Getting stronger getting older

Dtp1979

Bench press

75kg x 5

80kg x 5

85kg x 4

Failed the last rep again. Again this was fear of pushing too hard. Decided against extra back off sets cause I’ve been resting the shoulder and elbow well and wanted to give it more time. I’ve been using difene gel religiously for the last few days. Think it’s helping

Lat pulldown 73kg x 3 x 10

Pec dec 61kg x 3 x 10 slow

Vertical row 73kg x 3 x 10

Rev flys x 3 x 12

Shrugs

Dtp1979

Squat

120kg x 3

125kg x 3

130kg x 3

Very last rep rolled up and went from low bar to high bar.

leg extensions

Dtp1979

Bench press

80kg x 3

85kg x 3

90kg x 3

Repeat of last 3’s and I’m very happy with that as I was feeling very creaky starting off snd didn’t even expect to go to 85 let alone 90.

Shoulder press machine 110 x 3 x 10

Seated row shrugs max x 3 x 10

Seated row 73 x 3 x 10

DB shrugs 40kg x 3 x 10

Good upper back pump

Dtp1979

Deadlift

120kg x 5

130kg x 5

140kg x 5

All grand. No belt.

Leg curls x 1,000,000

Dtp1979

Bench press

80kg x 3

Body didn’t want to play ball. Sore shoulder and elbow. I could’ve went on as the strength was there but no, too high risk of injury

DB incline bench 15kg x 3 x 10

Seated machine shrugs max x 3 x 12

Seated row 79 x 3 x 12

Single hand tricep push downs

DB shrugs

Alf Veedersane

Might be time to drop benching for a bit.

Dtp1979

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122176599#Comment_122176599

I know deep down you’re right. I’ve spent so many years trying to get good at it and now that I’m finally moving what is decent weight for me, it’s a total kick in the nuts.

Alf Veedersane

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122176914#Comment_122176914

If you don't, you'll keep going as you are and get to 80-90% before you have to call it there because of the shoulder and/or elbow twinges. You'll just keep spinning your wheels and making no improvement and not letting whatever is wrong heal.

I know because that's exactly what i did for months. It's only been in the last few months that i've felt like i could max on bench after doing my shoulder in early January 2022.

There are likely variations or even just bench accessories you can do that don't make the shoulder cranky so it's not like you wouldn't be doing anything and you'd bounce back to your numbers now pretty quickly.

Mr. CooL ICE

I've probably missed it but have you tried reverse grip benching? I've seen it mentioned a lot as a way of getting bench volume in around shoulder injuries.

Alf Veedersane

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122177473#Comment_122177473

The real skullcrushers

Dtp1979

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122177473#Comment_122177473

never heard of it. Sounds like a suicide grip x 1000

Mr. CooL ICE

Jaysus. You just have palms facing you instead of away from you. Doing that doesn't make your thumb magically disappear

Dtp1979

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122179121#Comment_122179121

I’ll give it a go and see how it feels

Dtp1979

Gave it a go. Felt awful and dangerous. My shoulder feels great after squatting, probably cause it’s getting a good stretch.

Squat

120kg x 5

130kg x 3

140kg x 1

One of the better squat sessions in recent memory. Everything moved with relative ease. I had more reps in everything. Very happy with that.

Dtp1979

Today I played around trying to find what didn’t hurt.

Barbell bench is out

Dumbell bench hurts after 20kg so that’s out

Kadillac bar bench might work but my j cups don’t fit it so it’s too awkward.

Narrow grip I’ll try next time

Shoulder press machine seems fine

Lat pulldown I’m not sure about yet

For the next while it’ll be shoulder work, build my back and triceps.

Dtp1979

Deadlift

140kg x 3

150kg x 3

170kg x 3

Finally back to feeling strong at deadlifting.

GHD X 3 x 8

Leg curls

Alf Veedersane

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122188096#Comment_122188096

Try neutral grip with dumbbells as well…or even hybrid; somewhere between the DBs being in line and being parallel. Takes a little work off the shoulders. Still find myself having to turn the DBs in a bit when DB benching

Dtp1979

Bench day

Tried all forms of grip and positions with Dumbell pressing and they all aggravated the shoulder. The pain isnt severe but I want to do things where I feel zero pain.
Close grip bb was feeling ok until I got to 50kg.
BB ohp was ok until I got t on 35kg.
The only pressing that’s causing zero pain is the seated machine shoulder press neutral grip.

