Assessment of last cycle. Not as consistently consistent as I would've liked, but OK. For the lifting, I started to do three straight sets across instead of my ramping protocol, and that felt better/more beneficial. As a result, I simplified the ramping/warmup sets even more, and I finally got to the second training block.
Now all the warmup sets are in increments of 10 or 20, to make the plate loading easier. Only the Overhead Press will use the 2.5-pound plates, and only for the Target sets. Each training block's loads are based on the Squat increasing by 10 pounds, and the other lifts increasing in proportion to the Iron Ratio 2:3:4:5 --
Overhead Press = 2
Bench Press, Pendlay Row, Pulldown = 3
Squat = 4
Deadlift = 5
-- rounded up to increments of 5 or 10, except for the Deadlift. The latter will progress by 10-pound increments, just as the Squat does, disregarding the Iron Ratio, so that over time, the ratio between them will decrease, from 1.25 to 1, DL to SQ, to 1.15 to 1 if I ever get to the fifteenth training block.
This is mostly a convenience, to avoid using 2.5-pound plates for 15-pound increases, but it also conforms to my experience of wanting a stronger Squat as the loads increase to sort of bullet-proof my posterior chain while doing heavier Deadlifts.
Goals for this cycle. Improve consistency and for lifting, hopefully graduate from the second to the third training block. I'll do the Target sets 2-3 times. I probably won't ramp down after the Target sets.
I will continue with an Upper/Lower split, but if either my knees or shoulders begin to feel cranky, I'll go to a Lifting/Aerobic-Conditioning split so that each pair of joints has 47 hours to recover instead of 23. The prioritization for the Upper Body, on days when I'm pressed for time or have low energy, is: OP > PD > BP > RW. For the lower body sessions, it's SQ > DL.
---------------Week 1: Cycle III---------------
Sunday, 23.04.23
LATE MORNING
Aerobic
1.7 mi walk around Como Lake with dog. 57ft.
AFTERNOON
1.1 walk with daughter in Stillwater to look at St. Croix River flooding.
Monday, 23.04.24
NOON
Aerobic
1.65 mi Four Hills walk with dog. 185ft.
LATE AFTERNOON
Anaerobic
PD: 3 @ 105/135/155/150/150
OP: 3 @ 45/65/85/85/85
I realized with my simplified increases, there's no reason to make the Pulldowns end in fives.
Tuesday, 23.04.25
LATE AFTERNOON
Anaerobic: Lower Body
SQ: 3 @ 95/135/155/175
RDL: 3 @ 135/185
Glycolytic: Pull
Concept II Rower: 10 mins, 1835 total meters, 2:45 per 500 meters.
Wednesday, 23.04.26
NOON
Anaerobic
PD: 3 @ 100/120/140/160/160
RW: 3 @ 135/155/155
OP: 3 @ 45/65/85/95/100/100/100
LATE AFTERNOON
Aerobic
1.65 mi Four Hills walk with dog. 185ft.
Thursday, 23.04.27
NOON
Anaerobic: Lower Body
SQ: 3 @ 95/135/165, 2 @ 185/195
RDL: 3 @ 135/185, 2 @ 225/245
Glycolytic: Pull
Concept II Rower: 5 mins, 1035 total meters, 2:25 per 500 meters.
LATE AFTERNOON
1 mi walk with daughter and dog to park and back.
Friday, 23.04.29
Saturday, 23.04.29
---------------Week 2: Cycle III---------------
Sunday, 23.04.30
NOON
Anaerobic
PD: 3 @ 100/120/140/160/160/160
RW: 3 @ 135/145/155/155/155
Monday, 23.05.01
LATE AFTERNOON
Anaerobic: Lower Body
SQ: 3 @ 95/135/165/185/195/205/205
RDL: 2 @ 135/185, DL: 2 @ 225/245/255
Glycolytic: Pull
Concept II Rower: 5 mins, 1083 total meters, 2:21 per 500 meters.
Tuesday, 23.05.02
LATE AFTERNOON
Anaerobic
PD: 3 @ 100/120/140/160/160/160
OP: 3 @ 45/65/85/95/100/95/95
Aerobic
1.65 mi Four Hills walk with dog. 185ft.
Wednesday, 23.05.03
LATE AFTERNOON
Anaerobic: Lower Body
SQ: 3 @ 85/135/165/185/195/205/205/195
RDL: 2 @ 135/185, DL: 2 @ 225/255/255/255
Glycolytic: Pull
Concept II Rower: 10 mins, 1698 total meters, 2:59 per 500 meters.
