Shut Up 'n Lift! (Log)

Bigger Stronger Leaner Over 35 Lifter
1

I decided to walk the walk and put up a log. I was going to wait, but what the Hell.

I mean, why not?

There’s a lot of good info here, and some pretty experienced dudes and dudettes around this place-- If you’re not learning, you’re not reading (or you’re not trying). Besides, this is catharsis for me.

I lurked for awhile, just out of interest, then finally joined T-Nation looking for some insight after an injury, shortly after I find that I spend at least an hour or two a night here still catching up. I wish I had T-Nation when I had my “Phoenix Moment” (nods to Chris Shugart), I would have gleaned some good info, but I managed to start chopping away anyway-- I just shut up and lifted.

I’m starting this log late in the game. We’re a few chapters into the story, but it’s not close to being over yet, and hopefully the best is to come. I’ll back track to the earlier chapters for some perspective from where I just came from physically, but I’m going to start logging from here forward.

I’m 36 years old, married, 2 young kids, house-poor, but happy. I’ve been through the wringer a few times, deaths, life changes, illness, injury, financial difficulty, spousal issues, you name it, but, I still consider myself better off than 99% of the world-- so, really I HAVE NO EXCUSES and neither should you. The coxswain on my rowing team in college had no arms. He never had them. He drove a big van, he rowed, he squatted, he was a Straight-A geology major like me and could use a Brunton levelling compass with his toes. He had to pass the same swim tests before regattas as I did. He had no excuses, so I thought I shouldn’t have any either.

I’m well vested into my body now. I’ve put to much work into letting myself go, then WORKING LIKE HELL to get back where I sort of was 15 years ago.

I’m healthier, stronger, and leaner than I ever was.
While others might inspire me, ONLY I CAN MOTIVATE ME

If I can do this, so can you. So, just shut up and lift

This is going to a self-experiment fueled by a few things:

  • I’m naturally experimental
  • I’m always up for a challenge
  • I love this shit
  • I gotta log it somewhere anyway
  • I like to challenge conventional wisdom (I’ll explain more in the next post)
  • I got skinny arms.
  • What the Hell else am I gonna do???

I have some goals I want to achieve here (well, not here on T-Nation, but here like body-wise, you know what I mean). I set goals for everything in life and drive for them. I’m all or nothing-- ask my wife-- she cringes when I start a sentence with “I’ve decided to …” or “I wanna …” or “Hey, let’s take a ride…”

Sorry for the long intro. I hope that someone is able to learn from this log – I know I learn something EVERYDAY about how my body works, either reading about it here (T-Nation), the Internet generally, at home, or at the Gym.

It makes my day when I’m able to help someone at the gym. This is important shit, this health and body development shit. If a fraction of the country was as ‘body conscious’ as some of us here, they’d be so much better off.

Likewise, I’m all ears (err, eyes) for any pointers from those of you much farther down the road than I am, or anyone who’s learned from their experience for that matter.

If a 36 year old schmuck like me can do this, so can you-- so stop talking about doing it-- SHUT UP AND LIFT!

Enjoy!


Some background in the next post.

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[photo]12969[/photo]
[photo]12970[/photo]

What a difference 18 months can make:

People don’t normally give the story or programs of “how they got where they are now” when they’re giving you their current routine. I’m going to backtrack for the sake of perspective of my current goals. Hopefully, it helps someone who is the place where I was.

I had my “Phoenix Moment” (Shugart) late in 2006. I saw a picture of myself at work and just could not believe I let myself go that far. I was capital “P” PISSED at myself.

The next day, I joined the gym.

First weigh-in: 242 lbs. (@5’9") Ho…ly…Sh*t!! 15 years ago, I was making weight on the crew team as a lightweight @ 160 lbs. I knew I was overweight, because I was already on Lipitor: 34 years old, cholesterol 300, High triglycerides, high blood pressure, just tried on a snug pair of 38" jeans and tight XL shirts but tight in the belly and man-titties, not muscle-tight…. I hated it. That day, I stopped taking the meds.

