Oldtimer1

[oldtimer1]

Cardio day:  Wasn't feeling it today but I pushed through. If you scroll up I did the same 8 x 440 yard intervals like I did above. I went a little faster each run than last time. Last interval was 7.7 MPH or 7:48 minute pace per mile.

I'm still learning stuff. Two things I'm playing with are low incline chest presses and hands facing decline semi fly presses. I look at a lot of youtubes cause I'm always interested in what the other guy is doing.

One guy was saying the angle most do incline chest presses are too severe and works the front delt too hard and not as much pec involvement as you could with a low incline. My adjustable incline has three settings and the lowest is too high.  I took a flat bench and put one end on an approximate 12"  block on one side. It's a low incline. I have shoulder issues and found the decline dumbbell press cause zero problems. My very limited try with the low incline show it might be a shoulder saver to a lessor extent than declines. I will use it for awhile and report back my findings. Excited it might be much better than the old angle I was using.  Time will tell.

The other is a new thought for me on training. I saw a picture of Roger Callard doing decline flies. I never saw anyone doing them in a gym. Again looking for a shoulder saver.  I only did it once and I thought while it irritated the joint a little, it was much better than flat flies. That brings me to a youtube. Saw a guy doing what he called a decline fly presses.   Essentially arching wide almost like a fly but with hands facing pressing it out. You naturally can use more weight than with flies.

Nothing new under the sun what so ever with the sport of picking stuff up and putting it down.  Just new stuff to me I'm experimenting with.

Going to see a guy sing Sinatra stuff with some members of Sinatra's old band today at the Count Basie here in NJ. Just found out the guy singing is the guitarist for the Rock band Creed. A little surprised by that. Should be a good night. I will have JD on the rocks at the place in Frank's honor.

[oldtimer1]

Woke up in the morning darkness and went into my dungeon basement. I began to warm up and said fuck this torture. Went back up and realized I had to kill time now before work now. Signed on to this bizarre  site. Tomorrow is another day. That's the problem with training to failure all the time. It makes you dread working out.

[oldtimer1]

This time I got up early before work and did it. Used a Yates inspired workout. I will get to volume soon but these short hard workouts fit the bill right now.

Chest and biceps: No warm ups. One set to failure. Sometimes the rep count is off as I'm doing this from memory 12 hours later.

Decline dumbbell bench 1 x 11 (My best amount of reps with that weight)

Low incline dumbbell bench 1 x 10 (I used a flat bench I have and raised it up on a block. Thought it would work great but without a seat to hold me in place it was awkward. Going back to my incline bench. I had high hopes for this.

Decline dumbbell bench/fly 1 x 12 (This was kind of a bust too. I used a hands facing grip and tried to do a hybrid fly and press. Not happy with the movement. Going back to flies)

Push ups 1 x max reps


Straight bar barbell curls 1x15 (Usually use an ez curl bar but lately using a straight bar)

Alternate dumbbell curls 1x10 (Felt a little weak on these. Maybe the straight bar is wearing out the bicep better than the ez curl bar making these seem so hard)

Two dumbbell two hands drag curl leaning against a wall 1 x 13 (Kept the elbows back so it was a drag curl)

Concentration curl 1 x 13 (Did these seated in the typical fashion. Can't decide if doing them standing or with a scott bench is better.)

wrist curl 1 x 33
wrist extension 1 x 20
Ivanko gripper 2 x 20

Incline sit ups 1 x27  (Haven't done these in awhile. Last time I failed at 30)
Incline leg raise 1x 15 (It's a combo leg raise and hip raise. I think these might work better than the hanging leg raise.)

Immediately went into an easy cardio session after lifting.

0% grade (incline ) for one lap (440 yards) at 3.8MPH
1% grade for a lap at 3.8MPH
2% grade for a lap at 3.8 MPH
3% grade for a lap at 3.8 MPH
4% grade for a lap at 3.8MPH
5% grade for a lap at 3.8MPH
6% grade for a lap at 3.8MPH
7% grade for a lap at 3.8MPH
0% grade for a lap at 3.8 MPH
0% grade for a lap at 8.5 MPH or 7:04 minute mile pace ( I do this to remind my body I'm a runner. Too much walking takes the spring out of your legs for running)
0% grade for a lap at 3.8 MPH

[njflex]

NICE RICH...good to see you haven't after all these decades give up on your 'exercise'health due to some health issues going on...keep the fight ..

[oldtimer1]

NICE RICH...good to see you haven't after all these decades give up on your 'exercise'health due to some health issues going on...keep the fight ..

I'm feeling good now. I will push when feeling well. For two months last year starting in August I was sick as a dog. Now I'm feeling good. I have so much blood drawn lately. Can't wait to see the latest readings. I really wonder if I'm in remission? I see the oncologist again in February. Hope to hear good news even if it's that I'm stabilized and not advancing.

