Wednesday 13th February. Having worked up to five fives during the previous session, today was about finding my new 1RM. Could I get the 130 that was beyond me the last time I tried it?
50 for 5 x 2 sets
70 for 5 x 2 sets
90 for 3
100 for 1
120 for 1
130 for 1
140 for 1!!!
100 for 5
60 for 10.
I can't tell you how delighted I was with today's session. Sometimes I feel like going back and editing previous posts, but that's totally against the spirit of the exercise, which is to record my journey truthfully and accurately. Not just what I lift, but the emotions that go with it, the highs and lows. I'm totally enthused by what I did today, and delighted to have broken through the 300 pound barrier.
I started off exactly one month ago with a 1RM of 100, a qualifying target of 185, and a huge gulf of 85 kilos separating me from my target.
The 140 was easy! There was more there. When I say 'easy', lifting over 300 pounds is never easy. Lifters use the term easy to describe any lift that doesn't take us to our absolute limit, and the 140 wasn't.
In the previous post, I was harping on about how I might not get 185 in time. Today, I offer a completely different perspective. I have managed to complete half the journey in exactly one month. I have another three months to complete the other half, and if I was advising someone else I would tell them that the target will easily be achieved.
The next workout is planned to be five threes with 120, and when that is built up to five fives it will be time to test the 1RM again and, hopefully, break through the 150 barrier. The Sugden Classic lifting day is on 1st March, and that might be a good place to make my attempt on the 150. But before I can even think of that, it's back to the grind that is five heavy sets.
I won't be training on Saturday this week, because I'll be taking part in the North West Raw Bench Press Championships. I hope to get a new British Masters 2 record. Will I be in the gym on Sunday? Or will I go out and celebrate a record on Saturday night and give myself a day off? That one will have to be played by ear!
Friday, 15 February 2008
Tuesday, 12 February 2008
Catching Up
Saturday 9th February:
Deadlift
50 for 5 x 2 sets
70 for 5 x 2 sets
90 for 5
110 for 5 x 5 sets
90 for 5
70 for 8
Overhead Press
Bar for 10
30 for 8
40 for 5
50 for 3
60 for 1
65 for 1 (PB)
70 for 1 (PB)
60 for 3 x 3 sets
The deadlifts were a real grind today, but I got my five fives. My back felt under a bit more pressure than usual, even on the down sets. Oh well, no injury and I managed to do what I went in to do, which is always the main target. The overhead personal bests (pbs) were a bit of a misnomer, because I'd never tried singles before, but we've all got to start somewhere. 70 kilos felt right at the outer fringes of my capabilities and I thought I was going to topple backwards at one point. I'm still very inflexible at the starting position (wrists and, especially, shoulders) and that doesn't help. On the plus side, 60 kilos felt lighter than it did last week. I think the trick with these is to keep it around the 50/60 range for the time being - and get someone to stand behind me!
My next deadlift session will be Wednesday. Now that I've lifted five fives with 110 the weight on the bar goes up again, but before deciding what that weight will be I'll be finding my new 1RM and then going back to five threes, probably with 115.
At my current rate of progress, I suspect that the qualifier in May is going to come a little bit too soon for me. That's not negativity, just realism. If I can lift 130 on Wednesday, that leaves me 55 kilos short of the standard, and I'll have to improve at a rate of about 15 kilos a month. That might be asking a bit too much and invite injury.
I'll just plod on and see where my training takes me, and I'll enter the qualifier come what may. This was always going to be a long term project.
Since starting deadlifting, my back feels much stronger and healthier and my posture has improved. Another reason to keep at it, irrespective of the competitive side of things.
Wednesday 6th February:
I've just realised that my Wednesday lifts had been omitted. That might be something to do with the fact that it was my birthday! 52 years young, and getting younger and younger as each year goes by! At this rate, I reckon that by my 60th birthday they'll be asking me for ID when I try to buy a drink.
Very briefly, I did a thorough warm up, followed by five sets of four with 110 and a couple of down sets, then left for a slap up meal with the kids (their treat!).
