Oldtimer1

[oldtimer1]

Continuing saga of trying to lift with a bad shoulder. If this barbell bench press comeback doesn't work I will go back to dumbbells and just say fuck it.

Chest and arm day:

Barbell bench 2 x 6 175lbs 1 x 1 215 ( Shoulder is holding up but the tweaks are scary. Increasing the weight as a snails pace. Might stick  with the bar for benching and inclines until by my shoulder screams no instead of dumbbells. Next week I will give it a better test with a slow cadence 225lbs.)

Incline bar bench 2 x 6 150lbs. I know I can do a lot more but just doing strict movements for safety. The bar hit the chest each rep)

Flat flies 2 x 10 50lbs

Push ups 2 x max. (One set conventional and one set with perfect pushup handles. The hands twist to the spot they want to go with the push up handles. It has a greater range of motion but it also lessons the resistance by raising the body slightly putting more weight on the feet)

Traditional tricep pushdowns 2 x 10 ( my home unit isn't as smooth as the commercial gym)
Lying tricep extensions with an EZ curl bar 2 x 8 (got a good elbow tweak. Might drop this next time)
Reverse grip D Handle tricep extensions 2 x 12 (zero elbow pain with these)

barbell curl 2 x 10 95lbs
Alternate dumbbell curl 2 x 8 43lbs
concentration curl 2 x 12

wrist curls 2 x 20 90lbs
wrist extensions 2 x 15

Incline sit ups 1 x 27 reps
Weighted floor crunches 1 x 50 (10lbs plate behind head)
Pulley crunches 2 x 25 50lbs

Ivanko gripper  2 x 20 (If I use lower reps the higher resistance digs into my hand too much.)

Immediately after I walked on a treadmill at 3.8MPH and increased the incline 1% each lap for about 45 minutes. Last lap I ran at a little under 7 minute mile pace. Going to see if I can do gentle cardio on my lifting days instead of just lifting.

[IroNat]

I'd go much lighter for awhile with the benches and inclines.  Really super light.  Empty bar.  Add 5 lbs a week.  Sets of 12.  3-5 sets.

The connective tissues are what you need to strengthen and that takes awhile.

Your muscles are stronger than the connective tissues which is what will get hurt.

No reason to go heavy so soon.  Give it time.  No ego.

[oldtimer1]

Cardio day. I ran 5.25 miles. Started very slow and had a gradual build up. Cranked the last quarter mile in under 7 minute mile pace. Between walking to warm up and cool down at the end it showed I was on the treadmill for 6 miles. 5.25 miles was running. Exhausted and a little cranky.  New goal is to do cardio5 to 6 days a week. Don't know if I can keep that up. Cardio on lifting days will be 45 minutes of fast walking with a quarter mile run at the end to remind my legs I'm a runner and not a walker. Off to work soon.

[Primemuscle]

I have a month on my commercial gym membership left. Going to work out at home for awhile. Getting tired of the gym scene. I also stupidly want to see if I can bench again with my bad shoulder. Sounds vain and shows my insecurity but I don't want to be seen with 135lbs on the bar in public.  That's what I would have to start with.  It's amazing that dumbbells don't bother my shoulder to the outrageous extent a barbell does. It seems I just hit a sweet spot by twisting my wrist to where my shoulders don't protest.

Might stop this journal for awhile. It's not like more than two people read it.  

There's nothing wrong with benching 135 lbs. Probably nobody at the is watching. If they are and they care how much you bench, let them think what they will. Another thing, if dumbbells don't bother your shoulder, why not just stick with them. They are a better way to exercise your upper body anyway.

[oldtimer1]

There's nothing wrong with benching 135 lbs. Probably nobody at the is watching. If they are and they care how much you bench, let them think what they will. Another thing, if dumbbells don't bother your shoulder, why not just stick with them. They are a better way to exercise your upper body anyway.

Stop it Prime, you are making too much sense. I will see how this bench goes. It's going semi okay.  I will test the shoulder with 225lbs next bench day. If it amounts to my shoulder screaming  I will revert back to dumbbells. You're right though. Dumbbells might be a better tool to use anyway. It just bothers me with all the working out I do that I can't bench anymore. It's very odd how dumbbells don't give me the grief like the bar does. One more week. If 225lbs goes well I will stick with the program. One think for sure. Over 55 we are all one rep away from damaging our body because of ego coming into our workouts.

Enough about my training journal. How are your workouts going?

