Oldtimer1

[oldtimer1]

Today I ran 5.25 miles. Then my after the run I was doing semi sprints and I pulled a groin muscle on the first one damn.  Came home and did the following. One exercise after another.

Heavy bag for three minutes

free hand squats 1 x max
free hand lunges 1 x max
step up on a 18" bench 1 x max

pull ups 1 x max
body weight bar rows 1 x max ( Set a bar up so you can dead hang facing the ceiling. Put your feet on a bench and row your body weight. Picture below)

Pike push ups with handles 1 x max
Push ups 1 x max

body weight dips

Pull ups with a supinated grip with palms facing face. 1 x max

That was only half of the planned bodyweight routine. I couldn't finish. Pissed off. I think I just went from exercise to exercise too quickly. I was shot after the 5 mile plus run. I have to come up with a plan that I can do strength training with the running. It's tough. I think I just have to lighten the weight.

[oldtimer1]

Back to the same old for now. Yates type training. One set to failure. Non taxing warm ups as needed.

Dumbbell decline press 1 x 10
Incline dumbbell press 1 x 9
Flat flies 1 x 15
Push ups 1 x max

EZ curl 1 x 15
Alternate Dumbbell curl 1 x 10
Two hands leaning against wall curl with dumbbells (drag curls ) 1 x 13
concentration curl 1 x 13

wrist curl 1 x 30
reverse wrist extensions 1 x 20
Ivanko gripper 2 x 20 ( reversed the apparatus for the second set)

Incline sit ups 1 x 27
Incline leg raise 1 x 15

After I drove to a park an ran a mile. Just shot from yesterday's run, cleaning the pool and too much sun.  I will take tomorrow off from running and just lift for legs. I used today what for me is heavy weights. I really forced out the reps until I was completely shot. All the running lately has got me looking skinny and gaunt looking. My shoulders are disappearing. I really want a complete week of good lifting. Today was a good start.

 I stopped listing weights used because it's meaningless. Most short stroke the reps and use a really fast cadence. A guy who can get 10 reps with 100lbs of an exercise probably couldn't use 80 with a full range of motion and a slower cadence.  Make no mistake the goal is to work the muscle and not stroke the ego. You can do half rep delt dumbbell press with the giant dumbbells but you would get better work out of going all the way down with lighter dumbbells for example. Another example are pull ups. Your goal should be to bring the elbows all the way down to your sides and not just getting your chin over the bar. The worst offenders are the leg press guys with the weight of a buick on the machine.  Lower the back board low so your legs can come back. Completely bend your legs like you are doing an ass to grass squat.

[Donny]

Back to the same old for now. Yates type training. One set to failure. Non taxing warm ups as needed.

Dumbbell decline press 1 x 10
Incline dumbbell press 1 x 9
Flat flies 1 x 15
Push ups 1 x max

EZ curl 1 x 15
Alternate Dumbbell curl 1 x 10
Two hands leaning against wall curl with dumbbells (drag curls ) 1 x 13
concentration curl 1 x 13

wrist curl 1 x 30
reverse wrist extensions 1 x 20
Ivanko gripper 2 x 20 ( reversed the apparatus for the second set)

Incline sit ups 1 x 27
Incline leg raise 1 x 15

After I drove to a park an ran a mile. Just shot from yesterday's run, cleaning the pool and too much sun.  I will take tomorrow off from running and just lift for legs. I used today what for me is heavy weights. I really forced out the reps until I was completely shot. All the running lately has got me looking skinny and gaunt looking. My shoulders are disappearing. I really want a complete week of good lifting. Today was a good start.

 I stopped listing weights used because it's meaningless. Most short stroke the reps and use a really fast cadence. A guy who can get 10 reps with 100lbs of an exercise probably couldn't use 80 with a full range of motion and a slower cadence.  Make no mistake the goal is to work the muscle and not stroke the ego. You can do half rep delt dumbbell press with the giant dumbbells but you would get better work out of going all the way down with lighter dumbbells for example. Another example are pull ups. Your goal should be to bring the elbows all the way down to your sides and not just getting your chin over the bar. The worst offenders are the leg press guys with the weight of a buick on the machine.  Lower the back board low so your legs can come back. Completely bend your legs like you are doing an ass to grass squat.