I swore I’d drop 20 lbs. The (fatter) pics above are me around 230 about a month later.

In 3 months I was down to about 210, in 6 months I was at 190.

How? Every morning: Up at 4am, gym at 5. Rowed Concept II and/or walked Step Mill and/or rode bike (about 1 hr). Calories: about 2200 a day, probably spread 33/33/33 PFC.

Back at noon-- lunchtime, see above. That was the first 3 months. If I were to do that again, I would have started lifting right away (this is pre-T-Nation for me, btw).

I got “Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle” (Tom Venuto) around this time and started lifting.

Just started light, with dumbells and did the classic Chest/Tris, Back/Bis, Legs, Shoulders. Still with LOTS of lengthy cardio (again, I’d do that differently now).

Enter Madcow 5x5. I had done Bill Starr based programs in college for hockey and knew it worked (although I never ate right for it). I made pretty good gains in that I was dropping fat, going up in poundage lifting (ie getting stronger), yet remaining at the same bodyweight.

Then it happened…

I was doing a squat, not even my heaviest and I felt a tweak in my back. I have a history of seeing chiropractors over the years, but nothing catastrophic. Next day, I couldn’t move, literally.

Disc degeneration and “Lumbosacral Spondylosis”. S1/L5 and L3/L4 flattened up slightly offset to the front (anterior). Not herniated. Sooooooooo, laid up for a good 2 months and nothing more than walking, stretching, and regaining mobility.

Just as an aside, at this time the following also happened within a 2 month time span:

  • Wife informs me she pregnant with our 3rd child
  • Last Grandmother dies
  • Wife has miscarriage
  • Financial issues piling up
  • Godfather dies
  • Changes at work make life ‘suckier’
  • Family issues
  • Car dies

I ‘hang’ a lot now from anything for the flexion/distraction/decompression.

My first posts at T-Nation (help!). Someone pointed me to a “Single Leg” exercise article, which just happened to match what my chiro suggested (Note: I chose her because she’s not only a chiro, but a CSCS-- so she understood that my goal was to lift again come hell or highwater).

I also started doing a lot of bodyweight exercises chins/pulls/dips/pushups/stepups during this time. Good stuff.

Started doing bodyweight squats and light db lifts. I’ve since progressed upward and in Feb hit a Deadlift PR (3 plates) still on caloric deficit. End of last summer did a push/pull/leg split (still in recovery mode) and started with 20 lbs on the bar doing front and z-squats.

Enter Jan 2008, and I discover Gustavopacho’s PC clinic 2 weeks in session. The next day I immediately begin his prescribed program.

4 weeks V-Diet (light)-- I had 1 or 2 HSMs per day, but stuck to lifting routine and calorie requirements. Dropped 20 some pounds (I had since creeped up to about 209).

Moved off that to ‘chaotic training’ where I just went in and did whatever I felt like for a couple weeks for a change up-- I really like that approach Listen to your body, Luke…. Diet continued to be under 2000 cal, but a few cheats.

Then jumped to a “Meltdown Training”-like program, about 4 weeks see above ‘after’ pic (about 185 lbs). Lot of Tabatas (sprints, burpee, and rowing), regular rowing interspersed in all that.

I stopped walking every AM after the back injury, and just started that up again in Dec 07. Was supposed to drop weight on this, but I didn’t. I got stronger, or at least my lifting endurance has improved. Also have started jumping rope 3-4 times per week (THANK YOU ROSS ENAMAIT).

WOW!!! That was how I spent the last 18 months or so. I’m comfortable in size 31 and 32 jeans now (depends on brand).

My point for sharing the ‘tragedy’ was the the iron was there for me to release stress. It was how I worked through it all, and everything now.

It was therapy, not an excuse. It’s fuel, not an impedence.

I religiously walk at 5AM for 30 minutes every day. Back at lunchtime on lifting days. I’m there more than many of the employees. I have no room for slack. I must succeed now and keep going. My health, family, and psyche depend on it.

Next post: Goals

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Goals:

I’ve never been accused of having huge arms (DAMMIT!)

