Back again...

mrthingyx said:
It's adaptation, too: if your nervous system isn't adapting, then you will spark out sooner.

And just because you were doing 3*8 on deadlifts before doesn't mean it was a good idea then, either. ;) For neural adaptation, your rep range should be 3-5 (can do 6 depending on the individual concerned)… as a "new" lifter, you will get similar gains from 3-5 on deadlifts and spending more time on secondary (assistance) exercises (like RDLs, rows, Nordic curls)...
Click to expand...

Ha! Well, this is, of course, very true! :)

IIRC my thinking the last time when I decided on this programme was based on 3*8 reps being a sweet spot between strength and hypertrophy for most lifts. Reading around a bit more since your earlier post, it does appear a lot of people who use 8-12 rep ranges for most lifts do indeed use fewer reps on conventional deads. Cheers.

This does also makes me remember, though: I haven't done sumo DLs since... well, that was when I was working out in a gym rather than at home, and the last membership I had was... 2011-ish. I seem to remember finding these better for higher rep work than conventional ones, but might be mis-remembering as my log-keeping was sketchy back then. I may need to experiment with these again too (and re-learn the form after seven years or so!)
 
mrthingyx said:
*chuckles*

Deadlifts - being the drain that they are on the CNS - are not a great hypertrophy stimulus: you're better off doing 5 sets of 3 for deadlifts and then banging out sets of 10 for RDLs, facepulls, rows and hamstring work that will murder your muscles but let your CNS recover.

I remember once being really proud of myself in front of my coach for doing sets of 8 for overhead squats... :D #facepalm
Click to expand...

:)

You know, I didn't even really believe in CNS drain before I did deadlifts! I always thought, "CNS drain? What's that? Sounds like made up jargon for being tired out!"

That feeling of pushing too far with deadlifts, though - weird sensations in my face muscles, inability to focus, feeling generally out of sync with the world, the pressing need to collapse in a twitching heap... I was suddenly, "ahh, this is what they meant!" :D

Still, as I generally follow them up with BB rows anyway, I guess I can lower the reps and still get the benefits of strengthening my core and posterior chain before hitting the back for more reps. RDLs I do like banging out 8-10 reps on, so it's good I can keep those at higher rep ranges.

Cheers matey! :)
 
26/9/18
Hack squat 50kg 8, 8, 8.
DB Bench 27.5kg 8, 8, 6. Bit miffed as I definitely had the eight in the tank for the last set too, but lost concentration on my fifth rep and had to correct my right arm drifting wide, which ruined my rhythm. Took out my frustration with several upper partials and a super-slow negative. :)
DB row 30kg 8, 8, 8
RDL 52.5kg 8, 8, 8
Landmine press (kneeling, two-handed) 10kg, 12. 20kg, 10. 25kg, 8, 8
Lat raise 5kg (superset with landmines) 10, 10, 10

Major plus of today - LANDMINES!! :D Absolutely loved these! Where have these been all my life?! Why don't more people preach their awesomeness? I can already tell this is going to let me load weight on my overhead pressing like I've not been able to do for many, many years with any other lift. I could feel it putting emphasis on my medial delt along with the anterior, which is what I wanted - and the whole range of motion was comfortable, with my shoulder feeling safe and pain-free. Supersetting with light lat raises gave me a nice lactic acid burn in my medial delts by the end.

All in all, this felt very good. No exhaustion whatsoever, and I could have kept going had I not needed to get back to work. So, yeah, definitely looking like forcing 3x8 on DLs was the culprit in wiping me out last time!

One thing I feel I'm missing is something to hit the rear delt now. I did like face pulls when I was going to a gym, but is there anything as good using dumbbells and barbells now I'm working out at home? I already do bent-over lat raises, but looking for something a bit more substantial feeling that will let me load the weight a bit more. Thinking I could do some horizontal bodyweight (and then deficit) pulls if I get some rings, but not sure how good that will be.
 
28/9/18
Pull-ups 8, 8, (8)
Dips BW+7.5kg DB 8, 6, 5+1
DL 67.5kg 6, 6, 6, 6
BB row 47.5kg 8, 8, 8
DB face pulls 5kg 10, 10, 10
DB split squats 10kg 8, 10, 10


No exhaustion from the deadlifts today. Not pushing for eight did help, even though I did a slightly heavier weight with more volume overall over the four sets compared to last time. Still felt full of energy at the end today's workout. I didn't push myself hard enough today, if I'm honest.

Need to stop faffing around with the split squats, really. I've got the form down now and there's no excuse not to up the weight and push through them a bit harder.

