Iron Sharpens Iron

Bigger Stronger Leaner Over 35 Lifter
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After some prodding from other members I’ve decided to start my training log here. A quick intro - I’m 50 years old, 5’9/195lbs, been lifting steady for the last 3 years after more than a decade of debautury and sloth. Best 1RM for big three are:

Bench - 315lbs
Deadlift - 375lbs
Squat - 365lbs

I was just beginning to feel some good strength on squats and deads when I pulled the L1-L5 Ligaments. The reason for the injury was lack of hip mobility, a tight posterior chain, and a weak core. I’m a desk jockey so all those years of sitting on my ass took its toll. I’m recovering quickly but ligaments take time to heal.

I started a diary a few years ago but dropped it once my schedule got crazy. Hoping this will be a good tool to track progress. I just switched up my weekly routine last week and gave it a trial run and it wiped me out. So I’m going to stick with it. :slight_smile:

I work out every day except Sunday. The basic routine is:
Monday Heavy - Bench, Chest, Lower Back, Calves, Brisk walk for 1 hour
Tuesday Light - Core, Biceps, Stretch
Wednesday Heavy - Squats, Legs, Calves, Run for 45 min
Thursday Light - Military, Shoulders, Brisk walk for 1 hour
Friday Heavy - Pullups, Back, Biceps, Lower Back
Saturday Light - Core, Stretch, Brisk walk for 1 hour
Sunday rest

I’m basically coming off a bulk having gained nearly 20lbs last year and want to lose some fat for the summer. I’m roughly 14% BF and would like to get to 10% or better. Why? Part of it is vanity and the other is fat carries Estrogen which I don’t need at my age.

Trying to burn fat and not lose too much weight. Gains are coming more slowly in most of my lifts so I felt I needed more volume and less heavy training for the next 6 months.

Finally, I need to let my Spinal ligaments fully heal. Those take a lot of time to recover and if I lose form in squats or deads they are easily pulled beyond their normal range of motion.

In terms of diet - I try to eat 5x per day, 1.5g protein/bw and keep carbs to a minimum. I take MonsterMilk, Tribulus Gold, Surge Workout Fuel, ZMA and AnimalStak Vitamins. Thats it in terms of fuel.

I also need to snap a few pictures and take some technique vids for comparison. Need that strong dude avatar photo as well. All criticism is welcome because Iron sharpens Iron. Anyway - I’m way over the hill, past my midlife crisis, don’t take myself too seriously and have a good sense of humor, so let the fun begin.

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Welcome Bagger!

You’ve some good lifts going there. This is a great place to keep your training log and get constuctive criticism.

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Sunday rest, what for;) Working out daily is a great way of staying at it. I like your mix of lifting and cardio.

By the way, welcome to the best forum on the net! Now you’re being watched:)

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Way to jump into the fire Bagger, now lets see you shirtless! Wait . . . what?

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[quote]mrodock wrote:
Way to jump into the fire Bagger, now lets see you shirtless! Wait . . . what?[/quote]

Be careful what you wish for grasshopper.

Tomorrow is chest day, I’ll see if I can video a lift or two.

This is actually getting pretty weird very fast. First you put your training log out there for the world to critic, then you post semi-nude pictures for the same, then you take cameras into the gym. WTF have I gotten myself into?

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[quote]Bagger wrote:

This is actually getting pretty weird very fast. First you put your training log out there for the world to critic, then you post semi-nude pictures for the same, then you take cameras into the gym. WTF have I gotten myself into?[/quote]

Then your wife finds it and starts asking a lot of questions you can’t answer fast enough or well enough, I’ll just wish you luck!

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Welcome bagger. This is going to be fun to follow

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420×518 43 KB

Here’s a blurry Nekkid Pic from this AM - This will be labeled “BEFORE”. I must be outta my friken mind - I’m blame’in you mrodock for putting me up to this. This pic may come down and live in my profile.

Thanks for the warm welcome guys.

Today was Chest day and I’m feeling a little under the weather. Not an excuse because I completed nearly everything I set out to do, just a “for the record” notation that a chest cold is settling in.

Bench - 2x10x135, 2x185, 1x225, 1x275, 1x295, 1x305, 5x275, 2x8x225 (long warmup because my right shoulder is feeling like its been hit with a baseball bat. Not sure why, just old age crap)
Decline Bench - 6x245, 4x265, 6x245
Incline Bench - 10x135, 5x185, 4x205
Dumbell Flys - Spaced out and forgot to do them.

Skull Crushers - 10x75, 8x95, 6x95
Bar Dips - 8xBW+40, 10xBW+45, 8xBW+50
Tricep Ropehandle Pulldowns - 10x80, 10x110, 9x120

Seated Calf Raises - 25x90, 15x135, 3x10x160
Standing Calf Raises - 20x265, 12x295, 10x295, 12x265

Hyperextensions - 5 sets of 20 - body weight only.

I noticed that my intensity was for shizzle and I barely worked up a sweat. The workout took an extra 20 minutes longer than usual.

Question for y’all. What is the right way to describe sets/reps/weight? Is it SxRxW or something different?

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Don’t fall for the spandex photo;)

Solid workout Bagger, the bar has been set. Work hard, stay strong, eat lots and live long.

