Puttering along

[Oldster]

A good lift today. The Grandkids were coming over and I was in a hurry to finish. We probably went to fast but it worked great today.

Close grip bench--up to 325x5x5
Curls--up to 140x7

3rd and 4th sets of close grips were easiest. We are backing off curls a bit and reramping. No time for anything else.

[Oldster]

Ugh. I feel like I'm catching something. At least, everything hurts. Every joint, every muscle seems to be stiff and painful. This better not be the flu.

Light Close grip--up to 305x6x2
Military--up to 145x12
Chins--6

[Mark E. Hurling]

Good luck man. I hope it isn't the flu, because the strain I got was some bad shit.

[Oldster]

Thanks Mark, it doesn't look like it. I slept much of yesterday evening before bedtime(!) and then went to bed early. Was so tired I overslept an hour this morning but now feel pretty good.

Front squat--up to 255x5
Deadlift--up to 380x5
Hammer curls--up to 60'sx2x15--65'sx1x12

[Oldster]

Huh. My last post disappeared. I'll try again. A VERY good lift yesterday. One of my partners who is much larger than me, about 40lbs heavier and 4 inches shorter with very near 20" upper arms, was feeling pretty feisty. In fact, so feisty that I challenged him to pause the last 2 reps of his FIRST set of 4 sets of 4. He took the challenge and handled the first set very well with nice long pauses. It paid off for me in the 4th quarter so to speak, as he struggled with his 4th rep of the third set and failed on his 4th rep of the fourth set. I win. Until next week when we drop our sets/reps even further where we drop into his power range. Our other two partners handle quite a bit less weight but also finished well.

Close grip bench press--up to 345x4x4 (all 16 reps pretty easily)
Dips--BWx2x12
Rows--240x3x8

[Mark E. Hurling]

Yeesh! 20" arms?! Is this guy's name Maurice Jones? He of John McCallum's Keys to Progress fame? An Oldster like you has surely read KTP right? Great collection of oooold school articles. I actually read some of them in high school and college when I could get my hands on one of Hoffman's Strength and Health magazines.

[Oldster]

Nope, never read KTP. Heard about it but never got around to it. To busy with business for 30 years. I've never had much time to read much about weightlifting, bodybuilding or powerlifting.

Yep, he has the most incredible arms you've ever seen, though short. If you bump up again them they are like iron. Or a rock. But then he has been lifting for 40 years! And he also has a big belly. Kind of a 'benchers belly'. But the arms, upper back, shoulders and traps of a body builder. AT 5'8" and 280lbs, he is THICK. I'm the tall thin one of the four of us, 6' and now down to 238lbs, with long arms that makes it tough to bench but easy for chinning or curling.

[Oldster]

Fridays lift. A light day is oh so welcome.....

Close grip (3 grip widths mostly)--up to 305x6x2
Curls--up to 145x7

This cycle is taking too much out of me to put any real effort into assistance work. Militaries, dips and rolling dumbells have been either dropped or reduced in weight substantially. Little things like curls don't seem to affect us any so we are still working them relatively hard. Plus the curl is such an important component in stabalizing the bench press, any pressing really, so we try and continue working them as long as no pain is present as can happen with curls.

[Oldster]

Had to lift early a.m. this morning and it showed in my lack of energy and enthusiasm. Just kind of went through the motions. One of my partners smoked me. By one rep, but since I smoked him last week and it was by 1 rep, I guess turnabout is fair play.

Close grip--up to 365x3-2-2
Military--up to 145x12
Chins--9

Supposed to handle 365 for 3 sets of 3. 3 reps on first set, but the last one a grinder. 2nd and 3rd sets was only able to muster 2 reps.

[Oldster]

Didn't get to squat and deadlift yesterday. The wife had an emergency dental appointment and needed me to drive her. I'll somehow just get by until next tuesday to squat and deadlift.... The rest is seriously needed

Close grip--up to 305x6x2
Dips--BWx3x15
Rows--up to 240x4x8