Can't put weights down ! Fitter at 40?

Alf Veedersane

new2tri19 wrote: »

I was a bit annoyed but in hindsight you know you have to serve your time you can't expect to lift like people who have lifted for years . I was defeated as soon as I unracked the bar . But more generally I just don't have enough practice squatting been under the bar and failing . I will do loads more next block , it's good to have something to improve on otherwise life be boring . Thanks good to hear others suffered the fear also at some stage !

I don't think experience failing is hugely beneficial. I've always been taught - particularly in the last few years - that you don't want to be failing. If you're going to miss, let that be on your third attempt on a platform (or a test day if you're not doing a meet). You don't want to know missing a lift...you're better served by not really knowing what it's like to miss a lift because you've only ever hit your lifts. That way, when the bar is on your back, you're not thinking about missing.

If you were confident that 95 was there based on the double with 90, then just approach the bar and remind yourself it's only 5kg more than you just doubled.

coffee_cake

You don't need more experience than knowing how to fail safely. It sounds like you didn't even do that though just went shallow. If you were confident just stick with it next time, and maybe lie to yourself that it's only x lighter weight

new2tri19

coffee_cake wrote: »

You don't need more experience than knowing how to fail safely. It sounds like you didn't even do that though just went shallow. If you were confident just stick with it next time, and maybe lie to yourself that it's only x lighter weight

Yeah its weird I fly down and up with the lighter weights then I get to a weight that feels heavy on my back and I get all cautious and go way too slow on the down portion and pull out .
Like sitting here now it seems illogical I pulled out but at the time it was definitely a mental block.

I really think squatting loads more will help , I plan to squat as many days as it takes in next block to hate life .
Thanks for tips

coffee_cake

A few tempo squats on the lighter weights might suit, something that will work for lighter and heavier

new2tri19

Week 10 Day 1 Bench

5th day of lifting this week means over 7.5 hours of weight training which is a new record for a week. Onto the last 3 weeks of this plan which has seen me make big gains imo. This week is 5 rep max then 3 rep max and finally 1 rep max.

T1 bench
Find 5 rep max
50 X 5
55 X 5
60 X 5 I needed to adjust the width on first rep so lay bar on chest , then continued in this fashion I don't know if you would call them paused bench press or hand release bench press , probably no use but i did them to try them ok.
65 X 5
70 X 5 last rep had to use leg drive .
Contemplated 72.5 but decided against it 70 X 5 probably had 1-2 left in tank so that's the rep max.
Drop sets of 65kg for 2/2/4* amrap.

Getting to the stage where 70 is very manageable coming into this program I could maybe lift it twice on a very good day .

T2a close grip bench
6 sets of 3 at 65kg
Needed the full 2mins rest between these. Starting at 7/10 effort last set last rep was 10/10 effort.

T2b chest supported rows
Find 6 rep max .
Used barbell wide grip and held for a second at top .
Picked a manageable weight tried to feel the rep more .
57.5 X 6/6/6/6 off 45 seconds , not a max rep set but good training .

T2c weighted dips
Bodyweight X 6
17.5kg X 6/5/4/4 off 45 seconds

T3a dumbell curls
Find 14 rep max and 3 more MRS
12.5KGS X 14/13/10/8

Took no rest and started
T3b upright row dumbells
12.5kgs X 10( couldn't manage 14 ) /7/7/7 messed that up .

Completed 1 hour 10 mins
Happy with progress as I said bench 70 now feels like 60 used to .

new2tri19

Day 1 of 100 Squatting till I don't suck
Did these all as pause at bottom and drive back up.

20 X 10
30 X 10
40 X 10
50 X 10
60 X 8
70 X 6
75 X 4
80 X 2

And then reverse pyramid for 120 paused squats in total .

Completed 40mins .
Well that was brilliant I already feel that I improved my squat after one day my legs where too narrow before and I couldnt really fit my body between my legs if that makes sense and I think I was leaning forward too much . Now with a wider stance I feel I can sit into that gap it creats. The pause emphasised this .it was hard to pause with a narrow stance and leaning forward.

