Ironwill2008 V3.0

[-Lucifer]

I had two young/middle age ladies ask me while working at the Rec Center Sunday if the 20 yr old kid DL'ing 405# was "taking something".

I have found that anyone working harder or lifting more is joocing according to those not putting in the work or not quite as strong.

Lol, people are so lame. When I first pulled 355, one of the PT's asked me the same thing - do you take 'stuff'? And then some idiot went around spreading rumours that I was juicing. Sigh.

[ironwill2008]

850 lbs leg press

mirin

I like how you combine your posts with pictures by the way

Thanks! Overall, I had a good day, even with the step back on LPs. Legs are fatugued this AM, so I know I got the job done.



We started taking pics and posting them towards the last half of my first journal here. From my own journal, and following those of others, I realized that adding some personality and a touch of reality really helped bring to life what is otherwise just a page with a wall of numbers on it.

I added the PWO meal pics in response to many PMs about my constant posts in the open forums stating that there was no requirement to slug down some shake or supplement concoction within milliseconds of the end of a workout, and that there is nothing better for post-workout recovery than a regular, balanced meal.

Some solid press even without the advance. I have enjoyed your pics on those, your form is always very tight even pushing the limits.

Thanks, EK. I'm working to move forward on them one millimeter at a time!


I'm trying to put as much of the work as possible on my shoulders while my wrists and hands are still agreeable to me even performing the lift at all. So I'll gladly defer to form over weight, and I won't squirm and struggle just to get an extra rep. IMO, next to Deadlifts, OHP is about the last exercise on which someone would want use poor form.

Grits and gravy, now I know what to do with the pint of leftover turkey gravy

We hadn't had that combination in a long time, and there were some leftover grits from a previous meal that day. They were so good that we're determined to have them again soon.

I had two young/middle age ladies ask me while working at the Rec Center Sunday if the 20 yr old kid DL'ing 405# was "taking something".

I blame the lay media for ^^^^ these-type situations. You can't watch a sports show on TV or pick up a newspaper sports section these days without hearing/reading mention of drug use, either supposed or admitted. Ignorant civilians then automatically assume that anyone who's even just one cut above their perception of "normal" must be using. Everyone else they hear about/read about is doing it, so then, by association, is the strong kid at the local fitness center.

I have found that anyone working harder or lifting more is joocing according to those not putting in the work or not quite as strong.

Yep. Among those who do train, there's this undercurrent of jealousy. It's even evident on this site, and even with the forum rules as they are, it still gets brought out from time to time when someone does really well. This is becoming increasingly common in the O35 these days (IMO, moreso in that forum than any of the others). The level of ignorance and intolerance towards those who are making progress is increasing.


I guess that's to be expected though, for a couple of reasons. One of them is the aforementioned constant coverage of PEDs in the lay media. Another is the general disdain for hard work and patience that seems to be epidemic all across society these days. And another is the influx of clueless noobs into the forums at this time of year. I smh at the first-time posters, making resolutions to "get in shape," and at the same time asking if it's "worth the effort," since they don't plan to use drugs. (sigh)........





It pisses me off sometimes that so many people can just dismiss the years of hard work and dedication it takes to build strength or a good physique by suggesting that it can all be short-cut with a few mg of "stuff."

Even a few guys who openly post that they're on doctor-prescribed HRT get the stink-eye, as if that equates somehow to the same level of 'assistance' as Pro bodybuilders use.

The level of ignorance, stupidity, and intolerance just astounds me sometimes.







Gotta stop here; I could write a book about this, but this isn't the proper venue.

Lol, people are so lame. When I first pulled 355, one of the PT's asked me the same thing - do you take 'stuff'? And then some idiot went around spreading rumours that I was juicing. Sigh.

Might as well get used to dealing with it, -L. The situation of the lay media's constant mention of PEDs, and the muscle magazines' celebration of extremes will only get worse, and it'll get carried right into the fitness centers and gyms everywhere.

[doughnutgut]

Great replies Bill.

Good insight. Will not pipe up a 2p worth. You debunked it enough up there.