[oldtimer1]

Haven't forgotten about this thread. I just get tired of writing it out.  I also feel it's incredibly repetitive. Most guys find out what works for them and they stick with it. No one wants to read today I did chest and did a barbell bench, incline press and a fly over and over again. I keep talking about going to a volume approach for awhile but I always put it off. I will write it out here when I do.

Today was a mild cardio day.  Walked fast outside for 4.7 miles almost 4.8.  Included six strides. I define strides as not quite sprints but not distance running pace. I pick out a landmark like a big tree on the trail I walk then make a mental note of my estimated distance. The marks I pick are between 300 yards and 40 yards. They are arbitrary.  Good to get a little "explosive" work on my fast walks. Completed the walk in one hour and eight minutes.

After I did heavy bag work for two three minute rounds. If you hit the heavy back video tape yourself.  You can see mistakes like are you covering up defensively? Are you bringing your hands back immediately after a punch? Are you moving your head and body or standing like a statue getting ready to get whacked back.  Also think how you would handle the punches coming to you? Will you cover up, bob and weave; move on your feet back. Just a few of the things I thought of. Work on feints too. Punch feints that are not thrown with bad intend that are meant to elicit a reaction so you can land the second punch with bad intent. Hitting the bag is fantastic workout in itself.  Anyone that has boxed can tell you after the first time by the second round they had trouble keeping up their hands up from fatigue. No wonder boxers and MMA guys do so much road work. Rocky Marciano did 5 to 8 miles a day back in the day.

Getting back to walking I wonder if guys realize what a fat melter fast walking is?  Walk far and fast and after a short week or two you will see a visible difference. Try for 4 to 6 times a week. I discovered the magic of fast walking from when I injured my Achilles sprinting 40 yard repeats. It stopped me from running for a very long time. I found after awhile I could walk with no pain so I did. My skin folds when down pretty quick. You burn about 100-120 calories walking fast per mile. So walking fast like I did today burned about 470 calories and maybe more with the strides thrown in. Hitting the bag for two rounds is about 76 calories. If I decrease my calorie food amount say 500 calories a day it's a huge deficit in a day.  I don't believe in the fuel used theory but walking uses fat for fuel and not glucose if you subscribe to that theory that it's the way to lose fat. I believe in the math of the total caloric cost. Yes, calories in and calories out.  It's just mathematical logic. Many lose weight with low carbohydrate diets for one simple reason. The diets  are lower in calories and it could be water loss too. Anyway between lifting, running, walking and diet you can be a fat burning furnace.  On a side note a true HIT protocol of 12 exercises for one work set was shown to burn less than 200 calories when they were done sitting in Nautilus machines. I know a typical barbell, dumbbell and machine protocol uses more calories than that. Any exercise whether cardio or lifting burns calories despite what previous research shows after the activity is over too.

When I use the term walking fast I'm talking about walking close to 4.0 MPH.  When I walk on a treadmill I set it at 3.8MPH. Go on a treadmill so you know about the pace I'm talking about when I say walking fast for fat loss.  Not talking about an old man stroll in the park.

[oldtimer1]

I've been neglecting this training log but I haven't stopped training. Tried some volume but how does anyone with a job and other obligations spend 2 plus hours in a gym almost every day?  I try to get the most bang for the buck and training to failure or near failure with low sets fits my life.

I will try to keep up the log for a week.  As if anyone cares, lol.

Chest and arms: In general two sets to failure. No warm ups if needed shown. I do many exercises without a warm up.

Barbell Bench press 2 x 6 then 1x1  (I get burned every time I barbell bench. My shoulders are shot so I never use a barbell. I use dumbbells instead. Trying again using slow controlled reps so hopefully I wont' fuck up or inflame anything.)

Incline barbell bench 2x6  (I have spotting racks for both flat bench and inclines so I won't die)

Dumbbell decline bench 2 x 8

Flat flies 2 x 10 (Tried to be precise so my shoulders won't scream in protest. So far, so good. )

V bar tricep pushdowns 2x12

EZ bar seated tricep extensions behind the head. 2x8 ( I lean back on scott pad turned around.)

Close grip bench with an EZ bar 2 x 8 (These are great but I keep thinking I'm going to get stuck and die. I can't position the spotter racks with the short bar. The EZ bar just feels right pushing on the curved part of the bar. Going to go to an Olympic bar even though the narrow grip feels awkward compared to the EZ bar. I then can use the spotter racks.)