Chuffed with that my glutes and quads are feeling it .
A bike sessions later 90 mins then deadlift /front squat tomorrow hopefully legs won't be too bad .

Alf Veedersane

Be mindful of your workload. Your primary focus is doing the program properly. This should be secondary and shouldn't compromise your ability to maximise the results from your programme.

new2tri19

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Be mindful of your workload. Your primary focus is doing the program properly. This should be secondary and shouldn't compromise your ability to maximise the results from your programme.

Yeah I'm trying to figure what to drop in place of adding a few days of squats a week. I might drop out a run or 2 and replace it with a brisk walk .

I made the decision to pull out of training for half ironman in July as it's still uncertain whether it goes ahead and i don't want to commit to the swim from June 6th on top of longer runs and bike rides. So I have plenty of time to train.

Yeah your right though I've only 3 weeks left in the plan I should prioritize it .

Incidentally how long rest would you take if any between finishing a 13 week plan and running it again .?

Alf Veedersane

new2tri19 wrote: »

Yeah I'm trying to figure what to drop in place of adding a few days of squats a week. I might drop out a run or 2 and replace it with a brisk walk .

I made the decision to pull out of training for half ironman in July as it's still uncertain whether it goes ahead and i don't want to commit to the swim from June 6th on top of longer runs and bike rides. So I have plenty of time to train.

Yeah your right though I've only 3 weeks left in the plan I should prioritize it .

Incidentally how long rest would you take if any between finishing a 13 week plan and running it again .?

How long you rest is very much an individual thing. I think it's primarily a hypertrophy programme so it doesn't build to a peak/test day as such.

If it was a peaking programme building towards a test/meet, I'd always say to take a break fo some description after; you're basically riding a wave and if you stay too long on it, you crash on the beach (that description has always stuck with me).

I generally just take a week of not doing S/B/D after a comp and just using machines and doing isolation exercises. I like being in the gym and I am giving myself a rest. Other people take a week or two of doing nothing after.

I don't think you necessarily have to rest after it but I think a break is often beneficial mentally as much as physically. If you feel the need to do something during that, do some T3-type exercises that won't really tax you but just keep things moving. A week would be plenty but that's just my perspective...it's down to you but you have to actually listen to your body and not just go back at it because you're not really used to resting and you have told yourself that you've had enough rest.

new2tri19

Thanks Alf I'll take a week at least to make sure I'm getting some rest and just to light bike and run , no point resting weight training and burning the candle at other end .

Dtp1979

new2tri19 wrote: »

Thanks Alf I'll take a week at least to make sure I'm getting some rest and just to light bike and run , no point resting weight training and burning the candle at other end .

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YvTHFqt5g4A

new2tri19

Dtp1979 wrote: »

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YvTHFqt5g4A

That guys an absolute savage I always hope he has steel toe boots on cause he does some risky stuff. I get what he's saying mix it up on deload week , I'll probably do them same try a few sumo deadlifts they look good and play with the abwheel that is an ornament at the moment .
I need to pick better exercise selection next time around feel like there wasn't enough variety in my selections ended up doing lots of tricep stuff for T3's but it's s learning curve.

Alf Veedersane

Dtp1979 wrote: »

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YvTHFqt5g4A

I'd kinda go along with that in hindsight actually. So long since I needed to consider what to do along those lines.

Somewhere between a low stress week and a pivot is kinda like what I've done in the past. I've done pivot blocks as well so you can do something with a degree of intensity and not be invested in the top numbers.

Dtp1979

new2tri19 wrote: »

That guys an absolute savage I always hope he has steel toe boots on cause he does some risky stuff. I get what he's saying mix it up on deload week , I'll probably do them same try a few sumo deadlifts they look good and play with the abwheel that is an ornament at the moment .
I need to pick better exercise selection next time around feel like there wasn't enough variety in my selections ended up doing lots of tricep stuff for T3's but it's s learning curve.

