jgreystoke facing life sentence! Hard labor!

[jgreystoke]

What to do?

Could repair to library with bottle of Glenfiddich and revolver......but the last time I enjoyed a whiskey or ten, was 1986. And none of my guns need cleaning. Oh, you were thinking..........for shame! And isn't that a bit, well, melodramatic? Hardly my style.

But what's this about hard labor, Greystoke old boy? And for life, no less!

Oh that? Well, I've just measured my waist, and.......... IT IS 41 INCHES!!!!!!!!! THAT'S WHAT! 41 BLANKETY INCHES!

DAMN, double damn..................several unmentionable expletives can be barely heard muttered under breath. Answer query from another room with "No Dear, just wondering if we should have duck for dinner tomorrow, that's all......Yes just wondered if duck, duck, well several ducks in fact, were in order........(piece of advice, never explain)...... you know how the weights increase one's appetite.............yes I know it's becoming obvious....."

You see! YOU SEE! IT'S BECOMING OBVIOUS! IT'S BLOODY '%>*/!*! OBVIOUS!

Will just have to face the music, and the mirror. Look like a second tier sumo wrestler these days, not a bodybuilder.....not even an old codger type bodybuilder. Oh dear.

Taking stock:

Old codger of 55.
176cm(5'9") barefoot.
96kg(211lbs) naked.

AND THE CRIME:

41" WAIST!

Love handles are pretty harmless, but intra abdominal fat could be deadly.

Calmly look straight into the mirror(no drama, ice in my veins) and feel like putting on a black cap and sentencing the old codger to the gallows, or at least transportation to a penal colony. But they seem to have abolished those, worse luck. My, how times change, if only you live long enough.

Clearing my throat to lend some gravitas to the occasion, a hush descends upon the court, or perhaps my deafness just gets worse for a moment:

Off stage, a court clerk intones, "will.......the defendant ......please ......rise". Actually sounds like that, those practiced pauses designed to strike terror into the heart of the most hardbitten miscreant. The sad case in the mirror looks at me as if to say...I'm standing as straight as I can, Your Honor. His mournful expression slips into sheer terror, obviously expecting the worst.

"Ahem .......... J. Greystoke........ I sentence you ............to hard labor........for the rest of your natural life!"

[jgreystoke]

For less than a month I've been building up my work capacity, in anticipation of a harsh sentence:

After a half year health related layoff, got soft and weak. And my muscular endurance was pathetic, so started with walks around a field, half mile circumference(measured with odometer). This involves a 100' climb and decent every circuit, and allows me to get my heart rate up into the aerobic zone, something that is impossible for me on the flat. Since the field is only a few hundred yards away, no excuse.

Then on May 26th did the following:

Out in the garden:

Captains of Crush grippers
Crushes: #T, #1, Negatives: #1.5, #2, #2.5
then alternating 1.5 negatives with T(trainer) crushes x 4, for 8 total reps done as singles.

Between the reps did a few Hindu pushups in sets of 5 to mobilize the shoulders before hitting my home gym.

What follows should carry a viewer discretion warning.

When I say weak, I mean pathetically weak. Less strength and muscle endurance than granny on her death bed.

[jgreystoke]

Exercise, weight in kilos(poundage in brackets), reps, sets.

Free squats x 10 to mobilize dodgey knees and pump blood into thighs

Good morning 20kg(44lb) x 10

Bradford press 20kg(44lb) x 5( 10presses, 5 in front, 5 behind head)
superset with
One arm pulldown 25kg(55lb) x 10

Close grip bench 30kg(66lb) x 10
superset
Pendlay row 35kg(77lb) x 10

EZ curl 15kg(33lb) x 10
superset
Triceps pushdown 25kg(55lb) x 10

Laterals 1.8kg(4lbs) x 10 don't cry!
superset
L-fly 1.8kg(4lbs) x 1

After a spell:

Ab pulldown 25kg(55lbs) x 10

Lever bar 1.25kg(2.75lb) x 10
Lever bar catch 1.25kg(2.75lb)

[jgreystoke]

The Bradford press might raise a few eyebrows. That is where you press military style, lower the bar behind your head, and press behind the neck, alternating the two movements.