Single arm reverse grip holding a D shaped handle 2 x 12

Barbell curl 2x10

Alternate dumbbell curl 2 x 8

Two hand dumbbell drag curl 2 x 12 (I lean back against the wall and let my elbows drift back to do the drag)

concentration curl 2 x 8 ( Increased the weight from what I normally use and my form and reps suffered. I might lighten the weight going back to a weight I fail at about 12 reps)

wrist curl 2 x25
wrist extension 2 x 20

Incline sit ups 1 x 29
Incline leg and hip raise 1 x 17
decline crunches 1 x 35 ( I use a decline bench and use the middle part of a sit up for constant tension)

Ivanko gripper 2 x 20


Some notes:  My pecs get more pumped with barbell presses than with dumbbells. For me I think I get a greater range of motion with a barbell. I touch the chest each rep without a crazy arch or a super wide grip. Even on inclines I touch the upper part of my chest with the bar each rep. If you use dumbbells be aware of the handle of the dumbbell. Are you really going deeper than a barbell?  I would argue the overwhelming majority are not coming close to the range of motion with a barbell.  If my shoulders hold up doing barbell benches with my planned slow progression I might even get around to using my McDonald bar collecting dust for decades for stretching presses.  I was never a good bench press guy. Always seems I'm pressing the barbell a mile off my chest. A buddy of mine a competitive power lifter seems to bench the bar a foot off his chest. No wonder he can use a sick amount of weight.

[oldtimer1]

Leg day: No warm ups shown. Reps are from memory so they can be off.

Work up nice and early before work. Saw a bunch of slush out there. Had to workout fast so I had time to shovel and clean the cars before heading out for work.

Leg press 2 x 12 (I have lightened the weight I usually use. I think the bone crushing weight was grinding my knee and hip up. Now I use a more precise movement and I don't go to absolute full range of motion anymore.)
Dumbbell squats 1x12 (This is a killer exercise. Use straps and squat deep with an upright back. Do not deadlift the dumbbells. Ass all the way down.)
Squat machine 1 x 10 (If your gym has a good one try it. I'm a big fan of machine squats.)
Stiff dead 1x6
leg extensions 2 x 20
Seated leg curl 2 x 15
Hip machine 2 x 12 (They vary greatly in their worth. Mine is okay not perfect. I have a standing model. The new hip thrust machines that work the glutes where you see all the women on are a fantastic addition to gyms. You will really feel it in your glutes. {Insert joke here}. Really deep squats hits the glutes hard but how many do deep squats? I will answer, very few.

Hanging leg raise with semi straight legs 1 x 29 (This great for traction of the lower back)
Hip ups while lying 1 x 35

Standing calf 2 x 15
Seated calf 2x15
tibalis 1 x 20

Four way neck machine 2 x 25 a side. For the back of the neck instead of using the four way neck machine I used and old fashion neck strap while seated. It felt like I was getting a more direct hit to it with the strap. So I did the front and the sides with the machine and the back with the neck straps.

[oldtimer1]

Back and delts:  Felt exhausted to start.

Wide grip pulldowns with a supinate grip with a MAG bar 2x10
Seated pulley lat pulls with a V handle 2 x 12
Dumbbell rows with knee and hand on bench 2 x 10
Narrow grip pulldowns with a supinate grip with a M.A.G bar 2 x 10

Standing delt dumbbell press 2 x 10-8
Dumbbell delt laterals 2 x 12
Seated rear delt laterals 2 x 10
Face pulls 2x12

Started Deadlifts warm ups and said fuck it. Exhausted. Going to pack a suit case and stay over night in Atlantic city going out to eat. Beginning to think due to age and maybe sickness I have to rethink heavy weights changing over to an endurance volume type workouts. This banging my head against a wall going to failure is not going to be a long time lifting model in my senior years. No shame going from a 100 meter sprinter to a 5K runner so to speak. Anyway putting lifting out of my mind for a night of fun. Who knows I might even take the wife dancing.

[oldtimer1]

Cut short my workout yesterday when I got to deadlifts. Felt like hell giving up but I was exhausted. Came back today from an Atlantic city over night. Yes, I drank and ate like a hog.  Sitting at home  I was getting more pissed off that I gave up on part of the workout yesterday. I went into the basement and finished it.

Dead lifts: Three warmups then 2x4 using 275lbs then 285lbs. 1x1 300lbs. Yes, I know light weights. Lower back was bugging me a bit from the 45 minutes ride back from AC in the ice.  I think I held my body tight driving from the stress. Doing my best, lol. A short 20 years ago I finished my lat and chest workout doing deadlifts finishing with over 400lbs every back day.

Barbell shrugs 2 x 10

Weighted low back hyper extensions 2x15 (used a 25lbs plate on the back of my head using the old horizontal hyper extension bench. Light years better than those new 45 degree hyper extension benches. I think who every designed them never used the old version. The new ones have the resistance disappear near the top of the movement and the horizontal keeps the resistance there.)

Ab wheel roll out 1 x 30
Pulley ab crunches 1 x 50

Reading interesting stuff from Steve Holman. Of course there is nothing new under the sun regarding lifting but his gift is explaining a training protocol even if he gives it a name like he invented it. Just a few things I find interesting.