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[quote]Bagger wrote:
I’m blame’in you mrodock for putting me up to this. This pic may come down and live in my profile.
[/quote]

I’ll take the blame and whatever suits you!

How did you find a good physical therapist for your back? It wasn’t so long ago I went to about 9 different medical people about my back, maybe more and not a single one had a clue in the world. I figured out how to solve my back problems by reading articles on here.

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[quote]
How did you find a good physical therapist for your back?[/quote]

Here’s the story and maybe it will help somebody else.

It started last July when I was doing squats with 345 and on my third rep as was coming out of the hole, I felt a sickening pull in my lower back. I managed to rack the weight and sit down, turning pale and getting nauseous from the experience.

A burning pain radiated throughout the lower back area and it immediately tightened up. For the next few days it was a struggle to get out of bed, sit, or simply move around. My family Doctor put me on muscle relaxers, pain meds, and told me to let it rest.

It gradually got better after a couple of weeks and by the third week I barely noticed it. Since then I’ve pulled it 3 more times doing squats and deadlifts and in January this year I’d had enough. I was talking to a workout partner about it and he said he has multiple disk bulges and recommended me to a D.C. who specializes in disk decompression.

I did a visit and the Xrays showed that my disks were in good shape (thank God) and he suggested alignment work. After he told me I needed to give up Squats and Deadlifts I left his office and never looked back.

Decided to do a search on Orthopaedic Sports Medicine specialists that had a history of working with football players. Felt that was my best shot at having a Dr. familiar with these types of injuries. After searching a bunch of websites I found a Orthopaedic Surgeon who in the past was an NFL team Doctor.

He did Xrays and confirmed the disks looked surprisingly good for someone “my age”. He said degenerated disks are also called “The Gray Hair Disease” because nearly everybody experiences it as we age.

He said not to worry about the disks. He told me to keep squatting and doing deadlifts but first go through Physical Therapy with one of his references.

He never did tell me what the root cause of the injury was or why it happened.

The Physical Therapist is awesome. In our first session she examined my lower vertebra and at one point said, is this where you experience the pulling and pain? It was the exact spot. She said, “I can move L3 but all the other vertebra are fairly secure.” She put me through about a dozen other tests of muscle isolation strength and flexibility then made the diagnosis.

I over-extend the Ligaments that connect the L1-L5 vertebra together. That is the pulling sensation I get during the injury. It is NOT tendon pull of the Erector Spinae or Iliopsoas like I assumed it was.

The pain and stiffness occurs because the Erector Spinae and other supporting muscles swell and tighten to protect the spinal ligaments from further stretching. It’s our bodies defense mechanism against further stupidity that we would otherwise inflict on it.

The reason it happened to me is because:
a) I lack hip mobility which causes me to loose a straight/arched back at the bottom of the lift and
b) I lack enough core strength to maintain a straight/arched back at the bottom under heavy load.

After explaining all of this to me the PT has put me on some isolation exercises primarly for the TVA, mobility exercises for the hips, and stretching routines for the posterior chain.

Won’t be long and I’ll have some heavy weight on my shoulders again.

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Thanks for sharing!

So the hamstring and butt stretches are so that you can keep your arch at the bottom of the squat? Anything for the hip external rotators out of curiosity?

Really sounds like you went about finding a person to help in the right way and you were rewarded with really good treatment. Not all doctors and physical therapists are created equal.

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[quote]mrodock wrote:
Anything for the hip external rotators out of curiosity?
[/quote]

The isolation work for the external rotators are primarily “Clams”. If you’ve ever roller skated and felt the outer hips working, its the same set of muscles.

I’ve been on my back with the flu since Monday. I always feel cheated when injuries, sickness, or anything interrups workouts. Will be back at it soon.

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[quote]Bagger wrote:
mrodock wrote:
Anything for the hip external rotators out of curiosity?

The isolation work for the external rotators are primarily “Clams”. If you’ve ever roller skated and felt the outer hips working, its the same set of muscles.[/quote]

I’ll vouch for that!

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[quote]streamline wrote:

I’ll vouch for that!

[/quote]

I was thinking of you Streamline when I wrote that. No Hip Rotator worries for you my friend. :slight_smile:

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[quote]Bagger wrote:
It started last July when I was doing squats with 345 and on my third rep as was coming out of the hole, I felt a sickening pull in my lower back. I managed to rack the weight and sit down, turning pale and getting nauseous from the experience.

A burning pain radiated throughout the lower back area and it immediately tightened up. For the next few days it was a struggle to get out of bed, sit, or simply move around. My family Doctor put me on muscle relaxers, pain meds, and told me to let it rest.
[/quote]

Exact same thing happened to me, I think. Thanks for sharing that. I might have it looked at.

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Welcome Bagger… cool infinite 1/2 naked matrix pic too… lol!

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Hope your kicking that flu in the nuts Bagger.

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[quote]mrodock wrote:
Hope your kicking that flu in the nuts Bagger.[/quote]

Thanks for checking in. Yep - I picked up today where I left off and duplicated last Mondays workout this morning with the addition of DB Flys 3x8x40. Lost about 4lbs last week as well.

Thanks for checking out my thread Bunny. I got a laugh from your Matrix comment - never saw that coming.

SFP - Let us know what you find out if you get your back checked. Hope its nothing.

Have a good one guys.

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Glad to hear you are back in action.