Thus x 5 reps means you have actually done 10 presses, half behind the neck. The first few reps, I only lower behind the head to about the level of the ears. But as the set progresses, the mobilized shoulder joint allows me to press a fuller range of motion. I try to get at least one rep from a dead rest on the traps, where you would hold the bar for a squat. Most people don't lock out overhead, but I do.


Have to do good mornings because I can't squat with any regularity because of trashed knees. Can't pause anywhere near parallel in squat or dead without excruciating pain.....even with empty bar.

Cant do shrug bar deads as a replacement. Just a single session a couple of weeks ago hurt my knees and made me limp for a week!

So good mornings are my main squat substitute.

Stiff leg deads are great, and that is what built up most of my size, but these days they are so exhausting. Apart from testing them, with what I call easy singles, or easy triples, every month or so, won't be doing them in the main program.

Why close grip bench? Trashed shoulders mean these are the safest for me. I use a grip with my forefingers inside the knurling on my York bar. Use the same grip for Pendlay rows. About 15" wide.

The tiny weights for the laterals and L-fly are for rehabilitation. I want to build up the little muscles that make up the rotator cuff. I tense my lats before the laterals. I can use more weight if I don't, but don't feel my delts at all if I do that.

[jgreystoke]

Same as

Monday May 26th,

But 2 sets of everything on Wed 28th, and 3 sets Fri 30th.

[jgreystoke]

Starting with a single set per exercise is the way to go for a guy who has a problem with energy like me. When I get all three sets with the weight in good form, time to increase the weight.

This is known as double progression.

So the poundage goes up in what is called step progression,

thus 20, 20, 20, 22.5, 22.5, 22.5, 25 etc

But you can see that the volume for each exercise is waved thus:

10 x 1, 10 x 2, 10 x 3, 10 x 1, 10 x 2, 10 x 3

When you are finished all three sets on friday, you schedule an increase for monday. And it feels easy, because only one set.

[jgreystoke]

Week 2:

Mon Jun 2nd, Wed Jun 4th, Fri Jun 6th(D-day):

As previous week, but all exercises +2.5kg, except

Pendlay row +5kg

Goodmorning + 15kg, because the empty bar was way too light.

Laterals + L-fly + .2kg using washers!

Week 3:

Mon Jun 9, Wed Jun 11, Fri Jun 13(Victory for the Irish who voted down the Lisbon Treaty that would have created a European Superstate that is essentially Fascist).

Again + 2.5 kg, except

Pendlay row + 5kg

Goodmorning + 10kg

Laterals + L-fly + .2kg.

[jgreystoke]

In garden:

Captains of Crush Grippers:

As before, but after warming up with the Trainer(100lbs) and #1(140lbs), went up the ladder: Negatives on the heavier gripper, crushes on the T.

#1.5(170lbs), T, #2(195lbs), T, #2.5, T, #2, T, #1.5, T, #1, T.

Almost closed the #1.5 with my right hand. Something I have not been able to do since last year.

Bradford press warmup 20kg(44lbs) x 10, 30kg(66lb) x 3(6 presses) x 3
superset
One arm pulldown 25kg(55lbs) x 10, 34kg(75lb) x 5 x 3

Good morning 40kg(88lbs) x 10, 55kg(121lbs) x 5 x 3
superset
Hise shrug 55kg x 10, Trap bar shrug, 72.5kg(159.5lbs) x 10

Experimented with leg extensions/leg raises during last couple of weeks,

so did

Leg extension 20.5kg(45lbs) x 10
superset
Leg curl 16kg(35lbs) x 10

CG bench 30 x 10, 40kg(88lbs) x 5 x 3
superset
Pendlay row 40 x 10, 50kg(110lbs) x 5 x 3

Curl 22.5kg(49.5lbs) x 5 x 3
superset
Triceps pushdown 32kg(70lbs) x 5 x 3

Laterals, 2.4kg x 10
superset
L-fly 2.4kg x 10

Grip machine 45kg(99lbs) x 5 x 3

Some of the small stuff was done later than the more tiring moves. Ah the benefits of your own home gym!

