Getting stronger getting older

Alf Veedersane · 30-12-2018 6:57pm

Dtp1979 wrote: »

Writing this out now. I’m thinking it’d be far more straightforward if the rep range that is 7-9, I start week 1 and just do 9. Week 2 do 8 week 3 do 7, all at RPE 6-7 as per instructions. No need for percentage guides either. Adjust weight based on rpe Is this a bad idea?

Is that different from the actual program ad regards subsequent weeks?

But yeah, adjusting weight based on RPE is fine. You'll have to work up in sets of (for example) 8 until the set of 8 that is at the right RPE

Dtp1979 · 30-12-2018 7:16pm

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Is that different from the actual program ad regards subsequent weeks?

But yeah, adjusting weight based on RPE is fine. You'll have to work up in sets of (for example) 8 until the set of 8 that is at the right RPE

Well it’s a tad different. The programs states 7-9. But further on in the progression section it says to reduce reps each week by 1 and increase load. So I thought it’d be more straightforward just to start at 9, then 8, then 7, Deload and repeat, and be conscious to try increase weight from the previous week.
Yeah I’ll allow the first month to be a learning block and get a feel for it

Alf Veedersane · 30-12-2018 7:26pm

Dtp1979 wrote: »

Well it’s a tad different. The programs states 7-9. But further on in the progression section it says to reduce reps each week by 1 and increase load. So I thought it’d be more straightforward just to start at 9, then 8, then 7, Deload and repeat, and be conscious to try increase weight from the previous week.
Yeah I’ll allow the first month to be a learning block and get a feel for it

Then it seems like setting it at 9, 8, 7 makes it a little more straightforward.

When you say you'll be conscious to try and increase weight from previous week, try to focus more on the RPE and let the weight follow. If you over my focus on increasing the weight, you'll likely wind up overshooting the RPE. Bear it in mind but don't overshoot RPE. Reality is more often than not you will go heavier if you're reducing number of reps you need to do.

Dtp1979 · 04-01-2019 8:05am

High bar squat
Bar x 10
40kg x 6
60kg x 5
80kg x 5
90kg x 5 @7 I’d say

Ok seeing as it’s been nearly a month since I squatted and added in the Xmas rest I think its not wise to jump in head first. High bar squatting is part of the new program and it ages since I done these. Sore as feck on the neck.
I really felt these in my hip flexors. Hope that’s normal. 90 x 5 was ok. Hard to know where I’m at with these due to lack of squatting lately.

Bench press
Bar x 10
40kg x 5 easy
50kg x 5 easy
55kg x 5
60kg x 2 x 5

Diving into the unknown. Feels weird being under the bar again. There is still a tiny little niggle. Benching is going to be very up and down. I’ll have to take into account RPE, ego, and watching for signs of pain. Today’s benching 60kg x 5 felt like RPE 6.

Lat pulldown
50 x 8
60 x 9 @6
70 x 9 @7

Ab wheel

coffee_cake · 04-01-2019 8:29am

On your neck? How high are you high barring

Alf Veedersane · 04-01-2019 8:35am

Sounds like the bar is a touch too high.
Probably need to bring your grip in a touch and rest it more on the top of your traps so you do high bar squats instead of neck squats.

Dtp1979 · 04-01-2019 11:21am

Well no, it’s at the base of the neck. The bar is on the traps. I just find it very sore, but then I should, until I get used to it I suppose. I’ll try re adjust next time to see if it’s easier. I found myself leaning too forward, almost low bar technique a few times

Alf Veedersane · 04-01-2019 11:49am

Dtp1979 wrote: »

Well no, it’s at the base of the neck. The bar is on the traps. I just find it very sore, but then I should, until I get used to it I suppose. I’ll try re adjust next time to see if it’s easier. I found myself leaning too forward, almost low bar technique a few times

It should be just below the base of the neck. It shouldn't be sore, per se.

Also, you should be more upright than low bar - with more noticeable focus on quads as a result.

Mr. CooL ICE · 04-01-2019 12:31pm

What Alf said.

You need to remember that the movement pattern and associated cues are going to be fairly different considering how long you've been LB squatting. Record yourself but try to get your feet in the shot to see if there's any subtle heel lifting going on.

If you have the time, try to experiment a little with stance width. Personally, my HB (and front) stance is a little narrower than LB.

caviardreams · 04-01-2019 7:32pm

HB is so much better than LB - you'll love it after a few weeks!

