Mike O's Training Log

[Mike O.]

I switched to intermediate programming for my squats a few weeks ago, after a best 3x5 at 280. I thought I’d be able to get further with linear progression since I’ve worked on low bar squats in the past, but that assumption has probably been my biggest mistake on the program so far. At 44 years old I probably should have introduced more recovery into my programming much sooner than I did. I've been a bit stubborn about this.

I haven’t posted here much so I’ll give some background info and notes on my efforts to do the program so far.

Background Info
I'm 44 y/o, 5'10.5, 196lbs. I started on SS in September 2009, hoping to rehab a nagging shoulder injury, which, while not serious enough to warrant surgery, had not responded very well to repeated attempts at traditional rehab. I was also hoping to address the results of my great couch-sitting, food-binging experiments of 2009, which were a raging success.

I had to start very light on all my lifts due to ROM issues in the shoulder, and also just because I was very weak. It took 2 months before I was able to do a single decent pullup. It has taken time, but the shoulder ROM has gradually improved and lifts steadily increased. With thorough warmup I can now hold the bar for squats in the low position without pain, with my right elbow only slightly lower than the left. When I started I could not hold the bar in the low position at all. Pressing and especially benching were painful at first but now are no problem.

My bodyweight held steady around 190 for the first couple months, as the weights were light. Then the bar started feeling heavy and slowing a lot so I gained 20 lbs or so from November to January. Most lifts progressed steadily, the bench and press via microloading after a period of larger increases. I reset my squats a couple times in the mid 200’s while trying to figure out how to manage my low back pain, which would flare up and force me to back off. I have since made some form corrections, and I hope with added recovery and continued effort to manage it this situation will improve. (I'm doing all the recommended things: chiropractor, massage, rolling, stretching, ice/heat. There is nothing wrong with my spine. This is a problem that has always presented when lifting, even in my 20's.)

In February I decided to make a correction and remove some unwanted body fat and did 6 weeks on RFL, dropping 17 lbs. After coming off the fat loss diet and maintaining around 193 for a few weeks I started setting PR's again. I’ve been slowly ramping up the calories to keep the lifts moving steadily and I’ve started gaining weight again, slowly. It seems like gaining about a pound a week or so will keep things moving along. I’d like to avoid a bunch of bulk/cut cycles if possible, but I also want my lifts to continue improving and my body composition to remain reasonable, so I’ll do what I have to.

[Mike O.]

I started counting calories back in the fall in an attempt to get my diet under control and learn a few things about nutrition. I might move away from counting eventually, but it’s easy now and I still find it useful.

Most of my calories are coming from chicken, egg whites, whole eggs, beef, tuna, milk, cottage cheese, cheese, avocados, oats, beans, rice, bread, fruit, vegetables, almonds, walnuts. I supplement with bacon cheeseburgers, pizza, thai food, pulled pork sandwiches, burritos and ice cream. Other supplements: whey, milk dairy isolate, creatine, 10g fish oil per day, multivitamin, vitamin C, and Zinc/Magnesium as a sleep aid.

Lifting days tend to be ~3800 calories (most of it PWO), 90-100g fat, 400-500g carbs, 260-280g protein. Rest days 3000-3200 calories, 120-130g fat, 230-260g carbs, 230-260g protein.

[Mike O.]

Age: 44
Height: 5' 10.5"
BW: 196 lbs
Squat: 255x5x5, 300x1, 280x5x3 (before TM)
Bench: 203.75x5x3 (1.25 lb increments)
Press: 138.75x5x3 (1.25 lb increments)
Deadlift: 315x3x2 (deloaded to 275x5 for now)
Power Clean: 155x3x5 (dropped from program temporarily to assist shoulder recovery)
Pullups: 8
Chinups: 9

[Mike O.]

I’ve recently tried to deadlift weekly and it doesn’t seem like my back can recover from that, so I might need to keep it at every other week. On the other hand, at the same time I was also trying to continue linear progression with my squats. Maybe with TM I’ll be able to deadlift once a week eventually.

This week I’ve added back extensions back into my routine, this time with bands to provide resistance (45 degree bench). I had stopped doing the back extensions for a while because I’d developed pain in the back of both of my knees, which I had attributed to the back extensions. But maybe I should attribute it to setting the pad too low – I raised it and it feels better, easier to keep the knees from being completely locked.

I haven’t been doing much ab assistance work, but lately I’m doing some a couple times a week to see what happens. Weighted situps hurt my lower back (a sign of weak abs, or a sign that I shouldn’t do weighted situps?). I’ve been using the ab wheel, on my knees so far. Doesn’t seem to bother my back, we’ll see what results I get from this.

My proposed schedule, until I get my low back issues under control:

Monday
Squat 5x5
Press / Bench 3x5 (linear progression, 1.25 lb increments)
Deadlift 1x5 / RDL 3x10
Ab wheel, 3x10

Wednesday
Light Squat (very light, 135x5x3 and that’s it)
Press / Bench 3x5
Pullups / Chinups

Friday
Squat 1x5
Press / Bench 3x5
Pullups / Chinups
Back Extension (45 degree, with bands)
Ab wheel, 3x10

20 minute full body warmup and rolling pre-workout.
20-30 minutes stretching and rolling post-workout.