4X:  He uses the X as his term for sets so it's 4 sets.  This protocol is as old as lifting. It could be 3 sets or 6 sets. Just if your doing multiple sets say 5 sets of 12 reps the first four you stop at 12 even though you can do more. The fifth set you go all out. You use the same weight throughout. Many champs have trained like this. So set one you stop at 12 but could have got 20 reps. The second set after a short rest you stop at 12 but you could have squeezed out 16. The third you stop at 12 but could have gotten 14. The fourth you stop at 12 but could have gotten 13. The fifth you go all out and fail at 8 reps. I invite you to look up his writings on lifting. Just know he makes up his own terms and it's confusing. He uses the term density for muscular endurance training. So when you hear him use the word  density training think volume training.

Another method that is apparently used by Ryan Humiston. Check out his you tube channel.  I think Holman calls this TORX. It's a high rep method with short rests between sets. Let's say your first set you fail at 30 reps or so. After a short rest you do your second set. This time you fail at say 17 reps. Short rest again and you go for the third set failing at 10 reps. Using the same weight throughout the exercise. Sounds like a brutal way to train with all the failure. Humiston said this is more brutal way to train than when he was using heavy weights and training slow. I believe him.  You have to get rid of your ego training like this. Ryan also recommends the occasional 100 rep set. Doesn't sound like fun. You can briefly rest pause in the goal of getting the 100 reps. Imagine doing a 100 reps in something like a hack squats going deep every rep? I don't know about you but I might have no weight on the weight holders trying to do this.

[oldtimer1]

Trained today but I think I will can posting this week. It's like a broken record. I did Chest and biceps with cardio at the end.

After this cycle for the week is over I hope to come up with a new training protocol. Maybe it's unique to me but once I find something that works I ride it out for many years. I remember when I was pre exhausting everything in the early 80's. I stuck with that for about ten years. I did leg extensions superset with squats. Chest flies super set with bench presses. Delt Laterals superset with Press behind the neck. Pullovers super set with chins. The list of pre exhaust goes on.

 Now I'm stuck on a variations of Yates methods. I think I need a break from low sets to failure. Time for volume but I keep backing away from it because my retirement job runs from 10A to 6P. On my feet a lot. I have to squeeze workouts in prior to work and volume can take a lot of time so I keep reverting to my Yates inspired 45 minute weight workouts. Today was about 45 minutes for weights and 45 minutes for cardio.

  I think in the end the experiment of one continues. It will never end. Clarence Bass said trainers should have an ownership philosophy of training. I think he means do what suits your body, life style and interests in training. It will carry you further than going down someone else's trail. Be inspired by what you hear about what someone else is doing but in the end make it your own is the right path.

[oldtimer1]

Trained legs today. Getting back into lunges or what they call single leg squats today.  I tried them walking with dumbbells. Something I have never done before. Usually I stand in one spot and lunge alternating legs. I see everyone walking now and wanted to try that. I really don't see the difference in walking and standing still alternating. One thing for sure I'm weak from not using them for ages.  I intend to correct that. It was a nice addition to my leg routine.

I think there is gold in lunges. It's how your legs work to run. I've noticed a surge in people praising lunges in video shorts and rightly so. One video I saw the guy praises them more than squats. Think of the old way of doing Olympic lifts. In the Clean and snatch they used the split technique. No one can argue that it lends itself to more weight that the squat technique. What I will argue is that the athletic transfer from split lifting is greater than the squat method.  Throw in some split snatches to your routine and I bet you will feel your sprinting speed go up quickly.  Want to be a better athlete, use lunges.

[oldtimer1]

Simple back workout. Yates one set to failure. No warm sets shown. Used them as I needed. For example for power cleans I started with the empty bar and my second warm up was with 115lbs and my third warm up with 135lbs. Truth is I wasn't feeling it but I powered through the workout. For pull downs I use a supinate M.A.G. bar. I have two. One narrow and one medium wide. I think they are fantastic. I mentioned this before. The rep count isn't always accurate. I do it from memory.

Power clean 3 x 3 then 1 x 1 (I like power cleans because they are athletic and a true power exercise. What I don't like is the arthritis in my elbows and shoulder limits my flexibility in the catch. Sometimes I wonder if I can get more flexibility if I did the movement more often?  I think every lifter should include at least one power movement in their workout that is athletic. Even if you don't catch the weight something like a fast high pull is an incredible exercise. Just pull the bar as if you were cleaning it but never complete the catch. (It is not an upright row but a clean without the catch at the shoulders) When I was a young sprinter it was a staple in my routine.   

Wide grip pulldown 1 x 12
Seated lat cable row with a V handle 1 x 15
Dumbbell lat row with a knee and hand on a bench 1 x 12
Narrow grip pulldown 1 x 12

Weighted back hyper extensions 1 x 21

Ab wheel roll out 1 x 30
Pulley crunches 1 x 50

The workout was over very quick. The one set to failure takes some recovery time between exercises. If you feel like you are about to keel over after a set breathing like a racehorse and know you couldn't have gotten one more rep you did proper training to failure. I didn't time the workout but I believe it was about 45 minutes. The power cleans slows down the workout. Just getting sick of deadlifts lately. Power cleans feels like I'm doing something athletic instead of typical bodybuilding isolation exercises. The body works as a unit in anything athletic and never in isolation. 

