Concurrent Strength & Endurance Training 2018: Cycle I

Bare Lee

Barefooters
Jul 25, 2011
6,103
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Saint Paul
OK, brand new year. I'll try to make up for a virtually non-existent 2016 and sporadic 2017.

The basic plan is the same.

For Lifting, I'll try to do my six main lifts on a Push-Pull split:

Push:
Squat, Overhead Press, Bench Press
Pull: Deadlift, Row, Pulldown/Chinup

using my Iron Ratio, which is based on my Squat:

Squat = 1
Deadlift = 1.15
Bench Press = .75
Row = .6
Overhead Press = .5
Pulldown = ?

I will also continue with my microloading protocol, adding one pound to my Squat 1RM every iteration of the Push-Pull split until the rate of increase becomes too hard or too easy. So the formulas in my Exel workset are pretty simple:

Squat 1RM + 1 lb x 1 x 90% = 3 x 3 for the Squat sets x reps
Squat 1RM + 1 lb x 1.15 x 90% = 3 x 3 for the Deadlift sets x reps, or, x 95% = 4 x 2
Squat 1RM + 1 lb x .75 x 85% = 3 x 5 for the Bench Press,
Squat 1RM + 1 lb x .5 x 85% = 3 x 5 for the Overhead Press,
Squat 1RM + 1 lb x .6 x 85% = 3 x 5 for the Pendlay Row

The only twist is that I'll try to do all the upper body stuff 3 x 5 @ 85% 1RM, the Squats 3 x 3 @ 90% 1RM, and the Deadlifts either 4 x 2 @ 95% 1RM, or 3 x 3 @ 90% 1RM, instead of doing everything 3 x 3 as I have been doing. This is based on the theory and practice of finding that lifts recruiting more muscle mass should be done with a higher percentage of 1RM, and lower reps, whereas lifts recruiting less muscle mass should be done with a lower percentage of 1RM, and higher reps. Doing the presses at five reps instead of three should also help keep my shoulders healthy. Last month I strained my right anterior delt while doing 90% 1RM for my Bench Press.

I've also become convinced that anything beyond 7-8 reps is pretty useless for my purposes. After 7-8 reps, it becomes more stamina training and less pure strength training. And while stamina training or conditioning is important, using weights for this purpose is dangerous because as fatigue sets in after 7-8 reps, one's form gets off. So it's better to do conditioning work using exercises where form isn't as crucial, like sled work, or rower stuff. Plus, I hate lifting higher reps. Pure mental agony, especially on the squats.

So for Conditioning, I'll try to do 10-15 minutes of sled work on Push days, and either a rope pull or HIIT on my rower on my Pull days.

For Aerobic, I will try to either walk or ride my bike 30 minutes a day, and try to get in a longer bike ride once a week on the weekends, or whenever the weather is most clement.

I'll also try to finally work in regular Mobility work at the end of my workouts, like half-understood yoga routines, or somersaults or other "groundwork" as Dan John recommends.

I don't know if I have any real goals except consistency. I think this is a pretty good program for me, and should lead to good general fitness and some weight loss if I can implement it on a consistent, pretty much daily basis. I will probably start 20 pounds light on the Squat 1RM, based on Wendler and others' theory that it's best to start slow and easy, in order to build up work capacity and in some sense establish a 'base' for further progress. Whether or not this is true, making each workout as easy as possible, while still pursuing improvement, will be the best way for me to achieve consistency I think.

---------------Week 1: Cycle I---------------


Here's the template for this cycle:

Cycle I 2018.jpg

It will probably become too easy before the cycle is over, but that's OK, I can always adjust. The main thing is to start out nice and easy until I develop some consistency.

Sunday, 18.01.31
Walking:
2 mi commute.

Whoa, so cold I even wore socks!

Monday, 18.01.01
Lifting:
Push

SQ: 3/3/2 @ 185
TKOP: 3/3/5 @ 95
BP: 3 x 5 @ 95

After more than a week off, and having already had some beer and wine during the afternoon, I decided just to prime, just get something in and get the year off to a good start.

Man, the garage was cold.