Partial reps can be useful though especially if youīve an injury. I get what youīre saying about the ego lifters.

However i like doing DB Flys on a floor mat which reduces the range of moment. If i go for the "old school stretch" on a bench i feel weakness due to an old neck problem, C6/C7
some of these old school ideas are not very healthy, work the muscles in a safe range of movement.

I also think the Floor Press is a good exercise if thereīs a physical problem.

[oldtimer1]

My lifting is going south because I'm trying to do good for an up coming 5K. My legs are thin as well as my body. I feel great though. I also feel weak. I will continue my current running routines till the race then I will work in more lifting.  I am fitting into blue jeans I haven't fit into in many years. Yesterday and today I ran a little over 5 miles. Yesterday on the boardwalk and today in a beautiful park with a paved one mile loop.

Two weeks to vacation and I normally peak for it physical wise. I guess I will be the thin guy this vacation. Really nice gym in Myrtle beach that I use. Looking forward to early morning runs then hitting that gym.

[IroNat]

My lifting is going south because I'm trying to do good for an up coming 5K. My legs are thin as well as my body. I feel great though. I also feel weak. I will continue my current running routines till the race then I will work in more lifting.  I am fitting into blue jeans I haven't fit into in many years. Yesterday and today I ran a little over 5 miles. Yesterday on the boardwalk and today in a beautiful park with a paved one mile loop.

Two weeks to vacation and I normally peak for it physical wise. I guess I will be the thin guy this vacation. Really nice gym in Myrtle beach that I use. Looking forward to early morning runs then hitting that gym.

You probably look better being lighter.  I'll bet you look younger too.

I'm the same now that I've lost weight.

Was wearing shorts yesterday with a belt and I'm on the tightest belt notch and the shorts are still falling down.  36w shorts.

I used to wear 38w.  Now a 34w is right.  And I need a smaller belt!

However, psychologically we thing we look too thin.

[oldtimer1]

You probably look better being lighter.  I'll bet you look younger too.

I'm the same now that I've lost weight.

Was wearing shorts yesterday with a belt and I'm on the tightest belt notch and the shorts are still falling down.  36w shorts.

I used to wear 38w.  Now a 34w is right.  And I need a smaller belt!

However, psychologically we thing we look too thin.

I just tried on 30" waist jeans. While snug, they fit. I definitely lost muscle and strength. Hitting the weight gym today. 

I remember standing next to Robby Robinson when he was at his best. He was wearing a track suit.  I thought he sure doesn't look big. I think the magazines had him at around 210 at 5'8".  He looked lighter. On stage that night he was cut and was the clear winner at The Night of the Champions contest. I also remember Franco saying when he came to America and was competing for his first show he looked at the contestants in clothes and they looked like monsters to him. He said when they stripped off their clothes they all looked fat to him. Their size was an illusion.

I was always on the thin side and then I was a permabulker for a long time in my early twenties. I even returned to that permabulker ways in my 30's. I received compliments on my build in jeans and a tee shirt. Now I realize I truly wasn't in shape during that period where I strived for size. Being in shape means no fat.

I know what you mean by psychologically it hurts to lose size as we truly get  into shape and I'm not even talking from a bodybuilding perspective. I'm not a bodybuilder. I look at real athletes my height of 5'8" in the world of MMA, sprinting, boxing and wrestling.  Most weigh about 155lbs. 

[IroNat]

I just tried on 30" waist jeans. While snug, they fit. I definitely lost muscle and strength. Hitting the weight gym today. 

I remember standing next to Robby Robinson when he was at his best. He was wearing a track suit.  I thought he sure doesn't look big. I think the magazines had him at around 210 at 5'8".  He looked lighter. On stage that night he was cut and was the clear winner at The Night of the Champions contest. I also remember Franco saying when he came to America and was competing for his first show he looked at the contestants in clothes and they looked like monsters to him. He said when they stripped off their clothes they all looked fat to him. Their size was an illusion.

I was always on the thin side and then I was a permabulker for a long time in my early twenties. I even returned to that permabulker ways in my 30's. I received compliments on my build in jeans and a tee shirt. Now I realize I truly wasn't in shape during that period where I strived for size. Being in shape means no fat.

