Concurrent Strength & Endurance Training 2019: Cycle IV

Bare Lee

Barefooters
Jul 25, 2011
6,103
6,617
113
Saint Paul
Assessment of last cycle: Struggled to find any kind of consistency. Last two weeks of the cycle were spent on yardwork, fixing up house, purging massive amounts of old and rotting crap I inherited from my dad (six pickup loads to the dump--5000 pounds!), all of which counted as a different kind of workout, so I blew off my regular routine completely. It was enough to tire me and make me sore, and it also made my knees a bit sore or cranky at times. Reminded me of how well I normally manage my knees.

Plan for this cycle: Try to get back to a simple EOD routine alternating between lifting on one day, and cycling or doing conditioning work on the other. Alternatively, try an ED split between aerobic in the morning and lifting/conditioning in the afternoon. Whatever works. I'm prioritizing losing weight and fitness over strength gains.

The lifting will be simply progressively loading the six main bilateral, compound-joint lifts: the five barbell lifts (Squat, Bench Press, Overhead Press, Deadlift, Row) plus Pulldown/Chinups. I might start super light in order to rebuild my work capacity, but also to better focus on the aerobic/conditioning, which will mostly be riding my bike when it's nice out, and when it's not, trying to do conditioning or indoor aerobic work on the Airdyne and Concept II Rower, or some sled work.

I've also simplified my Excel Sheet loading scheme somewhat. I'm still following my Iron Ratio, but I think I will do Squats at five reps too, and then I've put the Deadlifts back on a simple 5:4 ratio to the squats, but will continue to do them in three-rep sets.

Hoping Abide makes a comeback . . .

Taking a vacation for the first two weeks of this cycle, so won't start logging until the third week.

---------------Week 1: Cycle IV---------------

Sunday, 19.06.16

Monday, 19.06.17

Tuesday, 19.06.18

Wednesday, 19.06.19

Thursday, 19.06.20

Friday, 19.06.21

Saturday, 19.06.22


---------------Week 2: Cycle IV---------------

Sunday, 19.06.23

Monday, 19.06.24

Tuesday, 19.06.25

Wednesday, 19.06.26

Thursday, 19.06.27

Friday, 19.06.28

Saturday, 19.06.29


---------------Week 3: Cycle IV---------------

Sunday, 19.06.30

Monday, 19.07.01

Tuesday, 19.07.02

Wednesday, 19.07.03

Thursday, 19.07.04

Friday, 19.07.05

Saturday, 19.07.06


---------------Week 4: Cycle IV---------------

Sunday, 19.07.07

Monday, 19.07.08
Lifting

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

Aerobic
2 mi walk commute

Just priming things a bit after a long time off.

Tuesday, 19.07.09

Wednesday, 19.07.10

Thursday, 19.07.11

Friday, 19.07.12
Lifting

SQ: 3 x 3 @ 185

My older brother came over, we talked during most of my allotted workout time, so only got the squats in. Felt good though.

Saturday, 19.07.13
Lifting

BP: 3 x 3 @ 135
OP: 3 x 5 @ 95

More priming . . .

---------------Week 5: Cycle IV---------------

Sunday, 19.07.14

Monday, 19.07.15
Lifting

SQ: 3 x 3 @ 185
OP: 3 x 5 @ 95
SDL: 3 x 3 @ 185

Felt a little something in my left pec attachment to the shoulder, so I didn't do the Bench Press.

Tuesday, 19.07.16
Aerobic

2 mi Bike Commute.

Had the good intention on going for an end-of-the-day bike ride, but it stormed.

Wednesday, 19.07.17
Lifting

DL: 3 x 3 @ 225
SQ: 3 x 3 @ 185

Thursday, 19.07.18
Aerobic

10 mi Bike Ride, 1 mi Bike Commute.

Felt good to be back in the saddle, listening to music from my latest jam group.

Friday, 19.07.19

Saturday, 19.07.20
Lifting

SQ: 3 x 3 @ 195
OP: 3 x 5 @ 95
BP: 3 x 5 @ 135

---------------Week 6: Cycle IV---------------

Sunday, 19.07.21

Monday, 19.07.22

Tuesday, 19.07.23
Lifting

OP: 3 x 5 @ 95
BP: 3 x 5 @ 135
SQ: 3 @ 195

Felt a little something in my right knee on my last squat warmup set and first workset, so I shut it down.

Wednesday, 19.07.24
Lifting

DL: 3 x 3 @ 225
RW: 3 x 5 @ 135
PD: 3 x 5 @ 120

Wow, lifted two days in a row. Could this be a trend?

Thursday, 19.07.25
Lifting

SQ: 3 x 3 @ 196

Friday, 19.07.26
Lifting

SDL: 3 x 3 @ 195

Saturday, 19.07.27


---------------Week 7: Cycle IV---------------

Sunday, 19.07.28

Monday, 19.07.29
Lifting

SQ: 3 x 3 @ 197
OP: 3 x 5 @ 95
BP: 3 x 5 @ 135

Looks like I may be using 195 as my base load for microloading. It will probably start to feel too light soon, but having everything easy will hopefully re-ignite my motivation. Plus, I'm working on reducing the time between sets, to make working out more of a Delta Force operation, so working up from easier sets could put me in good stead in the long term.