[oldtimer1]

Delt and triceps day:  Still on Yates one set to failure. No warm ups shown but I used them as needed.  An example of this is I used an empty bar then 95lbs for a warm up for military presses. Most exercises get no warm up, especially those where I fail above 12 reps. I try to train strict with a full range of motion. Feeling good health wise. Like I said before, I will red line while feeling good.

Military press cleaning the barbell off the floor 1x8
Dumbbell delt lateral 1 x 20

Dumbbell rear delt lateral 1 x 15

Face pulls 1 x 20 (A relatively recent addition to my workouts. I think I added them about a year or two ago. Great exercise. I have a foot brace so I can brace myself. If I didn't have that the exercise becomes awkward when you add weight.)

Barbell shrugs 1x15 ( I try to do these strict so I sacrifice weight. So many put 300lbs plus and barely move their shoulders up then slam them down to the starting point. Good way to eventually crush nerves that comes out of your cervical vertebrae. I know a guy who is a life time lifter that has one much smaller arm from nerve damage. It was from the arm nerve being crunched that comes out of the vertebrae in his neck.)

Triceps pulley pushdowns 1 x 20 (I thought the exercise felt really easy when I glance down and realized I was using ten pounds lighter than I planned so I repped out to 20)

Single dumbbell with two hands behind the head seated leaning back against a turned around scott bench 1 x 13

Single dumbbell with one hand behind the head 1 x 12 (So weak with these.)

Weighted dips 1 x 10

Weighted crunches 1 x 50
Pulley crunches 1 x 60

[oldtimer1]

Did jack today.  Walked fast for 4.7 miles. On the return I threw in some 400 meters to 40 meter strides (fast but nowhere near sprints). I rarely walk the trail by house on a Saturday. Surprised to see some people on the trail. It's not uncommon to see no one for many miles. It can be isolated.

 Saw four men that looked like outstanding runners.  They had the look of super lean muscle and they were flying. 

[oldtimer1]

Trained chest and biceps. Even though I wanted to make a change it's so easy to fall back on old habits especially when I just roll out of bed in the dark before work. I know how long tried and true workouts take and wanting to experiment on a workday suddenly sounds stressful. Will it take too long? Will I decide volume isn't for me with the non taxing first few sets? I just fell back into my Yates inspired one set to failure after very non taxing warm up sets if needed. Lifted for about 45 minutes then did about 45 minutes of cardio. Like to talk about a seldom talked about topic of how exercise effects depression, anxiety and the feeling of well being. A whole book was written about the topic of exercise and the mind called Spark by a Psychiatrist whose name escapes me now. The book is pretty dry reading and he only deals with cardio with little about lifting.

Reference the effect of lifting vs cardio on the mind and sprit I sometimes have a dichotomy of feelings. Both for me raises my outlook on life and invigorates.  I have no proof but I feel after a heavy lifting session I gain in testosterone and well being. That I'm tired but I feel great for the day.

Cardio like running and fast walking also makes me feel great initially. The problem I feel and it just can be me is that I feel a crashing of exhaustion later and dare say the jitters? Could it be my age, health and doing this stuff before a long day of work influence how I feel?  Too put what I'm trying to say succinctly. After lifting I feel calm, secure and feel confident. Many of the same feelings with cardio but there are times where I feel run down and jittery like I drank too much coffee. Maybe it's just doing too much without enough recovery time prior to work.

Last week I did four lifting sessions for the week and two cardio sessions. Told the wife last week I might be in remission because I feel fantastic. I will find out shortly with my monthly blood tests if that's the case. Maybe that's a sweet spot for me of combining lifting and cardio.  My typical weekly goal, not often achieved is to have an equal ratio of lifting sessions to cardio sessions for the week when I'm going hard core.

 Today I lifted hard and had a semi hard cardio session. Felt like crap at work.  Tomorrow is just training leg with no cardio. Bet I will be in better sprits tomorrow with the heavy leg day with no additional cardio.   I have been noticing this for a long time. Maybe the cardio is just in simple terms is wearing me out. 

[IroNat]

Over-Training (Overtonis)

https://greenrocksfitness.dudaone.com/over-training-overtonis

https://www.trulyhuge.com/forum/1648.html

[oldtimer1]

Leg day: Leg day sucks followed closely by back day. Still a broken record with one set to failure sometimes using non taxing warm ups and many times no warm up. When doing one or two sets to failure if you feel the need for a warm up do it but make sure it's non taxing. All you energy should go into that red line one set to failure.

Someone like Yates who uses 415lbs for his barbell inclines for one set to failure starts with 135lbs. Second warm up 225lbs and lastly 315lbs. All of those sets are stopped well within his limit. For a mere mortal like myself, my warm up say for a single set of benches would be an empty bar then one set with 135lbs then load up the bar for that one set.