Solid work back at it. OHP like a boss and some serious numbers being hit with the legs.

Can't beat the grits. FTW. Add a bit of sriracha and a proton and a sure fire winner is on the cards.

[-Lucifer]

I blame the lay media for ^^^^ these-type situations. You can't watch a sports show on TV or pick up a newspaper sports section these days without hearing/reading mention of drug use, either supposed or admitted. Ignorant civilians then automatically assume that anyone who's even just one cut above their perception of "normal" must be using. Everyone else they hear about/read about is doing it, so then, by association, is the strong kid at the local fitness center.

Yep. Among those who do train, there's this undercurrent of jealousy. It's even evident on this site, and even with the forum rules as they are, it still gets brought out from time to time when someone does really well. This is becoming increasingly common in the O35 these days (IMO, moreso in that forum than any of the others). The level of ignorance and intolerance towards those who are making progress is increasing.

Well said. I swear, if you came to my gym and lifted, almost all of them, including the PT's, would say that you're not natty/on something. I guess it's a compliment in a way, but I still get angry when I hear stuff like that.

[LordGrover]

Heh! I'd love it if someone thought I am juicing.

Better than dyel.

[ironwill2008]

Great replies Bill.

Good insight. Will not pipe up a 2p worth. You debunked it enough up there.

Solid work back at it. OHP like a boss and some serious numbers being hit with the legs.

Can't beat the grits. FTW. Add a bit of sriracha and a proton and a sure fire winner is on the cards.

Thanks, Leigh. Gotta keep working to move forward.

Well said. I swear, if you came to my gym and lifted, almost all of them, including the PT's, would say that you're not natty/on something. I guess it's a compliment in a way, but I still get angry when I hear stuff like that.

Consider it as a compliment while at the same time tempering by considering the source of the comment.

Heh! I'd love it if someone thought I am juicing.

Better than dyel.

LOL. As above, before adding credence to such comments, it's a good idea to consider the knowledge and experience of the person making the comment!

[ironwill2008]

Had a good session today. No dramatic increases, but an overall good effort. Today's training was:

Barbell Lunge
bar x10 W/U
135x10 W/U
245x6
245x6
245x5

Dumbbell Row
60x10 W/U
115x5
115x3
115x3

Incline Flye
40x10 W/U
55x8
65x9
65x8

Worked through in about 50 minutes. Lunges didn't increase again today. I'll take one more shot at 3x6, and then after the following deload week, move to ramped sets of triples. It was colder than a brass monkey in the gym today despite the heat vents being opened several hours prior to training, so I took a few extra warmup reps.

Dumbbell Rows remained the same as well today, but as heavy as these are, I was happy, for now, just to meet last week's numbers. More work needs done here; I'm still a long way from reaching for the 120s.

Picked up a rep on Inclines. The stretch felt especially good today, and I was actually surprised I couldn't also add a rep on the last set. I'll get it next week.

For PWO, my wife cooked up a tasty veggie and cheese frittata, along with bacon, toast, and a glass of milk.

[doughnutgut]

Nice work Bill.

You thought about Cmoores training with warm water and a hoodie n hat? Just a thought.

Better hand photo for the rows.

Heavy ass lunges. Like a boss.

[DivaJana]

Nice work as usual.

It was colder than a brass monkey in the gym today despite the heat vents being opened several hours prior to training, so I took a few extra warmup reps.

At least you get to workout at home. It's extremely cold and rainy in here as well, so leaving home to hit the gym is kinda challenging. The things we do for the gainz....

[VoxExMachina]

HIt was colder than a brass monkey in the gym today despite the heat vents being opened several hours prior to training, so I took a few extra warmup reps.

Looks like you at least got down there while it was still light out. These days, it's not only cold but dark by the time I hit my own dungeon.

Dog days of winter.

[hazto]

Solid work as normal going on over the past couple of weeks, thanks for keeping it real in the over 35 forum. To much bad info being shared from time to time.

[wedjim]

Frittata, never had one? Omelette basically? I should have brought a towel in for the drool, I knew there would be food porn, geez.

