Getting stronger getting older

Dtp1979

5/3/1 repeating cycle 12

Toe squats to 80kg x 3

100kg x 2

112.5kg x 5
127.5kg x 3
142.5kg x 1

RDL
110kg x 5
130kg x 4
150kg x 3 PB

Leg curl 49 x 3 x 8

Calf raises

No problems today. 127.5 felt really good. Tiny bit of a grind outa the hole on 142 but I always knew I had it
150kg is a RDL Pb. Prob had 3-4 more in the tank

Dtp1979

Cycle 2 week 3 Day 2

40kg x 8
50kg x 5
60kg x 3
70kg x 1

80kg x 7 x 5

Rev flys x 4 x 10

Face pulls x 4 x 10

Core

I had to dig a bit deeper today. Again all were doable but the fatigue definatley appearing. All in all, a good session and very happy I’m paused benching 80kg for 5 reps

Dtp1979

This time last year, out of boredom one day, I took precise measurements of the muscles on my body. Neck, shoulders, chest, tummy, hips, quads, calfs. Remeasured today, and there’s been zero growth. Give or take a mm or 2 there’s been no change. Weight has stayed around the same too.
My thoughts....I don’t really care, cause I’m a lot stronger than I was a year ago.

Ps. Fcuk you calf raises

Dtp1979

5/3/1 repeating cycle 12 Deadlift

40mm Deficit

Paused 1” off floor to 100kg x 3

120kg x 1

140kg x 5

160kg x 3

180kg x 1

Front Squats
60kg x 3
70kg x 3
80kg x 3
90kg x 3
100kg x 3 PB

Single Leg extensions x 4 x 10

Fairly uneventful day. I was supposed to do 177.5 for the single, but threw the rule book out the window, went crazy and pulled 180 . Handy enough
Pretty sure front squat 100kg x 3 is a Pb

Dtp1979

Cycle 2 week 3 day 3

40kg x 7
50kg x 5
65kg x 3
75kg x 1

82.5kg x 8 x 4

Rev flys

Facepulls

Today was probably a bit easier than the 7x5.
Cycle 1 and 2 have been worlds apart. Im glad I did 2 cycles now. So much more confident and stronger on this.

Dtp1979

Cycle 2 week 3 Day 4

42.5kg x 7
52.5kg x 5
62.5kg x 2
75kg x 1
85kg x 1

87.5kg x 10 x 3

Deadlift

60kg x 5
90kg x 3
120kg x 1
140kg x 1
Runners off
160kg x 1
180kg x 1
200kg x 1

It wasn’t pretty.
Ass spent more time off the bench than on it. I wanted to quit cause of shoulder pain but I just couldn’t drop at the last hurdle. Set 9 was surprisingly the easiest and best.
I put on the belt for the first time to see if it made any difference around set 5. Don’t think it did. Anyway, not all doom and gloom. I’m after completing 87.5kg x 10 x 3. Ugly as it was it seemed an impossible task just a week ago.

As for deadlift, wtf is going on I’ve no idea, but I like it. Pulling 200 was fairly handy and I’m raging I didn’t go for a double. I had a 215 max in my head but opted out cause of time.

Dtp1979

5/3/1 repeating cycle 12

Toe squats to 80kg x 5

100kg x 2

115kg x 1
125kg x 1
135kg x 1
145kg x 1

RDL (2 second pause)
100kg x 3 x 8

Modified back extension thingy 10, 10, 12

Leg extension
60 x 10
70 x 2 x 10

Squat felt ok ish today. Did no volume. Save the aul body until I test the bench prob Tuesday morning. Hope that’s not too long of a wait but it’s the soonest I can get back.
The back extension thingy was more a hamstring/glute excersise in the end on the leg curl machine. They were like jelly after it

Dtp1979

All going well I’ll be testing in the morning. Current 1RM is 95kg

What’s the best buildup with singles for this? I want to do it right. I’m hoping to hit 100 fingers crossed.

Alf Veedersane

Dtp1979 wrote: »

All going well I’ll be testing in the morning. Current 1RM is 95kg

What’s the best buildup with singles for this? I want to do it right. I’m hoping to hit 100 fingers crossed.