Dtp1979

Squat

115kg x 5

125kg x 5

135kg x 4

135’s were probably the easiest of the working sets. So easy that I was far too chilled on the last rep and when I went down my legs were more tired than they realised and I failed. I’m 100% certain I had another 2-3 reps in me

Dtp1979

Shoulder press 120lbs x 4 x 10

Seated shrugs max x 3 x 15

Single hand cable push downs

Pec dec

Seated rows 79 x 3 x 10

Shoulder press causes about 1% discomfort so I’ll work on a few different angles. Seems it’s all I can press for now

Dtp1979

Deadlift

140kg x 5

160kg x 3

180kg x 1

Gravity felt strong today. Spent 4 hours strumming on a 45 degree slope yesterday so my lower back and forearms were knackered. Very happy with the 180.

Alf Veedersane

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122209113#Comment_122209113

Just be careful not to minimise the discomfort to yourself when doing it. I did that and basically ended up just spinning my wheels and not letting the injury recover.

You can still work the muscles without having to press - not to the same degree obviously - in the short term if it let's you get back to pressing sooner.

You'll know yourself but don't kid yourself that you're sparing the injury - like I did - when you know deep down that its a little too much discomfort

Dtp1979

That’s weird, I responded to you Alf yesterday but the post disappeared. Basically I said if there’s any discomfort going forward, I’ll drop the exercise.

Today:

Seated shoulder press worked up to 120x12

Took about 5 sets to get there. Using a neutral grip I’ve tried this with elbows flared out and tucked in. There’s zero discomfort today thankfully.

Seated shrugs supersetted with tricep pull downs

Pec dec supersetted with seated Row.

All the above are slow eccentric exercises

I have to say, slow eccentric on the pec deck is a chest killer.

Dtp1979

squat

125kg x 3

130kg x 3

135kg x 3

Easier than expected

Dtp1979

seated shoulder press SS Rev fly machine

Seated shrug SS tricep pulldown

Seated rows SS DB shrugs

Forgot to do pec dec.

Cortisone injection booked in for later today. Let the healing begin….

Dtp1979

Deadlift

120kg x 5

135kg x 5

150kg x 5

Can’t remember the last time 150 x 5 moved that easily.
I know I’m getting strong when my warmup at 100 feels like paperweight.

Leg curls

cortisone injection in Thursday. No pain in my shoulder like I normally do after one. Last time I got one was just and I waited a week before I went back benching. This time I’m gonna stretch that out a good bit.

Dtp1979

Squat

120kg x 5

135kg x 3

150kg x 1

I’m fairly sure I’ve done a 150 single in the last 2 years but I don’t think I’ve ever done 150 so easily. So happy with how that moved. Zero struggle, no stopping points. Smooth all the way up and down.

Dtp1979

Deadlift

140kg x 3

160kg x 3

175kg x 3

Increase of 5kg on the final set.

I took yesterday off for 2 reasons. My back was sore and seeing as I’m pretty much doing squat/deadlift I reckon I need a bit of space in between lifts.
Today I was ready to quit at the first sign of trouble in my back.
After the 160 I was wrecked but to my surprise the 175’s all went up. 180x3 is my old pb so I’m not that far from that now

Dtp1979

Lat pulldown 52kg x 5 x 15

Single hand tricep pulldown 4 sets

Seated row 52kg x 4 x 12

DB Shrugs 40kg x 4 x 12

Restart of upper body work. Avoiding tte shoulder for now and keeping things generally light

Dtp1979

Squat

115kg x 5

125kg x 5

135kg x 5

Repeating the last 5’s session where I missed the last rep. No misses today. The first 3 on 135 were grand but the legs definitely started to feel weak on the last 2. Happy enough all the same

Dtp1979

light shoulder pressing SS lat pulldown

Seated row SS with tricep extensions

Shrugs

Dtp1979

Deadlift

145kg x 5

165kg x 3

185kg x 1

5kg increase on all rounds. My body wasn’t firing on all cylinders today so I’m happy enough to have got through these

Dtp1979

Squat

120kg x 3

130kg x 3

140kg x 3

The easiest 140 x 3 in a while. Definitely had 5 in me. Shouider flexability seems to be at an all time high which is strange considering my shoulder issues of late.

