Thought I'd say hi. I'm 47 and got serious with training at 44 and there's no going back. But you know that. It is an awesome place to be--these past few years have been the best of my life. My bf is also Tom and will be 50 this year. It's funny, 15 years ago I was not too proud of most of our generation (i.e., it seemed all the neighborhood meth labs in my area were run my people I might have gone to school with). But now I'm seeing here and in my gym a lot of 40 and 50 somethings who really seem to have gotten it all together. Maybe that's just because I'm looking in different places now and not just across the street.
Saturday – 2/21 – we got an early start to our Saturday morning squat club. That was good, because the gym started filling up by 10 am. The break in the weather seems to have encouraged more people to get back at it. At least by being ahead of the crowd we could take our time in the power cage, no BB arm curl guys wanted to work in today.
Squats – went back to “box squats” to start. Used a standard bench as the target for height, it is about 2 inches shorter than the middle set of boxes in our gym. 185x8, 195x8, 205x8 - then finished with 240x10 regular squat.
RDL – 145x10x3
Hanging Ab Lifts – 8x3 (the ab support bands are on the top of our power cage)
Calf raise superset – this is an intense set. Start with 10 calf raises (lower, pause at halfway point, then up lift to max extension) Follow with 10 calf raises without the pause at midpoint. Get off the machine and follow with unilateral BW calf raises 10 each leg, then follow with 10 BW calf raises. Completed 3 sets with 270lb
PU & Walking lunge superset 10 PU, 10 lunges w/30db 3 sets
Hamstring curls – 105x10x3
Super intense workout, it was a good start to what has been a great weekend so far.
Thought I'd say hi. I'm 47 and got serious with training at 44 and there's no going back. But you know that...........
Kathy - thanks for stopping by. I agree, I don't want to go back, ever. Instead, I get up and get to it every day. I looked at your training log, good luck keeping up with work and your workouts.
1 Hour of Pilates training. Once again a happy cheerful trainer who set about breaking my abs. It was great, I hope I can get out of bed in the morning. Then I followed up with 15 minutes of cycle training to get my heart rate elevated. Finished with a sauna and then steam.
1 Hour of Pilates training. Once again a happy cheerful trainer who set about breaking my abs. It was great, I hope I can get out of bed in the morning. Then I followed up with 15 minutes of cycle training to get my heart rate elevated. Finished with a sauna and then steam.
snort . . . Tom does Pilates . . . snort, snort . . .
Monday 2/23 – started a new chest and back program. My trainer has me back to doing a more conventional routine for reps & sets. However, he has altered my form in order to tweak the workout. For example, on flat bench (BB) my grip is narrower – my hand starts on the bar just at the first bit of knurling (usually my hands are aligned with the outside of my grip closer to the outside smooth ring on the bar). He also refocused me on my technique – getting me to concentrate on a pure vertical lift.
Flat bench – 205x6, 205x6, 210x4, 205x5
Wide grip Lat pull down – 140x8, 145x8x3
Incline DB press – 70x8x4
BB row – 105x10, 135x10, 135x9, 135x10
DB flat bench – 75x6, 75x6, 75x4, 75x6 (superset with low cable rows)
Low cable rows – 100x10, 120x10x3
This was a good transitional workout. I’m starting to develop either a cold or the flu – so my breathing was labored and I probably lifted below potential. On the other hand, we looked at the log book and realized that my old wide grip lat pull down ended with 100x6 – so it was good to see that I started this training phase at plus 40 to that mark. I also noticed that on the incline bench I could get the 70’s into position by myself and on flat db press I could also lift the 75’s into position.
Tuesday 2/24 – Unscheduled day off. I didn’t want to make this cold/flu bug any worse, so I skipped the cardio. By the end of the day I felt much better and thought perhaps I was back close to 100%.
Wednesday 2/25 – I was wrong, hit the gym and realized that I was still only about 75 to 80%. Clear sinuses were likely due to the theraflu masking the symptoms.
Deadlifts – 135x10
Sum DL – 205x8, 255x5x3 (I kept losing my grip – that should have tipped me off about my health)
Deadlifts – 135x10
Arnold press 40x10x3
Upright row ezbar – 75x10x3
DB curl – 35x8 (form failed at 6) 30x8x2
Triceps rope pull – 60x10x3
Front raise DB – 17.5x10x2 (failed on 3rd set at 8)
Lat raise DB – 17.5x10x2 (failed don 3rd set at 7)
Rear delt machine – 110x10x3
Hopefully I will have sweated this bug out. Not my best workout out, but once I started it was just a matter of pushing through. You just turn up the music, concentrate on form, and do the reps until the form breaks down / failure.
Friday 2/27 – another round of the new chest & back routine. This round went much better. My trainer, very glibly observed – “hey, you lift a lot better when you can breathe.” Our focus once again was on the form and movement for the bench. These were again the key points: flat bench (BB) narrow grip – my hand starts on the bar just at the first bit of knurling (usually my hands are aligned with the outside of my grip closer to the outside smooth ring on the bar). He also refocused me on my technique – getting me to concentrate on a pure vertical lift. All sets done on 90 seconds rest.
Flat bench – WU 135x10, WU 185x6, 205x6, 210x6, 210x5, 205x4 (failed on last two sets)
Changed to BW pull ups – 8, 8, 7, 6
Incline DB press – 70x8x4
BB row – 145x8x4
DB flat bench – 70x8x3, 75x8 (superset with low cable rows)
Low cable rows – 130x8x3, 140x8
This was a much better workout. The increase in lbs was not significant, but the form/intensity was much better. I seemed to get stronger; I think the chin ups got my adrenaline going. I felt much better. Now it turns out that whatever I had probably came from work, there is a lot of my coworkers suffering from a nasty little cold/flu bug. Folks who skipped the flu shot are not happy campers. Good thing it is Friday.