[oldtimer1]

Leg day:

Leg press 2 x 12 (4 plates a side and some smaller ones. Low back board and seriously bent my legs)
squat 5 sets from 135lbs going up to 260lbs (Tried to go deep. Not quite ass to grass but low. Right knee makes awful sounds)
leg extension 2 x 20
seated leg curl 2 x 15
Standing leg curl 2 x 12
Free hand no weight squats 1 x 55 reps. ( I swear by the value of these. zero aches with these. Great conditioning and the pump is great. Aids with flexibility too.)

Hanging leg raises 2 x 23 reps( semi straight legs. Lifted them up high. I swear I gain a temporary half inch of height with this)
Hip ups 1 x 27

Standing calf 2 x 15 (I'm making a conscientious effort not to go to deep. I get tendon pain going too deep)
Seated calf 2 x 15 90lbs
Tibialis anterior work with a DART 1 x 20 (no cosmetic value but a tremendous aid against pronation and shin splints)

Neck work: One set all four sides with a weighted helmet.


Finished with about 40 minutes of fast walking on an incline.  I walk at 3.8 MPH. I start out at zero grade (incline). Every lap (quarter mile) I go up a 1% grade. When I hit 7% grade I went back to zero grade for the last lap. Takes about 40 minutes. I don't remember exactly.  It's light cardio. Tomorrow I will do hard cardio on a non lifting day.

[IroNat]

You are the "Cardio Master".

 

[oldtimer1]

You are the "Cardio Master".

 

When I run with a devoted runner who does nothing else it brings me back to reality that my cardio stinks. Working on it. I want a big gas tank and not just a big engine. 

[IroNat]

When I run with a devoted runner who does nothing else it brings me back to reality that my cardio stinks. Working on it. I want a big gas tank and not just a big engine.  

Why don't you train for marathons if that is your goal?

[oldtimer1]

Why don't you train for marathons if that is your goal?

Never said I wanted to run a marathon or it was my goal. Never said I was a bodybuilder either. I enjoy the challenge of strength training and endurance training. I think Brad Harris the actor had a similar approach. He lifted hard and included sprints and distance running in his program. Arnold tried to get him to compete but that wasn't his goal. He was a just a life time trainer. I was a sprinter in high school and college. I competed briefly in boxing and that taught me the value of having a gas tank of endurance. I also believe strongly in the health benefits of cardio though nothing is a cure all. It does put the odds in your favor though through lowing the risk factors. I was just reading how anti cardio Charles  Poliquin the strength coach was regarding running in an Ironman article he wrote. He died at 57.  I don't know what he died from but if it was from the number one killer of  man a heart attack it might have been prudent in retrospect to have included cardio in his program.

Regarding your question about whether I will run a marathon, who knows is my response. Anyone can run a marathon. It's a question of how fast you can run a marathon. A six hour marathon is quite different from running a 3 hour marathon. Yet every major marathon open to the public has a huge number of people coming in at the 5 and 6 hours mark.

[oldtimer1]

Back and Delts:

Power cleans 3 x 3 150-155-160 (Planned to go heavier but shoulder said no. I think I have to realize my limitations)
M.A.G. bar pulldowns 2x10
Seated long pulley rows with a V handle 2 x 12 170 (all the way out and back)
One arm dumbbell row off a bench 2 x 10 80lbs ( all the way out and up)
reverse grip pulldowns 2 x 10

Standing delt dumbbell press 2 x 10 50lbs. ( all the way down. No half reps like everyone is doing today.  I don't sit because if I lean back with my ass slightly forward it's a partial pec incline. I can use a lot more weight but I'm trying to target the delts)
Dumbbell laterals 2 x 10 28lbs (I can make a odd poundage like this at home)
Pulley delt laterals 1 x 10
Seated rear delt dumbbells 2 x 10 35lbs

Semi stiff deadlift off a block 2 x 6 210lbs ( I get a good hamstring stretch with this)
Weighted hyper extensions 2 x 15 25lbs plate behind my head. I use the old fashion horizontal lower back hyper bench. Much more effective and harder than the new 45 degree hyper benches where the resistance disappears near the top of the movement.)

Ab wheel roll outs 2 x 22
cable ab crunches 2 x 25 50lbs ( I sit in conventional lat machine pulldown. Instead of  facing the machine I reverse it and face out. I hold a V handle at the back of my head as I crunch down. Good movement if done right.


