Geezer's Long March Toward the Elite Sneaking Up On the Finish Line

[Oldster]

Bench Press:
170x3, 195x3, 220x3. I did the first rep with 220 at a 3 second pause on the chest and then eked out 2 more. I probably had one more, but I tamed my ego here and stuck with short of failure. This is good territory to explore for opening and limit weights at a match. Looks like 225 will be a good start. Limits determination will follow some weeks and the next cycle on from here.

Good work. But you truly need more volume on the bench to make good gains. Stay at the same weight and add an extra set per week for the next 4 weeks. When you can get all 5 sets of 3, add weight. You'll be surprised at the strength gains from doing multiple sets at a set working weight vs just 1 top set.

I was stuck at 325x1 for 8 years before in the bench press before I got my thick head to accept multiple sets. Within 2 years I was handling 325x10 and 350x5x5. Yes, it makes that big of a difference.

Lots of stretching and rolling today. No doubt about it, I'm going to see my chiro if I can tomorrow and see if she can give me some respite from this misery. I've said it before and I'll say it again; getting old is hell but it beats the alternative. Add to that, you kids have no idea what is waiting for you down the road. That's one of the reasons I put this whining, pissing, and moaning in my log. It doesn't make me feel any better, but I think of it as a kind of public service announcement.

Can't agree more, even to the point of trying to see a Chiro tomorrow!

[Mark E. Hurling]

Back to the normal routine starting today. Holiday break over, and back to work etc. Interestingly I haven't yet noticed the flood of New Year's resolution crowd yet at Gold's. This is a first. The ankle is all better and the quad seems to be gradually getting better, as well as the neck and lower back. Chiro won't be back until Thursday so I'll just have to make do until then. This is easier to contemplate now than a few days ago with most of my aches and pains becoming more manageable.

I did a GXP on the elliptical and the usual stretching and foam rolling. Everything feels less fragile now so, good.

Thanks for the advice Oldster, but I've tried the higher volume stuff over the years and have come to the conclusion that it may indeed work well for many, but I am increasingly convinced that it resulted in stagnation for me. I'm not going for a big gain here, just enough to give me a good total so as not to disgrace myself when I can find a PL meet to sign up for. Of course the real challenge is going to be getting the squat in better territory. I am confident I could get a 400 in the deadlift with a few more months of ramping up to it.

[JM3]

so you wouldnt do well with a volume/light/intense day set up Mark?

[Mark E. Hurling]

Oh no, not at all. The 5/3/1 does that in the 1st week with 40% - 50% - 60% sets of 5 as the deload after the heavy low volume, high intensity 5/3/1 week that precedes it. God knows, after previous cycles, I've really needed that too. I think my biggest problem was trying to hit maxes too often in every cycle.

[Oldster]

I guess I should have explained when I talk about high(er) volume, I am talking about a light/medium/heavy schedule. NO ONE can handle using max weight for more than 2 weeks or so every 12 weeks, when a certain strength level is attained. So if you handle more over all sets starting out at the 60% range (light), 70% range (medium) and 80% range (heavy) to START with, it isn't taxing and allows one to start building up their stamina. Lack of overall stamina is the problem to making pressing gains. As I've mentioned before, it wasn't until I increased my stamina (I didn't realize the problem for years) that I made the big jump of struggling with a 335-345 single and struggling with around 300x5, that I was able to over a period of around 3 years able to increase to 305x5 sets of 10 and 325x10 as a backdown after some very heavy work.

If you keep that light day no heavier than 60-65% throughout the duration of a cycle, the medium day no more than 70-80%, then the heavy day can be slowly increased over 12-16 weeks to the 105-110% range. Handling more sets, even light sets, increase ones work capacity to unbelievable levels.

[JM3]

oldster's got the goods!!!

[Mark E. Hurling]

Thanks guys, I've printed this off and will study it at length and cogitate on it. I have to do this because my neanderthal DNA just reacts better to toner on paper that I can carry around with me and look at later than the relatively brief looks on a monitor.

Woke up feeling pretty good today. The quad is gradually getting better, along with the neck, and the ankle is 100% again.

5 minute warm up on the bike.

Squat:
I only got partway through the warmup sets to 135 and it was clear that my lower back was not liking this at all. It was twanging away like that barefoot kid with a banjo on the front porch in Deliverance. I decided to swap this move out for deadlifts next week after I get my spinal column properly re-stacked tomorrow by the chiro, bless her heart. This is exactly what I mean when I talk about the cojones and integrity that can get tested in one of these logs for all to see. It's easy to talk about the triumphs. The failures; well not so much. I sure hope I can resume this move, or I'll have to re-assess my match goals for those that have a push/pull event of bench press and deadlifts only.

Back Extension:
45x10, 90x10, 115x10 PR! I was thoroughly full of hate, shit, and discontent after the squat fail so I decided to salvage some self respect in this movement by attempting 15 more pounds than I had ever done. The hardest part was keeping the 25 lb. plate from sliding around on the two 45 lb. plates I was holding. It's a real paradox to me that I can do these pretty much with impunity and that my deadlifting gave me no grief last week, and yet squats just cause the usual L4/L5 suspects to squeal.

Pinch Grip:
152 lbs. for 33 seconds PR! More self gratification.

Stretched and did the foam roller.

