Elrond Hubbard, Third Time's a Charm

[ElrondHubbard]

I got started on Week 26 of this comeback phase Sunday night, that's week 10 of my 12-week Madcow-ish cycle. Two more weeks to go, and then I'll be trying the Greg Nuckols workout.

Got off to a late start, as often happens on Sunday, but fortunately it wasn't from pouring concrete! I finished that Saturday, and I hope it's a few years before I have to do anything like that again. None of the projects I have lined up are calling for it, at least. Working with lumber for the rest of this particular project. It can be tiring too, but at least I don't have that "can't stop to rest while the cement is wet" circumstance.

The compound lifts went well, but I ran out of time for accessories, and only got in the pullups/chinups. I wasn't quite at my best on those either, but at least I didn't slip too far. I actually made progress on my Bench Press and Overhead Press -- the maximum lifts which I was stuck at 3 reps with for the previous weeks finally relented enough to let me get to 4. The goal is 5, and I'm not sure I'll get there before the end of the cycle, but I'll get as close as I can.


Sunday, June 14. Morning weight 160.6 lbs. Down a bit, I wonder if that's an effect of yard work on Saturday.

Bench Press:
97x5
121x5
145x5
169x5
193x4
193x3 -- Revenge Set!
200x1 -- Bonus because I felt like it. I'd hoped to do 2, but, oh well...

Squat:
117x5
146x5
175x5
204x5
233x5
240x3 -- Bonus Set!

BB Row:
108x5
135x5
162x5
189x5
216x5
220x3 -- Bonus Set!

Overhead Press:
56x5
69x5
83x5
97x5
111x4
111x3 -- Revenge Set!



Accessories:
Pullups +35 lbs: 9 + 9 + 8
Chinups +35 lbs: 9 + 9


Feeling good for Tuesday...

[TM79]

Way to go on that session! Glad to see you got over the hump on bench and OHP! Not pouring concrete before must be the secret.

[ElrondHubbard]

Way to go on that session! Glad to see you got over the hump on bench and OHP! Not pouring concrete before must be the secret.

Yeah, glad I'm done with that. I'm sure I'll find other ways to wear myself out, though!

Tuesday night was a little wearing, but not in a bad way. I continued to make progress in the big lifts -- the pullups regressed just slightly, and the pushups stayed the same, but the deadlift and the incline bench both improved. So I went away happy.

Tuesday, June 16, Midpoint Week 26, Madcow-ish week 10.


Incline Bench:
102x5
122x5
143x5
163x4
163x3 -- Revenge set!
163x3 -- Bonus set!

Squat:
117x5
146x5
175x5
175x5

Overhead Press:
56x5
71x5
85x5
97x5
97x5

Deadlift:
191x5
230x5
268x5
306x5
320x3 -- Bonus set!

Accessories:

Pullups, Bodyweight, Myo-reps: 16 + 6x5+7
Chinups, Bodyweight, Myo-reps: 16 + 6x5+8

Pushups w/grip handles, toes raised 18.5", Rest-pause: 49 + 6x10


Here's hoping I can carry the momentum through Thursday.

[TM79]

Nice work on that session! I'll take that kind of regression any day.

[RT1957]

Couple of solid sessions Dave...I'm missing Incline BP when I see it listed in your sessions. Nice work on the deadz!!! and getting back to 200 on BP

[ElrondHubbard]

Thanks, guys. I know at this point I shouldn't be expecting to always progress linearly every session, but that's my goal anyway. I get a little disappointed when it doesn't happen, or when I don't have the time or energy I though I should, but I try not to let it bother me too much. I'd still be lifting even if I wasn't progressing at all.

And I realized I've fallen behind on my Journal again, so it's time to catch up.

Thursday ended Week 26, and Madcow-ish week 10. It wasn't great, but not terrible either. The bench regressed a little, but I made up for it with revenge and bonus sets. I put another rep on my 200 lb attempt. Squat and row increased slightly, OHP stayed the same. The worst part was no accessories. Just couldn't do them.


Thursday, June 18.

Bench Press:
97x5
121x5
145x5
169x5
196x3 -- Failed rep 4
196x3 -- Revenge set!
200x2 -- Bonus set!
145x10

Squat:
117x5
146x5
175x5
204x5
236x4
245x3 -- Bonus set!
175x10

BB Row:
108x5
135x5
162x5
189x5
219x4
220x4 -- Bonus set!
162x10

Overhead Press:
57x5
69x5
83x5
97x5
113x3
113x3
83x10

Was going to try for more accessories on Sunday, but that turned out to be just a little better...