There's dedication for you - not letting a birthday get in the way of the programme!
Deadlift
50 for 5 x 2 sets
70 for 5 x 2 sets
90 for 5
110 for 5 x 5 sets
90 for 5
70 for 8
Overhead Press
Bar for 10
30 for 8
40 for 5
50 for 3
60 for 1
65 for 1 (PB)
70 for 1 (PB)
60 for 3 x 3 sets
The deadlifts were a real grind today, but I got my five fives. My back felt under a bit more pressure than usual, even on the down sets. Oh well, no injury and I managed to do what I went in to do, which is always the main target. The overhead personal bests (pbs) were a bit of a misnomer, because I'd never tried singles before, but we've all got to start somewhere. 70 kilos felt right at the outer fringes of my capabilities and I thought I was going to topple backwards at one point. I'm still very inflexible at the starting position (wrists and, especially, shoulders) and that doesn't help. On the plus side, 60 kilos felt lighter than it did last week. I think the trick with these is to keep it around the 50/60 range for the time being - and get someone to stand behind me!
My next deadlift session will be Wednesday. Now that I've lifted five fives with 110 the weight on the bar goes up again, but before deciding what that weight will be I'll be finding my new 1RM and then going back to five threes, probably with 115.
At my current rate of progress, I suspect that the qualifier in May is going to come a little bit too soon for me. That's not negativity, just realism. If I can lift 130 on Wednesday, that leaves me 55 kilos short of the standard, and I'll have to improve at a rate of about 15 kilos a month. That might be asking a bit too much and invite injury.
I'll just plod on and see where my training takes me, and I'll enter the qualifier come what may. This was always going to be a long term project.
Since starting deadlifting, my back feels much stronger and healthier and my posture has improved. Another reason to keep at it, irrespective of the competitive side of things.
Wednesday 6th February:
I've just realised that my Wednesday lifts had been omitted. That might be something to do with the fact that it was my birthday! 52 years young, and getting younger and younger as each year goes by! At this rate, I reckon that by my 60th birthday they'll be asking me for ID when I try to buy a drink.
Very briefly, I did a thorough warm up, followed by five sets of four with 110 and a couple of down sets, then left for a slap up meal with the kids (their treat!).
There's dedication for you - not letting a birthday get in the way of the programme!
Monday, 4 February 2008
What A Difference A Week Makes!
After last Saturday's disaster, this Saturday's session was so much better. I did my overhead presses first:
20 for 10 reps x 2 sets
30 for 8 reps x 2 sets
40 for 5 reps x 2 sets
60 for 5 reps x 3 sets (that's a new personal best!)
50 for 8 reps.
Then I moved on to deadlifts and did the following:
50 for 8 reps x 2 sets
70 for 5 reps x 2 sets
90 for 3 reps x 2 sets
110 for 3 reps x 5 sets
90 for 5 reps
70 for 8 reps.
I was really pleased with that. My body is beginning to adapt to coping with heavier weights. Only three weeks ago I was rejoicing at lifting 100 kilos once. Here I am already doing five sets of three with 10 kilos more.
The big danger at this point is to get carried away with progress and try too much too soon. This whole process has to be structured, the only variation being if something feels just too easy. My next deadlifting session will be on my birthday (Wednesday), when I simply repeat Saturday's session but add one rep to each of my sets with 110. Then next Saturday I'll try for five sets of five, and once I can hit that I'll test my 1RM in the session after that to see how much it's improved. No silly straining, busting-a-gut stuff, just a test to see if I can pull 130 yet. If I can do five fives with a weight, lifting an extra 20 kilos for a single should be achievable.
I'm going to keep this writing format from now on. Numbers first, then words. So if the numbers mean nothing and you want to focus on the words, it should be easier. Likewise if you want to call in and see what I'm lifting without having to plough through the verbiage!
20 for 10 reps x 2 sets
30 for 8 reps x 2 sets
40 for 5 reps x 2 sets
60 for 5 reps x 3 sets (that's a new personal best!)
50 for 8 reps.