I finished with light cardio like I mentioned last time. 3.8MPH starting at zero grade or incline. Each quarter mile I go up 1% grade. When I got to 7% I completed that lap and went back down to zero for the final lap. I will tell you I felt this cardio after this weight workout. Drinking a disgusting Organic vegetable protein drink as I type this. My stomach can't tolerate milk base proteins sweetened with those chemical sugar substitutes.

I remember when Bill Pearl said when he hit 55 he stopped caring about the weight on the bar. He wasn't concerned with hot dogging (the term he used) as he explained it. He just wanted a good workout. I tried to turn back time and tried to get back into power cleans and benching with a bar. I have to realize I'm not a kid anymore. If I don't train smart I could be one rep away from not being a lifter anymore. Even though from time to time I try to get back into benching with a bar it's clear that it's over. For decades I always did my last set with 275 to 300. That is over. Not that I was ever a good bencher to begin with. Same with power cleans. Every back day I use to work up to 230lbs in the power clean for my last set. I think for me at this stage, deadlifts and Olympic high pulls are safer.  I'm sure 4 months from now I will get the bright idea to bench with a bar again.  

[oldtimer1]

Trained Chest and biceps Yates style:

Flat Dumbbell bench 1 x 8 80lbs. (Felt awkward having not done them in two weeks. I have to work on getting them dead stop low.)
Incline dumbbell bench 1 x 9 70lbs ( Went all the way down with these.)
Flat Flies 1 x 12 50lbs
Push ups 2 x max

EZ bar curl 1 x 13 90lbs
Alternate dumbbell curls 1 x 9 45lbs
Straight bar pulley curls 1 x 11 (beginning to wonder if these are a better movement than bar curls. Resistance near the top is the difference)
Seated concentration curl 1 x 15

forearm wrist curls 1 x 30 85lbs ( I have a great wrist curl platform made by Jubinville)
reverse wrist extensions 1 x 20 using a D.A.R.T. bar

Ab wheel roll out 1 x 25
floor crunches with feet up on a bench 1 x 50 5lbs plate behind head.
Pulley crunches 1 x 30 50lbs

Ivanko grippers 2 x 25


Got on the treadmill after the weights. 3.8MPH quarter mile warm up and cool down.

First mile: 5.7 MPH (10:30 mile)
Second: 6.0 MPH (10:00 mile)
Third mile: 6.1 MPH (9:50 mile)
Fourth mile: 6.3 MPH (9:31 mile)
Fifth mile: 6.8 MPH (8:49 mile)

Ran a  quarter mile after the 5 mile run in 10 MPH (6:00 mile pace) I do this to remind my legs to remember speed.

Hit the heavy bag after. Normally after being on the treadmill for a 5 mile run with the extra warm up lap/cool down lap with the one quarter mile at 10 MPH the zip off my punches are gone. Today I felt I was killing the bag with hard punches.

Any of you guys ever hear of the annual AOBS dinner? It's a dinner for old time bodybuilders, power lifters and Olympic lifters. Last year they honored Chris Dickerson. Anyway the reason I bought it up was the MC of the event trains at my gym. In his strong man act he goes by the name of the Mighty Stephen.  I think he learned his act from the Mighty Atom. He has an amazing voice. He was singing, "You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch" in the gym.  He actually sounds better than the recording.

[IroNat]

Yes, I've heard about the AOB but never had an interest.

[oldtimer1]

Trained legs Yates style of one work set after warm up. Then walked on a treadmill fast on an incline for around 35 minutes.

[oldtimer1]

Cardio day. Ran 5.25 miles on the treadmill then hit the heavy bag.  Started with a 10 minute mile and with each mile I went faster. I went  down to a 6 minute mile (10 MPH) for the last quarter. Pulled something in my groin right near the end of the run. I will sleep on it and see how to proceed tomorrow. I have a positive feeling it's a tweak and not serious. Trying to be positive about it. Tomorrow is back. My face is getting gaunt from losing weight. Not a good look.

[Primemuscle]

Stop it Prime, you are making too much sense. I will see how this bench goes. It's going semi okay.  I will test the shoulder with 225lbs next bench day. If it amounts to my shoulder screaming  I will revert back to dumbbells. You're right though. Dumbbells might be a better tool to use anyway. It just bothers me with all the working out I do that I can't bench anymore. It's very odd how dumbbells don't give me the grief like the bar does. One more week. If 225lbs goes well I will stick with the program. One think for sure. Over 55 we are all one rep away from damaging our body because of ego coming into our workouts.

Enough about my training journal. How are your workouts going?