[ElrondHubbard]

So Sunday was the hottest day so far, I spent most of it in the sun sawing wood and driving screws and hammering nails, but at least it wasn't pouring concrete!

Started week 26, Week 11 of Madcow-ish, the penultimate. Went in feeling like I could use a deload. The workout went pretty well for the most part, but I got to a late start -- pushing construction time a bit longer than I'd planned. So I ran out of time after the pullups/chinups, but other than that it turned out to be a pretty good workout. Progressed perceptibly, if not numerically, on the bench. Even though I didn't get any more reps than the previous Sunday, the last one went up just a bit more strongly. And yeah, I did add a rep to that bonus set, going from 1 last Sunday to 2 this time. So that's progress.

Same with the barbell row. I kept the weight the same as last week, but that last rep was just slightly less "on the edge." The squat went up as planned, and the overhead press surprised me. I broke through my plateau, got all five reps in, and then got a 3-rep bonus set at 115 pounds, something I wasn't planning until I decided spur of the moment to try it. I felt good after that.

The pullups went fairly well. I didn't get that hoped-for 10th rep on the pullups, but I did get it on the chinups, so that gave me a bit of progression from last week. I may be hovering around this zone for a while before I firmly move up again.

Sunday, June 21, Week 26. Morning Weight: 161.4 pounds

Bench Press:
97x5
121x5
145x5
169x5
193x4
193x3 -- Revenge Set!
200x2 -- Bonus Set!

Squat:
118x5
148x5
177x5
207x5
236x5
245x3 -- Bonus Set!

BB Row:
108x5
135x5
162x5
189x5
216x5
220x3 -- Bonus Set!

Overhead Press:
56x5
69x5
83x5
97x5
111x5 -- Much to my surprise!
115x3 -- Bonus Set!


Accessories:
Pullups, +35 lbs: 9 + 9 + 8
Chinups, +35 lbs: 10 + 9



I enjoyed that, now looking forward to Tuesday!

[brit-iron]

Much respect to you. Great progress! 👍

[ElrondHubbard]

Much respect to you. Great progress! ������

Thanks, man! Looks like you're going in the right direction too!

[ElrondHubbard]

So I'm trying to be more prompt posting my Tuesday workout (and not waiting until next month!)

It was a good one overall. Nothing spectacular, but I'm way beyond that. There were inklings of progress, and that's what's good. Got all the main lifts and all the accessories in, added to the pullups and chinups, more weight on the deadlift, and felt pretty good doing it.

Incline Bench:
102x5
122x5
143x5
163x4 -- Not ready for rep 5 yet!
165x3 -- Revenge set 1
165x2 -- Revenge set 2

Squat:
118x5
148x5
177x5
177x5

Overhead Press:
56x5
69x5
85x5
97x5
97x5

Deadlift:
195x5
233x5
271x5
310x5
325x4 -- Bonus set!


Accessories:

Pullups, bodyweight, Myo-reps: 17 + 8x5
Chinups, bodyweight, Myo-reps: 17 + 8x5

Pushups, toes raised on 18.5" platform, Rest-Pause: 49 + 6x10


271 lbs on the deadlift was the absolute best I could do barehanded with an overhand grip. That's been pretty constant over time. Beyond that I have to use either a mixed grip or wraps. I like my Cobra-grips, so that's what it is with the higher weights.

[RT1957]

Strong work Dave. You're moving some good weight around and getting reps and we all know LP stops at a certain point. I still see weight bumps and extra reps so it's still working.

[ElrondHubbard]

Strong work Dave. You're moving some good weight around and getting reps and we all know LP stops at a certain point. I still see weight bumps and extra reps so it's still working.

Thanks Ron, sincerely. I guess we're all doing essentially the same thing. We put a template together, and use that as a context for whatever tweaks we think we need. The Madcow template gives a planned rate of progression, but we know that plan isn't always going to go as planned! So we add little pushes here and there to boost us along.

[ElrondHubbard]

While I'm remembering, I can post last Thursday's workout. It's the end of week 27, and week 11, the penultimate week of the 12 week Madcow cycle. I'll do one more week of this template, and then it will be one that I haven't tried before. I have no idea what to expect.