On the "drugs" comments. I find it alarming knowing that American children take 90% of the worlds prescription drugs. It's no wonder everyone assumes, everyone is doing drugs. Sad, money driven issue. IMO

[veggie530]

Hey, what's up!

I was 65 a couple of months ago. I got into bodybuilding at age 45 as a 130-pound string bean suffering from Arthritis in my shoulders. I found that lifting weights helped greatly (both with the shoulders as well as changing my string bean status!), and I never stopped.

Up until my last birthday, I listed my age in my stats, but deleted it as an experiment. I find that younger posters are more receptive to advices if they don't think they're coming from their grampaw. It's also greatly reduced the PMs from people who refuse to believe that someone my age can build/maintain muscle and strength and still be natty; apparently the results of training and eating properly for over twenty years straight are easily overlooked by some people.


Welcome to my journal.

I noticed. A shame really because you always give really solid advice on all facets of training. Nice journal!

[storm1507]

It was colder than a brass monkey in the gym today despite the heat vents being opened several hours prior to training, ............



LOL, I had to shovel my 300' steep driveway as a warmup just to go to the gym and hit deadlifts Tues. It worked.

Always impressed w/ your lunges Bill.

[ironwill2008]

Nice work Bill.

You thought about Cmoores training with warm water and a hoodie n hat? Just a thought.

Those old Everlast rag tops I wear get the job done without being too restrictive. I'll sometimes wear a ball cap on bad-hair days so I don't look like there's a rooster sitting on my head!

Better hand photo for the rows.

LOL. It still looks odd, but at least not like the 'gremlin' hand from last week!

Heavy ass lunges. Like a boss.

Thanks. I'm going to make one more try at 3x6 @245, and then drop the reps down to triples and add some weight.

Nice work as usual.


At least you get to workout at home. It's extremely cold and rainy in here as well, so leaving home to hit the gym is kinda challenging. The things we do for the gainz....

Thanks, DJ; I had a pretty good day overall. I've even got a little bit of fatigue (not quite DOMS, which I don't see much of any more) right in the middle of my upper back, right where I'd expect it from the DB Rows.


Having the gym right down there on the first floor is really convenient for sure, especially during the Winter. My first 6 years or so of training was in various commercial gyms, and the last one was a half-hour's drive away from where I worked, on a day when traffic wasn't too bad.

It would be nice to have a few more pieces of upper-body equipment, but there's absolutely no more floor space available, nor any way to build onto the house to add more square footage.

Looks like you at least got down there while it was still light out. These days, it's not only cold but dark by the time I hit my own dungeon.

Dog days of winter.

It was sure bright and sunny here yesterday, Vox, but cold as a banker's heart. That one big window looks South, and lets in a lot of light when the sun shines, but it doesn't do anything to warm the room. The house is built on a slab, and the heating ducts are in the ceiling. Not ideal, but it's liveable.

I hope you're well, and dealing with the Michigan weather.

Solid work as normal going on over the past couple of weeks, thanks for keeping it real in the over 35 forum. To much bad info being shared from time to time.

Thanks David; I appreciate the comments. I'm working hard to keep inching my way forward.

I'll continue to try to help where I'm able, but more and more bad information keeps surfacing, not only in the O35, but in all the other forums as well. And it's always the same old stuff. Geez, you'd think people would eventually get wiser, but it doesn't seem to work that way.

Frittata, never had one? Omelette basically? I should have brought a towel in for the drool, I knew there would be food porn, geez.

LOL. You can always count on some kind of food pics here!

Yes, a frittata is pretty much just an omelette that never got folded. Depending on the size of the pan, and the thickness of the frittata, they're started on the cooktop, and then finished in the oven. And they're every bit as tasty as you'd expect them to be.

On the "drugs" comments. I find it alarming knowing that American children take 90% of the worlds prescription drugs. It's no wonder everyone assumes, everyone is doing drugs. Sad, money driven issue. IMO

The 'scrip drug issue in this country is mind-boggling. It seems like even otherwise healthy people are on something (for better or worse). And then that mindset gets transferred right over to athletics. Take a pill for blood pressure; take a pill for high blood cholesterol levels; take a pill for depression; take a pill to overcome ED; might as will take something to get bigger/stronger too. Why not?