One of the side benefits of high-frequency training is that it greatly reduces the need to warm-up, at least for me. But with a week off, and a really cold garage, I probably should have done a few more warmup sets. I just did two empty-bar sets of three, then 95 and 135 pounds for three reps until my worksets at 185. Then I felt a weird twinge in my right hamstring on my second-to-last squat rep, so I shut it down. Could also be a hint that it's time to get back to stretching regularly, like I used to do in my running days.

On the Tall Kneeling Overhead Press, I forgot about my new 3 x 5 protocol and did two sets of three before I realized the gaffe.

For the Bench Press, I'm going to start really light and build up a bit more slowly than I did last cycle. My right anterior delt niggle is gone, and doing five reps instead of three should help, but it will still behoove me to be a little extra cautious. My Bench is always going to be my best lift, I think, due to the fact that I did it a lot more than the other main lifts in my youth (the Squat actually I never did), so no hurry to get it up to Iron Ratio levels. It'll be there by the end of this cycle for sure. Right now, it's programmed to catch up in the fourth week.

Tuesday, 18.01.02
Lifting:
Pull

DL: 3 x 3 @ 225
Rw: 3 x 3 @ 140

One more day of priming, I hope . . .

Wednesday, 18.01.03
Walking:
2 mi commute. -6F/-20WC. I've learned to embrace the cold once again.

Lifting: Push

SQ: 3/2 @ 235

Felt a little twinge in my lower back on the second rep of the second workset. I stretched a bit and thought about continuing. I was 95% certain it was nothing, but 5% told me to shut it down. There's no hurry to get my squat back up, so why risk it? It's probably just sitting too much during the day or not warming up enough. The squats will be there next time--the first workset felt easy. Also thought it best to skip the presses, just in case.

Thursday, 18.01.04

Friday, 18.01.05
Lifting:
Pull

DL: 3 x 3 @ 225

No sign of the twinge, but I just primed to be sure. Should be good to go tomorrow.

Saturday, 18.01.06


---------------Week 2: Cycle I---------------

Sunday, 18.01.07
Walking:
2 mi commute.

Monday, 18.01.08
Walking:
2 mi commute.

Lifting: Push

SQ: 3 x 3 @ 185
TKOP: 3 x 5 @ 95
BP: 3 x 5 @ 95

My right knee is a little sore from the walking. Nice the garage isn't so cold now that temps are close to freezing outside. Kept things light and easy. I may build up from these loads in 10-pound increments instead of jumping up to where my chart says I should be in the second week of the cycle. I'm just having a hard time motivating to lift, although I always feel great afterwards, and sometimes during. I'm also entertaining ideas once again of simply reaching a certain squat load, like 275, set the other lift loads by it, and then just keep it there with no further concern for progress. Just maintain. We'll see.

Tuesday, 18.01.09

Wednesday, 18.01.10
Lifting:
Pull

DL: 3 x 3 @ 225

Thursday, 18.01.11

Friday, 18.01.12
Lifting:
Push

SQ: 3 x 3 @ 195
TKOP: 3 x 5 @ 105
BP: 3 x 5 @ 105

Added ten pounds to each lift, felt easy, felt good.

Saturday, 18.01.13
Lifting:
Pull

DL: 3 x 3 @ 235
Rw: 3 x 5 @ 135


---------------Week 3: Cycle I---------------

Sunday, 18.01.14
Went to Vikings game, blew off workout.

Monday, 18.01.15
Lifting:
Push

SQ: 3 x 3 @ 205
TKOP: 5 @ 115

Left calf is strangely tight, like from running. Maybe it was from standing three and a half hours at the Vikes game? We were in the last seats in the nosebleed section, but still, nobody in front of us wanted to sit down the whole game.

Anyway, just wasn't feeling it in the cold garage. So I quit before completing my presses.

Tuesday, 18.01.18
Lifting:
Pull

DL: 2 x 3 @ 245

Felt a slight niggle in my mid back on the second set, so I shut it down. Didn't need much of an excuse to leave the cold garage anyway, but it was in the cold garage on one of the colder days that I pulled my piri formis muscle a couple of years ago, so best to be cautious. It's supposed to return to normal winter temps tomorrow, so hopefully it'll be easier to motivate in my garage gym.

Bought a beginners yoga book. Time to get serious on becoming more limber again. Too many niggles these days.

