Turning into a meathead- mid life crisis

[EliKoehn]

After getting covid and taking about a three weeks break from squats, a mere 4x8 at 225 has my legs feeling paralyzed with DOMS. Trade you lol.

[coachcalande]

After getting covid and taking about a three weeks break from squats, a mere 4x8 at 225 has my legs feeling paralyzed with DOMS. Trade you lol.

Sorry to hear that you were I’ll. Better now?

[EliKoehn]

Sorry to hear that you were I’ll. Better now?

Thanks. For the most part, I think. Just a little tired and I almost passed out at the end of a recent workout very suddenly; otherwise, nothing I can pinpoint.

[coachcalande]

My sons squats today
275x7
275x7
305x4

[coachcalande]

Thanks. For the most part, I think. Just a little tired and I almost passed out at the end of a recent workout very suddenly; otherwise, nothing I can pinpoint.

Electrolytes get screwy with illness…you know that I’m sure. Stay well! Lift big!

[EliKoehn]

Electrolytes get screwy with illness…you know that I’m sure. Stay well! Lift big!

Thanks for the concern and the kind word. You too!

Great lifts logged here lately

[coachcalande]

Thanks for the concern and the kind word. You too!

Great lifts logged here lately

I feel like a tank. Just need to stay healthy. Kinda rushed into some heavy presses the other day and aggravated my left shoulder. Really pushing the leg volume and weights up.

[coachcalande]

Confirming that I have an overhead press related injury.

Bench was fine
285x8,7,6,6,6

Inclines fine
235x7,7,6,6,6

Flyes
45x 12,11,10,9,11

Pulldowns
200x12*
200x8,7,7,7

Narrow pullDown
200x6,6,6,6,6

Rows
230x14*
240x11*
250x8
260x7
270x6

Couldn’t press overhead at all

Upright rows
75x16*
80x9
85x12*
90x9
95x7

Side laterals 5x AMRAP with 15s

I’ll take the five PRs, add them to this INCREDIBLE month and just keep doing the best I can. I know, instinctively even, that I need to train in a higher rep range…it’s coming.

[coachcalande]

Shoulder impingement comes to mind as last night I oddly slept pain free and this am feel fine. It’s like whatever was wrong suddenly fixed itself. I fully expected to be suffering with inflammation after Training…anyway, let’s hope it continues to feel better.

Yesterdays food:

Grilled chicken, ham, cheese sandwich for breakfast, two eggs fried in that sandwich.
Whey shake and a banana
Chicken, ham and cheese on oatmeal bread
Chicken ham and cheese on wheat
Whey shake
Ice cream and mixed nuts

My chest always feels so much better worked when I include flyes…my lats are sore and worked well too.

Tomorrow is legs/ams and should be a blockbuster as I already feel fully recovered.

[coachcalande]

No eggs or milk so had to do a grocery run.

Breakfast today- 2 cheeseburgers, coffee
Second meal- ground beef and pizza
Third meal will be whey
……watching NFL playoff games all day. Just wanna smash PRs tomorrow so I’ll be eating big.


Ended the day’s feeding with two cheeseburgers around 7 pm

Whey shake before bed hopefully…

[coachcalande]

I’m up…power has been flickering so rushed to cook two egg meals.

Breakfast was eggs, oats, coffee.
Lifting soon provided we have power.

Sleep was rough so this needs to happen early or I’ll be napping in my old man chair.
No shoulder pain however I know fitting under the squat bar will be difficult.

Rest of the days meals:
Whey shake, two small bananas
Eggs, oatmeal, cheddar
Two grilled cheese and chicken sandwiches, large glass milk, chips
Tea
Chicken breast and mashed potatoes, spinach for dinner
Whey shake/milk before bed

[coachcalande]

High rep squats are butt kickers.

Set multiple PRs again today but it was all grueling due to shoulder woes and poor sleep. I did what I could but cut arms short after a few PRs there.

