56 and just starting

[Mike Thom]

4/21 Saturday 180 lbs

Squat 187x5x3
Press 103x4x3 & 103x3x1 (couldn’t get the 5th rep so did and extra set of 3 reps)
Dead. 242.5x5x1
Chins 12 lbs 3x8

Still adding some weight. Couldn’t get that 5th rep on the press. But to be fair, I was Blacksmithing for 4 hours the night before. Not sure if that affected my arm/shoulder strength but sometimes you need to just pound on some steel. Next training on Tuesday. Bicep/Tricep strain gone... I’m eating 2800-3100- cals but today (Sunday evening) weighted in at 178... lost 3 lbs since last training day... note to self, eat more.

[Mike Thom]

4/24 Tuesday 181 (kind of got my weight back up from Sunday)

Squat 189x5x3
Bench 166x5x3
PClean 95x3x5


All in all a strong morning. Back strain when driving (to work is 45min to an hour each way) starts to be an issue at around an hour now... much better (at 30 min I used to have to pull over and stretch). Now I usually arrive in 45 minutes and no issues. Will keep eating to get to 185lbs... then we’ll see where that goes...
Just received the prep document from the SS folks regarding the Denver Seminar in a few weeks. Sooo looking forward to working on my form and programming.
Next training day is Friday... Then the following week I am traveling to Santa Fe on Motorcycle and won’t return til Friday or Saturday... will likely lose the Monday & Thursday Training days but will start again on Saturday.
Wondering...
Do you dive back in where you left off?
Or... Redo the last Training day again
Or... go back and redo Training from 2 Sessions ago?

[Mike Thom]

4/27 Friday, 178.5 lbs

Squat 189.5x5x3
Press 103x5x1, 103x4x2, 103x3x1 (Re-doing 103lbs but still tough)
Dead 245x5x1
Chins +13 lbs 8x3

Good day, was a little sluggish to start but got it going and the rest just flowed.
Noticed how tightening my bar grip on lifts helped with concentration and initial power.
May lift on Sunday morning, but 50% chance of that... starting an all day motorcycle trip and might want to reserve strength.
Won’t be back to the weights till next Friday, when I get back home.

[PizzaDad]

Nice steady progress. I bet riding the motorcycle feels better when you are stronger.

[Mark Seng]

Glad to know it's never to late to start! We happen to have the same thread title, albeit I am 20 years your junior. All the best in your NLP sir, you're on the way to be one strong chef.

[Mike Thom]

Motorcycling as a stronger person makes the riding MUCH better. I ride dual sport, so off-roading takes work that I am better equipped for. Thanks pizza dad.
Mark, I’ll look up your thread... tear it up... glad you didn’t wait to your 50’s. With LPN I never need to diet now, which is great since I actually eat for a living!

[Mike Thom]

After being on the road for the last 7 days, I am back and despite eating very well (a Chef Conference in Santa Fe), I came back at 178 lbs... truly hard to believe... anyway, yesterday was my first day back so I decided to go 90% from my last lift. Then on Tuesday jump back to pretty close to where I was. Then my Friday goal si to be right back where I left off.

5/5 Saturday 178 lbs

Squat 170x5x3
Bench 150x5x3
PClean 80x3x5

Easy start back it seems... however... today, Sunday moving a little slower than usual ... just a little. Wrote my lifting goals for the week and will follow through.

[Mike Thom]

5/8/18 Tuesday 179 lbs

Squat 185x5x3
Press 95x5x3
Dead 230x5x1
Chins +12 lbs 8x3

Getting back up to speed, still have gas in the tank. But think this was a good strategy after not lifting for a week. Lower back has been Awesome since my training on Saturday... no issues when driving for over an hour.
The plan for Friday is to lift where I left off before the week off.
Still trying to increase some weight, another 5 lbs is the goal (185 lbs).
Note: will be on vacation next week so... another week away from lifting and at the end of that week will be at the SS Seminar in Colorado for 3 days... (certainly won’t get the chance to over-train ) Hope to get some real guidance on forms for all lifts... after 10 weeks I know that my form is slipping as weights get heavier.

[Mike Thom]

5/11/18 Friday 178.7 lbs

Squat 189x5x3
Bench 156x5x3 (Tried 166 but only got 3... backed down)
PClean 95x3x5

Heading out for a mountain fishing vacation with the wife and 2 German Shepherds on Saturday (tomorrow). Back home on Friday to go to SS seminar at Cut Throat CrossFit in Lafayette, Colorado. Looking forward to working with the coaches and learning a bunch.

Won’t get the chance to train prior to the Seminar but that’s probably ok.
Hope to get a better hang of the appropriate programming.

Cheers

[Mike Thom]

Let me catch up the workouts a bit...
May 19-21st at the Starting Strength Seminar in Denver...
Great meeting and learning from all the Coaches, and meeting Rip in person.
At the end of the seminar I signed up for On-Line Coaching... Began with Randy Winfrey on 5/23

Over the 3 Day Seminar:
Squat
45x5x2
135x5x3
155x5x2
- notes to Slow down, Stay on heels for me, reach butt back, tighter grip, elbows down, nipples first, keep back angle consistent on way down.

Deadlift
135x5x1
155x5x1
175x5x1
195x5x1
225x5x1
Notes- Chest up/hips up, Eyes out 4’, back in hard extension

Bench
45x5x1
95x5x1
115x5x1
135x5x1
155x5x1
Notes- Ring/pinkie on power ring, Big breath each time, Touch low/press high, Touch chest every time

Power Clean
45x3x4
65x4x2
75x4x1

Notes- Wider hands than deadlift, Hips up, back extended, Rack on the way down, Elbows up at end, TH’INK up, accelerate!
Rip commented that at my age we wouldn’t recommend PCleans... no need or significant benefit.

Press
45x5x1
65x5x1
85x5x1
95x5x1
100x5x1

Notes- Tight Chest/nipples out, Elbows Tight & in, Quads tight/abs tight, Close grip (lock), Wrists 10 degrees, Hip Bounce

On-Line Coach (Test Routine)
Wednesday 5/23 Video Test
Do the 4 major lifts for 5 of what you could do at least 8.
Squat 155x5x1
Press. 95x5x1
Dead. 220x5x1
Bench 150x5x1

Sending Videos to SSOC of each final set.

Friday 5/25 (180 lbs)
Squat 145x5x3
Press 85x5x3
Dead 185x5x1

Monday 5/28 (181 lbs)
Squat 150x5x3
Bench 145x5x3
Dead. 190x5x1

Wednesday 5/30 (181 lbs)
Squat 155x5x3
Press 90x5x3
Dead 195x5x1

Friday (today) 6/1 (182 lbs)
Squat 160x5x3
Bench 150x5x3
Dead 200x5x1

Looking forward to getting back to PR with good form, what a difference! Thanks Coach!