Starting with the end in mind: 500/350/600

Hey gang, my name's Barry and I want to hit 500/350/600 on my 50th birthday. There's a million reasons why it won't happen, but I'm going to try. I'll be 49 in 8 days, so I figure I can run four 12-week cycles between here and there.

I'm currently around 187 lbs, with a height of 5'8".

Lets get started....just finished week 3 of the HLM programming I decided to run.

I used the following maxes to base my training on. They might be a little conservative(really, probably just a little, if any) since my training has not been on point for a number of months.

Training maxes: 410/265/500 so obviously, yes, I'm basically an orangutang.

Week 1:
Heavy day 7/18
Squat 285x5x5
Bench 185x10,10,10,10,9(supposed to be 5x5 but cranking some volume)
Pendlay Rows 185x5x5

Light day 7/20
Squat 246x5x3
Press 110x8x5
Deadlift 350x5x4

Medium day 7/22
Squat 267x5x5
Bench 172x10x4
RDL 135x8, 155x5, 175x5. I've never done these before. This was too light but was skeered of sore hammys.

Week 2
Heavy day 7/25
Squat 295x5x5
Bench 191x10,10,8,10,8
Pendlay Rows 190x5x5

Light day 7/27
Squat 255x5x3
Press 115x8x5
Deadlift 360x5x4

Medium Day 7/29
Squat 275x5x4
Bench 178x10x4
RDL 185x5, 205x5, 225x5. Trying to find my weight.

After two weeks, I have to say I really like this programming so far. Love how squat and deadlift are on separate days....I've never trained this way before and was afraid I wouldn't be recovered enough from squats to pull two days later. Luckily, the programming is smart rather than asinine like my own, so the intensity level is allowing for plenty of recovery. More volume than I'm used to but it feels good. Body feels like I've trained but not wrecked. Doing truckloads of extra volume on bench and press but I'm recovering and I think upper body can tolerate more volume so I'm going for it.

Week 3
Heavy day 8/1
Squat 303x5x5
Bench 196x10,10,10,8,7. Not doing crazy long rest periods here, could have done 5x10 with long rests. 3-4 minutes here.
Pendlay rows 195x5x5

Light day 8/3
Squat 265x5x3
Press 120x8x5
Deadlift 370x5x4

Medium day 8/6. Yes, I skipped a day. Took a long walk with wife on 8/5. I have to help my daughter move on what would have been my heavy day for week 4 on 8/8, so its all good.
BW 187.7. I'm 5'8" tall.
Squat 283x5x4
Bench 183x10x4
RDL 225x5, 235x5, 245x5. Not heavy but doesn't feel stupid light anymore. Hams haven't gotten sore yet. Yay.

Onwards and upwards. This programming has me motivated and dialed in. Maybe cuz its easy so far haha. I'll be testing all lifts on week 12 and of course using the new lifts for my next cycle.

I sold a bunch of my duplicate and crappy gear in order to upgrade and get stuff I need more. I have enough weight to test deadlift this cycle, but thats about it. Luckily, I have 4x45 color bumpers, 2x25 bumpers, and 2x10 bumpers on order from Fringe Sports. 45's are supposed so ship end of the month. This will hopefully help prevent breaking my basement floor with deadlifts, and give me plenty of weight to hit my goal. If I buy the plates, I have to make use of theme right? Also, might have a Rogue deadlift bar coming for my birthday on the 14th. Have never pulled on a deadlift bar before. I currently use a Rogue Ohio Power Bar for all my training.

I enjoyed reading your report. I've done HLM before and have just about finished my second LP after the lock down I'm running it again. My numbers aren't your numbers, but then again, I'm 73.

Best wishes.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by carson

I enjoyed reading your report. I've done HLM before and have just about finished my second LP after the lock down I'm running it again. My numbers aren't your numbers, but then again, I'm 73.

Best wishes.

---

Thanks, and I sure hope to still be training when I'm your age!!

HLM Week 4:

Sunday 8/9/20 Heavy Day, BW 186.1

Squat: 312x5x5
Bench: 201x8x5
Pendlay Row: 200x5x5

Tuesday 8/11/20 Light Day, BW 184.7
Squat: 271x5x3
Press: 125x7x5
Deadlift: 380x5x4. I think I did 5 sets here as I lost track at some point, and did an extra set just to make sure I wasn't short a set. So it may have been 5x5.

The program feels great. Crossing my fingers that I get good results at 12 weeks when I test. It definitely feels better than training like a rabid pit bull on crack every session, which is kind of what it felt like before doing this program. Tentative goals for the end of the cycle are 425/280/525. That will be +25, +15, +25 from this cycles training maxes.