Thursday, 23.05.04
EVENING
Aerobic
1 mi walk with dog & daughter. 85ft.
Friday, 23.05.05
LATE AFTERNOON
Anaerobic
PD: 3 @ 100/120/140/160/160/160
OP: 3 @ 45/65/85/95/100/100/100
BP: 3 @ 45/95/135/155/155/155
RW: 3 @ 135/155/155/155
Aerobic
1.75 mi Four Hills walk with dog. 185ft.
Saturday, 23.05.06
---------------Week 3: Cycle III---------------
Sunday, 23.05.07
EVENING
Aerobic
1.65 mi Four Hills walk with dog. 185ft.
Monday, 23.05.08
LATE AFTERNOON
Anaerobic: Lower Body
SQ: 2 @ 45/95/135/165/185/195/205, 3 & 205
RDL: 2 @ 135/185, DL: 2 @ 225/255
Back felt a little funny, so I held back on the sets.
Glycolytic: Pull
Concept II Rower: 5 mins, 1095 total meters, 2:20 per 500 meters.
Tuesday, 23.05.09
LATE AFTERNOON
Anaerobic
RW: 3 @ 135/155/155
PD: 3 @ 100/120/140/160/160
OP: 3 @ 45/65/100/100/100
Aerobic
1.65 mi Four Hills walk with dog. 185ft.
Wednesday, 23.05.10
LATE AFTERNOON
Anaerobic: Lower Body
SQ: 3 @ 85/135/165/165/165
Still felt a little instability in my lower back, probably from sitting all day, so I shut it down. Plus I was interrupted three times at 165
Thursday, 23.05.11
MORNING
Aerobic
1.8 mi Five Hills walk with dog. 200ft.
Friday, 23.05.12
EARLY MORNING
Aerobic
1.8 mi Five Hills walk with dog. 185ft.
Saturday, 23.05.13
LATE AFTERNOON
Anaerobic
PD: 3 @ 120/140/160/160/160
OP: 3 @ 45/75/85/95/100/100
Aerobic
2 mi Six Hills walk with dog. 225ft.
---------------Week 4: Cycle III---------------
Sunday, 23.05.14
LATE AFTERNOON
Anaerobic: Lower Body
SQ: 2 @ 45/95/135/135/135/165
RDL: 2 @ 135/185
Glycolytic: Pull
Concept II Rower: 5 mins, 1085 total meters, 2:21 per 500 meters.
Monday, 23.05.15
LATE AFTERNOON
Anaerobic
BP: 3 @ 45/95/115/135/145/155
and interrupted . . . I've recently been having good luck with the late afternoon time slot.
Tuesday, 23.05.16
LATE AFTERNOON
Aerobic
1.62 mi Four Hills walk with dog to Post Office and regular route. 180ft.
Anaerobic
PD: 3 @ 120/140/160/160/160
OP: 3 @ 45/65/85/100/100/100
RW: 3 @ 135/155/155/155
Wednesday, 23.05.17
Thursday, 23.05.18
A bit of a sore throat.
Friday, 23.05.19
Saturday, 23.05.20
NOON
Anaerobic: Lower Body
DL: 2 @ 155/185/205
Glycolytic: Pull
Concept II Rower: 2 mins, 335 total meters, about 3:00 per 500 meters.
Was going to warm up on the Rower before getting to the heavier Deadlifts, but decided to go on a walk instead.
Aerobic
2 mi Six Hills walk with dog. 225ft.
Anaerobic
PD: 3 @ 100/120/140/160
OP: 3 @ 45/65/85/95
---------------Week 5: Cycle III---------------
Sunday, 23.05.21
NOON
Anaerobic: Lower Body
SQ: 3 @ 95/135/165/
Just priming before an afternoon of yard/patio work.
EVENING
1 mi walk with daughter, son and dog to park and back. 35ft.
Monday, 23.05.22
Tuesday, 23.05.23
NOON
Anaerobic
PD: 3 @ 120/140/160/160/160
OP: 3 @ 45/75/95/100/100/100
Wednesday, 23.05.24
NOON
Anaerobic: Lower Body
SQ: 3 @ 95/135/165/175/185
RDL: 2 @ 135/185, DL: 2 @ 225/245
Glycolytic: Pull
Concept II Rower: 5 mins, 989 total meters, 2:36.5 per 500 meters.
Did the last minute at 2 minutes per 500 meters. I kind of like slowly revving it up.
LATE AFTERNOON
Aerobic
1 mi walk with dog and daughter to Post Office and back. 90ft.