Thursday went pretty well -- almost a breakthrough on the bench press, and definite improvement. The overhead press also improved, enough so that I can add a couple of pounds to it on that final week. Squat still groaning upwards, and I held steady on the rows. The downside is the reduced number of accessories, only pullups and chinups this time. That's a consequence of all the revenge sets and bonus sets on the main lifts, they do take a bit of time and energy.

So, one more week, and then I can celebrate a new routine on the 4th of July Weekend... I can't go to the beach, so might as well!

Thursday, June 25


Bench Press:
97x5
121x5
145x5
169x5
196x4 -- Victory!
200x3 -- Bonus Set!
145x10

Squat:
118x5
148x5
177x5
207x5
239x4
245x3 -- Bonus Set!
177x10

BB Row:
108x5
135x5
162x5
189x5
220x4
220x4 -- Bonus Set!
162x10

Overhead Press:
57x5
69x5
85x5
97x5
113x4
115x3 -- Bonus Set!
85x10


Accessories:
Pullups, +35lbs: 9 + 9 + 8 -- Attempted rep 10 on the first set, failed that one.
Chinups. +35lbs: 10 + 9



Really wanted that 10th pullup, and I felt like I could do it, right up until the end of rep 9. Figured I'd try it anyway, sometimes I can go farther than I expect. Not this time.


Sunday starts week 12 of 12.

[ElrondHubbard]

Started my last week of this particular cycle on Sunday, it went pretty well. Still, a little short on the accessories side, but again, the bonus and revenge sets I'm doing are probably making things a little harder to keep up with on that end. Still, a nice improvement on the pullups and chinups, so I'm not complaining. My bench felt a little stronger too. I'm still not ready for a fifth rep at 193, but rep 4 went up a little faster than it has up until now.

I increased the weight on the squat and the overhead press, with a corresponding decrease in reps on the later. It was a bigger drop than I wanted, but it is what it is. Still, overall, a good night.

Sunday, June 28. Week 12 of 12 on Madcow, week 28 post-surgery, Day 1.

Morning weight: 161.0 lbs

Bench Press:
97x5
121x5
145x5
169x5
193x4
193x3 -- Revenge Set!
200x2 -- Bonus Set!

Squat:
119x5
149x5
179x5
209x5
239x5
245x3 -- Bonus Set!

BB Row:
108x5
135x5
162x5
189x5
216x5
220x3 -- Bonus Set!

Overhead Press:
57x5
71x5
88x5
99x5
113x3
113x3 -- Revenge Set!


Accessories:
Pullups +35: 10 + 9 + 9
Chinups +35: 10 + 9

DB Lateral raises, 25 lb dumbbells, Myo-reps: 13 + 7x5


First time I've hit 10 weighted pullups and 10 weighted chinups in the same session, so that's worth being pleased with.


I have to get a couple of booster shots tomorrow. Assuming that doesn't cause arm problems, I'll be back at it tomorrow night!

[TM79]

Catching up in here. You are really moving some serious weight in here now Dave! Way to go! The weighted pull-ups and chin-ups are incredibly strong too. I like the session following a day of wood working too. That is always a challenge. I'm very impressed my friend. Stay after it!

[ElrondHubbard]

Catching up in here. You are really moving some serious weight in here now Dave! Way to go! The weighted pull-ups and chin-ups are incredibly strong too. I like the session following a day of wood working too. That is always a challenge. I'm very impressed my friend. Stay after it!

Thanks Troy! Lugging lumber is a lot easier than fighting concrete. At least that's something I can pace myself on, and I'm not in a race to keep ahead of the setting.

I should be done with the floor joists tomorrow, and then install the floor paneling Sunday. I think I've got the next phase of construction after that pretty well figured out, although I keep changing the roof design every five minutes.

[ElrondHubbard]

I'm two workouts behind, so I guess there's a two-post catchup to do.

First, is the Tuesday night workout: Midpoint Week 26, Week 12 of Madcow, final week for it. Went ok -- Deadlift progressed according to plan, Incline Bench stayed the same. Pullups, chinups, and pushups were ok too. I didn't get a 17th rep on the first chinup set, but I did increase the totals on the minisets for both pullups and chinups. I tried something new on the pushups -- normally my hands are about even with my pectorals when I'm all the way down, this time I moved them upward to be parallel with my cheeks. This made things much harder, and I naturally got fewer reps. But I sure got some effort in!


