Oldtimer1

[oldtimer1]

I came out of the hospital about two months ago and I'm still trying to get back on track. I had pneumonia and a bad reaction to the IV antibiotics they gave me.  Lost a lot of weight but coming back. I'm 58 and 5'8" 180lbs.  I try to do an exercise in the hardest way possible meaning a full range of motion and a moderate cadence. I feel it gives better results than lifting a million pounds and doing a half rep with the delusion you're doing the full movement. I have been running a day and lifting a day. I just came off 8 days straight of working out. I want to get back where I was before I got sick. Still carrying around about 8 pounds of fat. Zero drugs and zero HRT.

Back and Chest:

Pull up assist machine 2 x 9 30lbs. ( I know these are a cop out machine but my shoulder is shot and doing body weight pull ups would do a number on my shoulder area. Went slow and smooth. Dead hang to all the way up.)

Seated lat cable rows with a V handle 2 x 12 170lbs (full stretch going out)
Dumbbell rows with knee on bench 2 x 10 85lbs (dead hang down, all the way up)
Hammer pull downs 2 x 10 160lbs (real slow negative)

Hammer incline bench 2 x 8 4 plates total plus 5lbs
Flat dumbbell bench 2 x 8 75lbs (all the way down)
Flat dumbbell flies 2 x 10 45lbs (immediately followed by Hammer bench)
Hammer bench 2 x 6 185lbs(this model must be the original. Looks like an antique)
Push ups 2 x max

Deadlifts off floor 2 x 4 300lbs then 1 x 1 315lbs (I like to do these at the end of my workout. Keeps the poundage down and I'm all warmed up.)
Weighted back extensions 2 x 15 25lbs plate behind head

Ab Wheel 2 x 23 (abs are always sore after this)
Ab coaster 2 x 27 60lbs
Ab crunch machine 2 x 22 80lbs.

A lot of girls in the gym. I guess summer is coming.

How come so many steroid bodybuilders talk like they are in the WWE wrestling federation? A guy about 6'4" and all tatted up with a steroid look kept giving a high school kid lifting advice but sounded like one of those fake wrestlers in his speech pattern. Made me laugh.

Old lady on one of those inflatable balls. I told her to be careful they don't pop and she got all wide eyed.  Just joking miss. Didn't mean to frighten her.

[GR1982]

Looking forward to reading your log!!

[oldtimer1]

No training today. It was going to be a cardio day but staying at a casino last night the beer was flowing. Sometimes I have no self control.  Feel like crap. Reading a book I read in high school called, Long Slow Distance by Henderson in 1969.  What does this have to do with bodybuilding and weight training? I keep turning the pages of this small book and couldn't believe what I was reading. He was spelling out the HIT vs volume argument to a tee but on running terms. Take out the word run and substitute weight training and it was all there.

 In weight training there is no true definition of what HIT is. Every HIT fan has their own definition of the path to lifting Nirvana. Some guys have made their training so brutal and undesirable that they work out once every 5 or more days. How is that a good system?  Don't mean to get into the volume vs HIT.  I find for most of my training that 2 work sets per exercise and maybe 3 to 4 exercises per body part gets it done but I would never find fault with someone that uses 6 sets per exercise. Comparing Apples to Oranges. Both are hard work. Like a guy doing quarter mile repeat sprints being compared to a guy that goes out for 10 mile runs every day. Both are hard work of a different nature.

I will continue to play with 1 to 2 work sets per exercise for about 2 more months then I will be using more volume.  It would take me many paragraphs to put my thoughts into the merits and negatives of HIT and volume but for tonight the book LSD really crystallized my thinking of the matter. Intensity and volume are both important.  Lifting isn't rocket science and it never will be.

[oldtimer1]

Legs today. No warm ups listed. Tried to do  a full range of motion with a moderate cadence of repetition.