I know what you mean by psychologically it hurts to lose size as we truly get  into shape and I'm not even talking from a bodybuilding perspective. I'm not a bodybuilder. I look at real athletes my height of 5'8" in the world of MMA, sprinting, boxing and wrestling.  Most weigh about 155lbs. 

When someone gets too heavy the face looks fat and it makes them look older and often unhealthy.

However, you don't need to be walking around ripped either. 

If your waist is 1/2 your height then you are at a good bodyweight healthwise.

5'8" is 68" so a 34" waist measured around the bellybutton is good.

[oldtimer1]

I've been neglecting this log lately. I'm working out but not logging much.  I'm presently using whole body routines.  Something about doing a whole body routine that's satisfying. Knowing you got everything done is a great feeling. Nothing stinks more than doing a split then having a work, family or fatigue get in the way and you miss a couple days in the gym when say delt and arms are due. With whole body every thing is done. Missing a couple of days for something out of your control isn't a problem. True you can't use many exercises per body part but you could do something like switch exercises every two weeks.

I would advise anyone doing a whole body routine to not go to failure in the beginning of a cycle. A cycle could be two weeks of three exercise days a week. So it's 6 weight workouts in two weeks. Nothing is written in stone. If you get two workouts  in a week because of some situation you're still going in a positive direction. So under an ideal situation it's three workouts a week for two weeks. That's your cycle.

 For guys that have been training decades you know what you are capable of. Let's say at max you can do 2 sets of 6 reps with 205lbs with strict form.  Workout one of your cycle should be 180lbs.  You will still do 2 sets of 6 reps though you could do more. So say Monday it's 2 sets of 6 reps with 180lbs.  Wednesday it's 2 sets of 6 reps with 185lbs. Yes you could get more reps but you stop at 6 reps. Every workout go up 5 lbs. On workout 6 in this two week cycle hopefully you hit goal of 2 sets of 6 reps with 205lbs.

 After the cycle you will change up the exercises but the same protocol will be used. My reasoning behind this is very old school and has been used for many decades. You won't be killing yourself every workout so when you get to workout six you will be primed for the effort. A lot of power lifters train like that. Tony Carpino who was the US national champ in the 70's used 4 sets of 4 reps in the bench for one of his workouts. He would back track the weights but not increase the reps. Slowly increasing the weight till goal was hit. 

This is what I did today:

Power cleans 3 x 3  then 1 x 1

Machine squats 2 x 10 (In my younger days I would never agree to machine squats but now I make concessions to age. My one damaged shoulder hurts like hell reaching back for the bar so the machine squats are not such a bad thing. If anyone with a home gym wants a really good unit it's the Powertec model. I wish I bought that one instead of the one I got. The movement is perfect with Powertec. I want to get that model but I can't justify the expense since I got the Tuff stuff one. The Hammer strength one is good but believe it or not the Powertec is designed better and for me provides a perfect groove.)
Standing leg curl 2 x 20  (Weight used was too light)

Decline dumbbell bench 2 x 8
Flat dumbbell flies 2 x 10

Pull ups palm facing away 2 x
Seated cable lat row 2 x 12
Pull up palms facing me 1 x

Military press 2 x 8  (weight cleaned from floor for more work)
Dumbbell delt laterals 2 x 12

Tricep pulley push downs with a V bar 2 x 12
Barbell curl 2x10

Standing calf 2 x 15
Seated calf 2 x 15

Incline sit ups 1 x 20
Incline leg raises 1 x

Lower back hypers 2 x 15 (Plate behind head)

Ivanko gripper 2 x 20

Four way neck machine 2 x 30 a side



 

[oldtimer1]

When someone gets too heavy the face looks fat and it makes them look older and often unhealthy.

However, you don't need to be walking around ripped either. 

If your waist is 1/2 your height then you are at a good bodyweight healthwise.

5'8" is 68" so a 34" waist measured around the bellybutton is good.