Tuesday, 19.07.30
Lifting

SDL: 3 x 3 @ 225
Rw: 3 x 5 @ 135
PD: 3 x 5 @ 140

Wednesday, 19.07.31

Thursday, 19.08.01
Lifting

SQ: 3 x 3 @ 200
OP: 3 x 5 @ 95
BP: 3 x 5 @ 140

Friday, 19.08.02

Saturday, 19.08.03


---------------Week 8: Cycle IV---------------

Sunday, 19.08.04

Monday, 19.08.05
Lifting

SQ: 3 x 3 @ 205
OP: 3 x 5 @ 95
BP: 3 x 5 @ 140

Tuesday, 19.08.06

Wednesday, 19.08.07
Lifting

DL: 3 x 3 @ 235
Rw: 3 x 5 @ 135
PD: 3 x 5 @ 140

Thursday, 19.08.08
Aerobic

3 mi. Bike Ride, 1 mi. Bike Commute

Lifting
BP: 3 x 5 @ 140
OP: 5 @ 95
SQ: 3 @ 205

Felt a little nauseous, so just got in one workset each for the Overhead Press and Squat.

Friday, 19.08.09

Saturday, 19.08.10
Lifting

DL: 3 x 3 @ 235
Rw: 3 x 5 @ 135
PD: 3 x 5 @ 140
 
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Wow Lee, are you still doing this? The tenacity :)
 
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Hey BL I'm back! Sorry I went out missing for a while. I'll start the log back up tomorrow! Glad your still keeping this thing going.

I'm still lifting albeit lighter than before. I keep having issues with my back so I have come to the conclusion going progressively heavier isn't the best idea. I'm also coming to the realization I'm not getting younger.

Anyway the last month I changed up my 2 lift a day workout to 6-7 lifts but only 2 sets, kind of reminiscent of Dan John's easy strength. So the lifts go

Press
Squat
DL or Farmers
Pull ups
Power Cleans
Bench
Ab work

all for about 2 sets of 5 or more reps depending on the day.

I'll get the log going as well.


Friday, 19.08.09
Bike commute to gym - 16k

Front Squat - 2x5@60
Pull ups - 2x6
DL - 2x5@110
Bench - 10@70, 7@90
Power Clean + Thruster - 2x3@60

Saturday, 19.08.10
Traveling took the day off
 
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Hey BL I'm back! Sorry I went out missing for a while. I'll start the log back up tomorrow! Glad your still keeping this thing going.

I'm still lifting albeit lighter than before. I keep having issues with my back so I have come to the conclusion going progressively heavier isn't the best idea. I'm also coming to the realization I'm not getting younger.

Anyway the last month I changed up my 2 lift a day workout to 6-7 lifts but only 2 sets, kind of reminiscent of Dan John's easy strength. So the lifts go

Press
Squat
DL or Farmers
Pull ups
Power Cleans
Bench
Ab work

all for about 2 sets of 5 or more reps depending on the day.

I'll get the log going as well.
Glad to have you back Abide! I've PM'd you a bit more on that.

I do think some version of the fullbody workout is the way to go, as you've outlined, or as I've been doing with a Push-Pull split. And it seems like for older lifters in particular, frequency is key.

I've also been toying with the idea of going light, as a means to recover some consistency and overcome my motivational hangups, but as soon as I start to develop some kind of rhythm and the weights start to feel lighter or easier, I get the urge to start progressing again. But then stuff comes up, or I feel tired at the end of the day, excuses excuses, and I fall behind my program, and then I stop for a while.

So I think my plan for next cycle will be to fall back to my 'base loads' whenever motivation is lacking for a greater challenge. These are loads I've found I can do no matter what, even after a month or two off:

DL: 225 (4 x 45)
SQ: 185 (2 x 45, 2 x 25)
PD: 140
BP & Rw: 135 (2 x 45)
OP: 95 (2 x 25)

It's a sort of 'grease the groove' tactic, so even if I'm not progressing, I'm at least practicing the movements and getting in some basic fitness work. I don't know if I'll ever be able to motivate just for fitness and maintenance--I think I need to have goals--but I need something between all or nothing on the days when energy, time, or motivation is low for making progress and pushing things a bit.

Nice gym set up a couple of threads ago! It's loaded with goodies. I would love to have access to the airdyne and rower.

Yah, I dunno, I kind of regret adding the two planks for hanging up all the stuff I never use, but the basic set-up is pretty good for me now. Having the extra foot above me really helps, not only in terms of being able to do a proper Overhead Press, but also in feeling less cramped, freer or unconstrained. I still kind of like the idea of just having the rack and plates, but there's no sense in selling the dumbbells for a loss. I might get rid of the other stuff hanging off the plates though, just put them all in a box. I think a less cluttered space might free my mind up a bit, help me Zen out.

The Airdyne and Rower are good complements to a push and pull day, respectively, just have to get serious about using them! I still have a strong preference for doing aerobic work outside, but it's still much harder to motivate for cycling than it was for running, especially in the winter.
 
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