Slowjoe's Second Go

[slowjoe]

Thank you, Yonko, Helgi and Oldster.

It's good to have you dropping in on the log. Guess I need to raise the standard of the log posts.

I should note that I didn't use a belt for the second meet. Again, I think I was the only competitor lifting belt-less.

[slowjoe]

I have been lifting alone at home for a several month now, generally on a novice linear progression, and later on an intermediate linear progression. However, the weights involved have started to scare me a little. Today I should have taken shots at 110 x 5x 3 on bench and 180 x 5x 3 on squats. I've done the bench workout once before for a PR, and the 180 would have been a PR. Frankly, I'm a little scared of the weights involved.

So I decided to not do that. I'm drinking tea after Saturday workout with a little guy with a huge personality, who coached the guy who set British Olympic lifting records that still stand. He clearly knows a thing or two, but he's been frozen out at the gym. Anyway, he's suggesting 15 singles at 80% of 1RM instead of 3 sets of 5. And like a lot of people, I was ignoring him.

However, two weeks before the meet, I basically did this workout for deadlifts. I pulled 170 x 5 x 3 with 15s between reps, and right afterwards, I get a deadlift PR, in a lift that I've not made progress with. So now, I have both cowardice and curiosity pushing me towards a programming change. So on to the workout:

Bench:
20/44 x 5 x3 - three grip widths
60/132 x 5 x 3 - three grip widths
90/198 x 5 x 2 - narrow and regular widths
110/242 x 1 x 15 - one rep every minute

Squat:
60/132 x 5
100/220 x 3
140/308 x 2
180/396 x 1 x 15 - one rep every minute.

After this, I called my Dad (for his birthday) and my sister. That took maybe an hour and a half. When I got up to put the weights away, I ALREADY had epic DOMS in my quads and adductors. Interesting.

Chinups:
BW x 6, 7

[hbriem]

That's basically the old Hepburn routine. I like it a lot, but doing lots of singles takes a long, long time once the weights go up.

It works very well though.

[slowjoe]

That's basically the old Hepburn routine. I like it a lot, but doing lots of singles takes a long, long time once the weights go up.

It works very well though.

Google found me this: http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_...ngth_and_power

Looks like I'm on an abbreviated version - Hepburn included a volume routine as far as I can see.

I have to say, 180 x 15 feels like the weight have already gone up. It's very rare for me to get even slightly sore. Full-blown DOMS in a couple of hours is unheard of.

[Kregna]

Slowjo where you at?

Bench and squats are looking good. Programme looks quite interesting as well! Has it cut down on your total gym time ?

[StrongLiftMyBalls]

Seconded. Slow, where you at?

[Oldster]

I was wondering too.

SJ? Come back. E&P needs you.

As does your log.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Man could we ever use some more stabilizing sanity in the fantasy factory!

[slowjoe]

I took a break - now I'm back.

Thank you all for the kind words - it's like Tom Sawyer walking in to hear all the nice things being said. I highly recommend it!

[slowjoe]

I've actually handled a barbell twice since my last post. On 2012-12-18 I worked out near my folk's place in Ireland:

Squats:
140 x 5,2
Press:
57.5 x 5 x 3
Bench
Worked up to 85 x 5,5 (regular, narrow)

2013-01-17
D/L
130 x 5 DOH
150 x 5 Mixed

Press
60 x 5,3

Squat
140 x 5,5

Clearly, I've lost A LOT of strength. Time to get back to work - I've an outside chance of make the GB team for the commonwealths in December in New Zealand