Wednesday, 18.01.18
Lifting:
Push

SQ: 3 x 3 @ 215
TKOP: 5 @ 115
BP: 3 x 5 @ 125

My left knee and calf felt funny while doing the Tall Kneeling Overhead Press, so I stopped after one set, but everything else felt fine.

Temp outside was in the 20s, instead of the single digits or 0, and that made a difference in the garage gym.

Thursday, 18.01.18
Lifting:
Pull

DL: 3 x 3 @ 255
Rw: 3 x 5 @ 140

Friday, 18.01.19

Saturday, 18.01.20
Aerobic:
4.5 mi Bike Ride, 1 mi Commute

Lifting: Push

SQ: 3 x 3 @ 225

---------------Week 4: Cycle I---------------

Sunday, 18.01.21
Aerobic:
4.5 mi Bike Ride, 1 mi Commute

Lifting: Pull

DL: 3 x 3 @ 265
Rw: 3 x 5 @ 140
PD: 3 x 5 @ 120

Monday, 18.01.22
Lifting:
Push

SQ: 3 x 3 @ 235
TKOP: 5 @ 115
BP: 3 x 5 @ 145

Tuesday, 18.01.23
AM
Conditioning: shoveling 12" of snow off the driveway and sidewalks.

Aerobic: walk commute, 2 mi.

Crap, on the way back, my right knee started to feel a little sore. I guess walking more than a mile or so is out for me now, have to stick to cycling.

My glutes were also slightly nigglish, probably from all the shoveling, so I blew off my pull workout when I got back.

Wednesday, 18.01.24
Lifting:
Push

SQ: 3 x 3 @ 240 lbs, 1RM = 267 lbs
TKOP: 5 @ 115 lbs
BP: 3 x 5 @ 155 lbs

OK, I'm up to 240 lbs 3RM on the Squat. It still feels pretty easy, but I think I'll start microloading from here, just to make sure I build up slowly and niggle-free. The Bench Press will be caught up in a few more sessions, then the Iron Ratio will dictate load increases across all the lifts, based on the Squat load.

I'm going to try to keep with three Push/Pull splits per week, adding one pound to my Squat 1RM each iteration of the split. At that rate, I'll be close to a 315 lbs 1RM squat by mid May, my previous PR. That's sort of been the sticking point for the last two years. I get there, then for some reason I stop. Gotta try to push on through this time. It would be nice to get up to at least 350 lbs on the Squat and 400 lbs on the Deadlift before I get much older and decrepit.

Thursday, 18.01.25
Lifting:
Pull

DL: 3 x 3 @ 275
Rw: 3 x 5 @ 145
PD: 3 @ 120

Tried to put on the new ball-bearing pulleys on my pulldown set-up, but the frames were too big, and needed some spacers. That took too much time to finish before I had to shower and pick up the kids. So this weekend. Anyway, 275 felt easy, so that's good. I've made it back to a micro-loading base without the niggles I was getting a bit at the end of 2017.

Friday, 18.01.26

Saturday, 18.01.27
Lifting:
Push

SQ: 3 x 3 @ 241 lbs, 1RM = 268 lbs
BP: 3 x 5 @ 165 lbs

OK, the microloading begins. I think I was dehydrated because the Squats and BP felt heavier than they should've. I may stay at 165 for the Bench Press one more split. My shoulders didn't niggle, but there did seem to be some strain. I'm only off 6-7 pounds now from where the Iron Ratio says I should be, so no hurry. Skipped the Overhead Press since everything was feeling heavy and I'm already at my Iron Ratio load there anyway. The most important thing is to just get the Squats in, and I did, so mission accomplished.

---------------Week 5: Cycle I---------------

Sunday, 18.01.28
Lifting:
Pull

DL: 3 x 3 @ 277 lbs, 1RM = 308 lbs.

Just barely had time for Deadlifts in the midst of a busy day chauffeuring the kids and getting some errands done. It was a fun weekend watching and helping out a bit with my son's hockey tournament down at the rec center. Three months ago he couldn't skate. Now he's doing OK keeping up with kids two years older than him. Meanwhile his dad struggles to maintain even basic fitness.

Funny, my minimalist Vivobarefoot hikling boots felt pretty cold when just standing around watching the hockey or helping with the time-keeping. Still fine for more active winter stuff like sledding though. It sucks I can't run anymore, but at least the whole barefoot running thing turned me on to minimalist footwear, and a greater sense of freedom to go barefoot whenever I feel like it. Helped me come out of the closet in other words.