 Someone using volume doing something like 4 sets would make every set a work set but none to failure is the typical protocol. Leave an exercise with some (reps) unused  in the tank.  Another volume method is to something like 4 sets of 12 with three sets all stopped at 12 knowing you could get more and that fourth set going to failure.

  I think I mentioned it recently but I'm really seeing the gold with lunges. Got away from them for so many years and now I see the tremendous value with them.

  I lift weights like a bodybuilder doing the usual 3 or 4 exercises a body part. I would never would call myself a bodybuilder and looking at me you probably wouldn't either.    I like to think of my training as athletic but I do realize while I include explosive power stuff, I do way too little. It's so important. Just today I was looking at a montage of NFL running back Christian McCaffrey training. Many including myself consider him the best running back in the NFL today.  The plyometrics and explosive movements were so interesting to watch. I watched the video many times and I forgot where the link is or I would have included it here. He did stuff like quarter squats.  Sled drags, bounding and single leg step ups on bumper plates with a barbell on his back so he's stepping on a raised platform with one leg. Never seen any bodybuilder doing anything like that. He also did the football players favorite the power clean.

  Another video I saw was a guy showing explosive power plyometric type movements for the calves. A basic movement is keeping your knees semi locked and bounding up and down using calf power was one of the drills. So many different drills you can use regarding power movements. One is to get into the starting lunge position with one leg forward and one back. Dip then explode for height switching legs while in the air. Too make it bodybuilding related there is video of Franco jumping with two dumbbells. Sure he saw the value of doing an explosive movement. If nothing else I think every one who does bodybuilding training should include at least one power exercise like a power clean or a snatch.

  That's all I got for today. I'm sure my posts are good for insomnia relief.  Tomorrow is a planned three mile run. Hope I complete it with no glitches.

[oldtimer1]

Today was a cardio day and I blew it. Tired and exhausted. Drove to one of my favorite running areas. It's a park that has a one mile asphalt loop. I planned to run three miles and after one mile I said fuck it. Still pissed about that as I'm sitting in bed getting ready to go to sleep. Some say listen to your body. If I did I would eat ice cream sundaes and sleep 16 hours a day. I came back and my wife asked the same question she always asked, "Did you have a good workout?"  Pissed at myself for dogging the cardio.  I hit the heavy bag for a couple of rounds.

Going to regroup and come up with a new plan. Always hated winter running. The obvious alternative is a treadmill but I hate that too staring at a wall running in one spot. I spend a good time with a  word processor  thinking of what I can do cardio wise reference the weather and trying to be consistent with cardio. The best laid plans often never work out but I think I'm on to something. I came up with four different approaches. I will see how they work out.  I will post the results.

My best recent weight was around 164lbs about a year ago. I'm now 174 and I feel like a fat cow. I should go easier on myself because for nearly a decade I hovered about 185 plus and I didn't look that bad. I think I could actually go as low as the high 150's if everything aligns health wise and dedication wise. I'm not a bodybuilder but at 5'8" I thought the body was really coming together at 164lbs. Had a small waist and I was clicking on all cylinders. I have my health limitations but I feel really good lately. I have more blood work coming up in two weeks and I wouldn't be surprised if I'm in remission. If it turns out I'm not it would explain a lot why things aren't going my way reference training. Determined to be in great shape this beach season. It's February in a day. I have to get to work. What determines how you looks this summer is what you are doing right now. Time is running out.

[oldtimer1]

Trained back today. Really getting into power cleans even though I can't come close to what I use to use. Something fun about them compared to a grinding deadlift. My form is crap but I'm working on it. Arthritis really is limiting my catch of the weight. I can't bend one arm fully like it's frozen.

I'm always thinking about working out strategies. Everyone as Clarence Bass said must have an ownership principle regarding working out. Meaning be inspired by what you hear others are doing but make it your own.  I'm inspired by Yates but I don't use the same exercises. I always ask what the other guy is doing. It gives me ideas and it gives me inspiration if a guy is having success. It's not unusual for me to be with a pad and pen or computer figuring out strategies that could work for me. Just look at all the split variations. They are all good. So is without saying whole body routines.

I think for an athlete a whole body routine is the best way to add lifting into your training. The body fatigues as a unit and fatigue isn't just localized to the body part trained. Say you're into jui jitsu. You're really dedicated and roll four days a week. Can you do a split weight routine doing body part training in addition? How could you do that with a career and a family?  That's where a whole body routine really shines. Two days a week do a whole body routine in addition to your other physical activities. Never feel like you're not training optimally because you're not doing a split.