Ah dude, you gotta use the abwheel. Start off easy, with 5 sets of 20 - 30 reps

Deano7788

Dtp1979 wrote: »

Ah dude, you gotta use the abwheel. Start off easy, with 5 sets of 20 - 30 reps

There's a special level in hell reserved for you.

new2tri19

Dtp1979 wrote: »

Ah dude, you gotta use the abwheel. Start off easy, with 5 sets of 20 - 30 reps

I actually don't mind trashing myself in the name of fitness i've done some crazy things in the past. My only issue with the ab wheel is I'd probably come out of with my abs fine but my hip flexors and lower back destroyed. These type of movements unless your form is good your body compensates and you end up working the wrong muscles.
I've had a little go of it and didn't feel my abs where been hit , lots of ab work I've done in the past has been terrible where I ended up with hip flexors doing all the work . I've about 3 exercises I do where I get a good burn but even with them I'll find if i go too long it stops been an ab workout and my back or hip flexors will get sore. It's why I detest ab work. Give me 5 sets of 20 deadlifts over ab wheel anyday.

coffee_cake

Yeah I'll stick with the plank life

Dtp1979

new2tri19 wrote: »

I actually don't mind trashing myself in the name of fitness i've done some crazy things in the past. My only issue with the ab wheel is I'd probably come out of with my abs fine but my hip flexors and lower back destroyed. These type of movements unless your form is good your body compensates and you end up working the wrong muscles.
I've had a little go of it and didn't feel my abs where been hit , lots of ab work I've done in the past has been terrible where I ended up with hip flexors doing all the work . I've about 3 exercises I do where I get a good burn but even with them I'll find if i go too long it stops been an ab workout and my back or hip flexors will get sore. It's why I detest ab work. Give me 5 sets of 20 deadlifts over ab wheel anyday.

“I’d probably come out of it with my abs fine” ..... let’s put that to the test. 5 x 10 tonight and tell me Wednesday how you’re getting on

I rarely get ab burn doing them yet the doms I get are crippling. I never feel my hip flexors being worked but would on sit ups.
Lower back part Alf will explain better than me.

Alf Veedersane

If you get lower back pain, you're either not working hard enough with your core (bracing) or you're not strong enough to and as a result, your lower back is taking more of a load than it should.

If it's the former, then just do it properly because if you're feeling it in your lower back, it's not doing much for your core.

If it's the latter, you can ease into it and go through progressions to full rollouts.

Either way, lower back means you're not getting much out of it for your core.

new2tri19

Dtp1979 wrote: »

“I’d probably come out of it with my abs fine” ..... let’s put that to the test. 5 x 10 tonight and tell me Wednesday how you’re getting on

I rarely get ab burn doing them yet the doms I get are crippling. I never feel my hip flexors being worked but would on sit ups.
Lower back part Alf will explain better than me.

Just to clarify I've not done them the ab roller yet , I done like I set of 3 or 5 a couple of weeks ago and stopped cause my shoulders where sore from lots of shoulder work .
Previous exercises like sit ups or seated in and outs I'd find my hip flexors sore.
I've done ab rollouts ages ago on barbell can't remember how it was think it was too messy bar was too long .

Ok I'm on my way out to shed to do 5 X 10 I can't turn down a challenge

Dtp1979

new2tri19 wrote: »

Just to clarify I've not done them the ab roller yet , I done like I set of 3 or 5 a couple of weeks ago and stopped cause my shoulders where sore from lots of shoulder work .
Previous exercises like sit ups or seated in and outs I'd find my hip flexors sore.
I've done ab rollouts ages ago on barbell can't remember how it was think it was too messy bar was too long .