Anyway, the minimalist lifting program seems to be helping maintain some consistency. The Push/Pull workouts can always reduce to just Squats/Deadlifts, so that even with just 15-20 minutes available for a workout, I have no excuses not to get at least one of those lifts in. I'm still a long ways away from implementing my full lifting/aerobic/conditioning program, but at least I'm winning the consistency battle lately. Next goal is to work in the morning aerobic component, now that lifting has achieved some momentum. But walking hasn't worked for my knees, and it's still hard to motivate for cycling when early morning temps are often below zero, either real temp or windchill. Gotta man up . . .

If and when I get the aerobic component going, then it will be time to work in the final piece, the conditioning at the end of the lifting sessions.

Monday, 18.01.29
Lifting:
Push

SQ: 3/1 @ 242 lbs, 1RM = 269 lbs
BP: 3 x 5 @ 167 lbs

On my first rep of the second set of Squats, my left calf felt a strain, so I stopped and skipped the Tall Kneeling Overhead Press just to be sure. Later in the evening, the calf/knee buckled on me twice. I guess the tightness is not going away on its own. I'll have to start working on it with some massage and stretching. Another sign that it's time to get serious about mobility. I bought a beginner's yoga book last week.

The Bench Press felt pretty good. My shoulders are getting used to it again. Nonetheless, I decided to microload two pounds per split until I get up to the Iron Ratio load sometime next week.

Cycle I 2018 Weeks 5-8.jpg

Tuesday, 18.01.30

Wednesday, 18.01.31

Thursday, 18.02.01

Friday, 18.02.02

Saturday, 18.02.03


---------------Week 6: Cycle I---------------

Sunday, 18.02.04

Monday, 18.02.05
Took the last week off waiting for my left calf to loosen up.

Tuesday, 18.02.06
Strained my lower back, not working out though. Not serious, but I will have to wait a bit more before I start lifting again. The left calf is beginning to loosen though. Maybe this is a hint to focus on getting the early morning bike ride up and running.

Wednesday, 18.02.07

Thursday, 18.02.08

Friday, 18.02.09

Saturday, 18.02.10


---------------Week 7: Cycle I---------------

Sunday, 18.02.11

Monday, 18.02.12

Tuesday, 18.02.13

Wednesday, 18.02.14

Thursday, 18.02.15

Friday, 18.02.16

Saturday, 18.02.17
Aerobic:
4.5 mi Bike Ride, 1 mi Commute

---------------Week 8: Cycle I---------------

Sunday, 18.02.18

Monday, 18.02.19
Aerobic:
4.5 mi Bike Ride, 1 mi Commute

Tuesday, 18.02.20

Wednesday, 18.02.21
Aerobic:
4.5 mi Bike Ride, 1 mi Commute

Thursday, 18.02.22

Friday, 18.02.23

Saturday, 18.02.24
Aerobic: 4.5 mi Bike Ride, 1 mi Commute
 
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Happy new year! This should be a good start, the difficult tasks are behind me now so I have this year to have a little more fun. 2017 wasn't a great year on the lifting or running front but I did complete a few old goals I had made years back, so that was a relief. It was a fun year learning to brew too, and picking back up the guitar. I am going to get a little more serious with music lessons to learn some of the fundamentals I have skipped. I would also like to learn to speak dutch this year.

On the running/biking front I am still torn between signing up for races or just doing some long distance solo runs/tours. I am leaning to the latter, although I might sign up for some shorter ultras to keep a little focus. A couple initial ideas for runs and rides, Ride from Hull to the Scottish highlands via the pennine cycleway, or possibly through the lakes. Alta Via in Italy and a portion of the HRP.

I will try to get in two longer runs a week and one long bike ride to keep these moving. I don't want to make this too complicated or strict and this plan is feasible with the schedule.

Lifting:
I am going to follow wendlers 531 boring but big for a while. It's simple, and hopefully effective. No long term goals right now but just some discipline and progression.