My primary goal is to add size to my arms.

  • At least 1" by end of August
  • Minimal fat gain (weight gain expected)
  • On a low carb diet (ie Anabolic diet)

Being 36 and having a history of fattness and high cholesterol, I can’t “Just Fuckin Eat” to achieve this goal, I have to be smart about it. I respond poorly (healthwise) to a lot of carbs, so my caloric excess must be in fats and proteins. I’m journaling many of my “Anabolic Dinners” in the S&N forum.

Stats: (5/4/08)
Height: 5’9"
Weight: 185
Neck, 16
Chest (Nipple line), 42.5
Shoulders: 50
Upper Arm-L: 14.25
Upper Arm-R: 14.25
Mid between BB & NL, 39
Belly@B-Button, 37
Waist: 36
Hip@Widest: 42
Thighs, 25
Calves, 15.5
Ankles, 9
Hip, 41

Planned Routine:

Day:Split
1: Push
2: Pull
3: Legs
4: Arms
5: Off

I chose this to keep compound movements + an extra arm day, since that’s my primary goal. I usually have more leg days (Yes, I LOVE leg workouts).

This also fits in with the Anabolic Diet in that in theory, you’re carb depleted during the end of the week and therefore less intense. This schedule will rotate so each week starts strong with a different split. We’ll see.

I plan on alternating 5-7x5reps and 4x8-10reps to start and will adjust according to progress.

Suggestions are welcome!!!

Now, I’m just gonna shut up and go lift!

Next: Workout/Diet for the past week (in the middle of a O.L.A.D. inspired program)

4

Starting Front:
[photo]13063[/photo]

Starting Back:
[photo]13064[/photo]

(sorry, not much of a poser)

5

Last Week of Workouts (based on Dan John’s O.L.A.D.)

SUNDAY: (Press concentration)
5 AM: Treadmill walk, 30min, 4.3mph@2.0% incline

11 AM:
A1: 1-Arm DB Snatch (per side), 50x5, 60x5, 70x3
A2: DB Jumps, 60x10(30#DB each hand), 70x10, 70x10

B1: DB Press (weight per hand), 55x5, 60x5, 70x5, 65x5, 70x5, 75x3, 70x5
B2: Pushups, X, 5, 4, 8, 4, 5, 5
B3: BW Squats (fast): X, X, 20, 20, 20 20, 20

C1: Hang Leg Lift, +20x10, +25x8
C2: Farmer Walk, 85#DBx240ft, “”

Exhausted.

Nutrition:
grams cals %total
Total: 1927
Fat: 80 720 38%
Sat: 26 232 12%
Poly: 10 94 5%
Mono: 24 218 11%
Carbs: 46 162 8%
Fiber: 6 0 0%
Protein: 255 1020 54%

6

MONDAY: Row Concentration

5 AM
Walk, 35 min, 4.3mph@5.0%

11AM
Jump Rope: 5 min
A1:B.O.BB Row, 135x5, 135x5, 145x5, 155x5, 135x5, 145x5, 165x2 + 145x2
A2: Cable Curl: 80x8, 90x8, 100x7, 110x4 (slow neg), no-rep (someone stepped in- busy), 110x5, 110x5

B1:2 Reverse Chins, slow neg (about 20 sec), 60s rest

Nutrition Summary:

grams cals %total
Total: 2091
Fat: 121 1086 53%
Sat: 32 287 14%
Poly: 22 197 10%
Mono: 19 174 8%
Carbs: 32 102 5%
Fiber: 7 0 0%
Protein: 217 869 42%

7


TUESDAY: Front Squat Concentration

5 AM: Walk, 30 min, 4.0mph@2.0%

11 AM:

A1: Front Squat*, 135x7, 185x5, 155x5, 175x5, 185x5, 175x5, 175x5
A2: BW Jump Squats (fast!), 10, 10, 10, 15, 15, 15, 10+5, 10+5
A3: Dip, BWx5, BWx6, +15x6, +15x5, +15x5, +15(shldr hurt) so BWx5 slow neg, BWx5 slow neg

***Still very cautious with squats post injury so I’m going slow with them. I could go a bit heavier, but being very conservative. Ironically, deadlifts are feeling great.

