Turning into a meathead- mid life crisis

[coachcalande]

Here’s the workout that goes with the videos above:

Bench
305x6
325x4
335x2
350x1
285x7
285x7

Incline
235x11
255x7
285x3*
255x6
255x6

Flyes
45x13,12,11,9

Wide pulldowns
213x10
223x6
223x6
223x7
223x6
223x6

Narrow pulldowns
188x10
188x9
198x8
208x5
208x6

Rows
248x9
248x9
268x7
278x6
258x7

Shoulder press
165x7
176x6
175x5
185x5

Up row
75x15
85x10
85x9
85x9
85x8

Solid day!

[coachcalande]

This stuff is more fun and enjoyable than ever!

I having fun making videos -keep sakes before I’m too old and broken to do much.

Today I watched a few videos of guys and gals over 80 who were still training and that is inspiring.

I went to the grocery store, a selfish trip, focusing on what I needed for gains this week.

I am using the following shopping list nowadays:

Power building foods:

Eggs
Egg whites
Oatmeal
Coffee

Those are the things I start every day with.

Boneless chicken breasts
Tuna
Some type of whole grain or oatmeal bread
Sliced cheese

I no longer have access to a microwave at work and have been taking two sandwiches a day for two meals at work.

After work I’ll grab tuna and toast, if not that, maybe more eggs, if not that, maybe a whey shake and nuts. I’ll top off my whey shake with milk.

Dinner is usually chicken of some kind, most often thighs. We usually buy some ground beef every week for chili or burgers. Sometimes we eat fish or pork….depending on who’s doing the cooking! We have been eating a lot of rice or potatoes at dinner…broccoli or green beans lately…


Now….
Sometimes I’ll substitute some peanut butter toast for oatmeal, or maybe a banana.

Seems like we snack a bit more on Sundays, popcorn or potato chips in moderation but it’s a nice treat. Mostly, I’d prefer cold cuts and mixed nuts.


I am trying to mix in more ground turkey.

[coachcalande]

Big sets of skull crushers with 185x8

https://youtu.be/pX2WD8QNk_8

Arms this am:
Curls
64x16
84x13
94x9
104x7
114x5
124x6

Pushdowns
66x28
88x16
113x10
123x7
133x7
143x7

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

Skull crushers
135x18
155x12
185x8*
185x6
185x6

Good morning!

[coachcalande]

Today’s pushdowns

https://youtu.be/PCawhcVJBTw

[coachcalande]

Back to the machine squats after one set free weights.


195x12
235x6
255x6
275x5
295x4
315x3

Fronts
135x8
155x6
175x4
205x4
225x2

Leg ext
175x12
194x10,9,9,9

Leg curls
150x8,8,8,8,8ish

[coachcalande]

A lot of heavy lifting lately. My body is feeling it.

Tomorrow I will most likely either pyramid with a decently high starting rep range or do straight sets in the 8-12 range. It’s unlikely that I’ll do anything under four reps.

Things are busy around the house and being physically whipped or unable to do things that need doing just doesn’t make sense.


I’m very happy with my progress since being very ill back in March 2020. I was sooo weak after that illness that I was using like 185 on bench, 155 on inclines, 85 on presses, 65 on upright rows…it was like starting over. I can remember thinking that it was time for me to just focus on light weight and cardio….glad Im back!

It’s been fun to push for more Iron but now I’m going to back off a little for at least tomorrow.

[coachcalande]

Poor sleep the last two night and added work stress has made an impact just at a time when recovery is most important. My body is tight with deep soreness in my pecs and shoulders. I did not feel ready today and nearly walked out of the garage after a warmup set.


Instead, I de loaded by 20-30% and dropped the volume and intensity of effort.

My plan was to get some good contractions, stretch and a pump. Mission accomplished.

Bench press
235x12
255x9,9,8,8

Incline
205x12,10,9,8,8

Narrow pulldowns
163 x14
188x8,8,8,7

Wide pulldowns
188x9,8,8,8,8

Shoulder press
135x12,11,10,10,11

Upright rows
65x13
75x11,9,9

Enough.

[coachcalande]

Missing my morning lift. I thought I had a free afternoon and evening for a nice relaxed paced lift….wrong! It’ll be rushed after work I guess.

This am I cooked chicken and packed meals for the day.



It’s not been a good week, many distractions. I do feel rested a bit after the lighter, lower volume lift.

[safcpaul]

Loving the log mate. Great lifts

[coachcalande]

Taking the day off.

I’ll hit my legs and arms hard in the early am.