I also want another chest/push movement here, so I will assess how my shoulder is doing and maybe try incline pressing again.

DB face pulls felt a bit weird, but really I just put them in with light weights as another movement to strengthen my rear shoulder and scapular retractors. No idea if they're worth keeping for strength/hypertrohpy purposes.
 
Well, I was feeling some tightness and soreness in my lower back yesterday, and when I woke up this morning my whole lumbar region was extremely stiff, and I got a nasty, sharp twinge of pain putting one of my socks on.

I was pretty alarmed about this!

I didn't feel anything pull or strain in my back at any time. I did join in with wife's stretching yoga programme the night before last, which to be honest I probably wasn't flexible enough for, so it's not beyond the realms of possibility that I pulled a muscle trying that out.

Everything loosened up quite a bit as soon as I started moving and warming up, which (I hope!) suggests it's nothing too serious, but I dropped anything with a hip hinge movement or anything that puts pressure on the lumbar spine from today's workout just to be safe. Hence:

30/9/18
Hack squat 52.5kg
DB Bench 27.5kg 8, 8, 8 +1UP+slow neg
DB row 32.5kg 8, 7, 7
Supported inc DB row (suppinated grip) 10kg 12. 15kg, 12, 12
RDL 52.5kg
[Added in:] DB split squats 15kg 10, 8/4, 7/5. 10kg 12, 12 [rear foot was slipping around a lot on the first set, so I was then going super slow and giving maximum concentration to form. Felt a lot more burn in my quad as a result on sets two and three]
Landmine press (kneeling) 30kg 12, 8, 8 [these got tiring surprisingly quickly...]
Lat raise 6kg DB 10, 10, 10 [superset - feel the burn!]

I missed hack squats and RDLs today, but hopefully won't be too long before I can re-introduce them. I'm not taking any chances with my back at my age... :(
 
Gah, back is still stiff and painful. I iced it a lot over the past couple of days and it's loosened up a bit again today, but was horrible when I first woke up.

I also noticed some (mild) sternoclavicular pain overnight, and my right SC joint is clicking and has mild, dull pain on a few movements, especially shoulder adduction with my arm across my body. I last had SC problems years ago from going too deep with too much weight on chest dips. Clearly it's not fully healed. So I've dropped dips as well unwell this joint stabilises.

My old injuries are such a PITA. I'm going slow and careful, but it really doesn't take much for one or another of them to flare up again.

So, today my doubly-limited workout looked like this:

2/10/18
Pull-ups +2.5kg 8, 8, 6+1
Dips +7.5kg
DL 70kg
BB row 50kg
DB Bench 32.5kg 7, 5, 5 +UP+neg
Supported inc DB row 20kg 10, 10, 9
DB inc press 10kg 12. 12.5kg, 12, 12, 12
Goblet squats 12.5kg 12. 20kg, 12, 12, 12 (triple supersetted - or something? - with scapular plane of motion lat raises and DB OHP, light weight - 8kg - to failure - so like 15 reps or so, wasn't keeping careful count)

Still didn't feel to bad a workout, but I'm missing a few core exercises now and being extremely cautious on pretty much everything else. Still, better slow progress or maintenance while my joints heal than an enforced long lay-off. Hopefully my offending joints get back to normal quickly (at least my right should impingement is being quiet for now - touch wood...)
 
No workout today.

I don't know what's going on with my sternoclavicular joint.

Pulling, clicking, pain with some movements, general funky "wrong" feeling with others... and it doesn't seem to be getting any better (worse, if anything).

I've no idea how it even got injured (unless my too-deep heavy weighted dips from years ago weakened the joint and now it's just not fully stable)

Reading about this, it seems like it's one of the worst joints to have problems with. I've booked a physio appointment for Tuesday. Really hope there's nothing seriously wrong here.

As pretty much any movement involves putting pressure on this joint (even just picking up or holding a weight in my right hand), I don't know if I can do any weight-bearing movement safely.

Ah, and things were going so well... Feeling rather down about this, tbh. :(
 
Ok - so I got the all-clear to carry on with lifting!

Week off was kind of tormenting, so I'm glad to be back at it.

9/10/18
Hack squat 57.5kg 8, 8, 9
DB Bench 32.5kg 8, 8, 5
DB row 35kg 8, 8, 7
RDL 62.5kg 8, 6, 6
Landmine press (kneeling) 32.5kg 8, 8, 8
DB face pulls/lat raise super-set 10kg 10, 10, 10

That feels better!

My wife will be pleased, too - she's said my mood has been low since I stopped working out due to the pain of these injuries (she has a point, tbf!).
 