Dtp1979

deadlift

120kg x 5

140kg x 5

160kg x 5

Can’t find anything in the boards search engine of me doing 160 x 5 they were surprisingly handy

Dtp1979

Tipping along at light shoulder/back work. Might start light benching next week.

Today was a squat deload.

Dtp1979

120kg x 3

I had forgotten to do a deload on deadlift until today.

Dtp1979

did squats yesterday. I had zero strength. I usually find this coming off a deload.
Today I did some upper body stuff

Dtp1979

Deadlift

140kg x 3

160kg x 3

180kg x 1.5

Wishful thinking. I always feel weaker coming off a deload. May ease back into it

Dtp1979

worked up to 140 x 3 squat. Feeling good again.

Dtp1979

Bench press

Worked up to 60kg x 5. All slow eccentric. I think I’ll climb back up through the weight doing slow eccentric. No pain

accessories

young lad has started BJJ. Watching him is giving me a hunger for it again. Half thinking of giving it a go. Started neck training the other morning. 16.5” neck.

Dtp1979

Deadlift

140kg x 5

160kg x 3

190kg x 1

It’s 5 years since I pulled 190 last. Holy shjt where has the time gone. It was tough but it went up smooth enough.

Dtp1979

Bench press

40kg x 8

50kg x 8

60kg x 8

No increase on weight yet. Did a few extra reps. All slow eccentric

Vertical Row 79kg x 3 x 10

Pec dec 61 x 3 x 12 sloowwww. Huge pec pump

Single hand cable rev fly

Seated shrugs slightly leaning forward.

Neck

Dtp1979

Squat

125kg x 5

135kg x 3

155kg x 1

Heaviest squat in 3 years.
135 was fairly easy. 155, heavy, felt like a good morning but looking at the video it wasn’t too bad. I’ll take that

Dtp1979

Bench press

60kg x 8

65kg x 3

Vertical row 86kg x 3 x 10

Pec dec 75kg x 3 x 10

Neck

Rev flys

Seated shrugs

Dtp1979

deadlift

135kg x 5

155kg x 5

165kg x 5

Happy enough with these

Dtp1979

some light benching yesterday.

Squat

120kg x 5

130kg x 5

140kg x 3

Every single rep was a pig. Had nothing left after 3 on 140. Low energy day.

Having a look back via the Boards search engine, I cannot find a session in the last 8 years where I did 140kg x 5 squat. I could’ve swore I got this before but maybe not.
based on current numbers I’m back to where I was around 2018

Dtp1979

I’m working out a small niggle in my right elbow. Had it before. It’s usually temporary.
did a load of assistance work today

Dtp1979

Deadlift

140kg x 3

160kg x 3

180kg x 3

Last time I couldn’t do a second rep. 180 equals my pb on 180 I think from 3 years ago. And there was more reps in the tank.

Dtp1979

yesterday I did some shoulder/upper back work. Still taking it very slow on bench and taking extended rest days.

Today

Squat

120kg x 3

130kg x 3

145kg x 3

I can’t find no literature to say I’ve done this weight before. Therefore it’s a PB. Second rep was an absolute pig. I had pretty much convinced myself after the second rep that a third wouldn’t happen. But I dug deep and grinder out a hooor of a 3rd rep. Depth was questionable.

EDIT

ok on further searching back it seems the reason I didn’t find 145kg x 3 in the search engine was because I did 145kg x 10 x 3 on smolov jnr all those years ago. So not a PB today but considering that I’m equalling my best numbers and not doing a squat specific program it kinda is a pb-ish

Mr. CooL ICE

I'd love to do smolov jr some day just to see if it would break me.

I remember listening to a podcast with Barry Pigott and when he was training during college, he was just doing stuff he found on the internet and one of them was smolov. But he did it for all 3 lifts. And he was still part of his local rowing club. So a typical Monday for him would be 6x6 for squat, bench, deadlift, followed by a day of college and then he'd drive home and row that evening.