Then I moved on to deadlifts and did the following:
50 for 8 reps x 2 sets
70 for 5 reps x 2 sets
90 for 3 reps x 2 sets
110 for 3 reps x 5 sets
90 for 5 reps
70 for 8 reps.
I was really pleased with that. My body is beginning to adapt to coping with heavier weights. Only three weeks ago I was rejoicing at lifting 100 kilos once. Here I am already doing five sets of three with 10 kilos more.
The big danger at this point is to get carried away with progress and try too much too soon. This whole process has to be structured, the only variation being if something feels just too easy. My next deadlifting session will be on my birthday (Wednesday), when I simply repeat Saturday's session but add one rep to each of my sets with 110. Then next Saturday I'll try for five sets of five, and once I can hit that I'll test my 1RM in the session after that to see how much it's improved. No silly straining, busting-a-gut stuff, just a test to see if I can pull 130 yet. If I can do five fives with a weight, lifting an extra 20 kilos for a single should be achievable.
I'm going to keep this writing format from now on. Numbers first, then words. So if the numbers mean nothing and you want to focus on the words, it should be easier. Likewise if you want to call in and see what I'm lifting without having to plough through the verbiage!
Thursday, 31 January 2008
A Different Day, A Different Outcome
After Sunday's struggles, I did my deadlifting in the gym yesterday.
I warmed up with five reps with 60 kilos and five with 80, then did five sets of five with 100. My down sets were five with 80 and eight with 60.
It's crazy how the weight feels so much lighter in the gym - or heavier at home, depending on how you look at it!
I also tried a few light hack squats and incline leg presses, but my wonky knee started protesting immediately, so I walked away while I still could and will not be going near anything that resembles a squat in the future.
I managed some hyperextensions and incline sits up though. Five sets of ten on each of them. They're here to stay, and should strengthen my lower back and my core.
On all my sets today, I found the first rep to be a real grinder, but managed the other four in each set without a problem. I posted this on a couple of powerlifting forums, and the answer soon came back. On reps two to five, I'm helped by the 'stretch reflex' which doesn't happen on the first lift.
I'd never even heard of the 'stretch reflex' before. It shows how much I've got to learn about the lift.
But five fives is definite progress. On Saturday, I'm going to attempt five sets of three with 110 kilos. If that's too difficult, I'll drop it to 105. Whichever weight I end up using, the plan is five threes, five fours the workout after, then five fives the one after that. Then I'll test my 1RM again and see how much closer to the magical 185 I've managed to reach.
I've decided to enter the BDFPA Single Lift Qualifier in May whether or not I've reached the required standard. If nothing else, it will give me some experience of deadlifting on stage, and that will stand me in good stead for the future.
After the depression of Sunday, I'm feeling altogether better after Wednesday's effort. Roll on Saturday...
I warmed up with five reps with 60 kilos and five with 80, then did five sets of five with 100. My down sets were five with 80 and eight with 60.
It's crazy how the weight feels so much lighter in the gym - or heavier at home, depending on how you look at it!
I also tried a few light hack squats and incline leg presses, but my wonky knee started protesting immediately, so I walked away while I still could and will not be going near anything that resembles a squat in the future.
I managed some hyperextensions and incline sits up though. Five sets of ten on each of them. They're here to stay, and should strengthen my lower back and my core.
On all my sets today, I found the first rep to be a real grinder, but managed the other four in each set without a problem. I posted this on a couple of powerlifting forums, and the answer soon came back. On reps two to five, I'm helped by the 'stretch reflex' which doesn't happen on the first lift.
I'd never even heard of the 'stretch reflex' before. It shows how much I've got to learn about the lift.
But five fives is definite progress. On Saturday, I'm going to attempt five sets of three with 110 kilos. If that's too difficult, I'll drop it to 105. Whichever weight I end up using, the plan is five threes, five fours the workout after, then five fives the one after that. Then I'll test my 1RM again and see how much closer to the magical 185 I've managed to reach.