:D:D

Alf Veedersane · 04-01-2019 8:17pm

caviardreams wrote: »

HB is so much better than LB - you'll love it after a few weeks! :D:D

Except for the lifting less bit

caviardreams · 04-01-2019 9:09pm

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Except for the lifting less bit

Less is more :cool::cool:

Plus when you get a new HB PR you get to tell yourself, "and sure I could lift an extra 20kg if it was LB like"

Dtp1979 · 04-01-2019 9:20pm

caviardreams wrote: »

Less is more :cool::cool:

Plus when you get a new HB PR you get to tell yourself, "and sure I could lift an extra 20kg if it was LB like"

Haha. I started off my squatting journey doing HB. All the cool kids were low barring so I had to join the club. It took me months of perseverance trying to get the upper body flexibility. Now I have it, I’m not gonna lose it. It’s good to mix in a little HB.

Dtp1979 · 08-01-2019 8:36am

HB Squat

Bar x 10
40kg x 8
50kg x 6
70kg x 6
85kg x 3
100kg x 2 x 6 @8

I placed the bar a little lower. It helped with the discomfort. I can really feel these kill my quads. I do feel this slightly uncomfortable for my hip flexors. Prob just a matter of getting used to them.

Bench press
Bar x 10
40kg x 6
50kg x 6
60kg x 3 x 6

Feckin shoulder is still weird. Not painful though. Although saying that, set 2 was perfect, discomfort wise

Dtp1979 · 12-01-2019 10:58am

LB squat.
Toe squats
Bar x 10
40kg x 8
60kg x 6
90kg x 3
110kg x 2
130kg x 2 @6/7
140kg x 2 @8

Squats were comfortable. Really comfortable. Didn’t go heavier, no need to. Just getting a rough gauge as to where RPE is, at my normal working sets

Bench press
Bar x 10
40kg x 7
50kg x 6
60kg x 5
70kg x 5 @ 8.5

Slight discomfort but very happy that I can do 70 x 5. I thought I’d be ALOT weaker than that. I’d go to a faith healer at this stage, to fix this shoulder.

Behind the back bb shrugs
70kg x 20
90kg x 15
110kg x 12
120kg x 12
90kg x 20

Gotta love those traps, bro.

Biceps/triceps

I’m finding it hard to get back into routine after Xmas. Finger will be removed Monday.

Alf Veedersane · 12-01-2019 11:45am

Dtp1979 wrote: »

LB squat.
Toe squats
Bar x 10
40kg x 8
60kg x 6
90kg x 3
110kg x 2
130kg x 2 @6/7
140kg x 2 @8

Squats were comfortable. Really comfortable. Didn’t go heavier, no need to. Just getting a rough gauge as to where RPE is, at my normal working sets

Bench press
Bar x 10
40kg x 7
50kg x 6
60kg x 5
70kg x 5 @ 8.5

Slight discomfort but very happy that I can do 70 x 5. I thought I’d be ALOT weaker than that. I’d go to a faith healer at this stage, to fix this shoulder.

Always good to work up to working sets with the same number of reps as working sets so you can gauge RPE because how it feels may vary from day to day, so just gauge it that way and don't force the weight up for the sake of going heavier than the week before.

Drop exercises that bring discomfort for the shoulder or you're not giving it a chance to heal. Or work in a ROM that doesn't aggravate it. That might be floor press as a substitute for bench...something that takes some of bench stress off shoulder. I can't squat because once hip angle closes beyond a point, there's discomfort. So I take out that ROM and box squat. Same idea.

caviardreams · 12-01-2019 2:04pm

Neutral grip bench might work too depending on the shoulder issue, though I find it comes at the cost of burning tris :pac:

I seriously thought you were having a finger removed there for a sec!

Dtp1979 · 12-01-2019 2:48pm

caviardreams wrote: »

I seriously thought you were having a finger removed there for a sec!

That made me LOL after I read it back. Had no idea what you meant for a second.

Dtp1979 · 13-01-2019 11:47am

Deadlift 20mm deficit

60kg x 5
90kg x 3
120kg x 3
140kg x 3
160kg x 3 @7
170kg x 1 @8

OHP
Bar x 10
30kg x 8
35kg x 7
40kg x 3 x 6 @no discomfort

Lat pulldown ng
80 x 6
90 x 6
100 x 4

Lat raises 8kg x 3 x 10

Ab wheel paused x 3 x 10.

Ok program starts tomorrow. No fingers being surgically removed, Only metaphorically

. Ab wheel paused is a whole other dimension of torture I didn’t know existed.