[jgreystoke]

Just grip work:

My left wrist was becoming slightly irritated by the lever bar work, supinating and pronating the lever bar(dumbell loaded on only one side). So I decided to try wrist curls:

Barbell wrist curls 20kg x 10, 30kg(66lb) x 10 reps x 3 sets
superset
EZ bar reverse wrist curls 10kg x 10, 15kg(33lbs) x 10 x 3

After a few minutes the pump abated and i did another couple of sets each, the last set with 5 bonus reps, is 15 reps in the last set. Felt really good. Wrists are really solid, no weird little sensations in the joint like with the lever bar work.

Thick handle dumbell(3") deads, just to get the feel of the movement:

22.5kg, 25, 27.5, 30kg(66lbs) x 3

Feels totally different from grippers or grip machine. You could have a good grip on something small such as a barbell, but be very weak trying to hold something that is thick, such as an arm, if you were a police officer etc. So training pinch grip is important for some.

[jgreystoke]

Some people think this is counterproductive, unless you are deliberately over-reaching.

But I'm not hitting the same type of grip strength two days in a row.

Thus when I was feeling my oats last year, there were times when I trained the lower arms daily with either

1.Alternating crush with wrist.

2.Alternating crush/fingers with wrist/pinch

3.Doing a four day sequence with crush, wrist, fingers, pinch, etc.

The wrist curls and reverse wrist curls definitely hit the forearm differently from the grip machine. I presume that all of the same flexors and extensors are not used when flexing/extending the fingers versus the wrist.

I even feel the barbell wrist work in a different way to the lever bar work, tho' they are both definitely working on wrist strength.

And hanging from a plaited rope("Rapunzel"), and particularly from rings looped over my chinning bar, causes a different ache in the forearm compared to the gripper and grip machine work.

[Ajk_Lpool]

I'm in to support you You've always been a good poster in the exercise section, very informative. and when you don't post and update, i'll be nagging you to keep you on track

[jgreystoke]

Thanks Adam,

really appreciated. I need all the encouragement I can get......like being urged on at the point of a pitchfork!

Btw, checked out your profile. Yikes! I want guns like that.

Will post pics of my guns later, when my son helps me out with the digital camera.Will have to show the gut I've developed as well. Nothing like a dose of reality.

[jgreystoke]

Warmup consisted of a fasted walk around the field twice, so one mile. Nice and brisk.

Immediately I arrived at the house, went into the gym and did an abbreviated workout, very low volume. A sort of deload/active recovery I planned because I found Monday's workout a bit much, energy wise.

Good morning 40 x 10, 50 x 5, 60kg(132lbs) x 10

Felt really solid. Was scheduled to do five reps, but easily got the ten. Ist milestone, one plate!

Didn't do the usual Hise shrug superseted with the GM, because my left shoulder was feeling a little achy after Monday's workout.

Close grip bench 30 x 10, 40 x 5, 50kg(110lb) x 5
superset
Pendlay row 40 x10, 50 x 5, 60kg(132lbs) x 5

both nice and solid, with a couple of reps to spare.

Grip machine 30 x 5, 40 x 5, 50 x 5, 60kg(132lbs) x 5, 55kg(121lb) x 10, 55 x 15

The second down set was for 15 reps because I was feeling strong. But on the last couple of reps felt a little tear in the skin of my left hand, but finished anyway.

I always do grip on the weak hand first. That way I force it to stay up with whatever my right hand does. I might have to smooth the top bar with steel wool. Must put methylated spirits/salt solution on the tear to toughen it. Might have to give the grippers a miss for a week or two, damn.

Because of the little tear, actually near my lifeline/ball of the thumb, couldn't do my usual dead hang, or a couple of chins, from "Rapunzel", my plaited rope looped over my chinning bar.

Instead I did a few dead hangs, now at twelve seconds from my steel rings looped over the bar:

Ist, 2nd, 3rd finger joint, palm crease. I always start with the hardest, the joint closest the fingertips.

