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Old(er) guy Novice log
60 years old 5’10” new to SS NP -- though I did buy SS 1st edition about 5 years ago I only kept with it for 6 weeks or so. Made gains and then started doing a bunch of other stuff (at least according to my log, I don’t really remember what happened.) I don't really feel old, but when I see guys in their 30s calling themselves "old" well I guess I am too ...
I enjoy hiking, climbing, biking and spend summers in Colorado doing this. I was chubby thru my 40s and 50s (but active). Finally committed to getting more fit about 3 years ago and dropped 30+ pound. Ended the summer with week long trip into Wind River mtns with much off trail hiking. Last summer I ended with hike of John Muir trail. At the end of the summers I was a lean 160# (maybe too lean) and both hikes went fairly easily.
I have exercised (and I use that word with awareness) regularly for much of my life but training is lacking. I see now I need to get stronger and have started on SS older guy novice program; lifting 2x week, conservative increments, trying to gain (some) weight. I am still doing too much extra exercise, it makes me feel good to do but I know intellectually it will probably interfere with recovery soon. Trying to cut back to maybe easy bike ride or hike once or twice a week. I am going to spend month or two in CO this winter xc an downhill skiing so I want to maintain some level of fitness to perform at nearly 9000’.
I have increased eating and making an effort to get more protein (Rip’s 75g shake, some animal protein 2x/day). I have a serious sweet tooth and can get out of control pretty quickly on eating cookies/candy etc. I have gone from 160->174 and am feeling pretty fluffy around the middle. (I am a pretty small boned guy at least in upper body). I know I need to keep eating but it was a struggle to get weight off and intellectually it is hard to see it go back on.
Some goals for now, kind of intermediate 181# numbers. These are all significantly higher than 5x PRs from 5 years ago when I was 5 years younger and 25 pounds heavier so we will see how this goes.
Goals: Squat 270, Pr 140, BP 200, Dead 315
10.15 Weight: 166
Squat 5,5,5 @ 125
Press 5,5,5 @ 80
Dead 5 @ 185
10.19 Weight 168
Squat 5,5,5 @ 130
Bench 5,5,5 @ 95
Power Clean 3,3,3,3,3 @ 65
Pain in left shoulder during Bench, was going to start higher but I’ll just go from here.
I’m sure PC form is bad though lifts easy, not clear I want to be doing these really. I think just do Pullup/Chinup
10/22 Weight 168
Squat 5,5,5 @ 135
Press 5,5,5 @ 85
Dead 5 @ 195
10/26 Weight 169
Squat 5,5,5 @140
Bench 5,5,5@ 100
Pullups unweighted 4,5,5
10/30 Weight 173
Squat 5,5,5 @145
Press 5,5,5 @ 90
Dead 5 @ 215
Video -- looks like back rounding on Deads, need to focus on keeping spine
Squats look good (to me), probably should post, but weight is so low not sure its worth looking at
Press getting heavy, microplates have arrived so move to 2.5# increments
11.1 Weight 172
Squat 5,5,5 @ 145
Bench 5,5,5 @ 110
Pullup 4,5,5
11.5 Weight 172
Squat 5,5,5 @ 150
Press 5,5,5 @ 92.5
Dead 5 @ 225
Dead form better I think, Thought press might be a problem -- heavy but it went up
Belt on squat. Have had issues with back tweaks in past, and it felt more solid with the belt.Maybe its just a crutch
11.7 Weight 174
Squat 5,5,5@155
Bench 5,5,5 @ 115
Pullup 5,5 chinup 5
Last edited by Ron Goering; 11-09-2016 at 10:25 PM.
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Welcome Ron!
I'm about your age. During the early phases of SS, I've had to discipline myself and put all my "extra exercise" / sports on ice and stay focused on strength/mass gain. As the lifts get heavier, the weight you gain will be good weight. The Stress / Recovery game is a delicate balance to manage even without "extra exercise"...very delicate at our age. Good luck!!!
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Welcome, young man. I started at age 66. I was 5'10" and weighed 215 when I started. I had lost about 30-35 pounds to get down to 215. I had never done any strength training. It is well worth the effort. I had got down to the 170s when I ran back in the 1980s and 90s but I was really skinny then. If you follow the program you will gain muscle strength and muscle weight. Keep your focus mostly on strength training until you reach your linear progression limit in 6-8 months.
BTW at 69 approaching 70 my numbers are: Squat 255; Dead 340; Press 117; Bench 167.
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11.14 Weight 177
Squat 5,5,5@160
Press 5,5,5 @ 93.75
Dead 5 @ 235
Pullup 4,4,4 hard
Missed a session, but just picked up since light weight still. Press getting heavy so moving to small increments...
Mountain bike skills camp over weekend. Stopped doing crossfit boot camp so should help recovery.