1.Squats 2 x 8 225 then 1 x 1 275lbs (narrow stance, high bar olympic style)
2.Dumbbell squats 2 x 12 85lbs. (These are an awesome exercise. If you keep your  back upright and sink it then it's a really hard exercise.  If you bend over to deadlift the weight you are not doing a dumbbell squat.)
3. Stiff leg deadlift 2 x 6 205lbs
4. leg extension 2 x 12 165lbs ( I know weight on a machine is meaningless when you compare from machine to machine)
5. leg curl 2 x 12 90lbs

6. standing calf raise 2 x 12
7. seated calf raise 2 x 15 90lbs.

8. ab coaster 2 x 27 60 lbs.
9. ab crunch 2 x 23 80lbs.

10. 4 way neck machine 2 x 20 a side.

Watching a guy workout. Seen him many a time with the same delusion.  He puts the pin on the bottom of every machine but he cheats the exercise. For example shoulder press machine he puts the seat as low as it can go so the handles are about level with the top of his head. On the seated bench press he also puts the pin on the bottom of the stack and then adjust the bench handles as far out as they will go. Struts around like he's the strongest on earth. Bodybuilding attracts so many insecure delusional guys.

I always see this girl on the cardio equipment so many times I lost count. She really works out hard on treadmill and elliptical. Hardly ever see her on the weight floor. This time I saw her on the leg press machine and started chatting with her. Talking diet I told her I have to give up beer if I want to get ripped. She said why would you want to give up beer?  You have to live life. I really like her.

[GR1982]

How's your weekly training split look? Nice leg session!!

[oldtimer1]

How's your weekly training split look? Nice leg session!!

Back and chest
legs
delt and arms

I lift 3 to 4 times a week. In general I do cardio the day after lifting.

[oldtimer1]

Today was cardio day. Ran three slow 9 minute mile pace miles. Disappointed I ran like a slug but happy to get it in.  After I did heavy bag work.  If I say so myself I hit like a mule, lol.  Always considered this a form of interval cardio.  I always do 3 minute rounds hitting it.

Want to up the cardio so I can run some recreational 5K road races during the summer.  I feel cardio wise I have a lot of work to do.  I don't consider myself a bodybuilder but someone who trains.  In the summer months I might throw in some mountain biking and swimming into the mix.

[oldtimer1]

Delt and Arms. No warm ups listed.

Clean and press 2 x 8 115lbs. ( All the way down on the negative)
Dumbbell laterals 2 x 10 30lbs (Felt really bad chest pain. Thought I was having a heart attack then remembered I ate spicy shrimp for lunch. I belched and the pain went away)
Rear dumbbell laterals 2 x 10 35lbs then 40lbs
Machine delt laterals 2 x 10 70lbs
Barbell shrugs 2 x 10 235lbs

Weighted dips 2 x 8 25lbs (went really deep)
Traditional tricep pushdowns 2 x 10
rope tricep 2 x 10

EZ bar curls 2 x 10 90lbs
Machine curls 2 x 10
Concentration curls 2 x 10 25lbs ( I do these really strict. Cuts back the weight but it hits just the bicep)

forearm wrist curls 2 x 25 95lbs
reverse pulley curls 2 x 10

ab coaster 2 x 27 60lbs
ab crunch machine 2 x 20 80lbs and second set 90lbs

It was a beautiful sunny day and around 60 degrees here in Jersey. The gym doors were open and the breeze was whipping through the gym.

Three college girls training together. No plan or reason. They just went on any machine they felt like. One walked in on her phone and never stopped texting on it. When they drove away she was the passenger and she was still on the phone. I don't think she said more than two words to the two friends she was with.

[oldtimer1]

Trained back and chest today. Felt weak in some movements like deadlifts. I deadlift at the end of my workout to keep the weight down but 315lbs felt like a million pounds. Nearly finished my workout but cut it short in disgust of my bad deadlifting day. I got home and I changed directions. I went into my basement gym and finished the work out completely.

Going to change up my routine soon. Got to lose fat. I have to add more cardio.

[GR1982]

What's your age?

[oldtimer1]

58. Tomorrow is a running and heavy bag day. My son in law who is 240lbs plus and heavily into jui jitsu wants me to start rolling on the mats again. I haven't rolled in 20 plus years. I know I can still strike but I haven't done a triangle or an arm bar in a long, long time. I think I will pass on the invitation. Just don't feel I can give it the level of dedication I feel it needs to get back into it. I was never good at it back in the day anyway. Stand up yes. On the ground I had a few go to moves but a competent ground guy would be able to counter my low level jui jitsu.