Capture.JPG

All in kgs
---------------Week 1: Cycle I---------------
Monday, 18.01.01

Bench - 3@65, 3@70, 6@80
Bench - 5 x 10 @ 50
Pull down - 5 x 10 @ 50

Didn't do a 5k but pushed my son for 5k in a skelter, was kind of like sprint/sled work.

Tuesday, 18.01.02
Run commute - 17k

That was a really tough run, had some weight on my back with my work gear. I need to lose some weight...

Wednesday, 18.01.03

Thursday, 18.01.04

Friday, 18.01.05

Saturday, 18.01.06


---------------Week 2: Cycle I---------------

Sunday, 18.01.07

Monday, 18.01.08

Tuesday, 18.01.09

Wednesday, 18.01.10
DL 5 x 100, 3 x 110, 7 x 120
Tbdl 5 x 10 @ 72

That's a tough workout, like the squat day.


Thursday, 18.01.11
Success made it a full cycle. Weight is heading the wrong direction but I can really feel the difference strength wise. Its nicr feeling strong again feel like its been a while. Was happy with my deadlift the day earlier. Felt like I could easily do 10 x 120kgs.

Press 5@40, 3@45, 6@50
Press 5 x 10 @ 30
Farmers 5 x 80m @ 72


Friday, 18.01.12

Saturday, 18.01.13


---------------Week 3: Cycle I---------------

Sunday, 18.01.14
Squats
5@65, 5@75, 7@85, 5 x 10 @ 50
Low Pulls - 5 x 10 @ 60

Monday, 18.01.15
Bench
5@60, 5@70, 11@75, 5 x 10 @ 50
Pull downs 5 x 10 @ 50

Bike Commute - 18k

Tuesday, 18.01.18

Wednesday, 18.01.18
Run 10 k

Thursday, 18.01.18
DL
5@85, 5@100, 9@110,
TBDL 5 x 10 @ 72kgs

Friday, 18.01.19
Press
5@40, 5@45, 8@50, 5 x 10 @ 30
Farmers - 5 x 80m @ 72

Bike commute - 18k

Saturday, 18.01.20
Took a long hilly walk about 6.5k

Squats
3@70, 3@80, 6@90, 5 x 10 @ 50
Low pulls - 5 x 10 @ 60

---------------Week 4: Cycle I---------------

Sunday, 18.01.21
Short MTB ride 14k

Monday, 18.01.22
Bench day Monday
Bench - 3 @ 65, 3 @ 75, 10 @ 80, 5 x 10 @ 50
Pull downs - 5 x 10 @ 50

Lunch Yoga
Bike Commute - 35k

Really enjoying the boring but big plan. It's nice to walk out of the gym sweaty, tired and a bit of a pump from the 5 X10s, esepcially after 30-40 minute workouts. I scaled out the secondary back exercise on DL day. Doing 5 x 10s of those are extremely taxing and take me longer between sets to recover. Doing squats on the weekend also is helping with the discipline. Its easier to do them a little later in the morning on Sat or Sun, then the week lifts are easier for me to get warmed up and motivated.

Still too heavy, around 210ish. Makes the lifting easy and the running hard.

Tuesday, 18.01.23
Run - 18k

Wow felt much much better today was able to finish in under 2 hours, its been a while since I could do that. I am doing a .25/.75 k walk run tempo.

Wednesday, 18.01.24
DL - 3@90, 3@105, 7@115, 3 x 15 @72kgs

Thursday, 18.01.25
Press - 3@40, 3@50, 6@55, 5 x 10 @ 35kgs
Farmers - 5 x 80m @ 72kgs
Ab Roll Outs - 2 x 8

Bike Commute - 35k

Friday, 18.01.26
Run - 18k

Well that's it for the week. Maybe I may do a long bike ride Saturday morning. Good week so far. Felt good to get two run days in. Was looking for an ultra to sign up for but havent found anything. Probably should wait till I weigh less that 200.