As always, just a caveat that I'm not a coach so take with a pinch of salt.

But, what I would do is something along the lines of:

Bar x 10
40 x 3-5
60 x 3
75 x 2
90 x 1

I've seen %-based approaches that go 50%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95% and then go for PR. It's suggested by people that know more than me but what I outlined is how I'd go about it, for whatever that is worth. Keep warm up reps to a level that you're priming yourself and conserving energy for the max.

Dtp1979

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

As always, just a caveat that I'm not a coach so take with a pinch of salt.

But, what I would do is something along the lines of:

Bar x 10
40 x 3-5
60 x 3
75 x 2
90 x 1

I've seen %-based approaches that go 50%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95% and then go for PR. It's suggested by people that know more than me but what I outlined is how I'd go about it, for whatever that is worth. Keep warm up reps to a level that you're priming yourself and conserving energy for the max.

90 x 1 then go for 100?

Alf Veedersane

Dtp1979 wrote: »

90 x 1 then go for 100?

Go for whatever you think is on based on the 90.

But in my experience, when testing in the gym, especially for 100, too many singles towards at the heavier end of the warm up cost me the 100.

Is there any point going 90, 95 and then going for the 100? Not IMHO.

coffee_cake

If i were testing my squat which is my only current xp around those numbers, i would go up to 75 like Alf said then 85, 92.5, 100. Singles only no doubles or anything.
For me personally i wouldn't jump more than 7.5 that close to max
Don't do too many singles close to max like you did before though or you'll be ded

Dtp1979

I’m looking forward to it. I really feel I have 100 in me now, and at Xmas I was setting 100 as an unrealistic target for Xmas 2018!!

Alf Veedersane

bluewolf wrote: »

If i were testing my squat which is my only current xp around those numbers, i would go up to 75 like Alf said then 85, 92.5, 100. Singles only no doubles or anything.
For me personally i wouldn't jump more than 7.5 that close to max

That's a fair point and I had originally left the last warm up at 90/92.5.

Dtp1979

Smolov jnr Test

Bar x 10
40kg x 5
60kg x 3
75kg x 2
90kg x 1

100kg x 1 HUUUUUGGGEEEE PB
102.5kg FAIL

OHP
Bar x 10
30kg x 5
40kg x 2
50kg x 1
53.75kg x 1

62.5kg x 1 PB
65kg x NOT A HOPE

Wohoooo. 100kg Bench. Not totally happy with technique. Ass did leave the bench momentarily. Can’t complain tbh.
Cont believe I just benched 100kg ffs.

Had no intention of testing OHP. Was just trying it out. Stupid doing so with a dodgy left shoulder. Even more stupid loading the bar wrong and putting more weight on the left side for the 53.75 rep.
But it felt ok so had a shot at 62.5 and nailed it. Thanking Smolov for that

Gonna have to re adjust end of year goals now. I thought I was mad predicting 100 for next Xmas. Now I’m looking at 105. CRAZY

Mr. CooL ICE

All hail our lord and saviour, Sergey Smolov

Alf Veedersane

Took me 11 months to increase my bench PR from 97.5 to 100kg. Have added 7.5kg in the 9 months since.

Sometimes hitting the milestone is a mental block rather than a physical one.

Dtp1979

Front squat
Bar x 10

40kg x 5
65kg x 2
85kg x 1
100kg x 1
110kg x 1 PB
120kg x 1 PB

Bench press paused

40kg x 5
60kg x 3
80kg x 1
92.5kg x 1

Biceps/triceps x full bro mode

Thought I’d give front squat a go wearing squat shoes for a change. It’s cool when you can front squat your old back squat 1RM

Shouldn’t have benched. Sore shoulder but thankfully had the cop on to stop at 92.5kg.

Biceps/triceps..... cause I want my arms to look bigger on holidays tomorrow.

Pavel66

Well done on the 100kg bench! Great stuff!