[oldtimer1]

Ran three miles and dipped under 9 minute miles finally since being sick. Hit the heavy heavy with bad intent. Happy with my cardio day. Hope to pick it up next week.

[oldtimer1]

Trained legs and on the first set with 135lbs my lower formerly bullet proof back started hurting. I then did dynamic stretches. Grabbed a post and started swinging one leg and then the other. Gentle stretches and I tried to do all my sets very controlled. Finished with 275lbs. Really thinking at my age lifting relatively heavy could be a liability in terms of joint issues and spiking blood pressure. Might in the near future use moderate weights and tire out the muscle by quick sets. Making a light weight heavy so to speak.

[The Scott]

Have you tried doing medium/close grip palms up pull-ups or lat pull-downs?  They work great and in my case, alleviate shoulder pain entirely.

I have trouble doing dips and I miss them.  I get a weird "clicking" in my left elbow no matter how much warmup I do.  I really have to warm up with several sets of empty bar bench presses and tricep push-downs to not get the same "click" when I bench press but dips are impossible as it will start to hurt.  So, I avoid them. Dammit.  Any thoughts would be appreciated.

All the best!

[oldtimer1]

Have you tried doing medium/close grip palms up pull-ups or lat pull-downs?  They work great and in my case, alleviate shoulder pain entirely.

I have trouble doing dips and I miss them.  I get a weird "clicking" in my left elbow no matter how much warmup I do.  I really have to warm up with several sets of empty bar bench presses and tricep push-downs to not get the same "click" when I bench press but dips are impossible as it will start to hurt.  So, I avoid them. Dammit.  Any thoughts would be appreciated.

All the best!

The older I get the more I realize if it hurts don't do it. I don't bench with a bar anymore. Just not worth the pain and the resulting damage. I use to press behind the neck for decades. I don't use them now. Tempted to start light and see how it goes but I realize I'm tempting fate.  

Regarding hand placement with my shoulders no matter how I do them I have to be careful. Using a narrow V bar for pulldowns seems to be the best option for now. For awhile hands facing lat bar was good but then they hurt too. I used revolving handles that allow the natural path your body wants to go worked for awhile. Now I am using the cheat machine to build up strength.  I have twice severely hurt my shoulders from pull ups. Don't understand the mechanism behind it. Doctor told me I have a slap tear in both shoulders but it's in the best possible spot. (?)  He recommended no surgery and also said what happened is that I also sprained my shoulder like someone can sprain an ankle. It blows up and is painful but it will get better and it did to an extent.

I would just avoid dips. We all have exercises that have been really productive through our training career but when it starts to hurt a joint just give it up.  Try to substitute something like close grip bench.  You might want to consult an orthopedic surgeon to make you don't have a tear.  Try to see a surgeon that specializes in below the shoulder.  A tendon could be partially torn. Cartilage could be torn. He will order an MRI. It could be painful tendinitis. As hard as it sounds and I should talk (sarcasm) use a lower weight and slow rep cadence.  

As you can see I don't have any answers.  I find my self going from one injury to the next. My wife says, " Don't you understand you're not a kid anymore?"  I really do push it. Today I trained delts and arms. Then I went for a 2 mile run.  I feel really burned out and exhausted.  Think I'm going to a Yates week where I train each body part once a week and one work set per exercise for a change week.

What's your thoughts Scott?

 (On a complete side note I don't use the smith machine. In my gym I see guys using really heavy weights on it. For example saw a 60 something guy using what appeared to be 140lbs in smooth slow press behind the neck on it. Curious about it I lifted the empty bar today and it turns out it's counter balanced. The empty bar weighs about five pounds.  So one 45lbs on each side of the bar would be about 95lbs.  Mystery solved, lol.)

[The Scott]

The older I get the more I realize if it hurts don't do it. I don't bench with a bar anymore. Just not worth the pain and the resulting damage. I use to press behind the neck for decades. I don't use them now. Tempted to start light and see how it goes but I realize I'm tempting fate.  

