Well having looked in on T-Nation for a little while (and having mistakenly posted on someone elses thread…sorry) i thought it only fair to start my own thread.
The basics are that at age 53 i am starting weight training properly for the very first time–never ever lifted before except for some machine weights many years ago…so its as ‘newbie’ an experience as can be had.
Little bit of background then :
Work full time, mainly night shifts as an acute care specialist nurse in a big teaching hospital, job is currently under threat (again).
Job is pretty high stress at times and the work/life pattern especially around eating and sleeping is difficult to say the least.
Just over a year ago i was in a very bad state ie overweight (technically just obese with a MBI nudging 30)and a worts waist measurement at over 40 (more like 42) probably slightly clinically depressed although denying it.
Now… in terms of exercise : you must be having a laugh !.
What got me was that on a hiking trip my partner took a photo of me naked (rear) which when i saw it was a total shocker so when we got home i got stuck into a ‘new life’ idea.
First to go was the car–in terms of driving to work ,then i tried to stop the high carb and caffeine approach to getting through a shift (although still struggling with that)–that with a walking programme out in the woods for 6 months got me into a weight zone where i could think about actual training.
So : 6 months back started running and attempting ‘easy’ resistance exercise e.g dips, couldn’t do press-ups or pull -ups, just not strong enough and old back injuries stopped press-ups dead.
Sideways step then : injuries include 3 levels of disc injuries (mainly lumbar) all work related and a recent gastrocnemius tear.
In late december i joined the ‘posh’ gym as its just down the road and mainly so that i could access the swimming pools to work on the gastroc tear rehab.
Around february i managed to get on the treadmill and added in some resistance work–again all very basic.
In march i had a total re-think after reading everything i could about training–including T.Na and sites like gym jones (jesus h christ !!) , got totally information oveload but realised that not only was i a fat git but that i was a weak/soft fat git as well.
So : march, approached one of the trainers at the gym for help and he took me on with an introduction to strength training. As i have said it was all new and we just started on as far as i can see now absolute basics.
I have just finished our 10 session contract and am now flying solo–right from the start i went in around 3 times a week just to mimic and practice what i was doing with my trainer.
So here are some numbers :
- Me weight (as of today) 84 kg (down from 100) .height 1.88 m. body fat --not sure as the measurements from my calipers dont make sense on the book i am using.
- weights (exercise) : best is deadlift where i have just gone over body weight (90 kg today) . squat is difficult as i was up to about 70kg but with poor form i.e ‘high’ so have dropped it back to get lower. Bench press today at 42.5 kg which is a new working best. Upright cable row-60kg. Lats pull down at 68 kg today (again new).
working routine looks like :
Day 1 .i call 'big 5 routine i.e deadlift, squats, bench,lats.cable row . usually warm up sets and then 3 working weight sets of 10.
Followed by either treadmill routine (intervals) or what i call ‘dartmoor’ miles.
Day 2. lower body split so : deadlift,squats, incline leg press . sets of 5x5.
followed by either more treadmill or a circuit of something like : press-ups (50) step-ups with weight (50) and clean and press with weight.
Day 3. upper body split so : bench press, cable row and/or barbell row , lats, tri cable pull down, pec flye, ohp
followed by more treadmill.
Last week my trainer introduced me to harder conditioning work so my new circuit is 3 rounds of :
Rower (concept 2) 500m
Kettlebell swings 20
Clean and press with vipr 15
Kettlebell squat 10
(i think its based on a ‘crossfit’ workout ,doesn’t have a name so i have called it 'bastard,.
Some other info :
Running times–just done 1.5 miles in 10.33
Rower 500m in 1.48.
thats about it–hope i havn’t made too many newbie posting goofs there.