Finally lifting heavy things again

[Galaxieman]

Said I'm getting old... I'm 37, I'm not old..

This morning's lift session went with

OHP: 2x5@45, 5@75, 4@105, 3x5@120. LP continues.
Jump-Cleans (still avoiding loading of the lower back): 2x5@45, 5@75, 3x5@105. Had another lifter in the area with the bumper plates note on my first work set that I was using my arms at the top of the second pull and not getting down under the bar. For the last two work sets I concentrated on getting back under the bar, and found I wasn't catching it so high and 'back'. I'll likely drop the weight again once I start pulling from the floor when my back gets better so I can reinforce the jumping position, but this lift is lightyears further along than when I started.

[Galaxieman]

Friday: Didn't lift. Left the kiddo with my parents and spent 3 hours riding out into the boondocks with my wife on the back of the motorcycle, for a weekend sans kiddo. Floated the Shenandoah on Saturday, and went out to a dinner where I didn't have to give up and pack out when the tiny terrorist finished eating. Dinner was at this great little Southern Kitchen & Whiskey Bar in Harrisonburg, VA. Had a 'moonshiner's lemonade', which consisted of Knob Creek, maple syrup, and lemons... I highly recommend it.

Today-
Squat: 2x5@45, 5@95, 3x5@135. Concentrated on keeping knees out, getting deep into the squat, and letting everything settle back into place. No tweak in lower back, but I'm going to take it really easy.
Bench: 2x5@45, 4@95, 3@135, 3x5@185. I am AMAZED at how well this linear progression thing keeps working. Last work set felt almost exactly the same as last week's set at 175, with the last rep or two being difficult, but not under threat of impending failure. Not working on weak points, just working on not being weak.
Deadlift: 5@65, 5@115, 5@135. Again, about the form, not the weight yet. Concentrating on 'arms like cables' and getting a good set in my torso before starting the lift. Felt good to be doing these lifts again, albeit not at anything approaching heavy weight.

[Galaxieman]

Squat 2x5@45, 5@95, 3x5@145.
OHP: 2x5@45, 4@75, 3@105, 3x5@125. Still impressed the LP is continuing.
Powercleans: Started with 2x5@45 Jump Cleans, then 5@75, 4@95, and 3x5@110 full powercleans, but with constant velocity up the legs (not accelerating the bar yet). About 2/3 of the catches were really clean, which is an improvement from the last 1 or 2 of a workout before.

[Galaxieman]

Squat: 2x5@45, 5@95, 5@135, 3x5@155. I'll probably stay on this 'restarted' progression for a while longer, as my back is feeling 'better', but getting ahead of myself is just asking to get re-injured.
Bench: 2x5@45, 4@135, 3@165, 3x5@195. Still. Going. Up. HOOAH!!!
DL: 5@65, 3@95, 3@135, 5@165. I was initially going to keep this in line with squats, but the set at 135 finally felt 'right' again, so I put the 15's back on instead of the 10's. Just stand up.

[carson]

You go up and down on your weights and question your own form. Would it be helpful to you to post a video in the technique section so we might see what you are writing about?

[Mr. Bingley]

Like carson said if you can post a vid; there's a ton of knowledge floating around here. And take it slow.

[Galaxieman]

I'll try and shoot some form-check vids next week. Wouldn't hurt to see if what the lift feels like compares to what it actually looks like. Looking at my tracking log spreadsheet, my progression on OHP and Bench are damn-near dead-linear. The cleans are close, despite them feeling like they've been jumping around. The DL and Squat start nicely, then plummet when I tweaked my back. Switching to lifting 3 times a week is helping motivation, and I'm sleeping better too.

As an aside, I looked up 'what should I lift for my size', and based on Rip's 2006 "Basic Strength Standards" chart, I'm currently at Untrained on Powercleans; Novice on OHP, and DL; between Novice and Intermediate on Bench; and Intermediate on Squats.

[Mr. Bingley]

i'm your height and weight and 15 years older; at this stage of geezerdom I don't worry so much about what I 'should' be lifting because I'm pleased as punch that what I am lifting is a hell of a lot more than I was able to do just a year ago.

[Galaxieman]

I understand being pleased about improvement, I just like to know what 'reasonably strong' looks like so I know where I'm at.

Today's workout got cut short. One of our guys is on leave, and one of the two of us MUST be at the desk at 0830... so even though it's my workout day, I had to be back at the office. Yay. :

Squats: 2x5@45, 5@95, 5@135, 3x5@165. I got a decent form-check video, which I'll get uploaded once I get home.
OHP: 2x5@45, 4@95, 3@115, 4@130, 2x5@130. Mis-counted my first work set. I was watching the video afterward and caught my error. I'll get the 4-rep set vid uploaded this evening as well.
Powercleans... Got cut. Ran out of time. Between getting out of the house a little late, and getting the videos shot slowing my workout down, I had to bail. Hoping to make it back over early this afternoon to knock these out.

[Galaxieman]

A good day in the gym.

Squats: 2x5@45, 5@135, 5@165, 3x5@185. Moved my heels a little closer and pointed my toes out a bit more, concentrated on keeping my knees out and driving my hips up.
Bench: 2x5@45, 4@135, 3@185, 3x5@205. Last rep of last work set was slow, but it went up.
DL: 5@65, 4@135, 3@185, 5@215. Got a good vid of the last set that I'll upload after I get home today. Form is not actually as terrible as I thought, but I'll still post it and get feedback.