I am ashamed to admit that they aren't going at all. Aside from doing some stuff at home, like squats, good mornings, leg extensions, calf raises, push-ups, and a few core exercises, I've been lousy about getting to the gym. I did go awhile back and overworked arms to the point where they were sore for almost a week. My flabby gut screams for some cardio, even though my weight is down. I am hovering between 172 and 175 lbs. I will get my ass in gear and I'll remember to go back at it slowly so I don't have another sore arm fiasco. I baby my ancient body so there's not much likelihood of my doing anything stupid enough to mess my joints or ligaments up.

Obviously, I am good about giving advice to everyone else while not taking it myself. 

My poor excuse for doing absolutely nothing is that the holidays suck ever since my wife passed.  Three years have gone by and you'd think I'd be doing better.  Somehow I am not. 

[oldtimer1]

I am ashamed to admit that they aren't going at all. Aside from doing some stuff at home, like squats, good mornings, leg extensions, calf raises, push-ups, and a few core exercises, I've been lousy about getting to the gym. I did go awhile back and overworked arms to the point where they were sore for almost a week. My flabby gut screams for some cardio, even though my weight is down. I am hovering between 172 and 175 lbs. I will get my ass in gear and I'll remember to go back at it slowly so I don't have another sore arm fiasco. I baby my ancient body so there's not much likelihood of my doing anything stupid enough to mess my joints or ligaments up.

Obviously, I am good about giving advice to everyone else while not taking it myself.

My poor excuse for doing absolutely nothing is that the holidays suck ever since my wife passed.  Three years have gone by and you'd think I'd be doing better.  Somehow I am not.  

I hope in time you find peace.

The older I get the more I realize that I cannot let fitness go. It becomes too hard to regain. One lesson I learned regarding lost fitness is to begin with high reps. It seems for a lack of a better term to awaken the muscle memory.  I'm learning this also with cardio. Instead of trying to run a hard two or three miles I have been doing 5 and it's "awakening" my cardio ability. Getting back to high reps about 10 years back I was disgusted with my strength and condition. I used high reps for 4 weeks then found I could get back to the normal rep range stuff. Maybe part bro science but it's my empirical observation in my experiment of one.

[oldtimer1]

Back day: No warm ups listed. One set to failure.

Pulldowns with M.A.G. bar 1 x 14 (upright back. I don't lean back to make it a row. All the way down with the bar. Limits the weight you can use but it's more effective.)
Seated low cable pulley row with a V handle 1 x 14 170lbs
Single dumbbell row off a bench 1 x 12 90lbs ( all the way up and down. Too many do this partial weight shifting)
Hammer strength pulldowns 1 x 12

Traditional deadlifts off the floor 1 x 6 315lbs. ( got dizzy with this one. Went slow on the negative for added work)
Weighted back extensions 1 x 20 25lbs plate behind head

ab roll outs 1 x 27
ab machine crunch 1 x 25 100lbs

Walked fast on a treadmill after lifting. Walked at 3.8 MPH. Started at zero grade (incline) for a quarter mile. Each quarter mile I went up 1% incline. I went up to 7% grade (incline)  and finished with a quarter mile on no incline. Took about 35 minutes.  I call this an easy cardio day.  It's still cardio but nothing compared to the 5.25 mile run yesterday.

[oldtimer1]

Delt and triceps:Yates style.

Clean and military press 1 x 9 115 (all the way down and tried to stay upright instead of incline pressing it.)
Dumbbell delt laterals 1 x 14 30lbs
Pulley laterals with a D ring handle 1 x 15
Rear delt dumbbell laterals 1 x 14 35lbs
barbell shrugs 1 x 15 250lbs.

Traditional tricep pushdowns 1 x 12
Single dumbbell two hand tricep extensions 1 x 10 75lbs ( tried to go low but elbows are bothering me.)
Rope triceps 1 x 11
dips 1 x 10 ( went deep)

weighted floor crunches 1 x 55 5lbs plate behind head
Pulley crunches 1 x 30


Got a Dtap vaccine prior to training. Thought maybe my shoulder would be sore. I didn't feel the shot and I have zero soreness. Maybe it will kick in tonight. Debating whether to do the cardio or put it off till tomorrow. Feeling washed out. Losing fat rapidly but is this sustainable?  

[IroNat]

Delt and triceps:Yates style.