Nutrition Summary:

grams   	cals  	%total

Total: 2559
Fat: 141 1273 50%
Sat: 32 289 11%
Poly: 26 232 9%
Mono: 46 418 17%
Carbs: 28 83 3%
Fiber: 7 0 0%
Protein: 295 1179 47%

8

WEDNESDAY: Arm-Day (supposed to be off day)

5 AM
Walk, 25 min, 4.3@5.0%

11 AM
A1: Drag Curl* (a la CT), 40x5, 60x6, 60x5, 40x5, 60x5
A2: Hammer Preacher Curl**, 25x8, 30x6, 30x3, 25x5, 25x9+7
A3: Rev Lunge Curl***: 25x7, 30x6, 30x5, 25x5, 25x2

B1: Incline Bench Curl****: 25x6, 20x6 SN, 20x6 SN

This is the first time I’ve done an “All Curl” workout in 15 years. Arms fried!

  • = weight + EZ-Bar (I don’t know how much they weigh)
    ** = 1 arm set, then other arm (ie 1 at a time)
    *** = weight in each hand (ie 2x25#x7, etc)

Nutrition Summary:
grams cals %total
Total: 2337
Fat: 133 1199 52%
Sat: 40 360 16%
Poly: 15 134 6%
Mono: 43 387 17%
Carbs: 19 62 3%
Fiber: 4 0 0%
Protein: 266 1063 46%

9


THURSDAY: Vertical Press Concentration

(assume Military unless denoted with “PP”)

5 AM
Walk, 30min, 4mph@5% x 15min, 4.3mph@7.0% x 15min

11 AM
Warm up: Lunge Shoulder Press, 30(2)x6, ", "

A1: Standing BB Press, 95x5, ", ", 105x4 + 1PP*, " , 95x5, 105x4 + 1PP*
A2: Cable Tricep Pushdown (pronated): 80x10, 120x9, 130x5, 120x7, 120x5, 100x4

B1:Compound DB Lat Raise**, 15x6, ", 15x5
B2:Close-grip Pushups, 10, 10, 10

  • = Shrug 3x, then hold as long as possible in shrug
    ** = Lateral raise to parallel to ground, pause, rotate to neutral then raise overhead

Nutrition Summary:

grams   	cals  	%total

Total: 2638
Fat: 132 1189 46%
Sat: 34 307 12%
Poly: 16 143 6%
Mono: 53 477 19%
Carbs: 34 101 4%
Fiber: 9 0 0%
Protein: 319 1275 50%

10


FRIDAY: Deadlift Concentration

5 AM
Walk, 30 min, 4.0mph@3%

11 AM
A1: Deadlift, 225x5, ", 245x5, ", 275x5, ", 295x4, 295x1

B1: Sumo DL: 225x8, "

C1: BB Shrug Snatch Grip (straps): 225x5, x4, x3, x3

Nutrition Summary:

Total: 2280
Fat: 141 1269 56%
Sat: 36 327 15%
Poly: 20 180 8%
Mono: 36 326 14%
Carbs: 32 99 4%
Fiber: 7 0 0%
Protein: 221 882 39%

11

SATURDAY, May 10: Arm-Day

1 PM

Warm-up, 5 min jump rope

A1: 1-Arm DB Snatches (each arm), 60x3, 70x2+1, 75x1+1

B1: Dips, 2 BW+20# x-tra slow negs (~30 sec), +15x5*, +20x4*, BW+1
B2: Cable Tricep Pulldown (with ^ attachment), 120x8, 120x8, 130x7, 140x5, **120x7 → 100x4 → 80x5 → 70x7
B3: Bicep Cable Curl (supinated), 100x10, 120x7, 120x5+1, 100x5, ** 120x7 → 100x5 → 80x4

C1: EZ-Bar Preacher Curl, 50x5, 40x6, 50x4, 40x8, 50x5

D1: 2 x Slow Negative Neut. Grip Chin (~20 sec)

  • = Last rep slow negative
    ** = Drop Set change pin A.Q.A.P.

