Middle age guy and GST.

[FastCatChamp]

Good looking squat session Jeff.

BTW...I was at 178.8 this morning. Essentially this is the same bodyweight as my weight when i began seriously training back in December of 2009.

I am having good success with just a structured weekly refeed at this point. Now, if only that last bit of stomach blub would fall!

[jcranston]

I'm tempted to buy the lipo attachment for my Dyson... (mebbesrs)

[pcaracer]

Good work here.



I hope this issue resolves for you.

Thanks. My experience with nagging things like this is it usually just goes away soon to be replaced with another lol. I'll keep working to stretch and strengthen it and time will take care of it.

Good looking squat session Jeff.

BTW...I was at 178.8 this morning. Essentially this is the same bodyweight as my weight when i began seriously training back in December of 2009.

I am having good success with just a structured weekly refeed at this point. Now, if only that last bit of stomach blub would fall!

Thanks on the squats. I'm finally back to where I was 6 months ago and looking at new territory. Now if I could get my left upper hammy to settle down and tolerate big loads with out complaining I would be set.
You have got to be close your goal. Cool thing is your strength has really held strong. Nothing but fat leaving the body.

[pcaracer]

Press

Kinda crappy session. Max attempt and strained my neck a little. At least I tried a new PR.

Incline press

45 x 10
135 x 8
185 x 6
205 x 2
225 x 1
285 x 0. Got it over 1/2 way up. Sooo close. Durring the process I strained my neck pushing back into the bench. This was 10# over my PR I could have done my old Macenko PR easy today at 275. Neck got really tight even before I finished bench. Affected the rest of my workout.

227.5 x 6,6,6,3. +1 on 3rd set -1 on 4th set. Same total reps. First two sets felt light. I think in my AUG. Bulk and a Macenko progression I'll hit 300 on incline. We will see this fall.

Incline fly

65.25 x 6,6,6. Just did 3 sets

Rope press
85 x 6. Don't think I could do a second set at this weight today.
80 x 6,6

Hammer curls

50 x 6,6,4. Neck getting tighter so I'm done today. Hopefully it will settle down quick. skipped v bar rows.

[lllDBOlll]

Half a rep with 285 on incline is hella strong if you ask me

[jcranston]

Sorry to hear about the neck Jeff. Still, mighty strong session you had regardless!

[FastCatChamp]

Half a rep with 285 on incline is hella strong if you ask me

This^^^^^^^. Get the wife to massage the neck!

[pcaracer]

Probably a stupid attempt after a heavy squat say. My traps were already tired. I'm sore already. Should get better fast. I know I can get that 285 in a few months. Felt my triceps were what let me down. I may try some heavy lockouts when I run Macenkos this fall.

[slytheslayer]

Puttin in work around here! Amazing progress and dedication! Great work my man!

[ironwill2008]

Incline press


227.5 x 6,6,6,3. +1 on 3rd set -1 on 4th set. Same total reps. First two sets felt light. I think in my AUG. Bulk and a Macenko progression I'll hit 300 on incline. We will see this fall.

^^^^Money-makers. gj.




Too bad about the neck issue. At least, maybe it will take your mind off the hamstring issue!




Might be time for a deload..........

[pcaracer]

^^^^Money-makers. gj.




Too bad about the neck issue. At least, maybe it will take your mind off the hamstring issue!




Might be time for a deload..........

Yup. Gonna de load this week. Since I had that virus last week my recovery ability has been zapped.

Neck much better but still stiff this morning.

Today was a light lift day.

Leg press as warm up.

80# x 10 single leg. 4 sets.

Calf press single leg

80 x 25 for 4 sets.

Leg extensions single leg.

90# x 6,6,6,6

RDL

135 x 8,8,8,8. Good slow stretch

Natural GHR

BW x 8,8

[ironwill2008]

Yup. Gonna de load this week.

Wise move. When a guy finds himself in a hole, the first step in correcting it is to quit digging.