Incline Bench:
102x5
122x5
143x5
163x4
163x3 -- Revenge sets!
163x3

Squat:
119x5
149x5
179x5
179x5

Overhead Press:
57x5
71x5
88x5
99x5
99x5

Deadlift:
195x5
233x5
276x5
315x5
325x4 -- Bonus set!


Accessories:
Pullups, Bodyweight, Myo-reps: 17 + 7x5 + 7
Chinups, Bodyweight, Myo-reps: 16 + 6x5 + 2x7
Went for 18 reps on the first set of pullups, but couldn't quite get there.

Pushups w/grip handles, Toes on 18.5" platform, hands set at cheek level, Rest-Pause: 41 + 6x10


On to Thursday to close out this cycle...

[ElrondHubbard]

And Thursday came and went, last day of Week 26 of this comeback, last day of the 12-week Madcow-style cycle.

I've enjoyed the Madcow approach since the first time I tried it, and I'll probably return to it again someday. The downside is it assumes a steady weekly progression, which I'm no longer able to do, except for squats and deadlifts so far. But this was a good way to end it, on a relatively high note. I made some progress, and eked out a slight volume increase over the previous week. For the first time in a long time, I finally got in some stiff-legged deadlifts, too.


Bench Press:
97x5
121x5
145x5
169x5
196x3 -- Thought I could get 4, it wasn't there.
196x3 -- Revenge Set!
200x2 -- Bonus Set!
145x10

Squat:
119x5
149x5
179x5
209x5
242x4
250x3 -- Bonus Set!
179x10

BB Row:
108x5
135x5
162x5
189x5
220x4
225x3 -- Bonus Set!
162x10

Overhead Press:
57x5
71x5
88x5
99x5
115x3 -- Tried for 4, no dice.
115x3 -- Revenge Set!
88x10


Accessories:
Pullups +35 lbs: 10 + 9 + 9
Chinups +35 lbs: 10 + 9

Stiff-legged Deadlifts, standing on 3.5" platform, weights on Floor, 195 lbs, Myo-reps: 12 + 3x5


So on Sunday, I'll begin Greg Nuckols "Average to Savage" program, which adjusts the goals week to week depending on how well I did the prior week. It's very hard for me to predict how that's going to work out, but at least I will! I barely understand it now, but I hope to study it a little more this weekend before I begin.


As an afterthought, I threw in my volume chart for all my workouts to the present.

Blue is when I begin keeping records on starting Madcow for the first time, back in September of 2015. It ends 57 weeks later, on November 19, 2016, after my diagnosis with throat cancer. My doctor's advice then was to eat, eat, eat, and spend my energy on digestion.

Red is the beginning of my recovery after that hiatus, starting in July of 2017. At the time, I was still weak, and still feeding out of a tube attached directly to my stomach, into which I had to pour liquid gruel. It also got in the way of rows, pushups, and bench presses. I removed that on week 21, but it made no difference to my rate of strength growth or my weight gain. This gradually transitioned into more of a volume workout until my second cancer diagnosis in August, after which I eased up a little leading to my surgery in late October of last year.

Green is my current cycle. I got the clearance to begin working out again on December 20, 2019, and I haven't looked back. The rapid rise in volume is because I was concentrating on lighter weights and higher reps, I figured that would give my joints and tendons a chance to acclimate before the weights got heavy. It must have worked, I've been notably free of joint pain, especially in my elbows, compared to the two previous cycles. The big drop in volume comes when I re-started the Madcow approach.

It'll be interesting to see how it progresses from here.




Volume_to_070220.jpg

[HomeGymChains]

Always impressive! Great job!

[TM79]

Great job concluding the Mad Cow on a high note! It looks like you are putting up a ton more volume now than you used to. I would imagine that your working weights have gone up as well. Strong looking sessions since the last time I checked in! Looking forward to seeing how that new program works for you.

[ElrondHubbard]

Always impressive! Great job!

Thanks! I'm not yet where I want to be, but it's a lot better than where I might have been!

[ElrondHubbard]

Great job concluding the Mad Cow on a high note! It looks like you are putting up a ton more volume now than you used to. I would imagine that your working weights have gone up as well. Strong looking sessions since the last time I checked in! Looking forward to seeing how that new program works for you.

Working weights are still below what they were at my max. I'm sure it will get there, though. The added volume is in some respects a compensation for the lower maximum strength. I'm hoping it helps with the progression in the long run. I do feel pretty good overall.

