jan 1st. Looking to get down to sub-200 while retaining as much muscle as possible. I know this means getting serious about my diet. I’ve been tracking for 2 weeks, starting out with 3 basic goals: 2200 cals max, 175 g protein minimum and no alcohol.

Followed CT’s perform like/look like… program through Nov/Dec, really enjoyed the workouts, found that my knees couldn’t handle doing squats/DL 6 days a week so I did push/pull/rest…repeat.

The past 2 weeks I’ve been following Best Damn Workout number 2. It’s taken some getting used to, a lot of shoulder and arm soreness but that seems to be subsiding. Following the program as written with the following substitions:
Day 2- DB hammer curl for BB curl to avoid wrist issues
Day 3- DB flies for pec deck, so I can do the first 3 WO’s at home
Day 5- Zercher squat for leg extension, to avoid knee issues
Will be posting workouts as they are done as well as weighing in every 2 weeks.

Thanks!

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calories are kinda low

Hello bulldog, thanks for the input!

Yeah, wasn’t entirely sure where to start, certainly open to suggestions/advice, figured I’d make adjustments as I went depending on progress or lack thereof. The app I’m using to track calories recommended 1850 for my weight, age and goals, that seemed pretty low to me!

Weighed in today at 251, down 4 lbs, not earth shattering but definitely encouraging!

Week 3 WO 1

Zercher Squat
125x6
140x6
160x6
175x6x3x3

Close grip Bench Press
140x6
165x6
185x6
205x6x3x3

DB Incline Press
30x10
40x10
55x10

DB lateral raise
15x12
15x12
20x10x3x3x1

Warmup: minimal weightx10, low weightx10, ramp up as neededx3
Progression plan is if I achieve all required reps add 5 lbs.

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I figured I would lay out my cardio plan as it is actually the primary concern for me.

I have participated in summer charity century rides for many years and will be be doing so again this summer.

I’ve always gone with a haphazard plan of lifting hard in the winter, not paying attention to diet, gaining too much weight and burning it off in the spring/summer by cycling . This winter I’ve gained far more than I’d hoped, and I’m thinking if I commit to a proper diet and well thought-out training program I can do better! So the long-term plan is to run BDWOplan2 for 6 weeks with no added cardio*, then introduce rides beginning around the first week of March and ramp up from there.

*Actually there is some cardio which involves wrestling my beastly sons 2x/week and also doing jump squats with my track star daughter until I collapse. Ha.

In the calculator I found, I put in your numbers, I assumed you’re probably exercising 7 days a week off some sort. I got 3200 for maintenance, 2600 for fat loss and 2200 for extreme fatloss. I guess it all depends on your goals.

Hello bcrowe, thanks! Looks like 2200 is on the low end, may up calories to 2400.

Week 3 WO 2

Power Snatch
55x3
65x3
75x3
95x3
115x3
I did make this one addition to the program. I read in one of the threads where CT thought doing some light low-rep explosive work wouldn’t be a problem. I really liked the progression from snatch to DL in the look like a bodybuilder program so I’ve been doing them as a warmup.

Romanian DL
135x6
185x6
235x6
235x6x3x3

DB Pullover
30x10
30x10
40x10

DB Rear Delt Raise
10x12
15x12
20x12x3x3x3

DB Hammer Curl
30x6
40x6
40x6
55x4x2

Hi simonjester!

I wish success for your plan and, I also have decided to open a training and diet log here on 2019 for a long journey to lose fat.

Hello Brownbear, thanks for the encouragement, I’ll be sure to check out your log!

Week 3 WO 3

Standing Overhead Press
110x6
125x6
140x6
155x6x3x1x1x1

Goblet Squat
40x10
40x10
55x10

Overhead DB Tricep Extension
20x10
30x10
30x10

DB Flies
20x12
30x12
40x11x1

Week 3 WO 4

Lat Pull Down
165x6
180x6
195x6
195x6x3x3

Cable Row
90x10
90x10
105x7

Leg Curl
60x12
80x12
100x12x3x3x3x3

Incline DB Curl
25x10
30x10
30x8

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Week 3 WO 5

Incline Bench Press
140x6
165x6
185x6
205x6x3x3

Incline Lateral Raise
15x10
15x10
15x10

Zercher Squat
135x12
135x12
135x12x3x3x3x3x3

Tricep Rope Press Down
95x12
95x12
95x12x3x2

Had to wait for tricep station to open up so also did 3 sets of 135x12 on Bench Press with wide/normal /narrow grip widths.

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Week 4 WO 1

Back Squat
135x6
185x6
205x6
225x6x3x3

Narrow Grip Bench Press
140x6
165x6
185x6
210x6x3x3

DB Incline Press
40x10
55x10
55x10

DB Lateral Raises
15x12
15x12
20x12x3x3x3x1

Missed Week 3 WO 6 and blew diet for Superbowl party, but now back on track!

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Week 4 WO 2

Power Snatch
65x3
75x3
85x3
95x3
105x3
115x3
135x2

Romanian Deadlift
185x6
225x6
245x6
265x6x3x3

DB Pullover
30x10
40x10
55x10

DB Rear Delt Raise
15x12
15x12
20x12x3x3x3x3x2

DB Hammer Curl
30x6
40x6
40x6
55x5x3x2

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Week 4 WO 3

Standing Overhead Press
115x6
135x6
145x6
150x6x3x2x1

Goblet Squat
40x10
55x10
55x10

Overhead DB Tricep Extension
20x10
30x10
40x8

DB Fly
20x12
30x12
40x12x3x3x3x2

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Week 4 WO 4

Lat Pull Down
165x6
180x6
195x6
195x6x3x2

Neutral Grip Cable Row
90x10
90x10
105x10

Leg Curl
80x12
100x12
120x12x3x2

Incline DB Curl
25x10
30x10
30x8

Week 4 WO 5

Bench Press
185x6
205x6
225x6
235x6x2x2x2

Incline DB Lateral Raise
15x10
15x10
17.5x10

Zercher Squat
135x12
155x12
185x12x3x3x2

Tricep Rope Pressdown
90x12
90x12
105x12x3x3x2

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Week 4 WO 6

Pendlay Row
115x6
125x6
135x6
145x6x3x3

DB RDL
45x10
50x10
50x9

Straight Arm Pulldown
80x12
95x12
110x12x3x3x3x3

Cable Curl
20x12
30x12
30x12x3x3x3

Weight today: 251. No weight loss the past two weeks, dissapointed because I haven’t stuck to the diet plan real well, will do better this week! On the plus side lifts are progressing and my chest, shoulders and arms are looking more muscular.

Have found that doing more warmup sets than prescibed on the heavy exercises tends to make my knees and wrists feel better.

Going to split my workouts into:

A.M. session: Exercise 1 (heavy compound exercise)

P.M. session: 10 minutes of light cycling followed by exercises 2-4 (accessories)

Week 5 WO 1

A.M. session

Back Squat
BWx10
45x8
65x6
95x3
115x3
135x6
185x6
235x6x3x3

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But you didn’t gain it back in that time, either, so it’s a win.

Ha, yes, that’s a good way to look at it, thanks!