Ok I'm on my way out to shed to do 5 X 10 I can't turn down a challenge

God be with you.

new2tri19

Ok so done them and don't feel a thing obviously doing something wrong did 2 sets of 10 then 2 sets of 15 took about 5 seconds rest between sets .
Core starting to feel a little tight now , triceps the same .
I did them on my knees and rolled out as far as felt comfortable I mean I was no where near flat , are your abs supposed to touch the floor ? My abs at least 6 inches from floor at lowest part . I'll keep at it, happy back felt nothing .

Dtp1979

new2tri19 wrote: »

Ok so done them and don't feel a thing obviously doing something wrong did 2 sets of 10 then 2 sets of 15 took about 5 seconds rest between sets .
Core starting to feel a little tight now , triceps the same .
I did them on my knees and rolled out as far as felt comfortable I mean I was no where near flat , are your abs supposed to touch the floor ? My abs at least 6 inches from floor at lowest part . I'll keep at it, happy back felt nothing .

I usually let my tummy (8 pack) touch the floor. There is a way to do these wrong and cheat without realising it, making it way easier. That’s what I did in the early days. It maybe why you did a ridiculous amount of reps on your first go!!! I’ll try find the video that showed me the right way.

new2tri19

Dtp1979 wrote: »

I usually let my tummy (8 pack) touch the floor. There is a way to do these wrong and cheat without realising it, making it way easier. That’s what I did in the early days. It maybe why you did a ridiculous amount of reps on your first go!!! I’ll try find the video that showed me the right way.

Im fairly sure I did them wrong just watched a video there , I reckon I was using my arms to pull myself back into position. It is a problem that it is so easy to do them wrong . Do you do each rep correctly.? I'll do more tomorrow , I'll add it to my squat as another thing I need to fix.

Dtp1979

new2tri19 wrote: »

Im fairly sure I did them wrong just watched a video there , I reckon I was using my arms to pull myself back into position. It is a problem that it is so easy to do them wrong . Do you do each rep correctly.? I'll do more tomorrow , I'll add it to my squat as another thing I need to fix.

Exactly. It’s so easy do them wrong. Yes I do them right and I pay for it. If you’re not doubled up Wednesday morning then you did them wrong

Alf Veedersane

new2tri19 wrote: »

Ok so done them and don't feel a thing obviously doing something wrong did 2 sets of 10 then 2 sets of 15 took about 5 seconds rest between sets .
Core starting to feel a little tight now , triceps the same .
I did them on my knees and rolled out as far as felt comfortable I mean I was no where near flat , are your abs supposed to touch the floor ? My abs at least 6 inches from floor at lowest part . I'll keep at it, happy back felt nothing .

The further out you go, the harder it is.

Good video here:

Feeling of deja vu here...think I posted this video for someone here lately

new2tri19

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

The further out you go, the harder it is.

Good video here:

Feeling of deja vu here...think I posted this video for someone here lately

Alf doing god's work !
I'll get there little by little . They will 100© be programmed into jack and tanned 2.0 for next block twice a week.

new2tri19

Yeah fairly sure I've seen that video before , just forgot about that going to a wall . Sure I'll start very short range of motion and build up little by little good stuff .

new2tri19

I done some proper ones there , takes a lot of concentration and you gotta stay tense throughout the movement. It felt like my abs where been pulled apart. In regards reps doing them really slow is obviously much harder, it's not something I'll probably do for reps more for time , even small back and forward movements at full stretch can feel the burn. Starting off I found I had to tilt my pelvis up and kinda do a cat stretch to insure I had no arch in lower back .

Alf Veedersane

new2tri19 wrote: »

I done some proper ones there , takes a lot of concentration and you gotta stay tense throughout the movement. It felt like my abs where been pulled apart. In regards reps doing them really slow is obviously much harder, it's not something I'll probably do for reps more for time , even small back and forward movements at full stretch can feel the burn. Starting off I found I had to tilt my pelvis up and kinda do a cat stretch to insure I had no arch in lower back .

Just keep your back 'neutral' and brace hard.

Whether you do for reps or time, try make it some way measureable so you can gauge if you're making progress or at least being consistent.