Hi everyone, I haven't posted in a while again, so here's a snapshot of where I am and my thoughts. Overall my workouts the past two months have been really good. I feel fresh every time I walk in the gym and I'm not killing myself like I did with the Rippetoe's...that was way too aggressive for an old guy like me. (And honestly, I wasn't eating right to support it). My injuries are mostly gone and I've been able to focus on getting stronger again.
LOWER 1 - Tuesday PM
Deadlift 2x8x205
Bulgarian Split Squat 2x10x40s
Russian Twist
Hanging Knee Raise
UPPER 1 - Thursday PM
Flat Dumbbell Bench Press 3x6x90s
Pull-ups 6x6x6x4x4
Standing Dumbbell OH Press 2x15x35s
Seated Cable Row 3x7x112.5
LOWER 2 - Saturday AM
Squat 3x6x200
GHR 1x5
Cable Pull Through 2x15x110
Russian Twist
Hanging Knee Raise
UPPER 2 - Sunday AM
Standing Dumbbell OH Press 3x8x50s
Pull-ups 7x6x5x4x3x2x1
Flat Dumbbell Bench Press (Unilateral) 2x12x60s
Face Pull 2x15x90
Dumbbell Curl 2x10x35s
Skull Crusher 2x10x75
Here's what I'm thinking and how I've been progressing:
LOWER 1 - Featuring Deadlift
Deadlift, lower weight, higher reps for two reasons. Scared of putting too much stress on my lower back with higher weight. I feel I get a much better lower body workout doing higher reps. My legs are really spent after the eight rep. Progressing up to 2x8, then add 5 pounds for 2x6 and work up to 2x8.
Bulgarian Split Squat - Accessory for Squats
UPPER 1 - Featuring Flat Dumbbell Bench Press and Cable Row
Bench Press is coming along very nicely. I just graduated to 90 pounders and will work up to 8 rep sets, then go to 95 pounders.
Pull-ups, no real plan except I shoot for 24 - 25 reps total. Usually pretty short rest, about a minute, in between sets.
Standing Dumbbell OH Press on this day is accessory, lower weight, higher reps, pretty fast, not near failure.
Seated Cable Row, challenging weight 3x8, then progress to next plate for 3x6
As I'm writing this, it occurs to me that I should change the pull-ups on this workout to last to be fresher for Rows.
LOWER 2 - Featuring Squat
Squats - I thought I'd never be able to say this, but I'm Squatting for progression again. I'm getting quite low too, definitely past parallel. My progression is unconventional (I think) but it's been working. I move up 5 pounds for 3x5, work up to 3x6, then move up 5 pounds again. I'm not at the same weight for too long, but I'm not adding weight too fast either. I've been doing this for about 6 weeks now and it's going well. I may have to slow it down and microload for 2 1/2 pound progression soon.
GHR is non-machine, just hooking my ankles under something and on my knees. Accessory for Deadlift. I can only do negatives, but I can now do three good negatives (without using my arms), the last two I have to save myself or else I'll slam down. Believe it or not, this is progress considering I couldn't do one negative when I started these a while back.
Cable Pull Through - Accessory for Deadlift. High reps, lower weight. I concentrate on Glute activation with this.
UPPER 2 - Featuring Standing Dumbbell Over Head Press
Standing Dumbbell OH Press, progression like Bench Press.
Flat Dumbbell Bench Press (Unilateral) - Accessory. By unilateral, I mean keeping the non-working dumbbell in the air and work one arm at a time. Low weight, higher reps. I mix it up here and do different low weight high rep bench stuff from week to week.
Face Pull - Row accessory.
I do
bi's and
tri's because this is an easier day and I have 4 days recovery until UPPER 1, and because I can't help myself.
