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
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
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.
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. 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.