11/10/18
Pull-ups +2.5kg 8, 8, 8
Sumo DL 57.5kg 6, 6, 6, 6
BB row 57.5kg 8, 7, 7
Inc DB bench 17.5kg 8. 20kg 8. 22.5kg 8
Decline flyes 10kg 8, 8, 8
Neutral DB OHP 15kg 10, 8, 8
Goblet squats 25kg 10, 8, 10 [got lazy on the second set. Should have pushed to 12-15 per set really, but was feeling a bit bushed by the end and had work to do...]

Feeling really good again!

Tried Sumo DLs in place of regular. I realised/remembered that as I'm using a standard rather than oly weight set and I have smallish 20kg plates, the bar for me is around 3-3.5" lower than would be normal for an oly bar DL. I wonder if this contributed to the stress on my back that left it sore a while ago. Sumo stance feels a lot easier on the back and I feel I can set myself a lot better with the lower bar. Just tried out the movement today as it's been yonks since I did these and I never used them very much - but I did like it. Might stick with this unless there's a sound reason not to?

Everything else seemed fine and straightforward, except my workouts are now getting a bit long - 1hr 15 minutes today. I like 45 minute workouts ideally, an hour tops, as it's easier to fit into my morning routine or into breaks from work. Some of this did include making my PWO shake between OHP and Goblets, so I could shave off maybe five minutes.

Wondering when is the best time to move to a different split routine. I like this whole body split at the moment, with two pull, two push and two leg movements (plus an ancillary maybe) every other day. I was thinking this whole body EOD routine would be ideal for about the first six to eight months, maybe a year back lifting and then a push-pull or upper-lower split might be preferable. Maybe I just need to get a move on and get this done in an hour!
 
Missed logging a few workouts. Last one was:

17/10/18
Hack squat 70kg 8, 8, 8
DB Bench 33.5kg 8, 8, 5
DB row 37.5kg 7, 6, 6
RDL 65kg 7, 7, 7
One-arm landmines (kneeling) 17.5kg+bar 9, 9, 8
DB face pulls 15kg 6, 6, 6

Another 6am pre-work workout. Felt great all day. Noticeably less stressed at work. Injuries all seem to be behaving (touch wood!).

Weight... 12st 2lbs! So 0.5lb heavier than a month ago despite having a zig-zag calorie deficit and working out heavily over that time. I was expecting to gain a pound or two of water weight initially after starting to take creatine again, but over another month of consistent dieting to still be up in weight... I give up even trying to explain this. Visually I've lost a significant amount of bodyfat in that time. Really just the famously stubborn lower waist/upper hips/kidney fat to lose now. Can finally see my delts having some distinction from my biceps, upper abs becoming a bit more distinct, and looking noticeably lean in my traps, neck and face. But, yeah, I weigh more. Possibly still newbie/muscle memory gains, but I wouldn't have expected these to keep pace (or outstrip) the rate of fat loss I'd expect has been happening.

Not convinced my fat loss hasn't stalled a bit this past week to ten days, though - although it's getting harder and harder to judge (and I am too cack-handed to get any reliable readings from calipers...).
 
Still plugging away. Trying to cut more bodyfat and wring every bit I can from my newbie/muscle memory gains.

19/10/18
Pull-ups +5kg 8, 8, 8
DL (sumo) 80kg 6, 6, 6, 6
Inc DB bench 25kg 8, 8, 8
BB row 62.5kg 8, 7, 7
Decline flyes 15kg 8, 8, 8
DB OHP 20kg 8, 5, 4
DB squats 20kg 8, 8... and had to run off to shower and change to get to work in time.

21/10/18
Hack squat 75kg 8, 8, 8
DB Bench 33.5kg 8, 8, 7
One-arm DB row 37.5kg 8, 8, 6
RDL 67.5kg 8, 8, 6
One-arm landmines (kneeling) 20kg 8, 8, 8
DB face pulls 15kg 8, 8, 8

If my dodgy caliper readings can be trusted, I've dropped around 10lbs of fat in 7.5 weeks, and gained 11lbs of muscle. That seems a bit more than I'd expect was feasible, even accounting for muscle memory and the newb gains of someone who's not lifted for three years. Quite probable I messed up some readings with the calipers, tbh. I do find them a bit tricky to get consistent readings even with practice.

Anyway, as of now I estimate/guesstimate that losing another 10-12lbs should take me to 10-12% bodyfat territory, which to be honest I've not been in since I was about 15. That's what I'm gunning for before a slow clean bulk attempt, though.

At least another 6-8 weeks of this cutting diet, then. I've shaved another 200Kcals off my daily intake as it feels like the fat is getting harder to shift now. I don't feel this has impacted my gains too much as of yet, although of course as expected everything is starting to slow down.