Machine squats PRs fell big time!
175x20 fairly easy.*
205x15* I can remember first getting my machine and 205 was about a 6 rep set.
235x8
265x6
295x4
325x4
My low back was tight all thru those sets…

Front squats
185x4,4,3,3
(Fronts will now be a low volume movement for me so I don’t have to hold the bar so long)*That means 3-6 rep range. 3-4 sets.

Leg ext
200x11*
9,9,8,8

Leg curls
135x13
145x9,8,9,7

Pretty gassed…should have put arms off til this afternoon
EZ curls
85x15*
95x12 tie
104x10*
114x7
124x5

Pushdowns
88x17
98x16*
108x11*
118x9
125x8*

An 8 PR day.

[coachcalande]

This sums up high rep squats

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJXtGIhjzzg

[coachcalande]

Reflecting a bit on my training….and eating…

In the 1980s into the mid 90s, six days a week plus sports and cardio (running)- I literally ate anything and everything I could get. Still my body fat was extremely low. I had it tested at 8% by underwater weighing.

I can remember struggling to reach 225x5 on bench. What a milestone that was.

In the 90s, After working in a gym as a fitness instructor I decided to switch to this current split to fit my cardio on off days. My knees wore out and I sold my treadmill In 2010. I have made several attempts to add running back in, all ended with injury.

The strength gains without cardio are real. It happens fast. The same can be said about diet plan with 6 meals a day. Fast bulking with copious amounts of quality protein works.

Training energy without cardio and in a generous calorie spree is amazing at any age and well worth it if just to create new enthusiasm.

[coachcalande]

So far this week, my son has hit:

BP 185x6
Squat 313x3

Kid eats!

[coachcalande]

Mind to muscle connection day…some might call it a deload..

Bench
185x21
195x17
205x13
215x11
225x10
235x9
245x8
255x7

That’s volume!

Incline
185x14
195x10
205x9
205x9
205x9

Wide pulldowns
185x12
198x8
208x7
218x6
218x5

Narrow pd
198x6
188x8
188x7
188x8
188x6

Row
210x12
210x11
210x9
210x9
210x9

Upright row
65x13
75x10
85x9,9,7

Db side laterals 15x16,13,12,14,13

Avoided overhead press again.

Live to lift another day.

[coachcalande]

Nutrition
Eggs, whites, oats, coffee
….loooong time between meals today unfortunately!
Half bag of mixed nuts
Chicken and cheese sandwich
Chicken and cheese sandwich
Dinner was chicken breast, thigh, rice, broccoli
I’ll get a whey shake before bed

[coachcalande]

Took “rotator cuff tear tests” I found from “Brad and Bob” PTs on YouTube. Two negative and one positive. In fact I wouldn’t even attempt the one where you face palm backward and push arm away from your body behind your back. That would probably make my issue worse. Mine seems like a front delt strain maybe.

In any case,gradually over the last few weeks I felt like a I was losing range of motion in my shoulder making it harder to hold the squat bar and harder to go to the bottom of a bench press….poor flexibility… Like my pecs were tight. I’ve put a lot of size on my chest, back and delts. I really feel like I need to stretch more. No doubt I need more warmup sets nowadays…

As far as discomfort…

The pain is like a 1-2 on a scale of 1-10 now..hardly noticeable most of the day ….but I know shoulder press isn’t happening. I can do the range of motion though.

[coachcalande]

Man I hope this journal is useful for others.
I’m crushing this training! This morning I smashed 8 PRs on my BIG ARMS BLAST.

Ez curls pyramid
90x15*
100x12*
110x9*
120x7
130x5*

Pushdowns pyramid
104x16*
114x14*
124x12*
134x7
138x7

Alt db curls 45x8,7,8,7,6

Skull crushers pyramid
145x15*
155x11
165x8
175x8
185x5

Took about 40 min at most.

Legs later today…

[coachcalande]

Updated look at my tracking sheets. Many gains! More coming today!

https://youtu.be/qi0CR11eT8s

[coachcalande]

After 8 PRd this am on arms I hit a slew more on legs! This high rep squats rep goal stuff is evil but fun too. I’m thrilled with the change from last spring til now. Unreal. Got a very good quad pump tonight which is really rare for me.