Thursday, 23.05.25
NOON
Anaerobic
PD: 3 @ 100/120/140/160/160/160
OP: 3 @ 45/65/95/100/100/100
BP: 3 @ 45/95/115/135/145/155
Friday, 23.05.26
Saturday, 23.05.27
---------------Week 6: Cycle III---------------
Sunday, 23.05.28
Monday, 23.05.29
Tuesday, 23.05.30
Wednesday, 23.05.31
Thursday, 23.06.01
NOON
Aerobic
1.7 mi Four Hills walk with dog. 170ft.
Wow, got hit with a massive head cold, starting last Friday. I was sleeping most of the day until yesterday. Felt good to get out on a walk again.
Friday, 23.06.02
NOON
Anaerobic
PD: 3 @ 100/120/120/120
OP: 3 @ 45/65/65/65
Just a little priming after a week of inactivity.
Saturday, 23.06.03
---------------Week 7: Cycle III---------------
Sunday, 23.06.04
Monday, 23.06.05
MORNING
Aerobic
1.7 mi Four Hills walk with dog. 170ft.
LATE AFTERNOON
Anaerobic: Lower Body
SQ: 3 @ 65/95/135/155
Glycolytic: Pull
Concept II Rower: 6 mins, 1013 total meters, 3:00 per 500 meters.
Tuesday, 23.06.06
EARLY MORNING
Aerobic
1.85 mi Five Hills walk with dog. 200ft.
Wednesday, 23.06.07
LATE MORNING
Aerobic
2 mi Five Hills walk with dog. 225ft.
I think I've found the optimal route for maximizing elevation gain over distance.
Thursday, 23.06.08
Friday, 23.06.09
Saturday, 23.06.10
---------------Week 8: Cycle III---------------
Sunday, 23.06.11
MORNING
Aerobic
1.7 mi Five Hills walk with dog. 200ft.
Monday, 23.06.12
EARLY MORNING
Aerobic
1.85 mi Five Hills walk with dog. 215ft.
LATE AFTERNOON
Anaerobic
PD: 3 @ 120/140/160/160/160
OP: 3 @ 45/65/85/85/85
Tuesday, 23.06.13
Wednesday, 23.06.14
Thursday, 23.06.15
Friday, 23.06.16
MORNING
Aerobic
1.75 Five Hills walk with dog. 200ft.
Saturday, 23.06.17
Now all the warmup sets are in increments of 10 or 20, to make the plate loading easier. Only the Overhead Press will use the 2.5-pound plates, and only for the Target sets. Each training block's loads are based on the Squat increasing by 10 pounds, and the other lifts increasing in proportion to the Iron Ratio 2:3:4:5 --
Overhead Press = 2
Bench Press, Pendlay Row, Pulldown = 3
Squat = 4
Deadlift = 5
-- rounded up to increments of 5 or 10, except for the Deadlift. The latter will progress by 10-pound increments, just as the Squat does, disregarding the Iron Ratio, so that over time, the ratio between them will decrease, from 1.25 to 1, DL to SQ, to 1.15 to 1 if I ever get to the fifteenth training block.
This is mostly a convenience, to avoid using 2.5-pound plates for 15-pound increases, but it also conforms to my experience of wanting a stronger Squat as the loads increase to sort of bullet-proof my posterior chain while doing heavier Deadlifts.
Goals for this cycle. Improve consistency and for lifting, hopefully graduate from the second to the third training block. I'll do the Target sets 2-3 times. I probably won't ramp down after the Target sets.
I will continue with an Upper/Lower split, but if either my knees or shoulders begin to feel cranky, I'll go to a Lifting/Aerobic-Conditioning split so that each pair of joints has 47 hours to recover instead of 23. The prioritization for the Upper Body, on days when I'm pressed for time or have low energy, is: OP > PD > BP > RW. For the lower body sessions, it's SQ > DL.
---------------Week 1: Cycle III---------------
Sunday, 23.04.23
LATE MORNING
Aerobic
1.7 mi walk around Como Lake with dog. 57ft.
AFTERNOON
1.1 walk with daughter in Stillwater to look at St. Croix River flooding.
Monday, 23.04.24
NOON
Aerobic
1.65 mi Four Hills walk with dog. 185ft.
LATE AFTERNOON
Anaerobic
PD: 3 @ 105/135/155/150/150
OP: 3 @ 45/65/85/85/85
I realized with my simplified increases, there's no reason to make the Pulldowns end in fives.