Dtp1979 · 15-01-2019 9:31am

Day 1 week 1

Squat
90kg x 3 x 9 @6

That was shockingly easy. I reckon I was 10kg lighter than I shouldâ€™ve been. Being brutally honest, I was going easy on myself day 1.

Bench press
40kg x 9
45kg x 4 x 9 @6

Again, on the conservative side of RPE 6. Iâ€™ve given myself a few weeks to climatise to this so wonâ€™t dwell on mistakes at this early stage.
Iâ€™ve a feeling that once the weight starts To increase, pain will return. It could be a return to dumbbells shortly.

RDL

120kg x 3 x 6 @7

Shouldâ€™ve been @8. Didnâ€™t spot that till after.

Lat pulldown
70 x 3 x 9 @7

Lat pulldown I feel I got it bang on with RPE.
All in all a good day. I enjoyed it

Alf Veedersane · 15-01-2019 10:15am

Are there multiple squat days with other days at higher RPE?

Dtp1979 · 15-01-2019 11:31am

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Are there multiple squat days with other days at higher RPE?

There is. Every day starts with squats. Reps and RPE vary.

Alf Veedersane · 15-01-2019 3:29pm

That's just daily undulating periodization so working in different rep ranges at different intensities - supposedly ranges for hypertrophy, strength and power - in order to get a lot more volume in across the week without compromising recovery. That way you get more technique practice and neurological training.

Don't sail too close to the sun - that's what the whole purpose is. So sets @ 8-9, don't shoot for 9 because you're more likely to overshoot.

Dtp1979 · 16-01-2019 8:25am

Week 1 month 1 day 2

Squat
120kg x 5 x 3 @6

Pretty handy to be honest. Then again, @6, it should be I assume.

Bench press
60kg x 6 x 3 @6

Very Minor discomfort, but I feel if I can tweak the bar path it’ll help me, cause there plenty of painless reps in there. I feel RPE was accurate enough @6.

Deadlift
130kg x 5 x 3 @6
Deadlift was good. I really concentrated on form and good technique

Dtp1979 · 23-01-2019 8:08am

Week 1 month 1 day 3

Squat
120kg x 3 x 5 @8

Bench press
60kg x 4 x 5 @8

OHP
35kg x 3 x 6 @8

Back after my lazy spell. Tired. Squat was pretty good, an easy 8.

The discomfort on bench seems to be when Im pushing the bar off the chest. Tried a couple of reps where I lowered the bar to within 2” and it was perfect. Should I do these for a while I wonder?

OHP was an easy 8 too

Alf Veedersane · 23-01-2019 5:57pm

Dtp1979 wrote: »

The discomfort on bench seems to be when Im pushing the bar off the chest. Tried a couple of reps where I lowered the bar to within 2” and it was perfect. Should I do these for a while I wonder?

I'd be inclined to switch to a pin press (pins/safeties a couple of inches above the chest) or floor press for a while and remove the ROM that causes the discomfort.

Alf Veedersane · 23-01-2019 7:10pm

Or try neutral grip DB press and see if the issue was internal rotation in the movement (not that it's necessarily that simplistic)

Dtp1979 · 24-01-2019 8:05am

Week 1 month 1 day 4

HB Squat
100kg x 3 x 6 @8

Comfortable enough. I was expecting doms from yesterday, but nothing. I find myself getting good depth with high bar. Maybe that’s how Clarence goes so low.

CGBP
60kg x 4 x 6

Don’t think I’ve ever done these. Painless and with full reps too. Good. I used a grip width similar to my OHP. It felt good pushing hard, with no discomfort.

Deadlift

Skullcrushers
25kg x 3 x 10
1 min rest

Leg were wobbly doing these. Weight wasn’t too bad in fairness. Last set prob 8.5.

All in all I’d say I got the RPE bang on today

Alf Veedersane · 24-01-2019 8:49am

Yeah you're body is more upright so you have more room to go deeper on high bar. Same on front squats

Dtp1979 · 26-01-2019 12:14pm

Month 1 week 2 day 1

Squat
100kg x 3 x 8 @6

The RPE range was 6-7 for today’s squats. They were all 6’s. Got them all good n deep too

Benchpress
50kg x 4 x 8 @6

I tried a few warmup reps with full rom and it was fine so I chanced it. No pain or discomfort. As the sets went on it got easier if anything. Set 4 was prob RPE 5. I’m not too worried if I undershoot on Bench. Recovery recovery recovery.

Rdl
130kg x 3 x 5 @8

I almost forget how horrible these are

Lat pulldown NG
75 x 3 x 8 @8

Getting stronger getting older

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