Yes, a lean face is very apparent.  I would like to be ripped but I'm not. Right now there's a thing called Ozempic face. It's the diabetes medicine that was found to cause drastic weight loss. Many people that were never truly lean are unhappy with their facial features because their lean face looks bad. Rich people are getting scripts for the drug. It's expensive and usually not covered by insurance for anything other than diabetes.  Musk is using it.  For me when I get too lean I don't like the way my face looks, lol.

[oldtimer1]

Thought of another important feature of a whole body routine and that is frequency. Personally I seem to get strong quickly when I hit an exercise three times in a week as opposed to once. For example I'm weak with pull ups. Doing them once a week I don't seem to progress. Doing them three times a week and I progress.

[Donny]

Thought of another important feature of a whole body routine and that is frequency. Personally I seem to get strong quickly when I hit an exercise three times in a week as opposed to once. For example I'm weak with pull ups. Doing them once a week I don't seem to progress. Doing them three times a week and I progress.

Most people who do once a week as you know do high volume & more exercises (in most cases). In your workouts you do like 1 set not sure if you do say 1 or 2 warm up sets before max weights.
Canīt really compare this to say a high set multiple exercise workout.
If i do 1 set of squats to failure then sure i can do this 3 days a week but say 5 sets with other exercises using 4-5 sets? Nope.

Itīs true though that if you want to improve as you wrote chins then training say 3 a week (low sets) might bring quicker results initially

[oldtimer1]

Most people who do once a week as you know do high volume & more exercises (in most cases). In your workouts you do like 1 set not sure if you do say 1 or 2 warm up sets before max weights.
Canīt really compare this to say a high set multiple exercise workout.
If i do 1 set of squats to failure then sure i can do this 3 days a week but say 5 sets with other exercises using 4-5 sets? Nope.

Itīs true though that if you want to improve as you wrote chins then training say 3 a week (low sets) might bring quicker results initially

Yes, in general  for decades I have used one or two work sets. My warm ups if needed are easy and non taxing.  Many have used training a body part three times a week like Grimek, Reeves, Arnold and Padilla.  True you certainly have to be on juice if you are doing a lot of sets doing that like Arnold and Padilla. Grimek's workouts resembled the workout I'm doing now. Of course he used various workouts like we all have but Grimek's were truly a basic.  Reeves used in general three exercises per body part for three sets per exercise.  That is a really involved routine and they said he worked out over two hours at a time.

[Donny]

Yes, in general  for decades I have used one or two work sets. My warm ups if needed are easy and non taxing.  Many have used training a body part three times a week like Grimek, Reeves, Arnold and Padilla.  True you certainly have to be on juice if you are doing a lot of sets doing that like Arnold and Padilla. Grimek's workouts resembled the workout I'm doing now. Of course he used various workouts like we all have but Grimek's were truly a basic.  Reeves used in general three exercises per body part for three sets per exercise.  That is a really involved routine and they said he worked out over two hours at a time.

Yes Grimek was a York guy & liked old school powerlifting moves. Very impressive physique & he was very acrobatic. Of course the small blue pills helped him.

whole body is taxing if doing 3 or more sets & certainly couldnīt do a Reeves workout now with 3 exercises per body part in a 3 day a week whole body workout.

also Reeves wrote he did that workout for only a few months a year.
I still think a 3 day split routine is ok for us old farts.
Chest/Back....Legs....Shoulders Arms   or whatever.

I enjoy cycling now as well as the escrima i do which together with everything is time consuming.

we are all fighting a common enemy the clock.. itīs ticking away.
If i snuff it tomorrow or in the near future at least i know my organs will be given to someone, hopefully a young person. 

[oldtimer1]

Yes Grimek was a York guy & liked old school powerlifting moves. Very impressive physique & he was very acrobatic. Of course the small blue pills helped him.

whole body is taxing if doing 3 or more sets & certainly couldnīt do a Reeves workout now with 3 exercises per body part in a 3 day a week whole body workout.

also Reeves wrote he did that workout for only a few months a year.
I still think a 3 day split routine is ok for us old farts.
Chest/Back....Legs....Shoulders Arms   or whatever.

I enjoy cycling now as well as the escrima i do which together with everything is time consuming.

we are all fighting a common enemy the clock.. itīs ticking away.
If i snuff it tomorrow or in the near future at least i know my organs will be given to someone, hopefully a young person. 

