Sullydog's Geezer Training Log

[Jonathon Sullivan]

I should have been posting here all along, but I didn't because...well, I didn't.

I'm 5'7" and 50 yo. I started at 159 lbs body weight. I've lifted weights on and off since I was 16, but never seriously. I never knew what I was doing and never squatted before. I have, however, always been extremely active. I started the program with excellent conditioning, thanks to some very intense Krav Maga and MMA training and frequent sprints.

My work (long shifts, life-and-death stuff, stressful), age, and other activities (Krav/MMA) limit my lifts to 2x/week. So for my novice progression, I designed a 2-day "staggered" program, which looks like this:

WEEK A:
Mon: Squat, Bench, Deads, Chins
Sat: Squat, Press, Cleans, Pullups

WEEK B:
Mon: Squat, Press, Deads, Pullups
Sat: Squat, Bench, Cleans, Chins

This program has me squatting every workout, and doing deads and cleans once a week each. (In truth, I will often do an extra set of cleans right after MMA on Wed, but that's because I'm new to cleans, need the practice, am still at relatively low weights, and just kinda dig doing them.) This program switches out the benches and presses in a way that staggers the recovery times for the two exercises: one week, there's a short recovery for one and a long recovery for the other, and it flips the following week.

I realize that this is not The Program, but it seemed the best compromise for a harried Geezer with limited recovery potential. My progress to date (050111) is documented in the next post.

Edit 050311: I will keep this plot updated on the first post henceforth. Not sure if it serves any real purpose other than to gratify my sick need to graph things.

Edit 100311: In late September, I modified this program by moving Deads to Saturday. This was for reasons of time management and recovery (Krav on the day after heavy deads is a bitch).

Edit 111011: Switched to TM for Squat and Bench. This is also a 2-day program, which rotates the days for Volume, Recovery and Intensity. Example: M: vol; Sat: rec; M: int; Sat: vol; Mon: rec; Sat: Int. And so on. As of November 2011, press remains in LP. Final novice charting:

graph102411.JPG

TM progress to date:

031212.jpg

Edit 031512: Went to 5/3/1 as a "maintenance" routine during "Fight Season" when I focus on Krav and martial arts. Will resume TM in November.

Final progress on 2012 5/3/1:

graph092412.jpg

Progress on Explosive Lifts (from Oct 2011 to present, earlier progress not shown here):

070912-0LY.jpg

Edit 092412: Fighting season over. Backing off on Krav and Tang Soo. 5/3/1 concluded. Will switch to LP for a week or three, then re-enter TM.

Edit 040313: Other stuff happened. Completed TM for 2012; back to 5/3/1 for training and fighting season.

040313.JPG

[Jonathon Sullivan]

Since starting the program, I've gained ten pounds, of which I would guesstimate about a fifth is fat. (I did jack up my caloric intake by about 20%.)

Here's my catchup log. I should note that in January and Februay I messed around with the "New Rules" program, but I dropped it like a steaming turd after reading SS, so I had already picked up some strength there (novice effect). I didn't start logging cleans until after I'd worked on form with technique plates and hang cleans for a few weeks. Currently I'm doing chins 8-8-8 at bodyweight; pullups 8-6-4.

031511: Squat-160; Bench-145; Dead-195
031811: Squat-170; Press-95
032111: Squat-180; Press-96.4; Dead-205
032611: Squat-185; Bench-150
032811: Squat-190; Bench-160; Dead-215
040211: Squat-192; Press-100
040411: Squat-195; Press-101.5; Dead-220
040911: Squat-197; Bench-165; CLEAN-60
041111: Squat-200; Bench-166.5; Dead-225
041611: Squat-200; Press-100; Clean-70 (This workout was away in Chicago at Lakeshore AC. Machines full, power racks empty.)
041811: Squat-200; Press-102; Dead-230 (Kept squat at 200 to try to clean up form--need to go lower)
042311: Squat-202; Bench-167, Clean-80 (Still not happy with squat depth--to parallel, but not below).
042511: Squat-205; Bench-170*; Dead-235 (Missed last rep on the bench at 170).
043011: Squat-195*; Press-102.5*; Clean-85 (*Deloaded squat for depth; much better. Failed the press: 4-3-4.)