[jgreystoke]

[Ajk_Lpool]

Great pics j. You have a really wide clavicle to develop on. Losing the bodyfat will come in time especially with the work ethic.

What is your diet like at this moment in time?

[jgreystoke]

You are too kind Adam.

BF is way too high, and muscle mass and strength are down on last year. Before Christmas, was just as heavy, but leaner and more muscular with a better back, like you see in my profile. And a 38" waist. Now that is pretty big, but much better than it is now.

Believe it or not, I'm going to bulk! I know that sounds crazy, but the last time I did it, stayed about the same weight but lost 3" from my gut, and got more muscle. So big improvement in body composition, while chasing size and strength.

Diet is mostly natural food including lots of fresh veg, potatoes, a ton of fresh fruit, milk, unsweetened orange juice, water. Grass fed beef. Much prefer turkey to chicken. Love all fish except monkfish, which is probably made from mummified monks. My favourite shellfish is lobster, but only eat that once in a blue moon.

Wouldn't give margarine to a dog, so love butter, and unprocessed oils such as sunflower, and olive.

The closest thing to processed food would be things like tinned beans.

Love all kinds of bread, including freshly baked white bread, bummer. Also have a desire to eat every kind of chocolate, particularly dark, and any kind of cake or muffin with chocolate in it. That is my undoing.

Going to cut out that nonsense, except for a cheat day. I suspect since Christmas, my policy has been the dangerous one of "every day a cheat day". And I wasn't even training.

Going to restrict high carb to

1. Workout days only, which could in truth be every day, if you include small stuff like grip.

And even then,

2. Only high carb in the morning and before and after workout. Might try a carb cutoff later in the day.

Got a long ways to go. Bless you for your encouragement, you really don't know what a help it is. Hard to keep on the straight and narrow!

[jgreystoke]

Curl 15 x 5, 20 x 5, 25 x 5, 30kg(66lbs) x 5, 25kg(55lbs) x 10, 22.5kg(49.5lbs) x 15
superset
Triceps pushdown 27kg(60lbs) x 5, 32kg(70lbs) x 5, 36kg(80lbs) x 5, 41kg(90lbs) x 5, 36kg(80lbs) x 10, 34kg(75lbs) x 15

The last few reps on the fifteen reppers were really hard. Strangely enough, during the last few curls, felt a niggle in my left shoulder. Pride myself that my form is as strict as hell. No body english at all. Back to wall. Butt and shoulders maintain contact throughout the set. Don't swing my elbows forward at all. Every rep nice controlled positive and negative. Guess the shoulder is an important stabilizer for the move, and slightly trashed after Monday.

Did

Situps x 10

nice and slow. Boy, really felt the last 5!

[rustywalk]

awesome journal J, Keep it up, consistently week in and week out, and you will see great results. If you stop posting im going to harass you. LOL.

Are you doing any cardio at the moment?

[jgreystoke]

Thanks Russ.

At this stage of decrepitude, I'd even appreciate the harassment, lol.

My only cardio is walk around what we call the top field, the half mile walk with the 100 foot climb and descent, because the field is sloping north.

I vary the laps. Thus if I did 4 one day, might only do 2 the next, etc. Got the idea, not from modern training philosophy, but from my wife! She built up three years ago from not being able to swim half the length of her gym's pool(22 meters) to being able to swim over a hundred laps with lots of room to spare.

She never, and I mean never, does the same volume in consecutive swims.

[RU4A69]

Hey J. I think 38" is a good goal (you said this is "big," which I take some offense to).

I have to diet my ass into a zombie-like state to get below 36", at which point I'm in the mid-low 170's @ 5'8".

Good luck. I'll keep tabs on ya.

[jgreystoke]

Hi RU!

I'm letting everything hang out in the pics. Actually felt great at 38", because my abs were very strong, and I sort of unconsciously held in my gut the whole time(strong transversus abdominis from all the goodmornings, cleans and presses, etc). So the V-taper was better than it ever was in my life, even when I was 130lbs, lol. Even at its present size, if my abs and particularly the transversus were stronger, I'd look much better because of the postural benefits of holding it in. So even a "big" waist on A might look much better than a numerically smaller waist on B due to weak midsection and crap postural habits.