11.18 Weight 176
Squat 5,5,5@165
Bench 5,5,5 @ 120
Pullup 6,5,5
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11/21
Squat 5,5,5@170
Press 5,5,5@95
Dead 5@240
Chin 4,4,4
Deadlift form still shaky, good back set (I think), but bar path not consistent
Video and feedback was squat depth too low, have to find that happy medium, I know my tendency is to be short when gets heavy so working to counteract. Need to see a coach I think.
11/26 Weight 177
Squat 5,5,5@175
Bench 5,5,5@125
Pullup 7,6,5
Bench still light, I'll just let the 5lb increments come. Still some left shoulder pain so probably good to be conservative.
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12/1 Weight 177
Squat 5,5,5@180
Press 5,5,5@97.5
Dead 5@245
Chin 5,5,5
New lifting shoes, seem to make squat more stable. Still going up ok. Press also, hard but no fail. DL definitely getting heavy, but I think still some margin.
Seeing Coach Dr Austin on Sunday; excited to get some real in person feedback. Eating plenty of cals, quality could be better. Doing a bit of mtn biking but have cut way way back on other activity which is hard. Used to doing something pretty physical nearly every day. Need to remember: Stress, Recover, Adapt-> Get stronger. Going to really focus for next couple of months before a bunch of skiing at high altitude will make additional progress challenging.
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12/4 Weight 179 (enough gain for now I think)
Squat 5,5,5@185
Press 5@100 5,5@80 backoff 100 barely went up. Coach suggests moving to advanced novice programming for press.
Dead 5@250 Still good to keep going up.
Bench 5@130
Very productive coaching session with Dr Austin. Some notes to help me remember most of the points:
Squat -- stance a touch wider and feet pointed out. Knees out hard to help engage to manage depth. Cut the depth off (higher than I think is just right)
185 went up well, looking forward to continuing progress.
Press -- Grip right at knurl. Bar across lines in hand. Get all the way under with knees bent to take out. Tighten biceps, elbows in front of bar. Wrists straight.
Quads tight no knee bend to get rebound. Hit the nose -- watch bar path. Don't hesitate, get rythm going and keep it. No good comes from holding to get last rep.
DL -- Setup looks good. Knees out. Long femurs so back angle will be flatter. Focus on Thoracic spine tightness up and down. If setup is lost reposition, don't just keep going.
Bench -- position bench in rack so eyes are looking straight up at bar (at end of hooks). Shoulder blades back and down, Big quick breath at top.
Programming -- been doing 2x week. At might level of previous activity thought was could add light day. Squat at 60-80%. One of the presses. Keep DL 1x week since seems to be working. Could eventually add DL backoff sets at 8% reduction.
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12/6 Weight 179
Squat 5,5,5@155
Bench 5,5,5@135
Chins, bw, 6,6,5
Introducing light squat day. Alternate presses
12/8 Weight 181
Squat 5,5,5 @190
Press 5,5,5@100
DL 5@255
Stairmaster HIT 6 rounds 30/60
Just got press. Need to really microload
12/11 Weight 179
Squat 5,5,5@195
Bench 5,5,5@140
Pull Up BW 7,7,5
Stairmaster HIT 6 rounds 60/60
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12/13 Weight 182
Squat 5,5,5@155 light day
Press 5,5,5@101.5
DL 5@260
Pullups 7,7,5
HIT Stairmaster 6 rounds 60/60
12/15 Weight 182
Squat 5,5,5@200
Bench 5,5,5@145
Chins 5,5,5 tough after bench
12/18 Weight 183
Squat 5,5,5@205
Press 5,5,5@103 5 minute rest between now
Chins 3,3,3
Tabata front squat 8x20/10 @55lb
12/20
Squat 5,5,5@175 light day
Bench 5,5,5@150
Deadlift 5@265
Chins 6,6,5
12/23 Weight 182
Squat 5,5,5@210
Press 5,4,4@105 Repeat next time
Cycled a hilly 47 yesterday so that probably had some effect
and cycled 27 after this workout. Beautiful weather, too hard to resist going outside and playing.
12/26 Weight 184
Squat 5,5,5@215
Bench 5,5,5@155
Pullups 7,7,6
HIT Stairmaster 10 rounds 30/60
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12/28 Weight 184
Squat 5,5,5 @ 185 (light day)
Press 5,5,5 @ 105
Dead 5@270
Chin 7,7,6
Hit 10 rnds SM 30/60
12/30
Squat 5,5,5@220
Bench 3,4,4 @160 5,5 @145 back off, Repeat next time, need to micro load
10 minutes 30/30 kb swing up to 55#
1/2 Weight 185
5,5,5@225 video, some depth issues. go up but only if can achieve depth
Press @106.5 4,5,5 5@95 backoff, stay same or 107 next?
Pullup 6,6,5
6 rnds SM hit 30/60
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