Nutrition Summary:

grams cals %total
Total: 2552
Fat: 120 1076 42%
Sat: 20 177 7%
Poly: 5 41 2%
Mono: 17 151 6%
Carbs: 151 599 24%
Fiber: 1 0 0%
Protein: 217 867 34%

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Hey Steely… you have done a hell of a job, both in fat loss and your rehab!!

I am in the process of trying to lose fat and build muscle/ strength at the same time. My problem is discipline with the diet… and actually doing cardio as planned. Reading your thread has certainly given me motivation! Thanks!

I will definitely be checking in on your progress. The guys/ gals in the over 35 are very supportive.

Good luck!

13

Thanks B!

Funny the fat came off relatively easy, which has pretty much always been the case when I’m not being lazy :confused:

The injury was a curse and a blessing. I could have done without feeling like an invalid for a few months, not to mention the mental toll (Will I ever be able to pick up my kids again, etc).

The blessing is I found the right chiro for my recovery goals, and I’ve never been so strict with my lifting form. I know I can go a bit heavier with the squats, but I’m just going to be conservative with it. Same for deads, although they seem to be coming right along-- I’m more of a puller than a pusher anyway :slight_smile:

You can do it bro. I’m religious about my morning walk. It provides me with motivation to get up early and get my blood pumping at 4:16am.

Now, if I can just put some size on my arms…

14

SUNDAY (May 11, 2008) – OFF!

8 AM
Outside walk, variable hilly terrain – 4 miles ~1hr

Beautiful, chilly spring morning, couldn’t resist.

Mid-Afternoon: Light Yardwork

Late-Afternoon: Took kids to playground. Ran around, did some chins and monkey bar stuff, uh, you know, for the kids.

Nutrition Summary:

grams cals %total
Total: 2749
Fat: 159 1435 53%
Sat: 50 448 17%
Poly: 10 90 3%
Mono: 17 152 6%
Carbs: 127 418 16%
Fiber: 22 0 0%
Protein: 209 836 31%

15

Nice control of the macronutrients. You’ve a good base to build from, looks like. Can’t go wrong with Dan John.

If I may say so, smells like you’re cooking success.

16

* I took off from work this week, so I normally don’t have all this free time *

05:00

Recumbant Bike - 25 minutes, 5 Minutes per level: 8, 9, 10, 8, 9
Light DB Single Leg Deadlifts*: (2x20)x8, (2x20)x8, (2x25)x8
10 min - Mobility exercises with barbell, fr. squat, o-h squat, side lunge, wide stance squat, etc.
10 min - Practice form with barbell: Clean/F.Squat/PshPress & Snatches

*= Weights weren’t heavy or meant for mass/strength building. My hams and back were feeling tight and I like doing those more than static stretches. Just did it as a mobility/loosening up movement.

09:00
20 min nap

10:00
Playground with daughter. Light walk along river trail. Hanging on monkey bars, swings, some pullups, throwing kid around

11:30
Gym:

Warmup: 5 min Jump rope

A1:DB Press: 40x8, 65x5, 75x3, ", 80x3, ", 65x5, 75x3, 80x2*
A2:Pushups: -, 10, 10, 6, 10, 6, 5, 6, 1 (couldn’t get up off floor, LMAO!)
(rest as needed)

B1:DB Floor Press: 65x4, 60x5, ", 60x4, 55x5
B2:Tricep Cable Rope Pushdown: 100x8, 110x5, 110x3 (WTF!!), 110x5, 110x5
(rest as needed)

Finisher: 5 min Jumprope

*= I got the DBs set to lift for the final 3, but couldn’t budge them-- that really fried my gym shorts, so I got up and did 20 BW squats as fast as I could to get pumped up then tried again… Got 2 of 3. Done. Then I fell on my face trying to do a pushup after… LMAO!!!