I've decided to enter the BDFPA Single Lift Qualifier in May whether or not I've reached the required standard. If nothing else, it will give me some experience of deadlifting on stage, and that will stand me in good stead for the future.
After the depression of Sunday, I'm feeling altogether better after Wednesday's effort. Roll on Saturday...
Sunday, 27 January 2008
The First Setback
Everything was going so well. Until I turned up at the gym at 2.30 pm yesterday. To find it closed. So I did my shopping first, then tried to do the workout at home. I felt a bit weak and undernourished. I'd eaten with a view to training at 2.30, and here I was starting at 5.00.
The overhead pressing went fine. I managed three sets of five with 55 kilos - an improvement of 2.5 from last week. Plus, being at home, I had to clean the bar into the pressing position at the start of each set. So now I'm doing power cleans as well!
By the time I got to deadlifts I was feeling quite fatigued, but I warmed up to my first of five supposed sets of five with 100 kilos. After the second rep I almost fainted, so was wise enough to listen to my body and just walk away. There's a difference between pushing through barriers to achieve great things and flogging a dead horse, and sometimes you've just got to listen to your body.
I left the bar and weights out overnight, so I'd have no excuse for not doing deadlifts today. And so I did. Not a lot, but something is better than nothing. Today's workout was fives with 47, 67, 77, and 86; three threes with 100; five with 86 and eight with 67.
So no progress, no improvement, and not even an attempt at five fives with 100, but I did get in a session of sorts which engaged the deadlifting muscles and in the long term that'll do me the world of good. And if we never had bad sessions, how would we appreciate the good ones?
At home, the weight feels much heavier than it does in the gym. I'm not sure if that's down to environment, preparation (they say the journey to the gym gets you in the right frame of mind) or maybe using small hole weights takes the bar slightly closer to the floor, meaning it has to be lifted further and from lower down. I'll train in the gym when I can, and in the front room when I have to!
Again, when I was straining, it was the lower back that was doing the straining, not the legs. I look on that as a good sign. If the bad leg was playing up, this journey might be over before it begins. I'm not going to jeopardise my health and wellbeing on something that is supposedly being done to enhance it. But it's only my back, and that's because the back is weak through years of mollycoddling. And what's weak can be strengthened, and worked on in isolation away from the compound movements.
It's going to be hard. I know that more now than I did two days ago. But if it was easy, everyone would be doing it.
The overhead pressing went fine. I managed three sets of five with 55 kilos - an improvement of 2.5 from last week. Plus, being at home, I had to clean the bar into the pressing position at the start of each set. So now I'm doing power cleans as well!
By the time I got to deadlifts I was feeling quite fatigued, but I warmed up to my first of five supposed sets of five with 100 kilos. After the second rep I almost fainted, so was wise enough to listen to my body and just walk away. There's a difference between pushing through barriers to achieve great things and flogging a dead horse, and sometimes you've just got to listen to your body.
I left the bar and weights out overnight, so I'd have no excuse for not doing deadlifts today. And so I did. Not a lot, but something is better than nothing. Today's workout was fives with 47, 67, 77, and 86; three threes with 100; five with 86 and eight with 67.
So no progress, no improvement, and not even an attempt at five fives with 100, but I did get in a session of sorts which engaged the deadlifting muscles and in the long term that'll do me the world of good. And if we never had bad sessions, how would we appreciate the good ones?
At home, the weight feels much heavier than it does in the gym. I'm not sure if that's down to environment, preparation (they say the journey to the gym gets you in the right frame of mind) or maybe using small hole weights takes the bar slightly closer to the floor, meaning it has to be lifted further and from lower down. I'll train in the gym when I can, and in the front room when I have to!
Again, when I was straining, it was the lower back that was doing the straining, not the legs. I look on that as a good sign. If the bad leg was playing up, this journey might be over before it begins. I'm not going to jeopardise my health and wellbeing on something that is supposedly being done to enhance it. But it's only my back, and that's because the back is weak through years of mollycoddling. And what's weak can be strengthened, and worked on in isolation away from the compound movements.
