76 year old olympic weightlifter

[carson]

Thanks for the clarifications. It is sad that so few actual gyms exist. Your situation seems much worse than ours. At least I have access to a real gym at which we can perform all of he lifts. What's your next competition?

[76now]

Hi Fred

(breathing squats) What is the relative intensity of the weight you choose? I see recommendations to use one’s 10 RM.

Don't get me started.
The first person to say that was Peary Rader, and I much admire him.
But it's stupid.
Just think of it. A very determined person might do it once.
If your 10 rep max was 200 lb, and you did 20 reps with it, that would mean your 10 rep max is now at least 250 lbs. Then, if you did 20 reps with that, your 10 rep max would be 300, etc. In short order you would be the strongest person in the world.

In reality, you need to start with a comfortable weight, & add maybe 5 lbs a time, till it gets just too painful to continue. As you get up there you truly dread the next workout and feel nauseous after you do it.
With judicious use you can make good gains, but the cycle will run into a brick wall.

I'm not much of an example. The most I ever got to was 242 lb high bar, but you don't get your wings until you do 300.
I've done lots of cycles over the years, starting at a skinny 126 lb bodyweight. Ended up at 211 lb, at which time I began trimming to my present 180 lbs. What you do for the smiles of ladies!

A few years ago I hit on a way of doing them that has stretched a cycle out for years, until now, and has trained me well.
I started with a weight that was comfortable and that I could do in really great style. I increased the weights very slowly, and only when I could do the reps in excellent style, without being totally exhausted.
As the weights rose, I thought nothing of staying with a weight until the body was good and ready for some more. I want to get to 242 lb, but statistics say I am going to lose 2% of my power each year now, so it is a matter of wait and see.

It is sad that so few actual gyms exist. Your situation seems much worse than ours.
Carson

Thank you Carson for your comforting assessment of my situation.
Yes, things are not ideal, but I have a way forward.
My last contest went very poorly. Half of my lifts were ruled out, and so they should have been. At the time I was coming out of months of light prehab training. My gym lifts had been light, fast and stylish. When it came to heavy contest lifts, my technique collapsed, and I looked spastic.
So when I go out next, it will be from a base of increased strength, as I am going heavy in squats, olympic deadlifts, pulls, pushes. And the 2 lifts will be going into progressively heavier attemps in training, so I can get used to doing heavy lifts as a regular thing.
I figure it will be at least 2 more months before I am fit to appear in public.

And while you're here …. I have read and follow every post you have made on this site. Your patience and application and the splendid ongoing results are a great inspiration to me.

Thurs 11-4-2019.

78 NOW

Stick warmups.

Clean and Presses. (30 k) 3. (37.5) 3. (42.5) [2+F].
Power snatch. (20 k) 3. (25) 3. (27.5) 3. (30) 3. (32.5) 3.

Breathing Squat (45 k ) 4. + 20 Rader pulls.
(65) 4. + 20 Rader pulls.
(98) 20. + 44 Rader pulls.

[76now]

Mon 15-4-2019.

78 NOW

Stick warmups.
C+J stick - 2.2.
Jerk Behind Neck. (30 K) 5. (37.5) 5. (42.5) [4+F]
Clean pulls. (40 k) 2. (50) 2. (60) 2. (65) 2. (70) 2.

Flexing …..
SLHR (10 k) 14.14
Wide grip pulldown. (110 lb) 14.14.
One arm curls. (10 k) 14.14.
Ab roller. 20. 19.

[76now]

Thurs 18-4-2019.

78 NOW

Stick warmups.
Clean and Presses. (20 k) 3. (30) 2. (37.5) 2. (42.5) 1. (47.5) F.
Quarter press from rack. (47.5k) 5. (52.5) 5. (55) 5.
Olympic Deadlift (65 k) 5. (85) 5. (105) 5.

Split snatch. stick- 2.2. (20 k) 1. (22.5) 1. (25) 1. (27.5) 1. (30) 1. --- all done deep with a stretch pause at the bottom.

flexing ....
face pulls (40 lb) 14.14.
Palms up Pulldowns. (110) 14. 14.
Ab Roller 20. 20.

[76now]

Mon 22-4-2019.

78 NOW

Stick warmups.
Jerk triples. (30 k) 3. (35) 3. (37.5) 3. (40) 3.
power clean. (30) 2. (35) 2. (40) 2. (45) 2. (50) [1+F].
dead hang clean, ending with a sink down stretch into a deep split.. stick 2. 2. (20 k) 1. (25) 1. (30) 1. (32.5) 1.

flexing ....
lat pulldown, wide grip. (110 lb) 15. 14.
triceps pressdown. (80 lb) 15. (90) 14.
face pulls (40 lb) 14.13.
ab roller. 20. 20.

[76now]

Thurs 25-4-2019.

78 NOW

Stick warmups.
Clean and Presses. (30 k) 5. (35) 5. (40) [3+F.]
Quarter Press (45 k) 5. (50) 5. (55) 5.

Snatch. stick - 2.2. (20 k) 1. (22.5) 1. (25) 1. (27.5) 1. (30) 1. (32.5) 1. --- all done ending with a sink down stretch into a deep split. (35) pull only,chest high.

flexing ...
one arm curls (10 k) 15.14.
SLHR. (10 k) 15.14.

Paused breathing squats.
(55 k) 2. (80 k) 24.
Rader Pulls 20.

[76now]

Mon 29.4.2019

Stick warmups.
Power Jerk Behind Neck. (32.5 k) 3. (37.5) 3. (42.5) [1+F]
Olympic Deadlift. (65 k) 5. (85) 5. (107.5) [2+F].

Split C+J. Stick – 1.1. (20 k) 1. (25) 1. (30) 1. --- each clean & each jerk done with a sink down stretch in the split before coming up. --- no more sinkies - (35) 1. (37.5) 1.

Flexing …..
Palms up Lat pulldown (110 lb.) 15. 14.
Triceps Pressdown. (80 lb.) 15. (90) 15.
Ab roller. 20. 20.
Facepulls. (40) 14. 14.

[76now]

Thurs 2-5-2019.

78 NOW

Stick warmups.

Clean and Presses. (30 k) 3. (37.5) 3. (42.5) [2+F].
Power snatch. (20 k) 3. (25) 3. (27.5) 3. (30) 3. (32.5) 3.

Breathing Squat (45 k) 4. + 20 Rader pulls.
(65) 4. + 20 Rader pulls.
(100) 20. + 44 Rader pulls.

[76now]

Mon 6-5-2019.

78 NOW

Stick warmups.
C+J stick - 2.
Jerk Behind Neck. (30 K) 5. (37.5) 5. (42.5) 2.
Clean pulls. (40 k) 2. (50) 2. (60) 2. (70) 2. (75) 2.

Flexing ....
SLHR (10 k) 15.15.
Wide grip pulldown. (110 lb) 15.15.
One arm curls. (10 k) 15.15.
Ab roller. 20. 20.

[76now]

Thurs 9-5-2019.

78 NOW

Stick warmups.
Clean and Presses. (20 k) 3. (30) 2. (37.5) 2. (42.5) 1. (47.5) --- not attempted.
Quarter press from rack. (47.5k) 5. (52.5) 5. (55) 5.
Olympic Deadlift (65 k) 5. (85) 5. (107.5) 3.

Split snatch. stick- 2.2. (20 k) 1. (22.5) 1. (25) 1. (27.5) 1. (30) 1. --- all done deep with a stretch pause at the bottom.

Energy crisis. Rest of workout abandoned.