Dtp1979

Deadlift

60kg x 5
80kg x 3
100kg x 2
120kg x 2

140kg x 1
160kg x 1
180kg x 1
200kg FAIL
200kg FAIL

Woke up with the intention of going for a new 1rm today.
Everything felt heavy.
Excuses
1. 5 hours sleep
2. Body tired from hard week
3. Didn’t listen to metal today

Just tired I guess. Ashamed to say I dropped 200kg to the ground from just below my knees. Like a proper dickhead.
Purely out of frustration cause I never fail from that point. Once I get it up to that height I normally finish the lift. Fatigue.

Mr. CooL ICE

Dtp1979 wrote: »

Didn’t listen to metal today

Well, what did you think was going to happen?

Dtp1979

Dole Scrounging Vegan Crossfitter wrote: »

Well, what did you think was going to happen?

I know yea, doomed from the start

Deano7788

One thing I would say is potentially 20kg is a very big jump to be making to go up to a max. Once you get to those %s, that big a jump could really throw you.

Dtp1979

Deano7788 wrote: »

One thing I would say is potentially 20kg is a very big jump to be making to go up to a max. Once you get to those %s, that big a jump could really throw you.

I would agree but I’ve hit 200 a few times now like this with no issues whatsoever. I’d really say it’s down to fatigue. 2 cycles of Smolov Bench, then 2 days ago I tested Bench and OHP. I got a 205PB deadlift recently and pulled 200 Last week.

Deano7788

Dtp1979 wrote: »

I would agree but I’ve hit 200 a few times now like this with no issues whatsoever. I’d really say it’s down to fatigue. 2 cycles of Smolov Bench, then 2 days ago I tested Bench and OHP. I got a 205PB deadlift recently and pulled 200 Last week.

One thing I would say is I don't think your warm up does you any favours in conserving energy. Don't think there's a need to just go up in 20s from 60 onwards. I would normally start with big jumps and then decrease them as I get closer to my worksets. Last week I worked up to 205kg for 5s on block pulls as an example, and my warm up went 70x5, 120x3, 160, 180, 195 for singles. Obviously this is a long way from max effort for me but I did similar enough for my comp and it seems to work well for me.

I would have gone something like 60x5, 100x3, 130, 155, 175, 190 as singles and then judged from there. It would bring me closer to my working weight/planned attempt for testing, and in less sets

Dtp1979

Toe squats to 80kg x 3

100kg x 3
110kg x 3

Various other stuff

Back to the gym after holidays. I missed it.
My shoulder pain is gone from bad to worse to half better to worse. I’m starting Smolov jnr squat tomorrow. Day 1 weight is 105, so today was just a warmup and to feel some weight on my back again.

The rest of the session I was trying to find excersises that didn’t aggravate my shoulder. Benching seems to be out anyway, and heavy rows of any kind.
Looks like my biceps/triceps/traps/core will be getting a blast in the next few weeks along with Smolov squat

Alf Veedersane

Might be worth having a physio look at your shoulder to see what the problem is.

What I thought was a tricep issue turned out not to be and some work on my lats and pec minor resolved it.

Dtp1979

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Might be worth having a physio look at your shoulder to see what the problem is.

What I thought was a tricep issue turned out not to be and some work on my lats and pec minor resolved it.

Couldn’t agree more and Physio is getting the call tomorrow morning.

Dtp1979

Smolov Jr Squat

Toe squats to 85kg x 3

105kg x 6 x 6

Stretching/rolling

Jelly legs. Hard work and light enough weights. The first 3 sets were sloppy and ugh. The last 3 were technically much better but legs got very tired. It wasn’t a pleasant experience.
I’ll put it down to little or no volume over the last 2 months and that I’m just back from holidays.
The shoulder issue caused some flexibility issues but wasn’t too bad after warming up

Dtp1979

Today is the first time in a long time that I haven’t started my workout with a compound movement.
Bench is out until my fizzio has a look this evening. Just trying out various stuff to see what aggravates the shoulder.

Overhead pulldown x 5 x 10 not too bad, didn’t feel it too much in the lats but triceps tired. Barely felt them in the shoulder.

One handed cable rows x 4 x 10. Felt uncomfortable, not painful on the bad side

Tricep pushdowns x 5 x 15. No pain. Handy and pumpy

Shrugs x 5 x 20. Extremely light and easy.

Biceps