Stronger is the new youth?

[CraigDuffield]

Previous log here.

Everyone has a reason for getting into the gym. Mine is to stay strong enough to compete on the field with athletes who are significantly younger than I am. Being stronger than the guys 15 years younger than I am lets me do that.

I've settled on the Texas Method for the next few months, at least until the season starts. I've also been goaded into participating in a pushup/chinup challenge - do 10k pushups and 4k chinups in a year. I got started a month late, so I'm playing catchup.

Starting Weights (Intensity Day):
Squat 365lbs
Press 165lbs
Bench Press 235lbs
Deadlift 365lbs

Goals for 2015:
1. Complete the pushup/chinup challenge
2. No consecutive missed workouts (with work, travel, illnesses, no missed workouts may be too ambitious a goal)
3. Fix Deadlift form and finish the year with deadlift ahead of squat (this may require some in-person coaching)

[CraigDuffield]

Day One. Whew, back on track. Weights are in pounds, notation is sets x reps.

Squat: 315x5x5
Too much time off, I think. Right shoulder took some time to loosen up, and still couldn't squeeze my grip as narrow as I'd like. Something to work on.
Press: 147.5x5x5
Press 1.0 for warmups, 2.0 for work sets.
SLDL: 225x3x5
Right shoulder doesn't like racking power cleans (working on it), so these are my substitute pull early in the week. Will re-evaluate in 8 weeks and if shoulder is still uncooperative, may learn to power snatch.

[CraigDuffield]

February wasn't a great month. Travel for work, schedule changes and generally busy/out of town a lot. I missed workouts, but never two in a row. Too many to make consistent progress though.

Back at it now. Progress starts again with the next post.

[CraigDuffield]

Squat: 315x5x5
Still working on my shoulder. Meeting with our rugby AT next week to try and sort it out.
Press: 147.5x5x5
Press 1.0 for warmups, 2.0 for work sets.
SLDL: 225x3x5

[CraigDuffield]

In addition to the pushup/pullup challenge, my regular workouts, and rugby this summer, I'm participating in the MSBike ride in July. So I'm throwing in two HIIT sessions as week on the bike (on a trainer, in the basement) to get some time in the saddle before I can get outside.

5 min warmup
8x20s on 100s off intervals
5 min cooldown

Will ramp up to 12 rounds over a couple of weeks.

[Simon Rest]

Welcome back. Who ate you playing for?

[CraigDuffield]

Welcome back. Who ate you playing for?

Thanks. Local city club. We're fielding two sr. men's teams this year, and I've gained some size/weight, so I might have to move back out to prop - even though I'm a better fit at hook.

Squat: 275x2x5
Light day is, well, light. As the weights go up I'm sure it'll get easier, but it was hard to only do two sets.
Bench Press: 205x3x5
Back Extensions: 3x10
Not sure I like the "lock your feet under the bench" approach to these. Will need to investigate other options for doing them at home, or an alternate exercise. Or maybe I just need another piece of equipment?

[CraigDuffield]

Had to post-pone my workout last night and do it at 6 this morning. I'm out of practice with morning workouts, and I was both under-caffeinated and under-fed.

Since this week wasn't ideal, and today sucked, planning to repeat this week and then start increasing. I'm thinking that I just need to get back into the groove, and that the weights are OK.

Squat: 365x5
These felt harder than they should have - maybe because of the inconsistent workouts in February? Happy that my belt fits the same as it did over a month ago (the last time I wore it), means I haven't gained/lost too badly.
Press: 165x5
These actually felt pretty good.
Deadlift: 365x4
Should have done the fifth. No (valid) excuses.

[CraigDuffield]

5 min warmup
8x20s on 100s off intervals
5 min cooldown

Increase to 10 rounds next week.

[CraigDuffield]

Squat: 315x5x5
Press: 147.5x5x5
Press 1.0 for warmups, 2.0 for work sets.
SLDL: 225x3x5
Still getting the hang of these. I think I like them, but I'm not sure. Probably need to increase the weight, these were tough, but not "hard".