Aspiring Masters Powerlifter - Texas Method

Age: 53
Height: 190 cm
Weight: 109 kg (stable since May 2014 - made a big jump when going on creatine)
Body Fat: don't really know but it appears that I slowly recompose. everything has grown except for the waist :)
Nutrition: Autoregulation - I rarely eat any processed foods. not keeping track of macros

Training History:

Started December 2012 with dumbbell exercises, cable rows and pulldowns (only upper body stuff. July 2013 - November 2013: Big3 2 -3 x week 3 sets of 8 -12 reps, every now and then some Yates rows, chins & pull ups.

December 2013 - May 2014: Mostly Big3, OHP 2-3 x week 3 sets of 5 reps. training had been limited to maximal one hour due to time constraints (two lifts each workout). Last workout weights: Squat 125 kg, Bench 105 kg, Sumo Deadlift (after recent reset when moving from Conventional) 145 kg, OHP 62.5 kg

May 25, 2014 started Texas Method

Finished 11th week yesterday:

Squat (lowbar, shoulder width, full grip): 1x5 152.5kg

Bench (competition style = 1 second pause): 1x5 122.5kg

Sumo: 1x4, 1x1 177.5kg - first time my grip (DOH) failed. Changed to mixed grip for the last rep.

OHP (1.0): 1x1 77.5kg - regressed after stalling twice. Had moved to run bench and OHP each VD/ID since week 9 as I wanted to move weight on the bench more quickly but didn't want OHP to play 3rd fiddle. I also added 5kg to OHP by "accident" instead the usual 2.5. No wonder I stalled/regressed...lol. I'll move OHP to recovery day.

Assistance:
BB-row: 3x8 92.5kg
DB-Curls: 1x8, 1x12, 1x15 17.5kg

First meet (District level - IPF) is scheduled on September 6th. Still waiting for the paper work to come through. Got to do this meet to be eligable for German Masters Nationals.

Good luck, hamsha. Those are good results for less than 2 years at your age.

Thank you :)

I am very satiesfied with my progress. However, there were long periods with slow progression. Didn't work out to be LP at all during my novice phase. Starting the Texas Method was a very good thing. I may have benefited from starting TM earlier but hey, here I am. I think that novice progression was relatively slow due to not prioritizing lifting as much as now. With this I mean eating, sleeping, limited time available for training, etc. Some of the slow progress was intentional, as I believe my joints need to have time to adjust. Actually all of the aching joints (right wrist, left SI, left shoulder) which have troubled me for many years, in case of the shoulder decades, bother me now little if at all. Also disc herniation (2009) symptoms seem to be a thing of the past. The Doc in the rehab was right, when he said that none of the damage and the general spinal degeneration could be fixed. That the only thing that could be done is to strengthen the surrounding muscles, tendons, and ligaments through strength training. I had a wonderful sports therapeut who got me slowly and skillfully, over a 6-months period, to even envision being able to move to more serious training. To top it off, I got my hands on SSBBT3 and learned a lot of biomechanics and correct form. Quality of life has so much improved!!!

8.31. week 12

Due to work demands I only had half the sleep that I require. If I don't get my sleep, I cramp all over the place (despite electrolytes being all in normal range). It would have been a bad idea for me to train under such circumstances. Luckily, I needed to ease off anyway as my first meet is coming up Saturday the 6th.

As I got sufficient sleep last night I hit the Gym today.

Squat 1 x 155 kg, 1 x 160 kg, 1 x165 kg (e1RM from last intensity: 171 kg)
Bench 1 x 120 kg, 1 x130 kg, 1 x 135 kg (e1RM from last intensity: 137 kg)

Sumo e1RM from last intensity: 193 kg. I didn't do this one as I felt that this was too close to the meet.

Squat and Bench went up nice and easy. I convinced myself that I should be able to get very close to e1RM at the meet. That and avoiding detraining were the met objectives for the day. I had bruised my left quads yesterday. Fortunately I did not feel anything during squatting. I did cramp on the bench, probably the hipflexors.

It looks like I might be able to hit a 500 kg total for my first meet. That would be nice but is not necessary as the objective is to just participate to fulfill a requirement for the German Masters Championship next year February/March. I do not plan to attend any meets between these two.

9.3. week 13

squat 1 x 5 100 kg
press 1 x 5 60 kg
row 1 x 8 60 kg
db-curls 1 x 8 15 kg

9.6. week 13

first meet (district, IPF affiliate)

weight 109.0 kg

total 495 kg
wilks 292.15

squat

155 kg F
165 kg F
165 kg

bench

125 kg
130 kg
135 kg

deadlift (sumo)

177.5 kg
185 kg
195 kg


failed the first squat due to not following any commands. I improved on the second, obeyed the "squat". on the third I was a good boy. I was very nervious for the first. my coach sounded like a broken record, telling me to obey the commands. sound advice, but he doesn't know me at all. talking to me when I try to concentrate is detrimental to my concentration. on the third he finally gave up telling me the obvious and I succeeded on being focussed. left a good measure of weight off the bar though.

bench went well. 137.5 would have probably gone up as a grinder but rather played it safe.

sumo was great. left some weight off the bar.

the whole day was grueling. before I went to bed, I checked the news and found out the the railroad was on strike exacty during my travelling time window. I had to take the 3am train instead of the 6:30am. 3 hours sleep. got there at 5:15. when I don't get enough sleep, I get extremely crampy all over the place. the worst one was in my hammies close to the knee when climbing a bunch of stairs. still feeling the aftermath of that one today. however, the cramping has never affected the lifts. it was very hot at the venue. drank 5 liters but still had allmost nothing in the pissing bank when I closed my account.

the comradery of the lifters was top. we were three in the same age/weight class. first place went to the guy with a 500 kg total. I came in second with 495. the third got 470 kg. we were all happy with our results.

yeah, I got my first meet under the belt :)

sidelined due to bronchitis. hope to pick up training on the weekend again.

aaaarg! long time off.

bench 2 x 5 100 kg
squat 1 x 5 120 kg

got some volume in through extended warmups. bench easier than expected, thigh were burning after warmup with 100 kg. 40 min bike ride to and fro as usual. some residual crap from the lungs expelled. feeling pretty good.

plan on more tomorrow

yesterday was sleep day

sumo 1 x 5 140 kg
press 2 x 5 60 kg
row 2 x 8 80 kg

bronchitis is history. ct 2 days after antibiotics showed pus in the maxillary sinuses. had hope that the antibiotics had knocked that out. now another round of antibiotics.

work capacity is shit.

squat 5 x 5 120 kg
bench 5 x 5 100 kg

glad there was no intraexercise burning of the thighs as last time when doing only one set. soreness lasted a week.

sumo 5 x 5 140 kg
press 5 x 5 60 kg

still splitting the workout due to reconvalescence/reduced work capacity.
that also gives me an extra bike ride which should get me back in shape
quicker. gained a couple kg bw due to layoff and the munchies.

squat 5 x 5 122.5 kg
bench 5 x 5 102.5 kg