Vido's training log

[Vido1970]

Hi all:

This is my first post here -- I've been reading others' posts and getting inspired. I've been doing the SL program for two months now, and am really seeing some major improvement. I'm 38 y.o., and didn't think I would be able to make significant gains in strength or size just because I'm "past my prime." But I've been surprised and pleased to experience a major explosion of strength. I'm not really any bigger -- I weigh the same, but my legs are stronger, my core is stronger and I feel better than ever.

I started working out when I was 33. But I really only got started a year ago -- I didn't get a good start because I didn't know what I was doing and didn't have a program to follow. I've been skinny, weak, and flabby pretty much my whole life. I got started with weights because I wanted to get big. Now I'm not so sure that's realistic. Sure, parts of my body like my shoulders, chest, and thighs are bigger, but not BIG like a bodybuilder. I changed my goal to get strong, no matter what my size.

Current stats:

weight: 165 lbs., height: 6 feet.

Squats: 160 lbs. 5x5 (goal: 165 by 12/31/08)
Deadlifts: 170 lbs. 1x5
OHP: 90 lbs. 5x5
Bench: 140 lbs. 5x5

I'm following the beginner program pretty closely. Having a hard time with inverted rows. I find bent-over rows a lot easier to make progress, since I can use a lower weight.

Anyway, not sure if anyone is reading this but I'm glad to be doing this program and getting stronger!

[guru]

Congratulations,

I'm in almost the same league. I'm 41 & started the SL 5 weeks ago, coming out of a minor shoulder injury.

There are more interesting similarities - You're nearing your BW in squats, so am I, You were skinny, I was not skinny, but a little underweight & definitely lacking in strength. I, too am using bent over rows instead of IR. The difference is in the height - I am only 5'3" or so.

Also, I have gained 5 lb in 5 weeks, following the program closely & eating better.

Keep it up. Post it when you reach your BW in squats.

- Guru

[pookle]

have you looked at the articles on this site for gaining weight Vido? i havent read anything about age and the ability to gain weight so we might have to ask Mehdi but its probably no different! if you want to get bigger you should really commit to it and you'll eventually get to it no matter what.

but if you just want to gain strength and not size thats okay too. its all about your goals.

[Vido1970]

Yeah, I've looked at the articles about gaining weight. My problem is I don't get enough calories, and it's not looking likely that that will change. I have tried, but mostly it's an economic issue. It's expensive to eat enough food to gain serious weight! I'm drinking a LOT more milk these days and while lactose intolerant (and buying Lactaid milk is ridiculously expensive) I have been drinking regular milk and taking lactaid pills which is cheaper.

I think the only connection between age and the ability to gain weight would be production of testosterone and human growth hormone. Both decline with age, so I suppose would the ability to gain muscle. Exercising like this, however, must mitigate some of that hormone reduction since it stimulates production of test and hgh.

Adjusting my goals from increased size to increased strength was more of a practical consideration than anything else. I didn't think it was likely given my calorie situation that I would really gain the kind of size I was hoping for. Besides, that was more vanity than anything -- I thought I would look better if I had bigger muscles. Getting stronger, on the other hand, actually supports a healthy aging process that is important for someone like me approaching my 40s. I want to be ambulatory and self-sufficient until I drop dead suddenly at the age of 100! (really, that's my goal more than anything...)

[Vido1970]

Just got back from the gym. Reached my squat goal! Woo hoo!

Squats - 165 lbs; rested 3.5 minutes between sets. Lots of rest, I know, but I'm old and I need it.
OHP: 90 lbs; 2 min. rest. Mis-typed my earlier weight. Was at 85 before, and made progress today
Deadlifts: 180 lbs x 5
Lat pulldowns: 180 lbs x 3 x 10 (the pullup bar was in use, so I substituted this today)
Prone bridge: 45 sec x 3

Had a bit of pain in my left side -- probably from sleeping on the pull-out sofa. Other goal reached today: 2.5 hours out of the house while my mother-in-law is visiting for the holidays.

[guru]

Congratulations Vido,

You've reached your BW in squats, that's great. Did you stall on your way there? The 90 lb OHP is good too. I was hoping to reach my BW on squats by year end, but stalled at 50 kg & thought it was better to concentrate on form than just ramping up weight. Moreover, the weight gain has also pushed my goal away.

Keep up the good work. One thing though, good eating is not just for size, it is also required for getting strong. Mehdi has a good article on the site for eating on a budget.

Good luck,

- Guru

[Vido1970]

Well shoot. I sat and typed up a post earlier today and I see it didn't make it. I'm new to this blog thing. Gotta learn this a little better.

Anyway, I worked out twice this last week: Tuesday and Friday. That's about all I've been able to get in per week for a little while now. Partly because of the holidays, partly the short days. I had a poor workout on Tuesday; I had left my training logbook next to my computer after typing up my last entry. So I didn't have it at the gym and had to set my weights by memory. My memory sucks, so I was a little thrown off.

Tuesday:
Squats 170 lbs; 5,5,4,3,3 (I'll get it next time)
Seated bench: 175 lbs; 5x5 (the benches were all taken)
bbell row: 115 lbs 5x5 (same as last time; bad memory)
leg raises: 15,13,11

Friday: (had my logbook back with me)
Squats 170 lbs 5x5
OHP: 95 lbs 5,4,4,3,3 (need to go up in a smaller increment than 5 lbs)
Deads: 185 5x5 (I just started deadlifts about three months ago. now I love em.)
lat pulldown: 185 5x5
prone bridges: 3 x 60 sec.

