Forty something ex gym rat starts all over again

Cheers Sonambulist.

Got up early today and into the gym. Sore lower back so scratched DLs.

1. OHP 5 reps (3sets) = 30kg
2. Hammer grip pull ups 4/3/2 reps
3. Bulgarian squats 5 reps (2 sets) = 24kg
4. DB row 5 reps (3 sets) = 20kg/ side
5. DB bench press 5 reps (3 sets) = 40kg
6. Palloff press 5 reps (3 sets) 17.5kg/ side
 
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Got home reasonable time and hit the gym - focused on being strict with shorter rests between sets and strict controlled form.

1. OHP 5 reps (3sets) = 30kg
2. Hammer grip pull ups 4/3/2 reps
3. Deadlifts 5 reps (2 sets) = 60kg
4. DB row 5 reps (3 sets) = 20kg/ side
5. DB bench press 5 reps (3 sets) = 40kg
6. Palloff press 5 reps (3 sets) 17.5kg/ side

All done inc warm up within 45 mins.

Went and checked out the gym I like the look of as well today - 6 power racks plus 6 benches with Oly bars, tons of weights and most importantly a nice bunch of friendly people. Some powerlifters there with good competitive pedigree as well so good people to potentially learn from.

So at some point in the next month I'll bite the bullet and join that one - extra 15 mins drive each way but in the long run I think its going to be worth it for the equipment and the advice.

Also this is day 3 of tracking 1550 cals per day via Myfitnesspal. So far so good and managing my diet to keep to the carb/fat/ protein ratios. So how long before the weight starts falling off then?!
 
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Woke up with a 'stiff neck' on one side - couldn't loosen it up but headed into gym for 9am.

1. OHP 5 reps (3sets) = 35kg
2. Goblet Squats 5 reps (3 sets) = 40kg
3. Pulldowns 5 reps (3 sets) = 50kg
4. DB bench press 5 reps (3 sets) = 22kg/ side
5. .... neck hurting real bad and has tightened up considerably - off for hot/cold shower!

Really ****ed off as I had 2 bottle of beer last night just tipping me over my cal limit and wanted to pay some of that back metaphorically with a strenuous workout this morning.
 
Thought I'd sneak into gym mid afternoon to avoid the rush - totally backfired as it was full of what I can only describe as a gang of yobs intent on messing about, getting in people's way, chatting to each other and hogging every station. In between times they did partial reps of all sorts of stuff like shrugs and brocurlz.

So managed more or less what I did on Saturday after going away the weekend, which feels like half a workout - pretty ****ed off right now!

1. OHP 5 reps (3sets) = 35kg
2. Goblet Squats 5 reps (3 sets) = 40kg
3. Pulldowns 5 reps (3 sets) = 55kg
4. DB bench press 5 reps (3 sets) = 22kg/ side

By this time they were trying to talk to me mid set so I complained and walked out. Just the jolt I needed to switch to the better gym slightly further away.
 
Up early -

1. OHP 5 reps (3sets) = 32kg
2. Hammer grip pull ups 4/3/3 reps
3. Bulgarian squats 5 reps (2 sets) = 28kg
4. BB row 5 reps (3 sets) = 40kg
5. DB bench press 5 reps (3 sets) = 44kg
 
Weigh in today - 12 st 2 lbs - so dropped 6 pounds in 4 weeks. Basically very little happened for the first two weeks in terms of weight and then the last two it seems to have caught on that I'm not giving up that easily.

Myfitnesspal app has helped keep me under the cal limit (1550/ day) and track protein/fat/ carb balance.

So month 1 started okay, lost a few pounds, re-learning the movements, bit stronger and firmer, and best of all no injuries and back feels good.

Time to push on now and join the other gym, and add a bit more intensity to sessions.
 
Right, now a member of a 'proper' gym. Went over this morning to join and go through a customised induction - basically I wanted the guy who runs it (and is a competing British Powerlift champ) to run the rule over my technique on squats/deads/bench/OHP.

All good. Great facilities, friendly atmosphere, lots of experienced guys who seem keen to help and motivate. Just the ideal place for a noob to get going properly! 6 power racks, two more on the way, 4 benches with racks.

So first session proper will be Saturday morning where I hope to discover a good starting weight on the compound lifts and get some practice in for about a month on -

1. Squats
2. DLs
3. BB Bench press
4. BB row
5. OHP

3 sets of 8 reps.

If I have energy and enthusiasm I might throw in pull ups and dips at the end.
 
So Saturday became Sunday!

First proper session at new gym, so trying to not look quite as self conscious as I felt and ignore the proper weights that others were swinging. Now using Olympic bars and getting used to the size and balance.

1. Squats 40kg x8 x2
2. DLs 60kg x8
3. BB Bench press 40 x8x2
4. BB row 35x8x2
5. OHP 30x6x2

Few chins and dips at the end - zero grit left to get many reps.
Intrigued to see how my back feels tomorrow after squats, DLs and BORs.

Plan is to stay at roughly 8 reps per set but add weight each session - 2.5kg on squats and DL's, and 1kg on the BORs and BP. See where this takes me for 4 weeks and then owner has an idea of a routine that the Welsh rugby team use for size and strength which splits and adds things like cleans etc and cycles reps down over the period.
 
Yep compounds as per post no.28. Effectively we're saying the nearly same thing - I've just expressed it in smaller increments eg +2.5 for two sessions per week =5kg.

The difference being I was suggesting +5kg per week for squats as well as DLs - is that not realistic? Also +2.5kg on OHP might get pretty difficult pretty quick - that's 8kg per month which seems high for relatively small muscle compared to back or chest?
 
Somnambulist said:
Most people find OHP progression painfully slow. I bought these off StrengthShop to try and help that:

http://instagram.com/p/qBuEvNBEIA/?modal=true
Click to expand...

I find the most fun way to tackle OHP is to use a wave-like progression, with 8-10 reps -> 5 reps -> 3 reps, simply because those muscles need to get bigger to lift more, nomsayin?

OHP is gash, anyway - pushpress ftw. ;) :D
 
Don't worry Thingy - push press is included in next months program with power cleans and clean pulls. Looks like it cycles down through the rep range over 12 weeks till it reaches 1-3 reps
 
jernau_gergeh said:
Yep compounds as per post no.28. Effectively we're saying the nearly same thing - I've just expressed it in smaller increments eg +2.5 for two sessions per week =5kg.

The difference being I was suggesting +5kg per week for squats as well as DLs - is that not realistic? Also +2.5kg on OHP might get pretty difficult pretty quick - that's 8kg per month which seems high for relatively small muscle compared to back or chest?
Click to expand...

Sorry, I misunderstood. 2.5kg per session / 5kg per week on squats is what I'm on and works great for me.
 
Busy in the gym tonight, having to compete with some proper man mountains for a rack.

1. Squats 42.5kg x8 x2
2. DLs 65kg x8
3. BB Bench press 42.5kg x8x2
4. BB row 42.5kgx8x2
5. OHP 30kgx7x2

OHP a real struggle for some reason - find the OB much tougher than DBs.
 
On the scales this morning - 12st 1lb - woo hoo so I've lost 7lb since starting this malarkey about 6 weeks ago. Another half a stone to go I reckon and then we'll see where the waist is and where the weight has actually come from...
 
Felt good for a Sunday morning.

1. Squats 45kg x8 x2
2. DLs 67.5kg x8
3. BB Bench press 43.5kg x8x2
4. BB row 45kgx8x2
5. OHP 30kgx8;30kg x4

Slow and steady, creeping the weight up in small increments whilst staying disciplined with form.
 
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