It's going to be hard. I know that more now than I did two days ago. But if it was easy, everyone would be doing it.
Tuesday, 22 January 2008
There Goes The Plan...
The planned progression lasted half a workout! I did two sets of four with 92.5 today and they just weren't challenging enough, so I upped the weight to 100 for the last three sets of four and managed them ok.
Then I was persuaded to try a single with 120, which I managed without undue strain. A half-hearted attempt at 130 was always destined to fail. However I now find myself within 65 kilos of the qualifying standard and still improving...
Again, my bad leg feels great. It's my back I'm worried about. Hopefully the gradual progression I have planned will strengthen the back bit by bit. Thinking back only ten days, the first time I did 100 was a real grind on the back. Today, 100 was snappy with no undue pressure on the back.
The next deadlift session will be on Saturday. The plan is five sets of five with 100 kilos - unless that doesn't feel challenging enough! But lifting 100 kilos 25 times is the equivalent of moving more than two tons, so it should be challenging enough.
Then I was persuaded to try a single with 120, which I managed without undue strain. A half-hearted attempt at 130 was always destined to fail. However I now find myself within 65 kilos of the qualifying standard and still improving...
Again, my bad leg feels great. It's my back I'm worried about. Hopefully the gradual progression I have planned will strengthen the back bit by bit. Thinking back only ten days, the first time I did 100 was a real grind on the back. Today, 100 was snappy with no undue pressure on the back.
The next deadlift session will be on Saturday. The plan is five sets of five with 100 kilos - unless that doesn't feel challenging enough! But lifting 100 kilos 25 times is the equivalent of moving more than two tons, so it should be challenging enough.
Sunday, 20 January 2008
The Third Session
I've got one problem with this blog. What do I call each new post?
Yesterday (Saturday 19th January) was my third deadlifting session. I had started doing overhead presses the previous Saturday, and Saturdays will henceforth be my "alternative compounds" day. (A compound exercise is one which uses a number of different muscle groups. As opposed to an isolation arm curl, for example, which primarily uses one muscle group.)
I started the session with overheads, and then moved to deadlifting. After finding my maximum lift over the two previous sessions, I had a "proper" powerlifting session today. I eased my way up to 92.5 kilos (204 pounds) and did five sets of three reps, then finished off with a set of five on 80 kilos and a set of ten with 50.
The first two sets were really hard. Back-breakingly so, in fact. But then the technique got better and the fifth set was the best of the lot.
The reason for doing 92.5? Well I wanted to work with 80% - 85% of my 1RM (one rep max - the most I can lift) and 92.5 fits the bill in that respect. But it's also exactly half what I need to be able to lift to qualify for the British Championships and I thought that would be a good starting point on an emotional level as well.
The trick in powerlifting is slow and steady progression with good form. Lifters who keep going for 1RMs rarely progress, and lifters who abandon form in the quest for higher short term numbers invariably end up spending more time on the oesteopath's table than in the gym.
Another key to any success I've had is that I go into the gym knowing exactly what my intended programme for that session is. Those who do what they feel like doing never challenge themselves as much as those who find a way to get through what they have to do.
My deadlifting plan is simple. Next time I do five sets of four with 92.5, the time after that I do five sets of five.
Once I've achieved five fives, the weight will go up to 100 kilos and I'll start with five threes and work my way up to five fives with 100. Then I'll test my 1RM to see how much it has improved.
I'll calculate 85% of that new 1RM, and start doing five threes with that, gradually move it up to five fives, add 7.5 kilos, go back to five threes, work that up to five fives, and then test my 1RM again.
It's not rocket science. It's not even particularly about talent or genetics. It's about what you have between the ears and how committed you are to achieving your goals. For the proof of that, just look at this project! A guy with a bad knee, thigh, hip and back is trying to get a British Over 50s title and record. And if I get it, will it be because of "talent" and genetics? Or will it be because of desire, belief, hard goal-orientated work, and sheer bloody-mindedness? Talent takes you to the party, but doesn't take you to the top table.