Tuesday, 23.04.25
LATE AFTERNOON
Anaerobic: Lower Body
SQ: 3 @ 95/135/155/175
RDL: 3 @ 135/185
Glycolytic: Pull
Concept II Rower: 10 mins, 1835 total meters, 2:45 per 500 meters.
Wednesday, 23.04.26
NOON
Anaerobic
PD: 3 @ 100/120/140/160/160
RW: 3 @ 135/155/155
OP: 3 @ 45/65/85/95/100/100/100
LATE AFTERNOON
Aerobic
1.65 mi Four Hills walk with dog. 185ft.
Thursday, 23.04.27
NOON
Anaerobic: Lower Body
SQ: 3 @ 95/135/165, 2 @ 185/195
RDL: 3 @ 135/185, 2 @ 225/245
Glycolytic: Pull
Concept II Rower: 5 mins, 1035 total meters, 2:25 per 500 meters.
LATE AFTERNOON
1 mi walk with daughter and dog to park and back.
Friday, 23.04.29
Saturday, 23.04.29
---------------Week 2: Cycle III---------------
Sunday, 23.04.30
NOON
Anaerobic
PD: 3 @ 100/120/140/160/160/160
RW: 3 @ 135/145/155/155/155
Monday, 23.05.01
LATE AFTERNOON
Anaerobic: Lower Body
SQ: 3 @ 95/135/165/185/195/205/205
RDL: 2 @ 135/185, DL: 2 @ 225/245/255
Glycolytic: Pull
Concept II Rower: 5 mins, 1083 total meters, 2:21 per 500 meters.
Tuesday, 23.05.02
LATE AFTERNOON
Anaerobic
PD: 3 @ 100/120/140/160/160/160
OP: 3 @ 45/65/85/95/100/95/95
Aerobic
1.65 mi Four Hills walk with dog. 185ft.
Wednesday, 23.05.03
LATE AFTERNOON
Anaerobic: Lower Body
SQ: 3 @ 85/135/165/185/195/205/205/195
RDL: 2 @ 135/185, DL: 2 @ 225/255/255/255
Glycolytic: Pull
Concept II Rower: 10 mins, 1698 total meters, 2:59 per 500 meters.
Thursday, 23.05.04
EVENING
Aerobic
1 mi walk with dog & daughter. 85ft.
Friday, 23.05.05
LATE AFTERNOON
Anaerobic
PD: 3 @ 100/120/140/160/160/160
OP: 3 @ 45/65/85/95/100/100/100
BP: 3 @ 45/95/135/155/155/155
RW: 3 @ 135/155/155/155
Aerobic
1.75 mi Four Hills walk with dog. 185ft.
Saturday, 23.05.06
---------------Week 3: Cycle III---------------
Sunday, 23.05.07
EVENING
Aerobic
1.65 mi Four Hills walk with dog. 185ft.
Monday, 23.05.08
LATE AFTERNOON
Anaerobic: Lower Body
SQ: 2 @ 45/95/135/165/185/195/205, 3 & 205
RDL: 2 @ 135/185, DL: 2 @ 225/255
Back felt a little funny, so I held back on the sets.
Glycolytic: Pull
Concept II Rower: 5 mins, 1095 total meters, 2:20 per 500 meters.
Tuesday, 23.05.09
LATE AFTERNOON
Anaerobic
RW: 3 @ 135/155/155
PD: 3 @ 100/120/140/160/160
OP: 3 @ 45/65/100/100/100
Aerobic
1.65 mi Four Hills walk with dog. 185ft.
Wednesday, 23.05.10
LATE AFTERNOON
Anaerobic: Lower Body
SQ: 3 @ 85/135/165/165/165
Still felt a little instability in my lower back, probably from sitting all day, so I shut it down. Plus I was interrupted three times at 165
Thursday, 23.05.11
MORNING
Aerobic
1.8 mi Five Hills walk with dog. 200ft.
Friday, 23.05.12
EARLY MORNING
Aerobic
1.8 mi Five Hills walk with dog. 185ft.
Saturday, 23.05.13
LATE AFTERNOON
Anaerobic
PD: 3 @ 120/140/160/160/160
OP: 3 @ 45/75/85/95/100/100
Aerobic
2 mi Six Hills walk with dog. 225ft.
---------------Week 4: Cycle III---------------
Sunday, 23.05.14
LATE AFTERNOON
Anaerobic: Lower Body
SQ: 2 @ 45/95/135/135/135/165
RDL: 2 @ 135/185
Glycolytic: Pull
Concept II Rower: 5 mins, 1085 total meters, 2:21 per 500 meters.