I noticed. A shame really because you always give really solid advice on all facets of training. Nice journal!

Hey, thanks. I don't pay any mind to detractors; most seem to be clueless anyway.

I was fortunate to have come under the guidance of a RL mentor right near the end of my first year of training. He showed me what I'd been doing right and what I'd been doing wrong, and set me on the path that I'm still following 20 years later. Along the way, I've been fortunate to have always been in the right place at the right time to learn more, and these days I try to pay it forward to anyone genuinely involved in improving their physique and health.


So far this has been a fascinating journey, and it's still far from over. One thing I know for sure; the more I learn, the more I realize I don't know.


Thanks for visiting my journal.

LOL, I had to shovel my 300' steep driveway as a warmup just to go to the gym and hit deadlifts Tues. It worked.

Always impressed w/ your lunges Bill.

Thanks, Will. I'm about to drop the reps down and bump up the weight on them and take another run at 295x3. I just missed it last Winter.

As far as warmups go, whatever works, works!



The snow's all pretty much disappeared here for now; we got about 3-4." The latest Accu-Guess forecast is for more in the next couple of days.

[UgotAniceSNATCH]

nice work on those lunges

[ironwill2008]

nice work on those lunges

Hey, thanks. They're one of my favorite exercises; been working on them for a long time.

[irongrandpa]

Hey Bill, keep up the great work, in the gym and in the journal, your journal is read daily before the newspaper. It's also a lot more informative and interesting than the news.

[ArchAngel'73]

Still here keeping tabs on ya Will!
Been "retired" for a little over a month. Ironically I found it most difficult to get my butt to the gym since retirement, I now know why you gotz that home gym.
Who the hell wants to walk to the gym (or drive) in the cold when your living the life of peace and tranquility.
Problem solved though, I dug deeper.

Took ur advices and sought financial help for my pension payout, thank-you.

Been a little busy off line but will start up a journal again in 2014.

Keep well and carry on the path Will.

[ironwill2008]

Hey Bill, keep up the great work, in the gym and in the journal, your journal is read daily before the newspaper. It's also a lot more informative and interesting than the news.

LOL. Thanks, Bob. At least you won't have to read about the local BOE wranglings, drug busts, or the ravings of lunatic politicians in here!

Still here keeping tabs on ya Will!
Been "retired" for a little over a month. Ironically I found it most difficult to get my butt to the gym since retirement, I now know why you gotz that home gym.
Who the hell wants to walk to the gym (or drive) in the cold when your living the life of peace and tranquility.
Problem solved though, I dug deeper.

When there is first a lot of slack time available, it's easy to allow it to 'take over.' I found what helped for me initially was to write out a schedule of everyday stuff, and then pretty much stick to it. But you'll probably find, as every other retiree I know of has found, that you'll gradually become busier and busier until you reach a point where the days fly by like hours, and the months fly by like weeks.

Took ur advices and sought financial help for my pension payout, thank-you.

A very wise move on your part, Brian.

I know for myself, it was the best think I could have done.

Been a little busy off line but will start up a journal again in 2014.

Keep well and carry on the path Will.

Good deal on the new journal. Hit me up with the link when you open it so I can get in on the 1st page, bro.

[HoosierHardGain]

It was colder than a brass monkey in the gym today despite the heat vents being opened several hours prior to training, so I took a few extra warmup reps.

One of my complaints of my gym so far this winter is that it's been too warm. I kind of like being able to wear a sweatshirt while training during the winter time, but won't be able to do that if it's too warm in the gym.

[ironwill2008]

One of my complaints of my gym so far this winter is that it's been too warm. I kind of like being able to wear a sweatshirt while training during the winter time, but won't be able to do that if it's too warm in the gym.

That can be a problem as well. I don't subscribe to the idea that you have to be dripping in sweat in order to have a solid workout. IMO, it's better to be reasonably comfortable and undistracted while training.