[pcaracer]

Half a rep with 285 on incline is hella strong if you ask me

I really think on a fresh day I would have got it. Once my neck and mid back went into spazam I was done. Think my squat day hammered my back on my last rep when I had a "back rep"

Sorry to hear about the neck Jeff. Still, mighty strong session you had regardless!

thanks. Few steps forward and an occasional step backwards.

This^^^^^^^. Get the wife to massage the neck!

All over that

Puttin in work around here! Amazing progress and dedication! Great work my man!

thanks. No giving up in this camp. Gotta get bigger before my two daughters start to date.

[pcaracer]

Pull de load

Wu shoulders

Pull up warm up on cable machine.

80 x 10,10

BW pull ups

204 x 6,6,6,6. Thes actually felt a little hard today. Mental I think.

Bent BB rows

135 x 6,6,6,6. Nice slow reps. MMC was there. Neck felt fine. Still stiff but def. Better.

EZ bar curl

PWO 35 x 6,6,6,6

Seated press

65 x 6,6,6,6. Easy. Really careful with traps and neck.

Skull crushers

PWO 50 x 6,6,6,6

Ncline flys

35 x 6,6,6,6

Standing curl

3 x 6,6

Finished in 40 min with min rest.

Decided to start my cut for summer tomorrow. First drop will be to 2600/day. That's 400 under maintainence. I'll have to drop to 2400 once ihit the 195 range to get down to my target og 192. Curious to see if I've put anything lean on over the last 3 months of eating. Hoping for 2 pounds but I'd take 1ish.
Calipers read 14 ish % yesterday and a weight of 200. I find LBM is not that accurate until I get under 12%. Most of my caliper change over the last 3 months was in my belly fat.

Later.

[pcaracer]

Afternoon 3 mile run. Hamstring felt great. Neck at 80%.

Tomorrow will drop to 2600/ day.

Days macros will be P=11. C=8. F=14. PSNA style.

[mstatefan91]

Afternoon 3 mile run. Hamstring felt great. Neck at 80%.

Tomorrow will drop to 2600/ day.

Days macros will be P=11. C=8. F=14. PSNA style.

Why didn't you just wait to do your original cut when it coincided with this 5k?

[pcaracer]

Why didn't you just wait to do your original cut when it coincided with this 5k?

Because I got so fat I felt I was gaining mostly fat by that point. I needed a break from all the food. Plus I really wasn't sure how long it was gonna take. It went better than I expected. I've got it down to a science for me now.
This short bulk I only gained a few pounds so this will be a mild easy cut aided by my running training. I just want to look good for summer. Then it's time for a long slow build up for next year.

[mstatefan91]

Because I got so fat I felt I was gaining mostly fat by that point. I needed a break from all the food. Plus I really wasn't sure how long it was gonna take. It went better than I expected. I've got it down to a science for me now.
This short bulk I only gained a few pounds so this will be a mild easy cut aided by my running training. I just want to look good for summer. Then it's time for a long slow build up for next year.

Gotcha. I need to start cutting weight in the next month or so, but it's so hard to convince myself to keep cutting when I try to do it. I usually cut for about a month to month and a half and then start shoveling in the food again. I'll get there one day.

[pcaracer]

I think my maintainence level is pretty spot on...



Rest day today.

[ironwill2008]

Good luck on the cut.

[pcaracer]

Good luck on the cut.

Thanks. It's not a major cut as I only want to reset about 6-7 pounds max for summer and get in some type of short distance running shape. Nothing extreme that will hinder my long term mass goals for the next year...in other words, no marathon training and no sub 10% diets. 10% will be just fine for summer vanity

Today's squat deload.

Squat

45 x 10
135 x 8
165 x 6,6,6,6

Calf press

140 x 8,8,8,8

Leg press

140 x 8,8,8,8

Natural GHRs

BW x 8,8,8,8. Push assistance. These feel much better.

Decline crunch

BW x 10,10,10,10

Minimal rest, finished session in 28 minutes.

May try a light run at the track tonight if call is nice to me.

[FastCatChamp]

Your deload looks like the setup I have in mind for my regular squat day tonight!

[pcaracer]

Your deload looks like the setup I have in mind for my regular squat day tonight!