Really appreciate the input, you can keep tabs, so long as you are not one of those federal boys!

[IronIc]

Hi Greystroke! Great journal - and you already have a great lat spread

I also love it how your wife crushed it on the swimming. That kind of thing is a goal for me (at least in the ocean; I am terrified of waves over my head)

Have a good day!

[jgreystoke]

Originally Posted by IronIc

Hi Greystroke! Great journal - and you already have a great lat spread

Thanks Penny. But if you compare yesterday's to my avi, I've lost width.

Originally Posted by IronIc

I also love it how your wife crushed it on the swimming. That kind of thing is a goal for me (at least in the ocean; I am terrified of waves over my head)

Once she sets her mind to do something, hard to stop her. I suppose you could say she was using a sophisticated version of wave loading, like the Eastern European weightlifters. But no, it just seemed to make sense to her to get a pr, back off, build up again. She noticed that people who tried too hard to get a PR every day, didn't get very far. She left them in the dust! I should have listened to HER. Kept telling me not to go heavy all the time.

People think that is very modern, but the heavy, light, moderate sequence was popular before I was born! Kind of periodiziation crammed into a week!Works just great. You don't have to do three blocks low intensity/high volume, med intensity/med volume, high intensity/low volume, a month or so each.

Originally Posted by IronIc

Have a good day!

You too Penny!

[jgreystoke]

Just did a little grip work, focussing on wrist strength:

Barbell wrist curl 20 x 5, 30 x 5, 35 x 5, 40 x 5, 45kg(99lb) x 5, 42.5kg(93.5lbs) x 5, 40kg(88lbs) x 5
superset
EZ bar reverse wrist curls 10 x 5, 15 x 5, 20 x 5, 22.5 x 5, 25kg(55lbs) x 5, 22.5kg(49.5lbs) x 5, 20kg(44lbs) x 5

Everything felt solid. No going to failure. No nasty wrist niggles, like the way the lever bar started to irritate my left wrist.

When the wrist curls stall, I've got the Atom Bomb of wrist blitz for my next wrist cycle:

Homemade wrist rollers, 2", 2.5", 3", and believe it or not 3.5".

Actually even the 3" is a little too big for my hands, and the 2" probably too small. So like many of the strongmen of old, the approximately 2.5" diameter for grip implements such as thick bars, rollers etc, is about max unless your hand is like King Kong's.

I am however using a 3" sleeve for my thick handle dumbell deads to hammer my pinch grip. When that gets too much, will default to the more sensible 2.5" nominal diameter sleeve.

All these are very low tech: steel pipe cut to sutiable length, and in the case of the rollers, drilled for inserting the knotted clothesline!

[Rane14]

hey grey, good luck with the cut, I am sure you'll lose weight after you get some muscle memory and consistency going. work hard! subbed

[BRUTUSPLAC]

FIRST all my apoligises for not stopping much at all .

IT FNNNNN sucks getting older . I cant train like i use to when i walked away 14 yrs ago ..


LOTS of stuff going on and very hard to train like i want too.

Most everything in life is more inportant then hitting my home gym and i started building it when i ended in 7th grade ?? summer of 1980

MY son woulod make a killer training partner but he is very lazy ,

bad habits he picked up from all 3 of my inlwas and they know it .


he is blessed at 11 at 5-4 1/2 136 lbs and solid outside of his gut .


SINCE we met long ago , I apoligizes fro not being around .

YOU want help ? yuo want a kick in the ass ??

in goes both ways, YOU like my videos ??

OK ....... i guess ill have to start posting them daily starting sunday .


its 1220 am , i got in from work about 30 mins ago and im passing out and have to get up in 5-1/2 hrs to work 7am - 4pm EST.


busy weekend with the UFC and worlds strongest man at MSG in NYC on sat

I wish you the best old freind . I will stop by daily soon and NEVER miss a day ...