16:00
Nap

20:30
Bed (hopefully)

Comments:
I’m out to obliterate my arms and today was pretty good. I learned a couple things:

  1. Dan John was right (not that I needed to learn that), but doing the ‘extras’ during an O.L.A.D. type workout really intensifies it (eg pushups after presses, jumps after squats, etc). I can usually do about 20-30 pushups, but right after the presses my were rubber, and I fell flat on my face on the last set :slight_smile:

  2. I like DB Floor Presses. I’ve never done them! I really felt it in my triceps, just what I need.

  3. I learned something else from the floor presses-- At the top range of motion, as I brought the DBs together, I really felt the tweak in my shoulder-- the reason I don’t bench too much. I don’t notice that on the full ROM DB Presses. I found that interesting and want to explore what I can do about that

  4. My triceps have no endurance. I’ve never really done a lot of isolation movements, and the rope pushdowns were challenging at what I think is a modest weight.

  5. I don’t normally get excited about a pump, but shit, I really had one today! :slight_smile:

Nutrition:
04:30 (PreWO)
9g BCAA
3 HOT-ROX Extreme
~25mg Yohimbine HCL

07:00 (PWO)
9g BCAA (dissolved in Iced Blueberry/Goji Berry Green Tea)
07:15
2 Scoops Grow! Whey

08:00
Omellette: 4 eggs, 7 calamata olives
2 cup spinach, 1 T. Romano Cheese

3 Flameout
1 B-Complex
1500mg Gluc/Chon/MSM

11:15
3 HOT-ROX Extreme

11:30
@ Gym:
13.5g BCAA (PreWO)

13:00 (PWO)
9g BCAA
2 Scoops Grow! Whey

14:00
Salad:
Romaine Lettuce
1 T Olive Oil
1 T Balsmic Vinegar
.25 c. Raw Pumpkin Seeds
4 oz Black Pepper Salmon Fillet

17:00
Salad:
2 Cans Chunk White Tuna (drained, in Salad)
1 T. EVOO
7 Calamata Olives
1 T. Romano Cheese

1 serving Pepperoni
.25 c. Part-skim Shredded Mozzerella

3 Flameout

19:00
4 oz. Hamburger patty

1 ZMA
1 C/E

21:00
1 Scoop casein protein

Nutrition Summary:
grams cals %total
Total: 2616
Fat: 137 1230 47%
Sat: 33 298 11%
Poly: 13 119 5%
Mono: 33 293 11%
Carbs: 38 117 4%
Fiber: 9 0 0%
Protein: 318 1272 49%

17

[quote]skidmark wrote:
Nice control of the macronutrients. You’ve a good base to build from, looks like. Can’t go wrong with Dan John.

If I may say so, smells like you’re cooking success.[/quote]

Hey skidmark!

Thanks!! Yeah, DJ is pretty amazing. I’m ordering his Olympic Lifts DVD. His programs are so straight forward. I’m not following his O.L.A.D. protocol exactly, just using the template, and last week was taxing, but refreshing. Today was my first 7x3 set-- fried.

I may do 2 cycles of this depending on how I feel after week 3, because I’m adding a “B” set and extra arm days to really assault my arms. I won’t do a 1RM, 2RM, or 3RM for the squats because I don’t feel I’m stable enough and I don’t want to push it-- I’ll do another 7x5, then a 5x5 and progress with the weight.

Between this, the Meltdown program, and the Waterbury stuff, I’ve had several people come up and ask me “What the HELL are you doing?” – It hurts. I love it.

18

Steely D, you have a heckuva program going there. I can only hope my success mirrors yours. It will be cool to follow your progress.

How about offer a Carolina swamp/ river rat some advice Could you shoot me a PM on where a guy can buy one of those single row boats? I really have a hankering to take up rowing on some of the calmer days down here

19

Nice work SteelyD. great to have you here.

Burnesy

20

Thanks JW and Burnsey! Gettin’ old is a bitch. :slight_smile:

Honestly, though, except for the various aches, pains, snaps, crackles, and pops-- I FEEL GREAT!!!