[coachcalande]

Loving the log mate. Great lifts

Thanks, feels a lot like talking to myself!

[coachcalande]

I’m up and having coffee now.

I anticipate a blockbuster workout….feels like it’s been forever which is silly at best.

I’m leaning toward squat pyramid training today….

[coachcalande]

21 sets of legs in under an hour this am. I’d say the day of rest was worth it.

Machine squats
135x15
165x13
195x10
225x8
255x6
285x4
305x3
Considered another…

Front squats
135x9
155x6
175x4
185x4

Leg ext
150x13
172x10
194x9,8,7

Leg curls
125x13
135x11
145x9
155x 8,7

Brief rest and it’s time to blast arms…planning ten sets each for bis tris…

[coachcalande]

What a day! Felt great.

Ez curls
64x17
74x12
84x10
94x9
104x7
114x5

Pushdowns
66x26
88x16
110x10
120x8
130x7
140x5

Concentration curls
30x10,8,7,8,7

Skull crushers
135x14
145x9
155x8
165x8
175x6

Gotta eat!

[coachcalande]

Another grocery run today:

Eggs
Egg whites
Oatmeal
Bananas
Milk

Chicken breasts
Chicken thighs
Ground beef
Ground turkey
Tuna
Wheat bread
Potatoes
Rice
Greens

Mixed nuts
Peanuts


….and one bag of cheddar and sour cream potato chips for the football games today

[coachcalande]

Had a day off yesterday, resting again tomorrow….but today? 45 sets to failure.

Start time 4:25 am
Finish time 5:41 am

Bench
2 warmups
285x8,7,6,6,6

Supersetted with latpulldowns
195x11,10,8,8,7


Incline bench
235x11
245x7,6,6,6

Supersetted with narrow pulldowns
195x7,8,8,7,6

Flyes
45x14,12,9,9,7

Supersetted with rows

250x8,7,7,6,6

Press behind head
155x8,8,9,8,7

Upright rows
65x15
75x12
85x9
95x7
95x6

Side laterals
15x14,12,12,12,12

Lift and eat.

[coachcalande]

“Dropping reps when training to failure “

Does the fatigue of failure training reduce volume by causing a drop in reps in subsequent sets?

A- when training in higher rep ranges it does. I find that a set of say 11-12 reps will be followed by the next set at 8-10 reps. What’s interesting however, I can actually ADD WEIGHT and STILL get the 8-10. So why use the same weight?


Next Observation- when the failure zone is 3-8 Reps, reps are NOT dropped or rarely dropped . For example a set of 8 is typically followed by multiple sets of 7, repeats of 6s. Sometimes, as my journal shows, a rep is gained back due to rest. For example, 9,8,7,8,7


Next observation- with big bench and squat days, pyramid jumps can be large 30 pounds for instance with few reps dropped. For example 325x5, 355x4.


There’s something refreshing about using higher volume pyramids from time to time 15-12-10-8-6-4-10 but after a few enjoyable workouts, I will miss the heavy iron . At my age, I am aware that multiple heavy sets , 5-5-4-3-3 for instance does tax me and my elbows , shoulders…just aren’t what they used to be. Lately, my groove is the 6-8 rep mark. Sometimes it feels just right to hit something of a mini pyramid like 10-8-6-6-4

[safcpaul]

Mate you're an animal. Your sessions look brutal. Love it

[coachcalande]

Mate you're an animal. Your sessions look brutal. Love it

Feeling the soreness *the good kind* in chest, delts and my mid back a bit.

[coachcalande]

Gearing up for game day!

Legs and Arms tomorrow.

It’ll be pyramids for legs …almost guaranteed. Arms…we will see. Might be mini pyramid style like 12-10–8-8-8 or something like that. Then again maybe I’ll be in the mood for just a ramped warm up and bang caveman sets 5-8 reps.

Ultimately moving iron in challenging sets from 3-15 reps for a bunch of sets in about an hour and 15 min.

[coachcalande]

Great nights sleep.

Already have four/five meals made for the day…

Staring at a plate of eggs/whites/oatmeal with cheddar now
Drinking black coffee…

4:30 is my intended start time…

The next three meals

Mid morning- 8oz chicken breast, American cheese on wheat

Snack if needed is almonds/peanuts mixed

Noon - is another chicken breast and cheese sandwich

3- ground chicken sandwich , milk


6- chicken thighs, potatoes, broccoli or green beans

[coachcalande]

Squats on the machine went well.