Saturday, 18.01.27
Bike - 50k

Sunday, 18.01.28
Squats - 5@75, 3@85, 6@95, 5 x 10@50
Low pulls - 5 x 10 @ 60

---------------Week 5: Cycle I---------------
Monday, 18.01.29

Bench - 5@65, 3 @ 75, 10@85, 4 x 10 @55, 1 x 20 @55
Pull downs - 5 x 10 @ 50

Bike commute - 35k
Yoga

Tuesday, 18.01.30
Run - 17k

Wednesday, 18.01.31
Deadlift - 5@100, 3@110, 7@125
TBDL - 5x10@72
Bike Commute

Thursday, 18.02.01
Press - 5@45, 3@50, 8@55, 5x10@35
Farmers - 5x80m@72

Bike commute - 35k

Friday, 18.02.02
Bike Commute - 35k

Saturday, 18.02.03

Sunday, 18.02.04
Squats - 5@65, 5@75, 8@85, 5 x 10 @ 55
Low pulls - 5 x 10 @ 65

---------------Week 6: Cycle I---------------
Monday, 18.02.05

Bench - 5@65, 5@75, 10@85, 5 x 10 @ 55
Pull down - 5 x 10 @ 55

Bike commute - 35k
Yoga

Tuesday, 18.02.06
Run - 17k
Yoga

Wednesday, 18.02.07
Deadlift - 5@100, 5@110, 5 @140,
TBDL - 5 x 10 @ 77

Bike commute - 35k

120 was extremely heavy today, my week on the schedule was messed up and I had the weights way too high today. Should have been 110-115 at most. Still strange that the day before 125 for 7 was pretty easy and today 120 for 5 was significantly harder?

Edit: apparently what I thought was 120 was really 140 which was why it felt so hard, so technically I am stoked to do 140 for 5!

Thursday, 18.02.08
Bike commute - 35k
Yoga

Friday, 18.02.09
Press - 5@40, 5@45, 11@55, 5 x 10 @ 35
Farmers - 5 x 80m @ 77

Bike commute - 35k

Saturday, 18.02.10
Hoping for a long run tomorrow. Need to have a little discipline for these. I usually get 90 minutes in get bored and go home. I am listening to an interesting book 12 rules for life, hopefully it will keep me distracted for a longer time.

Weight is still going in the wrong direction although my muscle mass is definitely changing. Probably the wrong workout plan for losing weight!

Run - 3 hours

3 hours this weekeend hopefully 3.5 next and then a bit more each week.

Sunday, 18.02.11
Squats - 3@70, 3@80, 7@90, 5x10@55
Low pulls - 3x10@70, 20@70

Yoga

Must have tweaked my back, or popped a rib? a little stretching seemed to put in back in place.

---------------Week 7: Cycle I---------------
Monday, 18.02.12

Bench - 3@70, 3@75, 11@85, 5x10@55
Pull downs - 5x10@50

Bike commute - 35k

Tuesday, 18.02.13
Run - 17k
Yoga

Wednesday, 18.02.14
Deadlift - 3@100, 3@110, 8@120, 5x10@75

Bike Commute - 35k

Thursday, 18.02.15
Press - 3@40, 3@50, 10@55, 5x10@35
Low Pulls - 5x10@70

Bike Commute - 35k

Friday, 18.02.16
Bike Commute - 35k

Saturday, 18.02.17
Run - 3 hours
Started getting some knee pain like ITBS so I cut the run short.

Sunday, 18.02.18
Squats - 5@75, 3@85, 6@95, 5x10@50
Low pulls - 5x10@70kgs

---------------Week 8: Cycle I---------------
Monday, 18.02.19

Bench - 5@70, 3@80, 8@90, 5x10@60
Pull downs - 5x8@60

Bike Commute 35k
Yoga

Tuesday, 18.02.20
Run - 17k
Yoga

Had an awful run, was hard and kept getting harder.
So far so good with this cycle though, I am really enjoying lifting heavy again. I feel like the deep dark winter days are over and my outlook for running/biking is coming back strong.

Still need to find a better tire solution, my experiment with no flat seems to have failed, as I had a tire with no air but full of no flat mess.

Wednesday, 18.02.21
Deadlift - 5@105, 3@115, 7@130
TBDL - 5x10@82

Bike Commute - 25k had a flat hitched a ride home

Thursday, 18.02.22
Press - 3@40, 3@50, 10@55, 5x10@40
Low Pulls - 5x10@80

Bike Commute - 35k

Friday, 18.02.23
Bike Commute - 35k

Saturday, 18.02.24
Squats - 5@70, 5@80, 8@90, 5x10@55
Low pulls - 5x10@80kgs

Sunday, 18.02.25
Bench - 5@65, 5@75, 9@90, 5x10@60
Pull downs - 5x8@60

Hit a couple of extra sessions since I will not be able to get in my usual Sunday squat day.