The blue pills were invented in 1960. Grimek was built in the 30's, 40's and 50's.  I know he was still built in the 60's too.

[oldtimer1]

Cardio day: 6-4-2024.

Ran 5.2 miles. Thought I was going at a decent pace but the time was a little slow. I ran on the boardwalk along the beach and it was pure sun and hot.  After that I did 6 x 40 yard sprints. Came home and hit the heavy bag for a couple of rounds.  Tomorrow is another whole body weight routine.  I'm 169.6 pounds and getting close to my goal weight of 164lbs at 5'8".  A short year ago I was around 187lbs and I thought I looked good but now I want to be really lean with a big gas tank.

Tony Carpino the US champ at middle weight weighed 165lbs at 5'8".  Not comparing myself to an elite power lifter what so ever but just comparing weight. He's on the left in the picture.

[Donny]

The blue pills were invented in 1960. Grimek was built in the 30's, 40's and 50's.  I know he was still built in the 60's too.

he trained at York & i read somewhere they all used Dianabol but experimented beforehand

https://slate.com/culture/2005/02/the-doctor-who-brought-steroids-to-america.html

“By the summer of 1954, Grimek was experimenting with a variety of chemical substances provided by Ziegler.”

https://nattyornot.com/did-john-grimek-use-steroids/

[IroNat]

Grimek was 44 in 1954 (born 1910).

[IroNat]

Cardio day: 6-4-2024.

Ran 5.2 miles. Thought I was going at a decent pace but the time was a little slow. I ran on the boardwalk along the beach and it was pure sun and hot.  After that I did 6 x 40 yard sprints. Came home and hit the heavy bag for a couple of rounds.  Tomorrow is another whole body weight routine.  I'm 169.6 pounds and getting close to my goal weight of 164lbs at 5'8".  A short year ago I was around 187lbs and I thought I looked good but now I want to be really lean with a big gas tank.

Tony Carpino the US champ at middle weight weighed 165lbs at 5'8".  Not comparing myself to an elite power lifter what so ever but just comparing weight. He's on the left in the picture.

Nice going, OT.
Carpino was probably cutting weight for that event to get in a lighter weight class.
Probably weighed 180+.
Also most assuredly he was on steroids.

[oldtimer1]

Carpino was probably cutting weight for that event to get in a lighter weight class.
Probably weighed 180+.
Also most assuredly he was on steroids.

Probably true. He said when he was a middle weight he tried to keep his weight under 175lbs because cutting was too hard. Yes, the top dogs are on steroids.

[oldtimer1]

I did a whole body routine today and I'm shot. Whoever said a whole body routine was for beginners is an idiot. It's the hardest way anyone could train including a steroid champion.

No warms shown, only work sets. Upped the weight in most exercises from the last workout.

Power cleans 3 x 3 then 1x 1

Machine squats 2 x10
Standing leg curls. 2 x 12
single leg knee ups with monkey feet 1 x 12 (Monkey feet is an apparatus to attach a dumbbell to your foot. I stand on a block and do single leg knee raises)

Decline dumbbell press 2x8 (Easy to short stroke the movement on the decline. I filmed my self to make sure I was going all the way down)
Flat flies 2x10  (Thinking I might be better off doing these on a decline. Shoulder was a little irritated after these. Said it before, if you have a bad shoulder try declines presses and flies. Both of my shoulders are damaged and I have very little pain using a decline. Just use a spotter if you are using a barbell. )

Pull ups 4 x max ( You are trying to exercise the muscle and not trying to get the reps in anyway you can. A pull up isn't complete until your elbows are all the way down. On the way up it's not clearing your chin but attempting to touch your upper chest region to the bar. This will limit your reps but wow will your lats feel it.)
Wide grip lat pulley rows 2 x 12
Supinate pull ups with palms facing face 1 x max  (I haven't done pull ups with a supinate grip in ages. It provides a good stretch on the down stroke.)