I know that I need to track my macros as far as nutrition goes, and its my biggest challenge. I've been pretty good about it this week.

Thursday 8/13 should have been medium day. I normally work 7-3:30 but ended up working till 11pm(16 hours), home 11:30 pm. So barely five hours sleep. Which means I'm a bit exhausted today, and it's my birthday so no training today. This postpones medium day by two days. Shit happens. Will resume training tomorrow with medium day. I'll decide if I want to take one day off or two before beginning week 5.

I got the Rogue Ohio Deadlift Bar for my birthday today. I'll most likely continue to train on my power bar, other than trying out the DL bar a bit. I'll use the DL bar to test. Thoughts?

Saturday 8/15/2020 Medium Day BW 186.6

This workout is two days late due to what I mentioned in the previous post. Whatevs.

Squat: 291 4x5
Bench: 188 4x10
RDL: 255x5, 265x5, 285x5, 305x5. Ramped up weight quite a bit here and added an extra set. I figure first set being too light is really just a warmup. I think Im getting close to a reasonable working weight on these.

I decided to try out the Rogue Deadlift bar a little but used restraint and didn't go too heavy.

Warmed up to a single at 405. I like the bar.


I've decided to upgrade my power rack since I'll be training at home for the foreseeable future. So far my top choice seems to be the Titan Fitness X-3 flat foot short rack with 10" extension for plate storage. It's 3x3, 11 gauge, narrow spacing through the bench range, nice J-cups, short enough to fit in my low ceiling basement, weighs a stout 334 lbs without the plate storage extension, 488 lbs with. I'll add plate storage, extra J-cups and maybe an extra brace for the lower part of the rack for additional sturdiness. $1075 shipped in that configuration.

I'll sell my Valor Fitness BD-11 rack which is fine for a $500 rack, but I don't like the bar holders, it doesn't have the narrow spacing in the bench region, and is lighter duty(honestly, strong enough though). It's 2.5x2.5 12 gauge. I think I can cover 3/4 of the cost of the X-3.

Attachment 7428

Now to decide if I want to take one day off and resume Week 5 on Monday for MWF training or skip two days. Leaning towards Monday with one day off since I had two extra days of rest already.

Monday 8/17/20 HLM Week 5, Heavy Day. 185.6 lbs

Squat 320 5x5
Bench 207x5,5,7,7,8
Pendlay Rows 205x5,5,7,7,8

From now on, I'll make sure to take two rest days after Medium day, before starting a new week with Heavy day. I could tell I only had one day of recovery.

If I go with Titan for a new rack, I won't go with the flat foot version but rather the bolt down, although I don't plan to bolt it down. Also looking at REP racks....a little higher with shipping but maybe better quality. 45lb bumpers are scheduled to be in 8/28. Here's hoping. 25's and 10's scheduled next month sometime, not super concerned.

Rethinking the Titan rack. I'm looking at REP fitness now..similar 3x3, 11 gauge etc etc. Just a little higher price but I think the quality is better. Looks like Ill have $1300 shipped or so in it setup the way I want with plate storage, etc.

Also, taking 1 day off after Medium day, rather than two, was a mistake. Heavy day was definitely rougher than it should have been, and feeling slightly wrecked today. I think I'll manage, but if I have to push Medium day again, I'll still be sure to take my two days off afterwards.

Wednesday 8/19/2020 Light day

Squat: Rx 279 3x5
135x5, 225x5x2. 279x2. Racked it. Warmups to 225 felt ok, pain with 279 in my hip...which bothered me significantly on Monday's heavy workout. Moved a little, decided to live to fight another day. I've trained long enough to know I was headed for an injury if I pushed through.

Press: 130 5x5(8 on last set). Kept reps down(as prescribed) to keep todays session lower stress. I need some recovery. Upper body is tolerating the extra volume on bench and press with no issues. Shoulders and elbows feel fine, and I haven't felt like adding any assistance work, so the extra reps have been an easy way to add work.

Deadlift: 390 4x5, as prescribed. Work sets and warmups felt fine. Chomping at the bit to pull heavier. One more week of volume then it ramps up a bit faster.