[fnet]

Welcome Mike O. I'll be following your progress since we're about the same age. I'm always interested in how a fellow "mature lifter" deals with life's little aches and pains.

[Mike O.]

Thanks for the welcome fnet. Getting a massage 3-4 times a month has helped a lot. My neck, upper back and shoulders feel better than they have in years.

Today's workout:
Squat: 265x5x5
Press: 140x5x3 (got 5,4,4)
Pullups: 8,6,5 (bodyweight)
RDL: 135x10x3
Ab wheel: 3x10 kneeling (this is becoming easier)

This workout postponed from earlier in the week due to scheduling, a rarity. I've also not been sleeping well lately and feeling run down, so I'm sure the extra couple days' rest did me some good.

SQUATS went well. This was another 10 lb. jump, as I started TM with a reset. I figure I'm where I should be now so I'll do 5 lb. jumps from now on.

Resting 3.5 - 5 minutes between sets so far on volume days. I don't have a fixed rest time, just take what I need and make note of it. Quite tired on last set and slight form degradation as low back was starting to lose the battle with hamstrings, but not exactly grinders.

Still fiddling with my form a bit. Getting the feel of sitting back into the stretch at the bottom, trying to be calm and controlled and tight about it and then explode out of the hole. When I try to hit the bounce too hard I can get a little twisted. I've pretty much eliminated shooting back of the hips, at least at this weight, but it still happens once in a while.

PRESS: failed, got 5,4,4. I've been trying to use my hips more while keeping knees locked and glutes tight. I can push my hips back and get under the bar pretty well on warmups, but at my working weight I have a much harder time doing this. Today this resulted in less stability than my previous press workout. Squats took a lot out of me today though - last week I pressed on light day.

PULLUPS: Lost a rep on the third set since my last pullup session. But I've also gained a pound and was wearing heavier shoes today.

RDL felt good, I'll continue alternating these with deadlift for now and see what happens.

Low back not an issue during the workout, but it's a little achey and tired now.

[Mike O.]

Bodyweight: 197

Squat: 135x5x2, 185x5x2
Bench: 205x5x3 PR
Chinups: bw+15 4,5,3
Back Extensions: 3x12 with purple resistance band (45 degree bench)

Hamstrings are sore after volume workout and RDL a couple days ago, but after warmup the light squats felt good.

Bench felt strong, form felt solid, got 3x5 with a little to spare. Taking a slightly longer pause at lockout to make sure I get set, as bar path was poor from trying to hammer out the reps too quickly. The cue to push the bench away rather than push the bar up has really helped. Getting better at maintaining leg drive throughout entire set.

I just started weighted chins last week - 5 lbs. is too big a jump, need to repeat at this weight and take smaller jumps.

After slightly upping my calories the last couple weeks my bench is back to moving steadily, at 1.25 lb. increments. Hopefully I'll hit my press reps next workout. It seems that my press and bench both suffer a bit on squat volume day, not surprising I guess.

[Mike O.]

Squat: 285x5 PR
Press: 140x5x3 PR
Pullups: 8,6,5
Back extension: 20, 12 (no resistance)

Squats felt strong with decent rebound, though not quite as tight at bottom as I’d like. Cue reach back with hips more. Also need to work on neutral neck position as I feel like I’m losing hip drive halfway up, lifting my head even though my gaze stays on the ground.

Press was a repeat at 140, nailed it. Got under the bar better this time. Pulling the bar down as if I’m doing a pullup really helps, all 15 reps felt in the groove. Need to focus on squeezing chest up at the bottom.

Did pullups/chinups 3 times this week, too much. Going back to doing them every other workout.

[Mike O.]

Bodyweight: 198 lbs.
Squat: 270x5x5 PR
Bench: 206.25x5x3 PR
Deadlift: 280x5

Good recovery. Low back slowly feeling better, not a factor during workout. I’ve been stretching and rolling more frequently and more aggressively, especially on my rest days. Weekly massage also continues to help. Now that my upper back, neck and shoulders are feeling good we’re working more on my lower body. Knuckles and elbows in my IT bands and hamstrings is not fun, but I know it will help.

Weight shifted to my toes a couple times on the last set of squats but other than that they felt good, tight at the bottom with decent rebound. Kept chin tucked better than last time.

Faded quickly on last set of bench again – first 3 reps went right up with good bar speed, 4th rep surprisingly hard, 5th rep a grinder but locked it out. That’s an improvement over last time I benched on squat volume day and missed the last rep. Now that I’m getting better bar control I think I need to work on reducing the pause between reps without sacrificing control.

My deadlift sucks (my squats are not high). I’m working back from a reset (minor injury), and still trying to nail down my starting position. Lifted with my squat shoes today (hikers with raised heel) and my back was almost horizontal in my starting position. Probably better off deadlifting in flats. Might be standing too close to bar as well. Next time see if can get hips lower while keeping bar over midfoot. If not, deadlift in flats.

[ColoWayno]

Welcome to the boards. I'm just about your size, and 47. My lifts are also pretty close to yours.
I'm doing 5-3-1 at the moment, I've done both the novice program and the TM. I'm out of the country for a few months so I'm doing 5-3-1 to maintain. Once I get settled back home again I'll do something a little more aggressive for a bit when I can commit myself more to the whole diet, workout, recovery thing.
For now, less is more for me.

Good lifting!