I've never failed a squat rep, but was unhappy about my depth at 200+ lbs: parallel, but not below. I'd rather deload and go deep. My bench and my press are both threatening to stall; if so I will reset. My deads are coming along, although slowly. My cleans are baby-cleans, but they're growing. My major problem with them is technical. On hang cleans and warm up sets with tech plates, they're fine, but for some reason when I add weight my straight elbows go to hell and I add a little bit of row, which is bad. Also weird, because I never did upright rows in my life. I'm trying to clean it up.

My plan is to add weight slowly to my reset squat to keep the depth. I will try again on press and bench at 102.5 and 170, respectively, next week; hopefully I won't have to deload, but if I do so be it.

So that's it. I imagine these numbers look pretty lame to some of you monsters, but I yam what I yam. I'm not particularly strong, never have been, but I feel like I'm getting stronger. I'm not happy about having to reset for form or weight, but I'm not too proud, and I want to milk the LP as long as possible, of course.

[bob g]

It's good to see another, um, seasoned citizen getting after it and posting here.

I like how you built your routine. While you're not doing THE program you've grasped what the program does by working the big lifts around your recovery abilities. And, you recognize that you aren't just recovering from the lifting but from the rest of real life. Now, just keep an eye on how you schedule the increases. It looks solid.

[Jonathon Sullivan]

Thanks for the encouragement and the welcome, bob.

[Mark E. Hurling]

I lifted twice a week for years during my 50's and did well on it. The way you describe your work and other activities this is a good fit. You a cop or in fire services? Sounds like from the long shifts and life and death. Nothing like it though. The thrills and chills leave you with a lifelong adrenaline addiction. The reality is we all start at some point and get better from there as we keep at it and endure. You've got plenty of time yet to surprise yourself and everyone who knows you.

[Jonathon Sullivan]

Hi, Mark. No, I'm an emergency physician at an insanely busy Level I trauma center; most of my shifts are 12+ hours long, and some are midnights. Fortunately, I'm not full time. Still, it takes a toll. Sometimes I'm more crushed and sore after a shift than I am after a workout.

It's good to hear that you guys don't think the program I designed is off the mark. Thanks!

[Jonathon Sullivan]

050211: WEEK B, Monday workout.

Background vid/tunes: Shooter ,with Mark Wahlberg and Danny Glover.

Preworkout Notes: Last workout I deloaded the squat for form/depth, with good results, and failed the press at 102.5 (4-3-4).

WARMUP: 10 minutes of Bas Rutten combinations with the focus mitts.
SQUAT: 0x5; 45x5; 85x5; 160x5; 197.5 x 5 x 3.
PRESS: 45x5; 75x5; 102.5 x 5 x 3.
DEAD: 55x5; 165x5; 240 x 5 x 1.
PULLUPS: 9-8-8

Postworkout Notes: I got my new Do-Wins about 2 weeks ago and I'm lovin' em. Increased my (deloaded) squat by 2.5, and I'm breaking parallel with every rep. My dead is up by another 5, and I added a rep to my pullups. The press was hard, but I did the workset--and it didn't feel as hard as the workset I failed on Sat. So hopefully I won't have to deload my press. I'm definitely in microloading territory sooner than I wanted to be, but that's what I get for having 50-yo mitochondria. I have increased my intake by another 150 cal/day.

[bob g]

The press was hard, but I did the workset--and it didn't feel as hard as the workset I failed on Sat. So hopefully I won't have to deload my press.

Presses are hard. But they respond well to proper training. Micro loading works. You can also flip to 5x3 when you increase the weight, do 3x5 the next time, then bump the weight up the following time for a 5x3. You'll make all your reps and keep moving the pile forward.

I'm definitely in microloading territory sooner than I wanted to be, but that's what I get for having 50-yo mitochondria. I have increased my intake by another 150 cal/day.

Fuckin' free loaders, necessary yes for that whole energy thing, but just when you need them they go all "I'm old, I'm tired..." And 150 cals of more red meat a day is a sweet reward for being awesome in the gym.

[Jonathon Sullivan]

You can also flip to 5x3 when you increase the weight, do 3x5 the next time, then bump the weight up the following time for a 5x3. You'll make all your reps and keep moving the pile forward.

Now, I really fuckin' like this idea. It makes complete sense as a way to maintain progression, and fits in perfectly with my program. Thanks!

And 150 cals of more red meat a day is a sweet reward for being awesome in the gym.

Indeed! And you better believe that 150 cals is all steak and salmon.

[bob g]

...Indeed! And you better believe that 150 cals is all steak and salmon.

The scotch or red wine accompanying the above snack is considered a mandatory accessory and does not count against the 150.