All good so far, but going to be a tougher couple of months to come, I think...
 
Yesterday:
23/10/18
Pull-ups +7.5kg 8, 8, 6 +1
DL (sumo) 85kg 6, 6, 6, 6
Inc DB bench 27.5kg 6, 5, 2
BB row 62.5kg 8, 8, 8
DB OHP 20kg 8, 7, 5
DB squats 20kg 8, 8, 8

Feeling good still, but I did feel I just didn't have much in the tank when it came to my pushing movements. A real effort, and the weights just felt overly heavy in my hands. I do find that my pushes are the first thing to give out when I restrict calories, so I'm guessing that my diet might be playing a part.

I'm down to 1250Kcal on rest days and then training fasted the next morning, so likely quite depleted. Will see how flat bench goes tomorrow.

(It's a rest day today and I am feeling fiercely hungry right now!)

It does feel, though, that fat is dropping off me everyday. Very pleased with the fat loss, so if I can just keep my strength and lean mass stable for another month I can see where I am in terms of being ready to increase nutrient intake. I may be due a re-feed day as well, though, as I've not had one since I started this cut and even on training days I'm a couple of hundred of calories below maintenance.
 
So I made a bit of a change this morning based on my experiences and thoughts the other day.

Basically, I got up earlier to have some carbs and amino acids an hour before working out. I don't know to what extent this made a difference, but I did feel I had more "in the tank" today. I'm thinking it's quite possible that my very low calorie and carb intake on rest days is not really optimal for fasted workouts the next morning. I had pretty much zero carbs yesterday and woke up feeling very flat in my muscles and not workout-ready at all. A quick oat, banana, linseed and BCAA shake sorted me right out...

I did get a little bit of nausea towards the end of my workout, which I did always used to get when carbing-up pre-workout I now remember.

Anyway:

25/10/18
Hack squat 80kg 8, 8, 8
DB Bench 33.5kg 8, 8, 9 [this is where I really felt that "more in the tank" sensation compared to my previous workout]
DB row 37.5kg 8, 8, 8
RDL 70kg 8, 8, 6 [nausea rising on the last set, which interrupted my rhythm]
One-arm landmines (kneeling) 22.5kg 8, 8, (8)
DB face pulls 17.5kg 8, 8, 8

Weight is finally going down! Down 2.5lbs in the last week - and I can really see it in my mid-section. LBM I don't know about - I think I look/feel flatter in my chest and arms, but I guess I have lower glycogen stores right now due to heavy carb-cycling. Strength is going up still, so I guess that's a good sign. 2.5lbs for a week probably a bit on the high side, so may up daily calories by 100 or so.
 
27/10/18
Pull-ups +6kgDB 8, 8, 6 +1
DL 90kg 6, 6, 6
Inc DB bench 26kg 8, 7, 5
BB row 65kg 8, 7, 7
Lat raise 10kg 8, 7, 8
DB squats 22.5kg 8, 10, 10 (super-set with BW lunges)

Realised that the reason my incline bench felt unreasonably heavy these past two sessions was because I'd set it too steep. It was closer to an OHP than what I'd normally consider an incline press angle. Will try it on the normal setting I use next time...

29/10/18
Hack squat 85kg 8, 8, 8
DB Bench 35kg 8, 8, 6
One-arm DB row 40kg 7, 6, 5
RDL 72.5kg 8, 8, 6
One-arm landmines (kneeling) 25kg 7, 6, 6
DB face pulls 20kg 7, 6, 6

Still finding fat loss is getting harder. I still want another 7 or 8 pounds of fat gone, but it feels slow and arduous going now. Strength is going up still (slowly), but I'm tired of seeing this smooth look in the mirror - want definition!

Although: these two workouts straddled the day that's exactly two months after my first workout in over three years, and I started out at this point with a lot of flab and a horrible body shape - so horrible I couldn't even bear to catch sight of myself in the mirror and I was embarrassed to take my top off to go swimming. I need to keep focus on progress made and not let my impatience for reaching my goals get the better of me, which I know I'm liable to do and which I know won't have good consequences...
 
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Good to keep updating this to keep my logs backed up and my motivation going, so...