[ElrondHubbard]

Now's a good time to post my introductory "Average to Savage" workout. It's definitely a deload, things should get heavier over time, as it's a form of undulating periodization. The exercise selections are a bit different, rep/volume approach is different, so even though it wasn't heavy, I did feel it, probably just because of the unfamiliarity.

The bright spot was the accessories. This workout doesn't emphasize accessories much, and like Madcow, there's a chance that eventually I'll add more of them in just because, but for now I'm limiting to the pullups, chinups, and pushups. The stiff-legged deadlift, which I had previously assigned myself as an accessory and then largely neglected, is now a main lift, so that's a plus. Since I was able to do 10 reps on the pullups and chinups last Thursday at 35 lbs, I decided now was a good time to increase my hanging weight to 45 pounds. I've NEVER done +45 pound pullups or chinups before, so this felt like a new adventure. Obviously reps went way down, but that's fine.

I also got an extra pushup in -- hit 50 on my initial set of the rest-pause, also a first at this elevated toe height. So all in all, a good night!

Sunday, July 5. Morning Weight, 161.4 lbs.

Week 29 of comeback, Week 1 Day 1 of "Average to Savage"

Squat:
172x5, 6 sets

Stiff-Legged Deadlift
120x7, 6 sets

Incline Bench:
96x7, 6 sets

Accessories:
Pullups +45 lbs, 6 + 6 + 5
Chinups +45 lbs, 6 + 6

Pushups w/grip handles, toes elevated 18.5", Rest-Pause: 50 + 6x10


Sure was short to write!

[TM79]

+45 for pull-ups and chins? That is the stuff that legends do... Good looking first session of the new program! Keep up the great work!

[RT1957]

Nice way to end Madcow!!! 3x250 on the squats. Looking forward to what this next program brings!!

[ElrondHubbard]

+45 for pull-ups and chins? That is the stuff that legends do... Good looking first session of the new program! Keep up the great work!

Well, legends do a lot more than that! I wasn't sure I was ready for it, and there actually was a bit of trepidation at the beginning. But I was happy with 6 reps. It'll be interesting to see where it leads -- I have no real expectations, just curiosity,

[ElrondHubbard]

Nice way to end Madcow!!! 3x250 on the squats. Looking forward to what this next program brings!!

Thanks! My fantasy is to get to 3 plates on the squats, but I'm not sure this particular program is designed to take me there yet. Eventually, maybe. It won't be real soon!

[blue9steel]

Well, legends do a lot more than that! I wasn't sure I was ready for it, and there actually was a bit of trepidation at the beginning. But I was happy with 6 reps. It'll be interesting to see where it leads -- I have no real expectations, just curiosity,

Six reps is solid, I don't think I could do that. I've managed +45lbs for three previously on pullups and was pretty excited about that after starting out at -140lbs years ago.

[ElrondHubbard]

Now I can report my second session of the "Average to Savage" workout. Week 29 of the restart, Week 1 of this cycle. It's still a deload. The weights are light, but they're different enough from what I'm used to that I still feel muscle fatigue. So I'll assume I'm doing work!

The squat set was totally new for me. I hadn't even considered "Wide stance squats" before. My feet are probably about 1.5X shoulder width apart. I'm not sure if it's meant to work on the glutes or the hamstrings, but I sure feel it somewhere back there!

Still working on that 18th body-weight pullup. I can almost see it happening, but it's not there yet.



Tuesday, July 7

Bench Press:
137 lbs, 7 sets, 5 reps each

Overhead Press:
79 lbs, 7 sets, 5 reps each

Wide Stance Squat:
120 lbs, 7 sets, 7 reps each

Accessories:
Pullups, bodyweight, Myo-reps: 17 + 8x5
Chinups, bodyweight, Myo-reps: 17 + 7x5

Pushups w/grip handles, toes elevated 18.5", Rest-Pause: 50 + 6x10

DB Lateral Raise, 25 lbs: 3x10 + 8

This workout definitely takes less time than Madcow, just the time saved not changing plates between sets is significant... almost didn't know what to do with myself when it was done.


But I figured it out eventually.

[ElrondHubbard]

Six reps is solid, I don't think I could do that. I've managed +45lbs for three previously on pullups and was pretty excited about that after starting out at -140lbs years ago.

With what I've seen of your journals, I think you could get there fairly quickly. I'm not sure how maintainable it is on the elbows, though. That may be why so few people are doing it. I'm just an observer in my body, or so it sometimes seems.