[doughnutgut]

Soz Bill.

Thought I would pipe up.

I seriously never get a v sweat going on when I am training during this Starrs. I shake like mad after a set though. But sweat? Just don't happen.

Heck, I am even able to go home without showering and drying my old man stuff on the drier in the locker rooms.

[ironwill2008]

Called an end to the week's training with a solid session. My primary goal was to get a triple on Romanians. Today's training was:

Romanian Deadlift
bar x15 W/U
135x5 W/U
185x5 W/U
225x3
275x3
315x3
345x3
395x3 heh-vee

Alternate Dumbbell Curl
30x10 W/U
45x8
45x8
50x5

Dips
bw +45x8
bw +45x7
bw +45x7

Worked through here in right at an hour. I hit my trips-across on RDLs, so I'll bump 'em again next week. Gonnas go with 5-pound increments this time around in an effort to avoid the same stall that I hit the last time. Maybe if I sneak up on it, I can catch it by surprise!

Dumbbell Curls didn't advance, but I kept my 5-rep top set from last week, and for right now, that's as much as I could expect.

Dips also didn't advance, and I believe I'm near a stall after many weeks of adding a rep per week. Goal here was to get a few full-ROM reps @70, but that looks like a million miles from here. More work needs done, obviously.

Rest for this weekend, then back into it on Monday to advance Squats Leg Press, Pulldowns, and Overhead Press.

Post-WorkOut meal was some spicy meat sauce over rice, fresh green beans, and a glass of milk.

[ironwill2008]

Soz Bill.

Thought I would pipe up.

I seriously never get a v sweat going on when I am training during this Starrs. I shake like mad after a set though. But sweat? Just don't happen.

Heck, I am even able to go home without showering and drying my old man stuff on the drier in the locker rooms.

Lulz.

Gym locker rooms can be some of the creepiest places on Earth at times!

[HoustonTXMuscle]

Found the triple at 395 on RDL quite impressive, Bill. The curls and dips also were solid. Admire your goal of getting a few full-ROM reps @70, as I'd just like to hit 45 on weighted dips.

[ironwill2008]

Found the triple at 395 on RDL quite impressive, Bill. The curls and dips also were solid. Admire your goal of getting a few full-ROM reps @70, as I'd just like to hit 45 on weighted dips.

Thanks, Bob. I'm working hard to get back to 4 plates on RDLs. Last Winter/Spring, I hit 405x3 a couple of times, but couldn't do it consistently, and then regressed and got stuck at 2 reps. I'm going to try to change that this time around.

I have to be realistic with Dips; my initial goal of 3-5 reps @70 now appears to be a 'bit' too ambitious. I'm going to keep working on them though, at lest until my wrists/hands tell me to stop.

[storm1507]

Great work Bill.

It will be even more impressive when those RDL's begin w/ a 4.

Still here keeping tabs on ya Will!
Been "retired" for a little over a month. Ironically I found it most difficult to get my butt to the gym since retirement, I now know why you gotz that home gym.
Who the hell wants to walk to the gym (or drive) in the cold when your living the life of peace and tranquility.
Problem solved though, I dug deeper.

Took ur advices and sought financial help for my pension payout, thank-you.

Been a little busy off line but will start up a journal again in 2014.

Keep well and carry on the path Will.

Early retirement...nice. I will be going anytime from this summer to 5 yrs after that. Indecisive right now.

[ironwill2008]

Great work Bill.

It will be even more impressive when those RDL's begin w/ a 4.

Hey, thanks, Will. I'll get back there before long; the real work will then begin to try to get them to a consistent triple.

Early retirement...nice. I will be going anytime from this summer to 5 yrs after that. Indecisive right now.

Wow, that's great to have that choice at your age. I wasn't able to call it a day at Verizon until I was 59, and then even at that, a lot of the guys thought I was lucky to be able to leave that 'young.'


But as you are obviously already aware, 'luck' has nothing to do with obtaining a sound financial plan, and then following it faithfully for 30 years, and allowing compound interest to do it's thing.

[baker]

Popping in to say hey, looking good as usual my friend.