1/11/18
Pull-ups +8kg 8, 8, 6 +1
DL 95kg 6, 6, 5
Inc DB bench 27.5kg 8, 6, 4
BB row 65kg 8, 8, 7+1
DB OHP 20kg 5, (8), 6
DB squats 22.5kg 10, 10, 10 (super-set with BW lunges)

3/11/18
Hack squat 87.5kg 8, 8, 8
DB Bench 35kg 8, 7, 7
DB row 40kg 7, 7, 7
RDL 75kg 8, 8, 8
One-arm landmines (kneeling) 25kg 8, 8, 5/6
DB face pulls 20kg 6, 6, 6

5/11/18
Pull-ups +9kg 8, 8, 6½ +1
DL 97.5kg 6, 5, 5, 5
Inc DB bench 27.5kg 8, 7, 6
BB row 66kg 8, 8, 7
DB OHP 20kg 4, 8, 8
DB squats 20kg - ran out of time before having to leave for work.

Don't know what's happening with the first set of the OHP. Two workouts in a row now it's just felt too heavy, but then the next sets are much easier - sets two and three felt very straightforward today and I'd normally be upping the weight after sets like that, but I couldn't hoist the DBs up for the first set. Doesn't make much sense to me.

Feeling good, but so want this excess fat gone asap so I can eat more!
 
Got in another workout before work this morning. Feel pleased with myself every time I manage it!

7/11/18
BB Hack squat 90kg 8, 8, 8
DB Bench 35kg 8, 8, 9
DB row 40kg 8, 8, 7
RDL 77.5kg 8, 8, 8
One-arm landmines (kneeling) 25kg 8, 8, 8
DB face pulls 20kg 7, 7, 7

The last set of hack squats felt difficult this morning, and I had to grind the reps out a bit towards the end. Going to take willpower to keep pushing through these with heavier weights (I've always had this issue with compound leg lifts)...

Still on a calorie deficit so can't complain I suppose!
 
Really didn't feel like starting my early morning workout this morning, but glad I pushed through it.

9/11/18
Pull-ups +10kg 8, 8, 7 +1
DL 100kg 6, 5, 5, 5
Inc DB bench 27.5kg 8, 8, 5
BB row 67.5kg 8, 7, 6
DB OHP 20kg 8, 8, 5
DB lunges 20kg 10, half a set ... and had to run (well, stumble) upstairs and shower before work.

I keep running out of time before work on this routine. I think it might be because of the four sets of DLs (and I tend to take longer doing DLs overall) for this workout plus the fact that lunges mean me working each leg on its own, so twice as long to get through. Must start earlier, or find an alternative leg exercise for the end.
 
I missed a planned workout for the first time since I started up again yesterday. Just felt full of aches and stiffness and my body seemed to be telling me it needed another day's rest. Wonder if I need a deloading week soon. Back to normal this morning and another workout before work:

12/11/18
Hack squat 92.5kg 8, 8, 6
DB Bench 36kg 8, 8, 5
DB row 42.5kg 7, 6, 5
RDL 80kg 8, 7, 6
One-arm landmines (kneeling) 27.5kg 6, 6, 6
DB face pulls 20kg 8, 8, 7
One arm tri ext 12.5kg 8, 7, 6 (added this in as I feel my triceps are a lagging bodypart a bit right now)

It seems like my steady progress hit a bit of a wall this workout across most lifts (the extra 1kg cost me 4 reps on set three of my bench!), but not too concerned about that given my calorie intake at the moment. Still getting impatient to get to a point I feel happy about finishing this cut, though.
 
Bit slack with log-keeping, and a dose of lurgy also had me miss a workout, but still going.

25/11/18
Pull-ups +12.5kg 8, 8, 5½ +1
Sumo DL 100kg 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 [trying something different here - went back down 5kg and did this rep scheme with shortening rest periods. felt a bit too easy though. can't remember where I got the idea from now.]
Inc DB bench 28.5kg 8, 8, 5
BB row 67.5kg 8, 8, 6+1
DB OHP 21kg 8, 8, 7
DB lunges 12.5kg 10, 10, 10

Too much travelling for work right now, so split today's workout into push/pull this evening and legs tomorrow morning:

27/11/18
DB bench 37.5kg 8, 6, 4
DB row 42.5kg 8, 8, 8
Arnold press 18.5kg 8, 8, 8
DB face pulls 21kg 6, 6, 6
One arm tricep extension 13.5kg 8, 7, 6
Cross curls 16kg 6, 6, 6
 
Still slack, with logging workouts, but not with workouts themselves, thankfully.

This morning:
Hack squat 105kg 8, 8, 7
DB Bench 37.5kg 8, 8, 5
DB row 45kg (8), 6, 6
RDL 85kg 8, 8, 8
Lat raise 10kg 7, 7, 6

Felt a bit lethargic this morning, couldn't face pushing the last rep on the hack squat, and stalled a bit on the DB bench for now. Need more sleep!
 
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