Regarding hand placement with my shoulders no matter how I do them I have to be careful. Using a narrow V bar for pulldowns seems to be the best option for now. For awhile hands facing lat bar was good but then they hurt too. I used revolving handles that allow the natural path your body wants to go worked for awhile. Now I am using the cheat machine to build up strength.  I have twice severely hurt my shoulders from pull ups. Don't understand the mechanism behind it. Doctor told me I have a slap tear in both shoulders but it's in the best possible spot. (?)  He recommended no surgery and also said what happened is that I also sprained my shoulder like someone can sprain an ankle. It blows up and is painful but it will get better and it did to an extent.

I would just avoid dips. We all have exercises that have been really productive through our training career but when it starts to hurt a joint just give it up.  Try to substitute something like close grip bench.  You might want to consult an orthopedic surgeon to make you don't have a tear.  Try to see a surgeon that specializes in below the shoulder.  A tendon could be partially torn. Cartilage could be torn. He will order an MRI. It could be painful tendinitis. As hard as it sounds and I should talk (sarcasm) use a lower weight and slow rep cadence.  

As you can see I don't have any answers.  I find my self going from one injury to the next. My wife says, " Don't you understand you're not a kid anymore?"  I really do push it. Today I trained delts and arms. Then I went for a 2 mile run.  I feel really burned out and exhausted.  Think I'm going to a Yates week where I train each body part once a week and one work set per exercise for a change week.

What's your thoughts Scott?

 (On a complete side note I don't use the smith machine. In my gym I see guys using really heavy weights on it. For example saw a 60 something guy using what appeared to be 140lbs in smooth slow press behind the neck on it. Curious about it I lifted the empty bar today and it turns out it's counter balanced. The empty bar weighs about five pounds.  So one 45lbs on each side of the bar would be about 95lbs.  Mystery solved, lol.)

I have to use the Smith Machine and I figure it's probably half the weight I put on there.   I train in a Mentzer style but tailored to fit me. Some days I can go "heavy" (relative to my wimpiness!) and others I will do sets of up to five sets of 20 with whatever weight I can do them with and still other days I will start with a weight and do as many reps as I can for 3 or 4 sets. 

I really have to warm up my elbows and shoulders. Dammit!     I am somewhat handicapped from a fall so I can no longer do squats or any real leg work unless I just want to do one leg.  I have both of them but one is like the small fiddler crab claw now, LOL!.  Too bad as the squat was my favorite exercise bar none. 

Right now I do chest, shoulders and triceps one day and back, biceps, forearms and abs the next then rest a day and repeat.   Total sets can be up to 9 but that includes my need for warm up sets.  I'm in my 60s and just cannot take the punishment anymore.  I do not recover as I did 40 years ago.   I bought and tried Mentzers book on training every 7 to 10 or so days  but that stuff is HARD and I could not get anywhere in terms of muscle and strength gains.  The 4 count on positive/negative reps is one of the weirdest things I have tried in my over 4 decades of training.  At first it seemed good, but nothing much came of it. 

On a positive note, training has been worth it, even if I am not as well built as many here I am still better off than many high school kids I see. Fat, skinny-fat and worse, kids today have nose in their phone.  I cannot begin to fathom how someone like Arnold or Franco must feel.  It is frustrating to age but it is what happens to all of us.

It sucks big time, dammit!     I am going to try some of the Mentzer type routines I've read here and will make them fit my ability.  Or lack thereof.   

[oldtimer1]

So many regular guys and celebrities use steroids so I try not to judge my physique or lack of one to harshly in comparison.  Scott if you're in your 60's you will know what I'm talking about. Through the years I have seen guys go from nothing to amazing using drugs. Then after a few years or even decades they go off due to health, arrest or finances.  All of a sudden they looked like they never trained in their life.  I'd rather look built like an athlete.  Hopefully I'm not delusional that I have mainly kept in shape for decade after decade.  I hate when someone tries to compare me to some fool in his sixties juicing. My empirical knowledge points to the conclusion of what they really look like without the assist. 