Had a really good cycle, and so far year. Feel much, much stronger than in January.

 
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I've also become convinced that anything beyond 7-8 reps is pretty useless for my purposes. After 7-8 reps, it becomes more stamina training and less pure strength training. And while stamina training or conditioning is important, using weights for this purpose is dangerous because as fatigue sets in after 7-8 reps, one's form gets off. So it's better to do conditioning work using exercises where form isn't as crucial, like sled work, or rower stuff. Plus, I hate lifting higher reps. Pure mental agony, especially on the squats.

10 rep squats are agony, one of the reasons I am doing them now, to learn to suffer again.
I agree though, 8 is plenty I think especially if you are using heavier than 50% of your 1rm.
I'm thinking about possibly doing some conditioning/speed work on the bike on my commutes, might be a nice way to get in some higher intensity work as that seems to be missing from my routine for a while.
 
i have been fooling around for the last few weeks, but it is time to settle down and try to [copy/paste all the usual]... but hey, i managed to start the year off right!


--- dec 31-jan 6---
monday:
running 2.5mi at 8:53 (-1F), 3.0mi at 15:06 in circles around the house (that would be 189 laps at 82.25ft/lap... and i built a little 12ft long, 14 inch high ramp for some variety)

(38 minutes)
pull ups: 5/5
squats: ?x4 at 65/85/105/110/115lbs
press: ?x4 at 55/65/75/80/85lbs
calf raises: 20/20/20/20; +20lbs: 20; +30lbs: 20
 
10 rep squats are agony, one of the reasons I am doing them now, to learn to suffer again.
I agree though, 8 is plenty I think especially if you are using heavier than 50% of your 1rm.
I'm thinking about possibly doing some conditioning/speed work on the bike on my commutes, might be a nice way to get in some higher intensity work as that seems to be missing from my routine for a while.
Yah, I realized after I read the introduction to your log that my babbling could be taken as a criticism, but I think within the Boring but Big program, and at 50% 1RM, higher reps could make sense. I guess that's intended as 'pump work,' right? Just don't think I could do that myself, but maybe . . .

In any case, Wendler is certainly one of the guys I would give the benefit of a doubt to. Looking forward to seeing how the program works for you.

Glad to see we're all aboard. The mutual support and encouragement really helps, especially with lifting, which can be pretty boring and demotivating at times.

My wife has recently expressed an interest in establishing an exercise regimen, so that also helps. In fact, she was the one who pushed me to get the New Year off to a good start and get a little lifting in yesterday. In the past, she's almost discouraged me from spending time away while exercising.

Unfortunately, she doesn't want to hear anything about the importance of barbell lifts. The main thing is to let her establish a routine that works for her, then after a while I can begin to try to convey what I've learned from reading and experience. But I know a lot of women just are not going to touch a barbell. Right now she's doing the treadmill pretty religiously and also some light dumbbell work. That's a good start. I told her to try some squats one day but she didn't like it because they made her feel sore afterwards . . .
 
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i have been fooling around for the last few weeks, but it is time to settle down and try to [copy/paste all the usual]... but hey, i managed to start the year off right!


--- dec 31-jan 6---
monday:
running 2.5mi at 8:53 (-1F), 3.0mi at 15:06 in circles around the house (that would be 189 laps at 82.25ft/lap... and i built a little 12ft long, 14 inch high ramp for some variety)

(38 minutes)
pull ups: 5/5
squats: ?x4 at 65/85/105/110/115lbs
press: ?x4 at 55/65/75/80/85lbs
calf raises: 20/20/20/20; +20lbs: 20; +30lbs: 20

Hey, great to hear from you BA! Looks like we're all off to a good start. I like the ramp idea!
 
Really enjoying the boring but big plan. It's nice to walk out of the gym sweaty, tired and a bit of a pump from the 5 X10s, esepcially after 30-40 minute workouts. I scaled out the secondary back exercise on DL day. Doing 5 x 10s of those are extremely taxing and take me longer between sets to recover. Doing squats on the weekend also is helping with the discipline. Its easier to do them a little later in the morning on Sat or Sun, then the week lifts are easier for me to get warmed up and motivated.