For a natural guy a whole body routine might be the "holy" grail of training.  I know it would be optimal to train with a whole body routine three days a week but just two works too. Hell, if life gets in the way using one workout week isn't a big set back. Most train body parts one day a week and with the over lap it isn't completely true but with a whole body you are doing it three days a week. I notice when I do a whole body I get stronger in many movements because they are repeated two to three times a week. Some thing like chins instead of doing them once a week they are hit three times a week and the progress becomes very apparent quickly.

Their is a drawback to whole body routines. They are without a doubt the hardest way to train. Even Mentzer after he won the Mr. America using them said the same. In one training session training legs, back, chest, shoulders, triceps, biceps, calfs and an incidental like neck is exhausting. Needless to say you have to limit your exercises per body part. Exercise choices can be change after a period like two or four weeks to give your mind a fresh outlook on training. Use the best exercises. An example of what I'm talking about is say one cycle you use the bench and flies. After two weeks or more when you change your exercises you use an incline press and say dips.

That's all for now and again if your having trouble with insomnia read my training logs. They will put you to sleep fast.

[oldtimer1]

Delt and Tri day: Doing one set to failure after warm up. On a few exercises I raised the weight and lowered the reps.

Military press 1 x 8
Dumbbell delt lateral raise 1x10  (used heavier dumbbells than I usually do. My bad shoulder is paying for it)
Rear delt lateral raise 1x14
Face pulls 1 x 15 (raised the weight. Seems to be the theme of this workout)
Barbell shrugs 1x13 (Upped the usual weight)

Traditional push downs 1x 14
Single Dumbbell with two hands behind the head tricep 1 x 13
Rope push downs 1 x 15
Weighted dips 1 x 10

Weighted crunches 1 x 50 (Used 5lbs heavier a weight than usual.)
Pulley crunches 1 x 60
Decline romans 1 x 40 (felt lower ab strain. I have to be careful)

Tomorrow is running. Gaining weight fast. Looking good but the waist is getting too thick. The weight just keeps creeping up. Getting into old bad habits of eating what ever I want and as much as I want. I have to get back to recording what I eat. Feeling strong but that's because I'm putting on weight. Looking good in a tee shirt is not the same as looking good shirtless. I really hope I don't choke tomorrow so I can get a good run in. Last time I ran really terrible. 

Regarding military presses I have some comments.  On a side note my son while in the military chipped his beautiful perfect teeth military pressing. I never came close to banging my chin or teeth but it makes me wonder if someday I will like he did. He had it repaired.

 For over 30 years my main shoulder pressing movement was the full range press behind the neck. Never had an issue. I think many have such tight shoulders from benching, and the movement requires flexibility that leads to tear injuries.

 Many Olympic lifters practice holding the bar on their traps then they push press it out while dropping into a squat with the bar over head. Never heard them say it was damaging to their shoulders and they use serious weight. I want to get back to the press behind the neck but between my shoulders being all messed up from a partial rotator cuff tear, torn labrum and just inflexibility I don't know if my shoulders can take the movement anymore. The only option is to start very light and work from there if I go back.

[oldtimer1]

Did light cardio. Walked fast for 4.7 miles with some strides thrown in. Not a sprint but fast running between 300 yards and 40 yards today. Think I did 7 of them.  Something about fast walking is magic. It melts fat and it doesn't seem like exercise. I do walk really fast though. Something about walking though hurts my ego. Walking is great  for your health but it's hardly seems athletic. I hope to get into good running shape and that means I'm going to have to neglect somewhat the lifting. I'll see how it goes. I use to be good runner. Now you can time my runs with an hour glass.  I just might abandoned this transition to running. I want to be in good running shape by summer but who knows how that will go? Maybe I don't have it in me anymore. I will walk at first before transitioning to slow running and take it from there. I have a fantasy of being able to run like I use to but I will take, he runs great for a 65 year old at this point, lol.

[oldtimer1]

This Sunday I did a walking treadmill workout. I call this work out the ladder because every lap you go up 1% incline climbing the ladder of intensity.

Lap 1: 3.8 MPH at 0% incline (grade) for one lap (440 yards-quarter mile)
Lap 2: 3.8 MPH at 1% incline for one lap (440 yards-quarter mile)
Lap 3: 3.8 MPH at 2% incline for one lap
Lap 4: 3.8 MPH at 3% incline for one lap
Lap 5: 3.8 MPH at 4% incline for one lap
Lap 6: 3.8 MPH at 5% incline for one lap
Lap 7: 3.8 MPH at 6% incline for one lap
Lap 8: 3.8 MPH at 7% incline for one lap
Lap 9: 3.8 MPH at 8% incline for one lap
Lap 10: 3.8 MPH at 9% incline for one lap
Lap 11: 3.8 MPH at 10% incline for one lap
Lap 12: 3.8 MPH at 11% incline for one lap
Lap 13: 3.8 MPH at 12% incline for one lap
Lap14: 3.8 MPH at 0% incline for one lap

I think it was harder to type out that workout than it was to do it.