[ratherbebig]

dont know about shoulders but i had some elbow problems and i feel using this handle on lat pulldown works very well (thinking of it i assume thats what you guys meant when talking about the v bar, duh!) anyway, lots of handles out there worth experimenting with can make a world of difference working it from a different angle

[The Scott]

dont know about shoulders but i had some elbow problems and i feel using this handle on lat pulldown works very well (thinking of it i assume thats what you guys meant when talking about the v bar, duh!) anyway, lots of handles out there worth experimenting with can make a world of difference working it from a different angle

I have one of those in my garage gym but haven't used it in a couple of years.  I like the narrow grip palms up pulldowns but will try them out on warmups tomorrow morning to see how it feels.  Thanks RTB and OT!

Any here try thick bar training?  I got into it about 15 or so years ago but only do curls now and dropped from a 4"+ bar to one that's about 2.5" now.  It makes it difficult and that can make it intredasting  .   But there are times I do just standard BB & DB curls with regular size handles as the thick bar can get to my hands and elbows a bit. 

[oldtimer1]

Did jack shit today. After work I took the wife to a restaurant and had clams, mussels, oysters, shrimp, corn, and a potato cooked in a steamer. Combined it with a Guinness.  Afterwards Drank Cuban rum in the darkness in my yard by the fire.  I needed a day off of training and I overly enjoyed it. Listened to Sinatra, Martin, Buble', Darin and others to the flickering fire on a Bose speaker.  Looked over the new liner in my pool making it look brand new and just knew this would be a summer for the ages between the ocean and the pool. My head will hurt tomorrow but for tonight I feel good. Might do cardio tomorrow or might take another day off. Hope all of youse guy's Saturday is going well.

[The Scott]

I rested yesterday and will hit back, biceptuals and forearms later on this morning in my garage. 

[ratherbebig]

now that sounds like a good day of rest!

[oldtimer1]

Did Back and chest:

Pull up assist machine 2 x 8 20lbs (getting such a pump from this machine. Try to dead hang and go all the way up till my elbows are as far down as they can go.)
Seated pulley lat row with V bar 2 x 1 2 170lbs
Dumbbell row knee on bench 2 x 10 85lbs (all the way up and down)
Hammer pulldown 2 x 10 160lbs (slow negatives on the return)

Hammer incline bench 2 x 8 two 45lbs a side plus 5lbs
Flat dumbbell bench 2 x 8 75lbs (all the way down)
Hammer flat bench 2  x 6
Dumbbell flies 2 x 10 45lbs
Push ups 1 x 20

Deadlifts 2 x 4 300lbs then 1 x 1 315lbs
Weighted back hyper extensions 2 x 15 25lbs plate behind head

Ab wheel 2 x 23
ab coaster 1 x 27 60lbs
ab crunch 2 x 21 90lbs

Tomorrow I'm trying to go for a 5 mile run. Next week I will be in Texas visiting my son in the Army. I bet the hotel gym is a joke but I will do what I can with it. Maybe I will just do pull ups, pushups and running for the week.

[oldtimer1]

Cardio day. Ran 5.1 miles in the park then hit the heavy bag for a couple of rounds. The run was slow 9:25 average pace miles but I haven't run 5 miles in ages so I'm happy with it. I then went to work but as the day went on I started to fade. Just shot.  

[oldtimer1]

Leg day:

Leg press 2 x 12 4 plates a side (all the way down)
squat 2 x 8 225 then 1 x 1 275 (narrow stance and high bar)
squat machine 1 x 10 230lbs
leg extension 2 x 20
seated leg curl 2 x 15
standing leg curl 2 x 12

side bend with one dumbbell 1 x 15 90lbs
hanging straight leg raise 2 x 20
Lying hip ups for abs 1 x 25 (on back on floor. Leg facing ceiling and raise hips toward ceiling)
Ab pulley 2 x 25

leg press calf 2 x 25 225lbs
seated calf 2 x 15 80lbs.
Tibalis anterior work with a DART 1 x 20 15lbs

Neck work.