Glad to hear the boring but big plan is working out.

I'm also finding that consistency makes the lifts easier in general. So I think the next time I don't feel like doing a full workout, I'll just do light reps, in order to maintain the consistency. I think I've finally internalized what I've known to be true for a while, that consistency/frequency is the most important training parameter by far. And it virtually eliminates the need for much of a warmup, and also prevents injuries I think.

Also, I feel like I really benefit from the morning bike ride. It's just the right amount without making me drowsy during the day, and it's easy on the knees. And it seems to set me up somehow for lifting later in the day.

Anyway, cool to see your report, helps me motivate as well.
 
Monday, 18.02.05
Took the last week off waiting for my left calf to loosen up.

Tuesday, 18.02.06
Strained my lower back, not working out though. Not serious, but I will have to wait a bit more before I start lifting again. The left calf is beginning to loosen though. Maybe this is a hint to focus on getting the early morning bike ride up and running.

Hey how's your back and calf doing? You start any yoga yet?
 
Do you find it's also harder to recover in between workouts with those high-rep sets?

Hey sorry I didn't see this one. It's harder to recover but because there are 2-3 days between squats/DL and bench/press usually I am fine on the recovery side. However my back is almost constantly sore during the week until the weekend where I take 2 days off.

The hardest day by far is the squat day and usually my bike ride in to work sucks on Monday because of it. Typically after any workout I am sore though, more sore than I have experienced in a long time.

However as much as I used to hate doing higher rep squats and deadlifts, I don't dread them so much anymore. They do actually build mass though and my composition is changing, likely leading to weight gain.

Something I have learned doing higher rep sets its important to lower your weight loads so you finish the first 3 sets knowing you could have done 5 more reps if you wanted. Then the 4 and 5th are harder and almost to failure. In the past I always used starting weights that were way too high. For example 55kgs/120lbs is where I am at in the squats which is embarrassingly low, before when doing higher reps I would never go below 60kgs or 135lbs, but that would still be difficult for me now after weeks of doing them.

I do really enjoy the simplicity - 2 lifts a day, consistent reps and the final max set to failure. I am going to keep going with it next cycle so that will give me almost 3 more full cycles. The last max set is kind of inspiring as each week you try to be a rep or two more than the week before.
 
Hey how's your back and calf doing? You start any yoga yet?
Thanks, yah, they are fine now--rest took care of them. But it was discouraging to have the niggles pop up after so carefully building up my loads for the first four weeks of this cycle. Really shows the need for some kind of mobility work.

So I have started some stretching but not formal yoga from the book I bought. The main goal this week, the last week of the cycle, was to try harder to get the daily, short bike rides in, to see if they are going to work for next cycle. So far, I've only managed to get them in every other day. It's just hard to motivate at 4am when it's 0 F or colder out. Plus shorter rides mean I don't make it down to the river, but rather stay in an urban environment of roads, sidewalks, and bike lanes. But it can be done. I used to deliver newspapers early in the morning under the same conditions when I was 11.

I'm pretty convinced that my proposed program for this cycle of aerobic in the morning and then lifting and some conditioning in the afternoon is the best route for me. However, motivating twice a day, and for twice as much lifting and biking sessions in a week, is hard. Motivationally, nothing beats my old tried and true method of alternating one day of lifting with one day of aerobic.

So the choice is basically

A)
Am biking for 20-30 mins, PM lifting on a Push/Pull split, and (Hopefully) conditioning

Advantage: (1) metabolic boost twice a day, (2) daily use keeps the joints loose and the muscles primed, (3) shorter sessions are easier to squeeze in when busy.

Disadvantage: (1) hard to motivate twice a day, (2) hard to motivate on a daily basis to both ride and lift.

B)
PM biking one day for an hour, next day PM lifting, all six lifts, and (hopefully) conditioning.

Advantage: (1) EOD keeps things relatively fresh mentally, (2) more recovery time.

Disadvantage: (1) More motivation is need for a longer session, (2) it's easier for things to come up and cancel a workout, (3) my metabolism is only boosted once a day.

I really want to decide before the next cycle starts, so that I can stop this wavering.

Good to hear your program is working so well for you in any case! Thanks for the detailed description. I really enjoy hearing how it's going for you.