I've just mapped out my next eight sessions, or more. Now all I've got to do is take the theory and put it into practice.
And the overhead presses? I might as well record them as well if I'm doing them in the same workout.
Last week, I did three sets of five with 50 kilos (ignoring warm-ups and down sets). The weight feels really heavy at the start position and I'm very inflexible in the wrists and shoulders, which doesn't help. Yesterday I did three sets of five with 52.5. Next Saturday, I'll try for three sets of five with 55. Once I can do three fives with a weight I'll move it up 2.5 kilos next session.
I have no particular target in mind for overheads. I don't intend to do them competitively. But long term, 100 would be nice! Principally, I want to get my shoulders stronger, hit my arms from a different angle, and hope that my bench strength improves.
My bench is going really well at the moment. I pressed 198 kilos off a 2.5 inch board last Monday - my best ever. What's a bench? What's a board? The subject of another post, sometime soon...
Yesterday (Saturday 19th January) was my third deadlifting session. I had started doing overhead presses the previous Saturday, and Saturdays will henceforth be my "alternative compounds" day. (A compound exercise is one which uses a number of different muscle groups. As opposed to an isolation arm curl, for example, which primarily uses one muscle group.)
I started the session with overheads, and then moved to deadlifting. After finding my maximum lift over the two previous sessions, I had a "proper" powerlifting session today. I eased my way up to 92.5 kilos (204 pounds) and did five sets of three reps, then finished off with a set of five on 80 kilos and a set of ten with 50.
The first two sets were really hard. Back-breakingly so, in fact. But then the technique got better and the fifth set was the best of the lot.
The reason for doing 92.5? Well I wanted to work with 80% - 85% of my 1RM (one rep max - the most I can lift) and 92.5 fits the bill in that respect. But it's also exactly half what I need to be able to lift to qualify for the British Championships and I thought that would be a good starting point on an emotional level as well.
The trick in powerlifting is slow and steady progression with good form. Lifters who keep going for 1RMs rarely progress, and lifters who abandon form in the quest for higher short term numbers invariably end up spending more time on the oesteopath's table than in the gym.
Another key to any success I've had is that I go into the gym knowing exactly what my intended programme for that session is. Those who do what they feel like doing never challenge themselves as much as those who find a way to get through what they have to do.
My deadlifting plan is simple. Next time I do five sets of four with 92.5, the time after that I do five sets of five.
Once I've achieved five fives, the weight will go up to 100 kilos and I'll start with five threes and work my way up to five fives with 100. Then I'll test my 1RM to see how much it has improved.
I'll calculate 85% of that new 1RM, and start doing five threes with that, gradually move it up to five fives, add 7.5 kilos, go back to five threes, work that up to five fives, and then test my 1RM again.
It's not rocket science. It's not even particularly about talent or genetics. It's about what you have between the ears and how committed you are to achieving your goals. For the proof of that, just look at this project! A guy with a bad knee, thigh, hip and back is trying to get a British Over 50s title and record. And if I get it, will it be because of "talent" and genetics? Or will it be because of desire, belief, hard goal-orientated work, and sheer bloody-mindedness? Talent takes you to the party, but doesn't take you to the top table.
I've just mapped out my next eight sessions, or more. Now all I've got to do is take the theory and put it into practice.
And the overhead presses? I might as well record them as well if I'm doing them in the same workout.
Last week, I did three sets of five with 50 kilos (ignoring warm-ups and down sets). The weight feels really heavy at the start position and I'm very inflexible in the wrists and shoulders, which doesn't help. Yesterday I did three sets of five with 52.5. Next Saturday, I'll try for three sets of five with 55. Once I can do three fives with a weight I'll move it up 2.5 kilos next session.
I have no particular target in mind for overheads. I don't intend to do them competitively. But long term, 100 would be nice! Principally, I want to get my shoulders stronger, hit my arms from a different angle, and hope that my bench strength improves.
My bench is going really well at the moment. I pressed 198 kilos off a 2.5 inch board last Monday - my best ever. What's a bench? What's a board? The subject of another post, sometime soon...
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