I went to bed focused on this first set and nailed it! The second set was a PR as well!

Machine squats
185x20*( was using 135 this summer right?)
215x15 *( was using 165 this summer)
245x8
275x6
305x5
335x3
Seriously considered 365 for a single PR

Machine fronts
185x6* (move to 190 next time)
195x4
205x3

Leg ext
Backed off on these as the low reps bothered my repair
125x16
150x12
175x9
175x9
175x9

Leg curls
135x16*
145x11
155x8
155x8
155x8

Thrilled…obvious progress.

[coachcalande]

Today I made a decision to “double up” on protein if I knew I was going to miss a meal. My new work schedule and responsibilities on weekends was going to change eating patterns a bit.

Breakfast- eggs. Whites, oats, cheese, coffee
Mid morning- whey shake, banana
Lunch- doubled it, 1 lb ground turkey, potato
Mid afternoon- whey shake, mixed nuts
Dinner will be chicken thighs, potatoes or rice, broccoli or green beans


My body has really changed. I can see so much more of a V shape with wider and thicker shoulders and chest/back. My tee shirts and sweat shirts fit differently.

I plan to continue to chase size, provided the strength comes with the mass. I feel very good. My shoulder pain is 0/1 now.

[coachcalande]

11 new rep PRs today.

Bench
205x20*
225x18*
245x12
265x8
285x5 gassed

Lat pulldowns
173x14*
183x12
193x10
203x8
203x7

Incline
195x15*
205x12
215x10
225x9
235x7

Narrow pulldowns
173x14*
183x11*
193x8
193x8
193x8

Flyes
45x12,11,10,9,9

Rows
230x13*
240x9
250x7
250x8
250x6

Up rows
80x16*
85x14*
90x12*
95x10
100x8

Side laterals
15x21*,16,14,13,13

Great day in higher rep ranges

[coachcalande]

Todays food

Three pieces French toast, eggs, whites

Whey shake and banana

Chicken breast and cheese sandwich (7 oz chicken)

Mixed nuts

Two bowls chili

….something later?

[coachcalande]

Got a nice compliment at work today. “Whoa Coach, looks like you’re getting bigger!” “Good for you”

Always good to get some feedback. Working hard, kicking my own %#@#% and getting close to taking a few days off to rest.

Successful haul at the grocery store yesterday.

Todays food:
Eggs, whites, oats, cheddar, coffee
Chicken and cheese on oatmeal bread
Chicken and cheese on oatmeal bread, tea
Tuna and cheddar, oatmeal bread toast, ranch and bbq sauce, cheddar , milk
Tonight will be chicken thighs (3) with starch of some kind
Probably will have whey shake

Can’t wait to break PRs tomorrow!

[coachcalande]

My sons squats today: 3x3, 315 lbs

[coachcalande]

Simply smashing it!!! 12 PR leg workout!

Smith squats
195x20…what a pump!*
225x12*
255x10*
285x6
315x4
345x3*

Fronts
190x6*
200x4
210x4*
220x3*

Leg ext
125x17*
135x15*
145x13
155x12
165x12

Leg curls
125x20*
135x15
145x14*
155x11*

Absolutely awesome.

[coachcalande]

I’ll be blasting arms later.
Todays food:

Eggs, whites, oatmeal, cheddar, coffee
Chicken breast and American on oatmeal bread
Chicken breast and American on oatmeal bread
Mixed nuts, pretzels…
Whey shake, chips
Eggs, whites, oats, cheddar

[coachcalande]

11 more PRs! What a day!

Pushdowns
117x15*
127x12*
136x8*
146x7*
156x4*

Ez curls
94x15*
104x11*
114x7
124x6
134x5*

Skull crushers
145x20*
155x16*
165x10
175x10
185x7( back cramp)

Alt db curls
45x11*
45x8
45x8
45x9
45x8…big volume gain

Incredible.

[coachcalande]

Today:

Eggs, whites, oats, cheddar
Chicken breast and cheese on oatmeal bread
Chicken breast and cheese on oatmeal bread
Mixed nuts, whey shake
Chicken thighs, boiled potatoes
Ice cream