I am so glad your knee is finally letting you start to progress your legs. It's very frustrating to deal with for any length of time I'm sure. I'm sure ready for my neck to feel 100%. One week in and it's still very irritable. With every ding I get comes a new set of lessons learned.

[FastCatChamp]

I am so glad your knee is finally letting you start to progress your legs. It's very frustrating to deal with for any length of time I'm sure. I'm sure ready for my neck to feel 100%. One week in and it's still very irritable. With every ding I get comes a new set of lessons learned.

Yeah, I still am refusing to be overly aggressive. I decided to scrap back squats in favor of my Front Squat/RDL Combo. That setup has been very successful in the past. On the Fronts, I began many weeks ago at 115 and am scheduled for 165 here today. I keep using the GST Micro 2 scheme over and over with them. Once I get to bodyweight here in a few weeks I will begin 5 pound increments.

I hate to not back squat (ego killer!), but the Fronts let me concentrate on my small Quads a bit more and keeps me away from overly heavy reps.

[pcaracer]

Yeah, I still am refusing to be overly aggressive. I decided to scrap back squats in favor of my Front Squat/RDL Combo. That setup has been very successful in the past. On the Fronts, I began many weeks ago at 115 and am scheduled for 165 here today. I keep using the GST Micro 2 scheme over and over with them. Once I get to bodyweight here in a few weeks I will begin 5 pound increments.

I hate to not back squat (ego killer!), but the Fronts let me concentrate on my small Quads a bit more and keeps me away from overly heavy reps.

I had the opposite problem. If you remember, front squats were what dinged my knee last year. Back squats treat me well. Taking your time with scheduled deloads is the key to success.

[pcaracer]

Rest day today.

Neck 90% better. In the morning it's stiff, afternoon it's completely pain free.

Should be close to 100% by the end of this de load.

Tomorrow will be a de load press day.

Then will start back up with a lift day.

[pcaracer]

Press de load

Neck 95% better. Should be ready for a heavy lift day Sunday.
Shoulder warm up with 5# dumbbells

.
Incline press

45 x 10
135 x 8,8,8,8

Incline fly

35 x 6,6,6,6

Rope press

50 x 6,6,6,6

EZ bar curl

PWO 30# x 8,8,8,8

V bar cable row

50 x 8,8,8,8. Being extra careful with my traps/ neck.

Feeling mostly ready to get back at it.

Did a less than stellar 3 mile run yesterday. Ready for that to start getting better.

Tomorrow will be rest only. Got a Wedding to attend. Good friends Daughter getting married.

[pcaracer]

Lift

10 rep week.

RDL. picked a weight to ease back as my neck and low back finish healing.

WU 45 x 20,20

135 x 10
225 x 10,10,10,10. Should be ready fir heavy x 6 next week.

Natural GHR

BW x 8,8,8,8

Single leg calf press

210 x 10,10,10,10. Hard towards the end.

Leg extension

135 x 10 both legs warm up

Single leg

135 x 6,6,6,10.


Went running in my old regular shoes yesterday. Yet another stupid mistake. Feet hurt. Took shoes off and ran bare foot. Then got blisters. Note to self... Don't change what's working :-/

[slytheslayer]

Lookin good as usual Jeff! Sucks that the feet hurt..

Im ramping down my calories and going to start cutting here in the next few days! Im pretty excited to see what has happened!

[pcaracer]

Lookin good as usual Jeff! Sucks that the feet hurt..

Im ramping down my calories and going to start cutting here in the next few days! Im pretty excited to see what has happened!

Great sly. I've been on 2600 for just a week or so after eating 3000 for 3 weeks. I sat at 198 for 3 weeks establishing maintenance. I've already dropped to 195. Goal is only 192 ish or 10% again. Not sure if I gai Ed any mass in those three months. Should have put on 2-3 pounds over that 3.5 month perid. Time will tell. My calipers and scale won't lie.

Heavy stuff ramping back up plus my running. I may need to add back a little food to keep from loosing too fast. 3# in a week and a half. It should level out.

Rest day today.