SOOOOOOOOO we both need to drop alot of bodyfat and it tuff when yuor over 35 and not naturally lean ...

gotta go

peraceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[britonarius]

Its a good honest journal - i will give you that. I take it you want to do 2 things - lose the bodyfat [ don't we all!] and increase strength.
Strength is usually achieved by a different approach to weights over the one you are taking.
Firstly - i note you train pretty much exclusively at your own mansion rather than a gym - Exactly what do you have available there?
Try the stomach vacuum exercise - its a body only exercise that is in the sites video base -this is proven to reduce the waist if used correctly!
Post your diet - it needs tweaking in some degree or radical pruning - weight loss is a thing that is affected by age and condition.We need to tweak this metabolism up a little and whilst this is going to get me a smack - cutting is not always the answer. So - don't cut at this stage - post the diet - tweaking rather than radically cutting is the immediate remedy that leads to the long term solutiion.
You mention several times - the lack of energy - can you give an indepth explaination? Usually this is either diet related or life style linked! Perhaps we should think of making an energy solution mix using dextrose with lemon !Being a European - these measurements are in metric - take i teaspoon of dextrose [ heaped] - add 25 ml lemon juice [ helps cut fat ] add 50ml of another juice [ i favour pineapple ] and 125ml of water. That should help the short term energy problem.
Strength training is usually achieved by a different approach - you at this stage are still training for shape! We need to reduce the number of reps to around 5 to 7 - increase the sets to 4 and go heavy.Supersetting 2 or 3 exercises together helps.
Good mornings are for lower back - note you are using them as a substitute for suats - not sure they are ideal for that!
You mention dead lifts [ stiffs - i think ] - try adding romanians as well - using a light weight as a warm up initially.
I will drop by this thread as often as i can - i usually am on site once a day - keep posting - and lets see what we can come up with - good luck -

[jgreystoke]

Originally Posted by Rane14

hey grey, good luck with the cut, I am sure you'll lose weight after you get some muscle memory and consistency going. work hard! subbed

Right back at you on the subbed, Rane!

I hope muscle memory is going to work......need all the help I can get!

[jgreystoke]

Originally Posted by BRUTUSPLAC

FIRST all my apoligises for not stopping much at all .

Right back at you, big guy, because I am more guilty than any.

Originally Posted by BRUTUSPLAC

IT FNNNNN sucks getting older . I cant train like i use to when i walked away 14 yrs ago ..

Yes......but when you consider the alternative, lol.......

Originally Posted by BRUTUSPLAC

LOTS of stuff going on and very hard to train like i want too.

But you still do it!

Originally Posted by BRUTUSPLAC

Most everything in life is more inportant then hitting my home gym and i started building it when i ended in 7th grade ?? summer of 1980

MY son woulod make a killer training partner but he is very lazy ,

bad habits he picked up from all 3 of my inlwas and they know it .


he is blessed at 11 at 5-4 1/2 136 lbs and solid outside of his gut .

He'll come around, especially if you never act like he should work out at all. Just the fact that his dad is kickin ass in the gym will eventually have a huge influence on him. Great that he has the genetics. I was 130 for years after leaving school. Didn't know that there was a big guy inside trying to get out, lol.

Originally Posted by BRUTUSPLAC

YOU want help ? yuo want a kick in the ass ??

in goes both ways, YOU like my videos ??

OK ....... i guess ill have to start posting them daily starting sunday .

You are right about the both ways thing, bro. Love the vids!

Originally Posted by BRUTUSPLAC

its 1220 am , i got in from work about 30 mins ago and im passing out and have to get up in 5-1/2 hrs to work 7am - 4pm EST.


busy weekend with the UFC and worlds strongest man at MSG in NYC on sat

I wish you the best old freind . I will stop by daily soon and NEVER miss a day ...

Same here on the never miss a day thing, Brutus.

Originally Posted by BRUTUSPLAC

SOOOOOOOOO we both need to drop alot of bodyfat and it tuff when yuor over 35 and not naturally lean ...

gotta go

peraceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Lol, I used to think I was a natural 130 pounder, then a 160 pounder, max after years of lifting. Now I don't want to go under 200, lol, but would like it to be solid. Since I've packed so much onto my frame, havn't been naturally lean for years. Guess the age doesn't help either, or the all-you-can-eat approach to dieting!

