Fortified with Iron

Bigger Stronger Leaner Over 35 Lifter
1

Back for another round.

Slowly building out my home gym and currently using Westside for its program flexibility and focus on the things that I think are important. But, any decent program will work. There is no magic and, if you are doing it right, this shit is hard for everybody. As another TN poster said “do whatever you want. Just don’t be an asshole about it”.

I’m working through a basic 8 week program laid out by Dave Tate. Life was a bit out of control for a while and I didn’t want to think about programing. I’ll adjust based on how this turns out. I have some ideas.

I may also try out another program at some point for comparison purposes. We’ll see.

Last one:
http://tnation.T-Nation.com/free_online_forum/sports_body_training_performance_bodybuilding_senior/westside_makes_you_sexyer?id=4747201&pageNo=45

2

Tate Plan, Week 6, DE squats

Doing more hip mobility lately prior to squatting and that is working well.
Box squats (52%)
210 x 3 x 2…felt a bit too light.
220 x 3 x 2…still fast
230 x 4 x 2…felt good
New wrist wraps worked great.

Speed deads (55%)
Sumo deads…can’t remember the last time I did these. Not as fast off the floor as conventional.
275 x 5 x 2

Conventional
275 x 5 x 2

Band GMs…used all my bands. Need to order some stronger tensions.
5 x 10

Chest supported Db rows
65s x 4 x 8

edit: forgot to mention that I squatted outside the rack so I could get my feet a couple inches wider. Felt good. Now I’m thinking about getting a welding shop to modify my rack. FML.

3

Hip mobility and quad/hip flexor stretching pre-workout is badass. You ever look up Defranco’s Agile 8?

4

Oooooh baby, new log!

You have some ideas you say?

One of my favorite things…a man with ideas. :slight_smile:

takes off glasses, sits back in chair, crosses legs<<

well then?

edited to add! I did box squats today and thought of ya…i like em and have a whole new respect for the amount of weight you use on them. you have to keep EVERYTHING tight or bite it. nice work!

5

[quote]frozenkilt wrote:
Hip mobility and quad/hip flexor stretching pre-workout is badass. You ever look up Defranco’s Agile 8?[/quote]

Yeah, I’ve done some or all of the 8. I’ve actually found static stretching better for releasing tightness…rear foot elevated flexor stretch 2 x 2 minutes on each side and deep squat position and driving the knees out with the elbows or, even better, doing it face down on the floor and driving knees out with body-weight and moving back and forth to loosen hips. Think porn chick :slight_smile:

One thing I haven’t tried is foam rolling right before squatting. I usually do it at night if I’m bored. Have to try that one.

6

Do it! 25 per quad, IT band and glute. THEN stretch. Fantastic and worth the time investment.

7

new log, I’m in.

I think I’ll try static stretching for longer time next squat session and see if it helps.

8

I seem to get worse DOMS from box squats than from regular, even at light weights. Its very od.

9

YEAHH new log! And it looks like it’s off to a good start, too!

I shall read this daily.

10

IN- yay new log

+1.232234 on the foam or PVC then stretch- that is what I do pretty much everyday-

when I get to the gym I do most or some of magnificent mobility- mostly lunges
and most or some of agile 8

good to see you carrying

Joe- I bet on your box squats you sit down slower-
and that causes soreness

11

[quote]kmcnyc wrote:
IN- yay new log

+1.232234 on the foam or PVC then stretch- that is what I do pretty much everyday-

when I get to the gym I do most or some of magnificent mobility- mostly lunges
and most or some of agile 8

good to see you carrying

Joe- I bet on your box squats you sit down slower-
and that causes soreness[/quote]

Possibly also the fact that you have to stop at the bottom, gets rid of momentum or something.

Hi Git.

I think I need to get more into the stretches before squats too.

12

[quote]lil power wrote:
new log, I’m in.

I think I’ll try static stretching for longer time next squat session and see if it helps.[/quote]

I ride a desk all day so my flexors are pretty tight. I remember reading something by Robertson or Cressey saying that tight flexors are so common that people should start light and work up to a daily 20 minute flexor stretch…that’s a long haul but I’ve managed some to get in some good stretch time watching a hockey game and so on.
The longer stretch time has made a noticeable difference.

13

[quote]JoeGood wrote:

I seem to get worse DOMS from box squats than from regular, even at light weights. Its very od.[/quote]

Maybe the box squats are working a weakness…which is a good thing. Where do you feel DOMS?

14

[quote]Spock81 wrote:
YEAHH new log! And it looks like it’s off to a good start, too!

I shall read this daily. [/quote]

Hey! I love the energy you bring. Some days I need it!

15

[quote]kmcnyc wrote:
IN- yay new log

+1.232234 on the foam or PVC then stretch- that is what I do pretty much everyday-

when I get to the gym I do most or some of magnificent mobility- mostly lunges
and most or some of agile 8

good to see you carrying

Joe- I bet on your box squats you sit down slower-
and that causes soreness[/quote]

Lots of votes for rolling then stretching…done!

And +1 on the slower eccentric with box squats. It’s a balance between keeping things moving and not slamming into the box.

16

[quote]Charlie Horse wrote:

[quote]kmcnyc wrote:
IN- yay new log

+1.232234 on the foam or PVC then stretch- that is what I do pretty much everyday-

when I get to the gym I do most or some of magnificent mobility- mostly lunges
and most or some of agile 8

good to see you carrying

Joe- I bet on your box squats you sit down slower-
and that causes soreness[/quote]

Possibly also the fact that you have to stop at the bottom, gets rid of momentum or something.

Hi Git.

I think I need to get more into the stretches before squats too.

[/quote]

Hiya Charlie! I’m usually too anxious to get to the weights and need to slow down a bit and get myself ready.

17

Week 6, DE bench

Speed bench
135 + doubled micro-minis
10 x 3

  • tried a couple new things and got tighter. Tighter is tiring.

Close grip bench
185 x 3
205 x 3
215 x 3 - actually 2 + 1. Upper back slid and I had to reset.
I’m actually down a bit on strength on these. I think it is because most of my tri work lately has been isolation work.

So, added:
Close grip to 3.5 board, paused
185 x 3 x 5

Rolling tris
40s x 3 x 10

Front plate raises
45lb x 2 x 10
45lb x 1 x 10 + 25lb x 30

Db curls
2 x 15-20

18

I read randomly somewhere in the powerlifting forums that some dudes bench went up when he stopped doing tri isolation stuff and only did CG bench and whatnot.

YOUR OPINION IS NEEEDED ON THIS MATTER.

Thank you.

19

[quote]Spock81 wrote:
I read randomly somewhere in the powerlifting forums that some dudes bench went up when he stopped doing tri isolation stuff and only did CG bench and whatnot.

YOUR OPINION IS NEEEDED ON THIS MATTER.

Thank you. [/quote]

You can probably find evidence that supports both sides. For example, Andy Bolton had a bench breakthrough when he stopped extension movements and just pressed. But then Louie Simmons said there was a lifter that did 100 band extensions every day and his bench went up 30lbs.

To hedge bets, probably the best approach is some heavy tri pressing in the 3-8 range and high rep stuff to get some size on. That’s what I’m going to do for now. But if I had to just pick one it would be close grip…flat, incline or to boards. OK, I guess that is 3.

20

new log woot!!

squating outside the cage takes big fuzzy balls. well done :slight_smile:

just caught uo with your last log - well done on the box squat pr’s! also I’ve been using wrist wraps for a while. Perhaps I need to try a stiffer set…