New Old Guy Log

[sinker]

Hello! I'm Karl from Delaware (a native Delaweenie). I'm 58 and work in R&D. I'm married with 3 grown kids -all paying their own bills!- and 2 grandchildren.

I was a sedentary slug until age 46 when some ailments scared me out of inactivity. I started mountain biking and loved it. I lost some weight, gained some fitness and felt good. I was still hovering around 200lbs in the summer, 215lbs in the winter so in March of 2017 I tried a ketogenic diet and quickly got down to 190lbs, and have maintained that for many months. I also cleared up all symptoms of an auto-immune disease, increased mental clarity, improved cholesterol, triglycerides, blood glucose levels, blood pressure, and on and on.... I realize that a Low Carb/High Fat diet may not be considered optimal for strength training, but at this point I'm not willing to give up the benefits.

I'm not sure how the strength training bug bit me, but it did. Just like everybody else, I researched and came down to StrongLifts 5x5 and Starting Strength and obviously chose SS. I read the book. I joined the local YMCA and in January did a 6-wk session of 'Intro To Powerlifting' with one really good trainer and another trainer. The good trainer is a young guy and a strong proponent of Starting Strength methodology (including low bar squats). I learned a bunch and impressed myself. Unfortunately that class ended without ever really finishing LP, so I signed up for the 'intermediate' class which was taught by the 'other' trainer. I'll spare you the details, but it was useless and I stopped going.

Yesterday, I started over, on my own.

My stats
Age: 58
Height: 5’9”
Weight: 187lbs
Belly (at navel): 38"
BF (via Omron): 24.1%

My first workout
Squat 115 x 5 x 3
Bench 45 x 5 x 3 (shoulder injury)
Deadlift 135 x 5 x 3

My 1RM for deadlift and squat were significantly higher a few months ago during the class, but the program got so wonky I thought it best to drop back and start over.

[carson]

Welcome. I started at age 66. We have a male client who is 91. He started when he was 90. So, welcome young fellow.
What is your height?

[sinker]

Doh!! 5’9”. Just edited to add that

[sinker]

My SECOND workout (I'm on a roll!!)!

Squat 125 x 5 x 3
Press 30 x 5 x 3 (shoulder injury)
Deadlift 145 x 5 x 3

Not sure why I did 3 sets for DLs, I know the program only calls for one. Maybe because this is happening at 5:45am before I'm sufficiently caffeinated. I'll drop back to single sets for workout #3.

[sinker]

Workout #3

Squat 130 X 5 X 3
Bench 50 X 5 X 3
Deadlift 155 X 5 X 1

If you had told me six months ago that I'd be going to the Y at 6:15 on a Saturday morning to lift heavy (to me) weights I'd have laughed at you. But here I am.

[Oldster]

Yep, here you are, Sinker, with the iron bug biting deep. Soon you'll not only be getting up early to lift, but also work around important events to make sure you get your lifts in!

Not saying it's happened to me, but occasionally some of those events will get blown off because of interference with significantly more necessary circumstances of heaving iron about!

Keep up the good work.

[76now]

Greetings sinker, it is my delight to follow the training of old and senior-ish members, like Carson and Oldster, etc,etc. Seeing their strategies, and programs, and ups and downs, is a unique and valuable resource found nowhere else.
i look forward to watching your progress and newbie gains, as you work around injury and whatever life throws at you next.

[codger]

(I'm on a roll!!)!

Pretty soon it will be an avalanche. Welcome!

[Kyle Martin]

That's a great base Sinker, good luck with the continued success! Despite the 8 week class here's hoping you have a long and productive novice run out

[sinker]

Week #2/ WO#1

Squat: 135 x 5 x 3
Press: 30 x 5 x 3 (man, I wish my shoulder would stop hurting!)
Deadlift: 165 x 5 x 1

Really felt great this morning, and stoked to be squatting with big wheels!

Weight: 190lbs
Belly at navel: 38"
BF% (Omron): 23.5%

So I know it's just a snapshot, but compared to last week I'm up 3lbs and down 1% BF. Yeah, the Omron is flakey but it's all I've got.