Peace to you, big guy!

[jgreystoke]

Originally Posted by britonarius

Its a good honest journal - i will give you that. I take it you want to do 2 things - lose the bodyfat [ don't we all!] and increase strength.
Strength is usually achieved by a different approach to weights over the one you are taking.

Thanks, britonarius. You are right about the BF and the strength. Since I started on the 26th of last month, I've been trying to get my body conditioned to the weights, and avoid sprains etc.

Originally Posted by britonarius

Firstly - i note you train pretty much exclusively at your own mansion rather than a gym - Exactly what do you have available there?

Squat stands with catchers. Bomb proof bench. Plasterers trestles as portable power racks. Olympic bar and plates, trap/shrug bar for olympic plates. Various exercise bars including spinlock dumbells, EZ bar, triceps bar, and 7' bar and plates. Chin and dip station. An old York 2000 multi gym......only goes to 64kg/140lbs, but great at the moment for one arm pulldowns etc.

Originally Posted by britonarius

Try the stomach vacuum exercise - its a body only exercise that is in the sites video base -this is proven to reduce the waist if used correctly!
Post your diet - it needs tweaking in some degree or radical pruning - weight loss is a thing that is affected by age and condition.We need to tweak this metabolism up a little and whilst this is going to get me a smack - cutting is not always the answer. So - don't cut at this stage - post the diet - tweaking rather than radically cutting is the immediate remedy that leads to the long term solutiion.

Will definitely try the vacuum! I'll post the diet later.

Originally Posted by britonarius

You mention several times - the lack of energy - can you give an indepth explaination?

Main problem started a long time ago due to ulcerative colitis. Actually had some symptoms since childhood. But developed toxic megacolon in 1997 and collapsed and ended up on life support after post surgery complications. Came out of hospital 130lbs with no colon/large intestine. Since the colon reabsorbs minerals, vitamins, and water that would otherwise be lost, it can be like having diahorrea for the last 11 years, though I have an ileostomy and a bag. Can get very depleted in a matter of days. Am actually supposed to take extra salt as well as vitamins, minerals etc. I can feel my strength ebbing away if I get the slightest bit careless about avoiding dehydration. Since everything runs through me very quickly, this is the main risk.

Originally Posted by britonarius

Usually this is either diet related or life style linked! Perhaps we should think of making an energy solution mix using dextrose with lemon !Being a European - these measurements are in metric - take i teaspoon of dextrose [ heaped] - add 25 ml lemon juice [ helps cut fat ] add 50ml of another juice [ i favour pineapple ] and 125ml of water. That should help the short term energy problem.

Will definitely try that!

Originally Posted by britonarius

Strength training is usually achieved by a different approach - you at this stage are still training for shape! We need to reduce the number of reps to around 5 to 7 - increase the sets to 4 and go heavy.Supersetting 2 or 3 exercises together helps.

You are definitely right about the reps for strength, and I'm heading that way.

Originally Posted by britonarius

Good mornings are for lower back - note you are using them as a substitute for suats - not sure they are ideal for that!

You are right, but my knees are a caution! Two weeks ago tried a single set of trap/shrug bar deads, and was limping for a week. Same result a few months ago after going up the ladder into the loft to do a little plumbing. Can't pause ANYWHERE near parallel in squat or dead......even with an empty bar hurts like hell. Can do ass to the grass bodyweight squats if i really sit down on my calves, fine to pump blood into the legs during warmups. The goodmorning is my mainstay mass builder by default!

Originally Posted by britonarius

You mention dead lifts [ stiffs - i think ] - try adding romanians as well - using a light weight as a warm up initially.

Because of the energy problem, it has to be the good mornings at the moment. Will definitely test the stiff leg deads monthly or so. But the poundage in the good morning is so much less, that I know from experience I am able to work them harder and longer without burning out, and setting myself back months.

Originally Posted by britonarius

I will drop by this thread as often as i can - i usually am on site once a day - keep posting - and lets see what we can come up with - good luck -

You have gone way beyond the call of duty to help out a would-be strongman.

Thank you britonarius!