Military press 2 x 8  (My son when he was in the Army Airborne broke a front tooth banging the bar into his mouth when he got fatigued trying to make a rep.  Makes me wary of doing these. He had to argue with the Army dentist to fix his front tooth. The doc said so you you have a half a tooth what's the big deal.  He eventually fixed it, lol. He's a good looking kid and I'm sure he didn't want a half tooth in front of his mouth.)
Dumbbell delt laterals 2 x 15

V handle tricep pushdowns 2 x 12  (I super set this tricep exercise with barbell curls)
Barbell curls 2 x 10

Standing calf raise 2 x 15
Seated calf raise 2x15

Incline sit ups 1 x max
Incline leg raises 1x max

Lower back hyper extensions 2 x 15 (plate behind head)

Four way neck machine 2 sets a side

Ivanko gripper 2 x 20

In 9 days I will be in Myrtle beach training in Megafitness.  It's fun to train in a new environment. They have some machines I don't have access to like a hip thrust machine where a seat belt goes around your waist, Hammer strength squat machine and a leg machine I have never seen before.  They have a leg machine where you're standing but it has a pad you can put on the top up your knee for standing knee raises. The pad can go on the outside of your knee for abduction movements of your femur and you can also put the pad on the inside of your leg for adduction. All while standing.  Never seen anything like it. It's run by a nice guy too.

[IroNat]

I did a whole body routine today and I'm shot.

Some thoughts on this.  Hope you don't mind.
Basically, you are doing too much.
Cut it down to one exercise per bodypart.  You pick one.
You are hitting the triceps twice already with the presses.
For example...


Power cleans 3 x 3 then 1x 1

Machine squats 2 x10

Decline dumbbell press 2x8

Pull ups 4 x max

Military press 2 x 8

Barbell curls 2 x 10

Standing calf raise 2 x 15

Seated calf raise 2x15

Incline sit ups 1 x max
Incline leg raises 1x max

Four way neck machine 2 sets a side

Ivanko gripper 2 x 20

[Donny]

Grimek was 44 in 1954 (born 1910).

from what i read his last competition was In 1949, he won his last contest, the AAU Mr. USA
so he was 39 when he stopped competing or at least thatīs what i read.
he still trained hard up to a late age holding onto a lot of size.

[oldtimer1]

from what i read his last competition was In 1949, he won his last contest, the AAU Mr. USA
so he was 39 when he stopped competing or at least thatīs what i read.
he still trained hard up to a late age holding onto a lot of size.

Grimek competed in the 1936 Olympics in Olympic lifting. He got shafted. The rules were back then you couldn't go down to a lower weight class. He competed as a light heavy but decided to try heavy weight one competition. When he went to the Olympics they refused to let him compete as a light heavy and he had to go against guys weighing a lot more in the heavy weight division.  He could have had a Gold medal in addition to the bodybuilding titles he had if he competed as a light heavy.

[oldtimer1]

Cardio day:  Ran 5.13 miles plus a quarter mile warm up that I don't include in the total miles. After the run I did 4 x 110 yards sprints. It was humid and I'm wiped out.  Getting pretty lean.  Felt a little flat on the sprints but they were completed. Average heart rate for the 5 miles was 151 beats per minute.  Resting heart rate is 56.

[oldtimer1]

Killing it this week between running and lifting.  This weight workout I increased the weight in all exercises. It's getting really tough to complete the workout. I feel close to death, lol.  Well there goes my peace and quiet my wife just pulled into the driveway.   

Power cleans 3 x 3  then 1 x 1

Machine squats 2 x 10
Standing leg curls 2 x 15

Declines benches 2 x 8
Flat flies 2 x 10

Chins 3 x max
Lat seated pulley rows with a wide handle 2 x 12
supinate pull ups 3 x max

Military press 2 x 8
Dumbbell delt laterals 2 x 12

V tricep pushdowns 2 x 12
Barbell curls 2 x 10

standing calf 2x15
seated calf 2 x 15

Incline sit ups 1x max
Incline leg raise 1 x max

Lower back hyper extensions 2 x 15 plate behind head

4 way neck machine 2 x 20 (increased the weight)

Ivanko gripper 2 x 20


Workouts are really getting hard with the weight increases. I found the power cleans are getting easier. My form is still garbage.  There is something said about doing the same exercise three days a week for gains.