[Mark E. Hurling]

OK, Ogg has ruminated over your last post, Oldster and it makes sense. Here's a kind of a snap shot overview of what I am doing now in the 5/3/1

Week 1:
5 reps @ 65% 5 reps @ 75% 5+ reps @ 85% Total Reps: 15 Total Load: 2138 Avg. % 75%

Week 2:
3 reps @ 70% 3 reps @ 80% 3+ reps @ 90% Total Reps: 15 Total Load: 1368 Avg. % 80%

Week 3:
5 reps @ 75% 3 reps @ 85% 1+ reps @ 95% Total Reps: 15 Total Load: 1378 Avg. % 85%

Week 4:
5 reps @ 40% 5 reps @ 50% 5 reps @ 60% Total Reps: 15 Total Load: 1425 Avg. % 50%

This actually represents an 8 week cycle because I do Overhead Presses and Hammer Rows on Sundays with Deadlifts and Claw Grip on Wednesdays for the A workout. I do Bench Presses and Chins on Sundays and Squats, Back Extension, and Pinch Grip for Wednesdays for the B workout. This had me peaking every 8 weeks when I'd try for a PR. Too often, I found so now I'm going to try for a PR every 16 weeks.

Does what I've described here fit roughly what you are talking about, or do mean higher volume than this?

[Oldster]

Mark, I'm not a big fan of total 'tonnage', instead have ammended my thinking toward percentages alone over the past 10 years. Add to that a heavy/medium/light protocol and I found what worked for me and everyone around me.

I am talking about much higher volume than what you describe. A good procedure would be for instance, a heavy Monday at 5 sets of 3. A medium Wednesday at 5 sets of 5 or 6 reps. A light Friday at 8 sets of 3 followed by a set of 10 with the same weight if you wish for a little 'blood flushing', something I dismissed for years until I used it for myself. The light friday can be split up into 4 sets of 3 with a medium grip and another 4 sets of 3 with a close grip. The last set of 10 should also be with a close grip if you have been neglecting your triceps (which would lump you in with 95% of lifters.). On top of this work would be your standard routine, not holding it back at all.

Monday, strength day, is just that. Building strength. Singles are a bit too taxing for long term work, 5 reps is more suited to size work, but I've found that 3 rep sets build strength nicely. The most important part is the 5 top sets. THAT builds stamina.

Wednesday, size day, again is just that. Using 5 or 6 rep sets is the absolute best for putting on size. Even though your musculature may be complaining slightly 48 hours later, believe me, you will feel absolutely wonderful after your workout. And again, the 5 top sets will be working on your stamina.

Friday is to keep everything greased and running at 100%. The 8 sets of 3 will be and should be very very light. Moving the bar quickly, taking no more than a minute or so between sets, alternating between medium and close grips. 5 minutes rest and knock out a nice quick set of 10 or so reps and you will feel like a million bucks. If you have a day where you just aren't feeling like it, drop the 10 rep set. It isn't mandatory.

Work like this where the focus is placed on stamina necessarily must start pretty light. It must be built up to, not smashed into from the beginning. So you should figure out your percentages from a very realistic 1 rep max or even a little lower than your true 1 rep max. The light day is ALWAYS left at 60%, even if it feels too light, that is what you want. The heavy day goes up 2 1/2% every week unless you have a week where you struggle due to sickness, work, family issues, etc, whereby you may do a couple weeks at the same weight. Medium day is a day where you end up necessarily holding yourself back at times. My own particular feeling is to never let it progress to more than 85% after 10-12 weeks in, otherwise it curtails strength day. I've let my medium day get out of control and ended up stalling everything and I've also kept it at the same 70% and felt I cost myself a little size/strength. So I tend to try and get to a happy medium and keep it between 70-85%.

Strength helps size/thickness gains and size/thickness gains help with strength. My feeling is neither is mutually exclusive, rather they feed off one another to make for the best of gains. I like doing this particular cycle for about 1/2 of a year and a couple other ones the rest of the time. Back when I used the same volume as you are handling now I tended to have elbow pain on and off. It wasn't until I started increasing volume/stamina work that my elbow pain went away totally so I find that a beneficial side effect. Another thing is injury prevention. Shoulder/cuff injuries are common in the bench press. That is why I like to see the hands inside of 22" and the elbows never flair under the bar. Instead, the elbows should be kept in fairly close and as much work as possible done with a close(r) grip. You may hear of shoulder and rotator cuff injuries but you rarely if ever hear of tricep injuries. This kind of work will really build your upper arm thickness right above the elbows and will force forearm growth and strength, something you obviously are interested in and need for your grappling.

[Mark E. Hurling]

You know I can't thank you enough for taking the time and effort to make this clear for me. I really appreciate it. I think I understand the H/M/L progression and sets and reps involved through any one particular week, and the volume actually doesn't look too heroic for me to do well with. As for size, well I'm not striving for any more at this point. Dearly Beloved never really did care about that, and since I'm not planning any trips to the beach looking for a newer model . . . I do get your larger point of the size/strength feedback loop, though. In fact I need to get even more serious about losing some more weight and getting my body composition better because earlier this week the doc has had to up my overnight blood pressure med (Hytrin) another 2 mg. On the plus side my EKG was good, so at least I got that going for me. The higher volume and 3 lifting sessions a week I suspect will go some way toward burning up more calories and the fat hanging on to my creaking frame.

I am left with a couple of questions that I can't seem to get my pea brain wrapped around:

1. Are the sets all done at the same weight across? I reviewed your own log and I think the answer is yes, but I wanted to confirm this.

2. Are the M/W/F workouts full body workouts?

3. Related to question 2., how do you juggle the squat/deadlift and the bench press/overhead press recovery workout to workout or week to week?

Thanks again for all your help on this. I'm new to this more sophisticated approach to organizing lifting sessions.