So I wanted to go up in a smaller increment than 5 lbs for some of my lifts like OHP and bench. So I made my own micro weights. I went to the hardware store, bought 3 ft of heavy gauge chain, used a scale to measure out 1.25 lbs with a carabiner clip included, and cut it to length. so now I've got two 1.25 chain weights to put on either end of the bar for OHP and bench incremental increases.

I've been drinking a huge amount of whole milk. Nearly a gallon a day. Tasty.

Getting strong!

[guru]

Good initiative, those chains. I may have to do something like that one day.

That milk is good, no doubt & it will do you a lot of good too. I am drinking milk myself, though not a gallon. I am drinking a little over a litre, but that is buffalo milk (abundant here in India). It has 900 calories a litre & 38 gm protein((as aginst 600 & 30 for cow milk). Also for my size, I think it suffices.

Don't forget that logbook - looks like that is your key to strength.

- Guru

[Vido1970]

Monday's workout:

I have the day off today. It's cold and raining. Wore my knit cap while working out -- the leg room is cold. I probably looked like a dork, but there's usually no one else in the leg room.

Squats:
175 x3. Decided to use my new chains and only go up 2.5 lbs from last time
172.5 x 4,5,4,4 (damn, that was heavy today. After reading some posts here, I was focusing on my form, keeping my wrists straight and elbows back. Probably threw off my concentration. Also there was a guy standing right behind me using the same mirror to do bodyweight squats. Distracting. I need to focus better.)

bbell rows: 125 lbs 5x5

seated bench: 180 lbs. 5x5

reverse crunches: 15, 12, 12

pushups: 20, 20, 9 (I can usually do more, but the bench press wore out my chest and arms.)

[Vido1970]

Thursday's workout:

Squats: 172.5 lbs. 5,4,4,4 (got discouraged and didn't finish the last set.)
OHP: 92.5 lbs. x 5,5,5,5,5
Deadlifts: 195 x 5
Chinups x11,8,5
Prone bridge 60 sec x 3

Don't know whether I'll get 5x5 on my squats next time. I may need to deload. Need to look up how to do that. 20% reduction? Something like that. That would take me back to 140 lbs. Maybe that's a good thing, but it's really discouraging.

[guru]

Wish you good luck on the squats next time, but watch your form. You need not deload 20%, 10% may be enough. No need to get discouraged (whether it's during the workout or after it). I would say finish the sets, whatever reps you do.

Good work on the DL & chins.

- Guru

[Vido1970]

Sunday's workout:

Didn't get 5x5 on squats today for third time. But I'm not as bummed as I was last time. I got a nice compliment from a guy working out next to me who's been lifting for a long time -- a guy in his 50s I guess, built strong and lifts a shitload of weight. Anyway, he watched my third set and said I had great form, and said it was really good that I squat as deeply as I do (not too deep -- just below parallel). It was nice -- I've never had any feedback before since I usually workout alone. After that morale boost, I got more reps out of my last two sets. I'm ready to de-load 10% -- take it down to 155 lbs. and really focus on having perfect form.

so, the workout:

Squats 172.5 lbs. x 5,4,3,5,4
barbell rows: 130 lbs. 5x5
bench: 142.5 lbs. 5x5 (I've been using the seated machine for a few weeks. It feels good to get back to the basic bench and bar)
pushups: 20, 20, 15
reverse crunches: 15, 15, 13

Sat for a long time in the hot sauna, then drank protein shake and felt like a million dollars.

[Vido1970]

Wednesday's workout:

Squats 155 lbs. 5x5 (felt easy, after stalling on 172.5)
OHP: 95 lbs. 5,5,5,4,4
Deadlift: 205 lbs 1x5 (going heavy feels great!)
lat pulldowns: 195 lbs 10,10,10
prone bridge, 45 secs. x 3

[Vido1970]

Saturday Jan 17:

Squats 157.5 lbs. 5x5
BBRow 135 lbs 5x5
Seated bench: 185 lbs 5x5

Ran out of time so finished there.

Monday Jan 19 (had the day off today for Martin Luther King Jr. Day)

Squats 160 lbs 5x5
OHP 95 lbs 5x5
Deads: 205 lbs 1x5 (I repeated the same weight as last time -- I wanted to focus on my form, especially keeping a rigid torso and not allowing my lower back to bow at all. I could tell the lift was different today, better, and I'm going to need to keep my focus on good back form with this lift in the future.)
Lat pulldowns 195 lbs. 3x10
prone bridge 3 x 60 sec.

I'm feeling stronger, and I've picked up a few pounds in weight. My squat feels strong -- I"m thinking it was a good think to de-load -- it's nice to have a string of successes at the gym.

It's just about six months now since I had a major injury doing squats. In late May I dissected my right carotid artery (I tore the inner lining of the artery and split the inner and outer lining from each other) -- I was using bad form, dropped the bar, then put a lot of pressure on my system with some heavy leg presses. I felt a pop in my neck, but thought I'd just pulled a muscle. Ended up with a blood clot up close to my brain, and was hospitalized for a week to thin my blood out and dissolve the clot. Nearly had a major stroke.

But I didn't, and I came through it with no lasting effects. I was scared off from squats for a few months, but decided to get back up on the horse and face my fears. Now I do squats every workout and feel great about them. But it's been a rough road.

I read somewhere that cerebrovascular accidents are incredibly rare in the gym. They're not so rare they don't happen, though. I learned my lesson from all this. A few of them actually. First, good form is the basis for avoiding injury -- nothing else will keep me safer. Second, I learned I can't control everything that happens to me. I learned that one lying in the hospital bed, praying the clot wouldn't break free. I learned to let go and let God figure things out.

It all worked out fine in the end.