Placed an order for REP fitness PR-4000 rack. Looks crazy nice with better quality than the Titan as far as I can tell. J-cups, safeties, and a stabilizer bar are out of stock but I've got the rest of the rack coming. I'll of course use my old one until the required pieces come in, hopefully soon. HATE spending the money before selling my other rack but no way around it. Looks like this one in the picture; red uprights with black crossmembers, no lat attachment:

Attachment 7439

Friday 8/21/20 Medium day HLM week 5

Squat: 225x5x2. Right hip still not feeling right. I suspect it would have regressed had I done my worksets of 299 3x5 so I decided to let it heal up until Monday's heavy day.
Bench: 193 4x10 still cranking out some volume. Rx is 4x5 here. Maybe a nice increase on bench coming up if this continues lol.
RDL: 315x5,5,8. Maybe these are heavy enough for a training effect now.

Over the last couple days, was able to get all but one somewhat minor piece ordered for the new rack i.e. strap safeties, J-cups, and weight storage pegs ordered. Thinking it may ship next week sometime?

Monday 8/24/20 HLM week 6 Heavy day
BW 186.5ish

Squat 328 5x5. Hip felt a little wonky but good enough to get through the work sets comfortably. Should be 100% for next weeks heavy day.
Bench: 212 x 7,8,8,7,8
Pendlay Row: 210 x 5,6,8,8,8

25 lb bumpers shipped. 45's were supposed to come in first, so maybe they show up soon. It's no biggie, I have way more than enough weight to test deadlift in 7 weeks whether more weights come in or not. REP Fitness combined all four orders I placed for the rack(as pieces came in) into one order with one shipping charge.

Wednesday 8/26/2020 Light day HLM week 6

Squat 287 3x5
Press 135 5x5
Deadlift 405 4x5. Should have been 400 but close enough and easier...well, easier to load

Friday 8/28/20 HLM Week 6, Medium day, BW 189ish. My diet is a train wreck.

Squat 308 4x5
Bench 210x10,10,10,8. (Rx 4x5)
RDL 320x5,5,8. Maybe I should ramp up 10 lbs per week here? Not sure.

25 lb bumpers came in today. They seem pretty nice at first glance. I now have a pair of crap iron 35's I can safely sell and still have enough weight(540) to test deadlift in 6 weeks. 4x45 bumpers and 2x10 will still be coming someday. So if I add 200 lbs to my deadlift, I'm covered lol. New rack has shipped. Guessing early next week arrival. I have everything coming except a rear lower brace that helps stabilize the rack since Im not bolting it down. Might order a dip attachment one day as well but currently not doing them. I probably should since my bench sucks.
Attachment 7447

Monday 8/31/2020 HLM Week 7 Heavy day. BW 190. Yes, I've turned into a vacuum cleaner. My appetite is a little out of control

Squat 340 5x4. Might have done six sets because I lost count and did an extra set to make sure.
Bench 220 5x6
Pendlay Rows 225 5x5, couple extra reps here and there.

New rack scheduled for Wednesday so probably assemble it Thursday.

Wednesday 9/2/2020 HLM week 7 light day. BW 190ish.

Squat 258 3x5. This is down from last week...I'm hoping its not a typo in the programming but rather a drop in intensity for light day to compensate for weights ramping up more aggressively on the heavy lifts. If I'm being honest, it felt good on my body to lighten up a bit today.

Press: 135 5x6. Added a rep. I'm out of weight until I get more ten pound plates which are on order. I have low ceilings and can only fit 10's and smaller on my bar.

Deadlift: 415 4x4.

Rack did come in. I spent the entire workout between sets unboxing it. It was exceptionally well packaged and boxed. Everything is in 100% perfect condition, not the slightest scratch on a single piece. It's honestly the best packaging I've seen on anything other than an Apple product. Will take down my old rack and assemble the new tomorrow. The strap safeties seem incredibly stout. Superb quality welds and finish on everything. So far I'm thinking this was a rather excellent value.
Attachment 7455Attachment 7456Attachment 7457Attachment 7458

Friday 9/4/2020 HLM Week 7 Medium day. BW 188

Squat 300 4x5
Bench 193 4x10
RDL 325 x 5,5,8

Got the new rack assembled last night and used it today for the first time. Its a tank. Some really really nice features...the 1" hole spacing is really nice....strap safeties are super easy to adjust and quiet....no ear piercing metal on metal screeching....I know, I know, big deal. But, I also lift in a concrete bunker basement echo chamber. The lined J-cups also greatly mute the ear shattering metallic clanging that normally occurs when I racked the bar on my old rack. I never really thought about it before but it really makes the rack seem much higher quality. Dip attachment came in today so its full steam ahead with the new setup. My shoulders and elbows are tolerating the extra bench and press volume I'm doing with no issues, and recovery is fine. So I may go ahead and add in some dips for the next couple weeks of the program and dial it back for the last week or two.