135x17
165x12
195x10
225x8
255x7
285x5
315x3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSMKWFE7LFQ

Front squats
135x10
145x8
155x7
165x5
175x5

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZ_Sy_4-7r8

Leg extensions
150x13
172x11
194x11
194x9
194x8

Leg curls
125x13
135x12
145x10
155x8
155x8

Arms later today

[coachcalande]

I left the weight room this am fine….right now…I’m walking funny. Destroyed my legs. Perfect.

It’s going to make training arms a bit awkward but I’ll get it done.

[coachcalande]

Worked real fast here….20 min arm smoke

Ez curls pyramid up and down
65x15
74x14
84x12
94x9
104x7
114x6
124x4
109x9
84x11
74x10
64x13

Pushdowns
50x33
72x17
94x12
104x11
114x8
124x6
134x3
116x7
94x10
62x15
62x13

Called it a win!

[coachcalande]

Too funny, just thinking that maybe I was gaining weight as I’d been a bit liberal with the mixed nuts and cheddar chips the last two weeks….my wife comes out after dinner with peanut butter choc chip cookies….the Holidays…..well, maybe it’ll be GAINZzz.

Getting my mind right for tomorrow’s chest/back/shoulder lift.

[safcpaul]

Gainz fueled by peanut butter cookies. Love it. I don't think anybody would begrudge you them with the work you're putting into them sessions. I'm piling the food down aswell but both my kids are full of cold. I can see myself ill for xmas lol

[coachcalande]

Today I decided on higher rep count pyramid training.

Felt great.

Bench
185x23
215x15
225x12
245x10
265x6.5
285x3 * might as well have been 385 after all those reps!

Narrow pulldowns
138x18
160x13
182x8
192x8
202x6
212x5

Incline
185x15
195x11
205x10
215x8
225x6
230x5

Wide pulldowns
212x8,7,7,5
202x7,6

Shoulder press
135x14
145x11
155x9
165x6
175x6

Rows
218x11
238x8
238x8,6,8

Up row
75x12
85x9
95x7,6,6

Times up.

[coachcalande]

Some thoughts:

There are days where I just feel rushed and I don’t enjoy cutting workouts short. I’m setting the alarm clock 15 min earlier and I have sort of accepted that I can double split my leg/arm day easily enough allowing me time and pace that I enjoy for my leg volume.

I have to remind myself how far I have come with my legs since all the atrophy that occurred from ACL /MCL tears and surgery. One of the reasons that I train on machines is STABILITY. A few years ago, walking back with the squat bar loaded, I felt a scar tissue or cartilage shift in my RIGHT knee….not my surgically repaired left….it’s also a reason that I wrap my knees and leave them wrapped for the whole workout.

Regardless, I love training legs and I love my machine training as it feels safe and I can push sets hard. As far as time..I always have this thought of going back to my early 90s split:

Day one- chest/back/abs

Day two -legs/calves

Day three- shoulders/arms/forearms

Day four- rest

That split was ok, but the front delts take a pounding and as time goes by, real life stuff will interfere anyway and screw up the schedule.

There’s no doubt that my current split has allowed the greatest gains in my 40 plus years around the iron. It’s by far the most flexible and allows for a torso focused push/pull day and another day smashing legs. I remember reading that Lee Haney rarely trained arms during his mass focused periods training just four days a week. For me, my arms had always been my best body part.

[coachcalande]

This website is so buggy. I just typed a bunch of stuff and it got deleted.

Anyways, my split allows me both mental and physical recovery- allows more off days for real life responsibilities. I enjoy my early mornings off just spending time with my bride.

In short, when I consider the old 90s split, I quickly recall the additional stress when life messes up that routine.

Today, there’s plenty to do around the house that it’d be tough to block in 90 min to train and shower.

[coachcalande]

In reflection of how my training has changed, I’m much wiser about auto regulated training…I’ll have those heavy 3-5 rep days where I really want to test my strength, I’ll have the meat and potatoes mass training days where I mainly hit 6-8 reps and I’ll on occasion just focus on quality contractions, stretches and getting blood into the muscle in the 8-15 rep days….and of course now, after years of hating pyramid training, I find it great in my 50s as I can a) get a warmup and mind set b) make sure I’m not injured and am fully recovered c) chase volume, pump, or heavy lifts too. Obviously it’s not great for truly displaying strength in the low rep range but it’s great for displaying it in the 15-20 rep range.

Interesting is that my triceps have REALLY responded well and I have hoisted up much bigger pushdowns and skull crushers since moving to pyramid style training. My guess is that the superior elbow warmup makes all the difference.