 I remember when I ripped my bicep entirely off my forearm and it balled up at my shoulder decades ago. I thought lifting was over. I had the operation then ordered not to do exercise or even rehab for 6 weeks. I remember doing rehab with stuff like two pound weights and other ridiculous stuff. Even though it was a bicep the whole arm felt destroyed. I remember doing a bench with a 45lbs bar saying to myself lifting was over.

I thought I could go back to being a pure runner. I did workouts like the one above with my arm in a sling. Every day just about I did a challenging walking program on the treadmill.  Then when the sling came off I started running. I found I could run like a deer from the weeks of treadmill walking on an incline. It took six months of really hard work to get the damaged arm working again. I had nerve damage too from the injury.

 At about 6 or 7 months I went back to my orthopedic surgeon and told him I tested the arm with a 405lb deadlift to see if the bicep could take it and he was pissed. He said do you want to wreck my work?  When you have a full tendon rupture it is most repairable in the first five days. I was operated on five days after. All I can say is the doc did a great job. For decades now the arm works.

 Long story short, I got into incredible cardio shape during the injury and rehab. I use to run with two guys from work  that did nothing but running. Prior to the injury I couldn't keep up with them. Fast forward to post injury.

 During lunch at work it was popular with the guys to hit the gym or the road for miles. I ran three miles hard and when I returned to the locker room I found the two guys I work with getting ready to run. Both were super lean pure runners. They were saying, too bad you ran already you could have run with us. Told them I would run again. I blew both of them out of the water running that day.

  Morale to the story. Never underestimate fast walking. It will get you in shape. Put in the miles. Especially if you use a treadmill and an incline. The transition to running will be quick after a break in week if you put in the miles fast walking.

[oldtimer1]

Putting off a running dedicated workouts for one more week. The plan for next week is to lift twice a week and run the other days. My planning of workouts is ever evolving at least in my head. This morning before work I planned to do a whole body workout but I didn't think I had enough time so I canned it in favor of the split routine I have been doing lately.  I also hesitated knowing how devastated it leaves me doing an involved full body routine. I said it before and I will say it again a comprehensive whole body routine is the absolute hardest routine you can do.

Today I did chest and biceps. Then did a cardio session of incline walking. I did one lap (quarter mile) of running when I finished my incline walking ladder workout described in a previous post above. I was completely shot but I did it in 6:59 pace or 8.6 MPH.  Later at work about 5 hours into the shift I started to feel like I was crashing.  When I was younger training and going to work was just part of the deal. Now that I'm older it seems it gets harder to do every year. Sitting in bed now at 8:30P so I can get up tomorrow before work to hit legs, ugh. 

I penned out a change in workouts for next week. Hope it works out. I will document it so my one reader can read it, lol.

[oldtimer1]

Woke up at 5:30A before work and did legs in my basement.

Walked 3.8 MPH for a quarter mile to wake myself up. No warm ups shown.

Leg press 1 x 13 4 plates a side. (I don't consider it rep until my legs are fully bent like an Olympic squat. It limits the weight because I'm not doing quarter or half leg presses but I feel the long range of motion works the legs harder than piling on plates and barely bending your legs. Get that back board low so you can bend your legs and lighten the weight)

Squat machine 1 x 11 2 plates a side and going rock bottom.

Stiff dead 1x 8 205lbs ( I stand on a block to do these. I go pretty low.)

Lunges 1 x 9 reps a leg. Used really two light dumbbells (30lbs) but tried to be strict and deep with the form.

leg extensions 1 x 27 (No weight mentioned. It just differs from machine to machine. In the gym I had the pin at the 150lbs labeled plate. In my home gym 80lbs feels as heavy at the 150lbs gym machine.

Seated leg curl 1x17

Hanging semi straight leg raises 1 x 30

Hip ups 1x35 (On my back with feet pointed at the ceiling. Raise your hips toward the ceiling off the floor like you are trying push your feet up. Not a leg raise but a hip up so to speak)

Standing calf raise 1 x 17 205lbs

Seated calf raise 1 x 20 90lbs ( seen guys using insane amount of weight in seated calf raises. I can't. Saw a powerlifter had 45lbs plates stacked almost to the end of the weight bar. Then proceeded to move his heels up and down shallow like a monkey humping a football. If I attempted that no doubt I would break something)

Tibalis raise 1 x 22 15lbs with a D.A.R.T type contraption

Four way neck machine 1 x 25 for front and the two sides. For the back I was seated doing a typical neck harness. I feel these more for the back  than the machine for the back of the neck.


I reluctantly put the weights down because it's meaningless. One guy will put 600lbs on the leg press and do shallow leg presses oblivious that  using half that weight but doing slow full range is actually harder. Leg press machine really vary in design.  Some are just made horrible. Some are really good.  I have a cheap Serious Steel leg press and it's designed perfectly for me. I can fully bend my legs with it. I don't think the company exists anymore. Again putting the weight down is meaningless because of differing range of motions and rep speed both positive rep and negative.