Monday, 23.05.15
LATE AFTERNOON
Anaerobic
BP: 3 @ 45/95/115/135/145/155
and interrupted . . . I've recently been having good luck with the late afternoon time slot.
Tuesday, 23.05.16
LATE AFTERNOON
Aerobic
1.62 mi Four Hills walk with dog to Post Office and regular route. 180ft.
Anaerobic
PD: 3 @ 120/140/160/160/160
OP: 3 @ 45/65/85/100/100/100
RW: 3 @ 135/155/155/155
Wednesday, 23.05.17
Thursday, 23.05.18
A bit of a sore throat.
Friday, 23.05.19
Saturday, 23.05.20
NOON
Anaerobic: Lower Body
DL: 2 @ 155/185/205
Glycolytic: Pull
Concept II Rower: 2 mins, 335 total meters, about 3:00 per 500 meters.
Was going to warm up on the Rower before getting to the heavier Deadlifts, but decided to go on a walk instead.
Aerobic
2 mi Six Hills walk with dog. 225ft.
Anaerobic
PD: 3 @ 100/120/140/160
OP: 3 @ 45/65/85/95
---------------Week 5: Cycle III---------------
Sunday, 23.05.21
NOON
Anaerobic: Lower Body
SQ: 3 @ 95/135/165/
Just priming before an afternoon of yard/patio work.
EVENING
1 mi walk with daughter, son and dog to park and back. 35ft.
Monday, 23.05.22
Tuesday, 23.05.23
NOON
Anaerobic
PD: 3 @ 120/140/160/160/160
OP: 3 @ 45/75/95/100/100/100
Wednesday, 23.05.24
NOON
Anaerobic: Lower Body
SQ: 3 @ 95/135/165/175/185
RDL: 2 @ 135/185, DL: 2 @ 225/245
Glycolytic: Pull
Concept II Rower: 5 mins, 989 total meters, 2:36.5 per 500 meters.
Did the last minute at 2 minutes per 500 meters. I kind of like slowly revving it up.
LATE AFTERNOON
Aerobic
1 mi walk with dog and daughter to Post Office and back. 90ft.
Thursday, 23.05.25
NOON
Anaerobic
PD: 3 @ 100/120/140/160/160/160
OP: 3 @ 45/65/95/100/100/100
BP: 3 @ 45/95/115/135/145/155
Friday, 23.05.26
Saturday, 23.05.27
---------------Week 6: Cycle III---------------
Sunday, 23.05.28
Monday, 23.05.29
Tuesday, 23.05.30
Wednesday, 23.05.31
Thursday, 23.06.01
NOON
Aerobic
1.7 mi Four Hills walk with dog. 170ft.
Wow, got hit with a massive head cold, starting last Friday. I was sleeping most of the day until yesterday. Felt good to get out on a walk again.
Friday, 23.06.02
NOON
Anaerobic
PD: 3 @ 100/120/120/120
OP: 3 @ 45/65/65/65
Just a little priming after a week of inactivity.
Saturday, 23.06.03
---------------Week 7: Cycle III---------------
Sunday, 23.06.04
Monday, 23.06.05
MORNING
Aerobic
1.7 mi Four Hills walk with dog. 170ft.
LATE AFTERNOON
Anaerobic: Lower Body
SQ: 3 @ 65/95/135/155
Glycolytic: Pull
Concept II Rower: 6 mins, 1013 total meters, 3:00 per 500 meters.
Tuesday, 23.06.06
EARLY MORNING
Aerobic
1.85 mi Five Hills walk with dog. 200ft.
Wednesday, 23.06.07
LATE MORNING
Aerobic
2 mi Five Hills walk with dog. 225ft.
I think I've found the optimal route for maximizing elevation gain over distance.
Thursday, 23.06.08
Friday, 23.06.09
Saturday, 23.06.10
---------------Week 8: Cycle III---------------
Sunday, 23.06.11
MORNING
Aerobic
1.7 mi Five Hills walk with dog. 200ft.
Monday, 23.06.12
EARLY MORNING
Aerobic
1.85 mi Five Hills walk with dog. 215ft.
LATE AFTERNOON
Anaerobic
PD: 3 @ 120/140/160/160/160
OP: 3 @ 45/65/85/85/85
Tuesday, 23.06.13
Wednesday, 23.06.14
Thursday, 23.06.15
Friday, 23.06.16
MORNING
Aerobic
1.75 Five Hills walk with dog. 200ft.
Saturday, 23.06.17
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