Clean and military press 1 x 9 115 (all the way down and tried to stay upright instead of incline pressing it.)
Dumbbell delt laterals 1 x 14 30lbs
Pulley laterals with a D ring handle 1 x 15
Rear delt dumbbell laterals 1 x 14 35lbs
barbell shrugs 1 x 15 250lbs.

Traditional tricep pushdowns 1 x 12
Single dumbbell two hand tricep extensions 1 x 10 75lbs ( tried to go low but elbows are bothering me.)
Rope triceps 1 x 11
dips 1 x 10 ( went deep)

weighted floor crunches 1 x 55 5lbs plate behind head
Pulley crunches 1 x 30


Got a Dtap vaccine prior to training. Thought maybe my shoulder would be sore. I didn't feel the shot and I have zero soreness. Maybe it will kick in tonight. Debating whether to do the cardio or put it off till tomorrow. Feeling washed out. Losing fat rapidly but is this sustainable?  

Are you dropping bodyweight?

[oldtimer1]

Are you dropping bodyweight?

Yes I am. What's more important is that I can see the difference in the mirror. Again not a bodybuilder. I don't use bodybuilding drugs.  Too tired to run today. Going to see if I can wake up prior to work tomorrow and get the run in. I'm so out of it in the early morning for physical exercise. I don't know how Bill Pearl did it. He rose at 4 AM to train. Must have had a lot of warm ups to get into the groove. Going to start my 5.25 mile run tomorrow with a couple of slow 10 minute miles to wake myself up.

[IroNat]

Yes I am. What's more important is that I can see the difference in the mirror. Again not a bodybuilder. I don't use bodybuilding drugs.  Too tired to run today. Going to see if I can wake up prior to work tomorrow and get the run in. I'm so out of it in the early morning for physical exercise. I don't know how Bill Pearl did it. He rose at 4 AM to train. Must have had a lot of warm ups to get into the groove. Going to start my 5.25 mile run tomorrow with a couple of slow 10 minute miles to wake myself up.

Pearl went to bed around 7PM.

[AbrahamG]

I am ashamed to admit that they aren't going at all. Aside from doing some stuff at home, like squats, good mornings, leg extensions, calf raises, push-ups, and a few core exercises, I've been lousy about getting to the gym. I did go awhile back and overworked arms to the point where they were sore for almost a week. My flabby gut screams for some cardio, even though my weight is down. I am hovering between 172 and 175 lbs. I will get my ass in gear and I'll remember to go back at it slowly so I don't have another sore arm fiasco. I baby my ancient body so there's not much likelihood of my doing anything stupid enough to mess my joints or ligaments up.

Obviously, I am good about giving advice to everyone else while not taking it myself. 

My poor excuse for doing absolutely nothing is that the holidays suck ever since my wife passed.  Three years have gone by and you'd think I'd be doing better.  Somehow I am not. 

I wish there was something that could be said to make you feel better but sadly, there isn't.  My advice is simply to force yourself into the gym.  Maybe if you feel better about yourself other things will slowly fall into place.  That's all I got.  This is my 9th Xmas without my dad and 15th without my mom.  It gets better, but is never the same.  I hope you can find some happiness this Holiday season.

[IroNat]

I am ashamed to admit that they aren't going at all. Aside from doing some stuff at home, like squats, good mornings, leg extensions, calf raises, push-ups, and a few core exercises, I've been lousy about getting to the gym. I did go awhile back and overworked arms to the point where they were sore for almost a week. My flabby gut screams for some cardio, even though my weight is down. I am hovering between 172 and 175 lbs. I will get my ass in gear and I'll remember to go back at it slowly so I don't have another sore arm fiasco. I baby my ancient body so there's not much likelihood of my doing anything stupid enough to mess my joints or ligaments up.

Obviously, I am good about giving advice to everyone else while not taking it myself. 

My poor excuse for doing absolutely nothing is that the holidays suck ever since my wife passed.  Three years have gone by and you'd think I'd be doing better.  Somehow I am not. 

Prime,

Get yourself to the gym. 

Set some goals of some sort.

[oldtimer1]

Trained back and chest today. Gym was packed. Early Christmas eve closing. I  made an error doing 6 mile runs in addition to lifting. I think I fried my nervous system.  Had three disturbing days of not being able to sleep like I was doing amphetamines or something. Trying to be good at polar opposites of athletic endeavor is hard for a young man let alone an old man.  Going back to 2 or 3 miles on my off days. If I do hard distance it's going to be once a week so I recover. Luckily I didn't lose too much strength. Had a good training day with the weights today. Backed off the weight very slightly so I could use good form and cadence.