T Nation

Gotta Keep the Body Guessing

Over 35 Lifter
#1

I’m back to logging. Killing the old log and starting a new one.

For the past month I’ve been doing Dan John’s Mass Made Simple program just to take myself out of the low-rep comfort zone I’ve been in for so long. It was fun, but I’m going to get back into familiar territory starting on Sunday.

Just for the hell of it, here’s my last session.

Paused bench press 295x5x3
Batwings 55 for 5 10 second holds
One-arm DB press 55x3x2-3-5
Bird dogs
Barbell complex (row-clean-front squat-strict press-squat-good morning) 155x3x2
Squats 135x10;185x10;205x5;225x5;225x20

I had to do a total of 50 reps with 225 earlier in the week and on the first set I made it up to 21 before I racked the bar and the last couple of reps were gut busters (finished the remaining reps over 3 asthmatic wheezing-filled sets afterward). I didn’t exactly breeze through it, but the 20 reps with 225 this time were a lot easier and didn’t leave me feeling like I had lava filling up my lungs, lol. Quads had a swolegasm.

#2

1st !

#3

2nd is the new 1st.

#4

3rd is the new…oh never mind.

#5

4th !

#6

1st !

…foreigner.

#7

Fifth! Oh wait, it’s my training log.

Week 1 Day 1

Squat 205x3;235x3;265x3;295x3x1
Bench press 205x3;235x3;265x10
Good mornings 135x3x10
One-arm DB press 40x2x2-3-5-10
DB curls 3x10

Settled on 5/3/1 for PL template using a 2-day split for the time being. I haven’t had anything heavier on my shoulders than 225 since last November, so even though 295 is still embarrassingly light, it did feel a bit heavy on my back. Reps were still fast and easy. The singles will serve as a way to re-acclimate myself to heavier poundages. I went for max reps on the bench instead of the singles and pulled off 10; could have squeezed out 2 more. Good start to regular (and hopefully injury free) training.

#8

I’m in. Glad you are back posting.

#9

Im in! Like Dave said Im happy your back

#10

Week 1 Day 2

Power cleans 115x3;135x3;155x3
Deadlifts 275x3;315x3;345x3;385x2x1
Overhead press 100x3;115x3;130x10
Pull-ups BWx2x10
Concentration curls 3x10

Notes: I’ve decided to throw in PCs as a pseudo-warmup and I like doing them, too. Weights were easy and form was solid. As with squats, I haven’t deadlifted heavy for a few months so I’m just going to work the weight back up slowly over time. No problem with any of the pulls unbelted and double-overhand grip. For once, I’m going to stick with the plan to get my overhead press out of the absolute shit category to a level of semi-respectability. The goal will be a bodyweight press (~210 lbs), which I know will take a while to achieve.

#11

Concentration Curls?

Pulled that one out of the “ye olde book of bodybuilding” eh?

Good luck on the OH press, the only lift that I have some success at. Its amazing how much a false grip and flexing lats will help that press.

#12

[quote]MattyXL wrote:
Concentration Curls?

Pulled that one out of the “ye olde book of bodybuilding” eh?

Good luck on the OH press, the only lift that I have some success at. Its amazing how much a false grip and flexing lats will help that press.[/quote]

You know it. I even followed Wendler Principle XXXII-B while I was doing them.

The main reason I’ve never sustained using OH press is the shoulder issues I’ve had in the past. It’s more of an excuse than anything, lol. Helps me sleep better at night.

#13

Week 2 Day 1

Squat 195x5,225x5,245x10,225x5,195x5
Bench press 195x5,225x5,245x13,225x5,195x5
Good mornings 135x3x10
One-arm DB press 40x2x2-3-5-10
DB curls 3x10

Summary: Keeping the weights light on the squats and I could have swung quite a few more reps on the top working set, but just cut it at 10. On bench I was just going to do the minimum and instead just decided to keep going up to 13 with several more left in the tank. I’m not delusional that this means my max is XYZ pounds, but this might be the most reps I’ve pulled off with this weight. It’s at least a positive indicator.

#14

Week 2 Day 2

Power cleans 115x3,135x3,155x3
DLs 255x5,295x5,325x5,295x5,255x5
Military press 95x5,110x5,125x10,110x5,105x5
Pull-ups BWx3x8
Blast strap extensions 3x8
Curls 3x8

Summary: Power cleans serve as a nice warmup for deadlifts. Keeping the weight as light as I can to allow me to focus on form yet have enough on the bar that I’m not arm-pulling every rep. DLs were easy and didn’t even bother putting on a belt since 325 was the top weight. I stopped at 10 reps on the heaviest press set just because. After reading the Bruno article, I decided to bust out the blast straps and do the triceps extensions and man they were actually tough.

#15

Week 3 Day 1

Squat 225x5,255x3,275x5,295x2x1
Bench press 225x5,255x3,275x9,295x2x1
Good mornings 135x4x10
One-arm DB press 60x3x1-2-3
DB curls 4x8

Summary: Squats sucked today and even though the weight moved easy, the groove just felt all kinds of messed up. Since that was the case, I just said fuggit and stopped at 5. Bench felt solid, but I flattened out on rep #8 and screwed my of getting 10+. Decided to bump up the weight on the one-arm DB press and do a power ladder instead of the 2-3-5-10 that I had been doing the last two weeks. Gave me some serious ab and oblique work I must say.

#16

Looking strong once more. Keep it up.

#17

2/13/13
Week 3 Day 2

Power Cleans 135x3,155x3,185x3
Deadlifts 295x5,325x3,365x5,395x2x1
OH Press 110x5,125x3,140x10,145x2x1

Summary: I didn’t have any time left for assistance work. Bumped the weight up to 185 on the PCs and still came up easy, plus form was nice and solid (i.e. no arm pulling). Flew through the deadlifts without much trouble. I’m sticking with conservative rep #s on the last set just because I want to maximize the quality and not risk tweaking my hip somehow if things were to get sloppy. I was happy with getting 10 on the OH press, but I probably should have stopped at 9 because #10 was getting close to being a grind. First 3 week cycle down and so far so good.

#18

Solid work. You don’t need a lot of accessory work with those lifts and I agree about being conservative on the weight.

james

#19

Some things happened over the weekend that have made things a little hectic and training difficult, but I don’t care in the least. :wink:

#20

[quote]novaeer wrote:
Some things happened over the weekend that have made things a little hectic and training difficult, but I don’t care in the least. ;-)[/quote]

That’s a cute kid. Congrats !