Saturday 2/28 - Saturday morning squat club was held as usual. This is the only workout the DW and I could do together this week.
Warm up with basic KB moves and swings.
KB swing 10x3x18kg superset with
KB sumo squats 16x3x35kg
Braced squats against the wall w/ 22.5lb DB 30 seconds, 45 seconds, 60seconds
RDL 12x3x145
PU & Walking Lunge SS 10 PU, 10x3x35
Hamstring curls - 8x3x110
Seated calf raises 10x3x135
This was a very good workout. The KB exercises to start, coupled with the braced wall squats really got the quads fired up quickly. We talked to a couple of the Saturday morning “regulars.” I complimented one young woman on her pull ups - she was doing drop sets starting at 6. She told us her goal was to get to 10 and she was just getting back into serious condition. Turned out that she was a former gymnast, which explained why she was subsequently doing handstands and back flips over in the stretching area with us. Then of course I was humbled when another extremely fit and hard working regular came over to the DW and asked her she was a personal trainer and I was her client. “Ouch” Pop - the sound of my ego deflating. Candidly, the DW is “ripped” - however, I didn’t think I looked that “soft.” I guess I will agree to the enhanced nutrition proposal from the DW for the start of March.
Monday 3/2 – another major storm hits Boston. Glad I didn’t change my picture over to something more spring like. The gym was empty; unless you lived within walking distance it was better to skip the gym and avoid the drive. It is miserable outside.
On the other hand, I had a great workout. We focused again on Chest and Back.
Flat bench – WU 135x10, WU 185x6, 210x8x3, 210x6 (failed on last set)
BW pull ups – 8, 8, 8, 6
Incline DB press – 70x8x4
BB row – 145x10, 150x10, 155x8x2
DB flat bench – 75x8x4 (superset with low cable rows)
Low cable rows – 130x8x2, 140x8x2
This was a good increase in volume and control of the lifts (better depth and form). We are going to “test” my strength next Friday 3/13 to evaluate this program set verse my goal.
Tuesday 3/3 – Cardio, we don’t need no stinking cardio (with apologies to the screenwriters of Blazing Saddles)! I finally secured a doctor’s appointment and ended up taking a half a day off work to see a specialist. Massachusetts is a funny state for health care. We have required coverage, either employer or state funded. However, it is really difficult to find either a primary care physician or a specialist referral. Since moving here from Houston we have spent considerable trying to secure a PCP – we are still looking. The State has mandated insurance coverage, which is great. However, the State can’t create new doctors or force the current staff to expand their already heavy patient loads. Health care reform ain’t easy.
Wednesday 3/4 – It was a nice morning, by the standards for a Boston winter – clear, crisp and cold (5 degrees with the wind chill factor at 6:30). Naturally, the gym was packed. My workout plan had to be modified on the fly as I squeezed in around the youngsters prepping for spring break travel.
Seated BB press (smith machine) – WU 50x10/ 70x8, 80x5, 75x6 (weight is plates added to smith bar)
BB Shrugs (smith machine) 180x10, 230x10, 250x10, 270x10
Preacher Bench ez curls (2 drop sets) set 1- 8 reps / set 2 - 5 reps 70, 60, 50, 40, 30, 20
Triceps cable push down 95x8x2 then drop set 10 reps – 95, 87.5, 80, 72.5, 65, 50
Rear delt machine – 115x8x3
Arnold press 40x8x3
This was a fun workout, having to improvise and change the plan on the fly was not a problem. The Arnold Presses at the end were less intense than my last lift. I think that moving them to the end (fatigue) contributed to the lower reps
I gripe whenever I have to leave our chilly 60 degree winter days and travel to the midwest for work.
A fellow Texan! Thanks for stopping by, I resemble your latter comment. Moving from Houston to Boston involved a lot of changes - the weather is one of the biggest. My coworkers were delighted to tease me from November until February about my first real winter in 15 years. However, this last storm finally got to them. Even the heartiest of the New Englanders have now had their fill of winter! Winter still has a long way to go up here, everyone should be in a fine mood by the time MLB starts.
Friday 3/6 – chest & back routine; the training session felt terrible. Everything was heavy and I felt like I struggled for every set. Then I got back to the log and realized that my PT had pushed up the lbs and reps and was really driving the lifts hard. In comparison to last Friday, it looks like I made some level of improvement on almost every lift. I guess, for me, it is better to just move the weight and not think about it until after the workout. The first three sets were done on 120 seconds rest; the last three were done on 90 seconds rest.
Narrow grip BB flat bench – WU 135x10, WU 185x6, 205x8x2, 205x6x2 (failed on rep 7 on each of the last two sets)
BW pull ups – 8x4
Incline DB press – 80x6x2, 75x8x2
BB row – 155x8x4
DB flat bench – 80x8x2, 80x6x2 (failed at rep 7 on last two sets) (superset with low cable rows)
Low cable rows – 140x8x4
Weird, I usually know when I’m making some progress. This was the final workout in this progression. Next Monday I’ll lift with my normal grip, once again concentrating on form. Next Friday, we will test my lifts and compare to the goal I set at the beginning of the year (establishing 225 for my working bench press). Stay tuned, “same bat time, same bat channel.” I’m dating myself, that’s a reference only the 40 plus crowd will recognize right away.
Saturday 3/7 - Saturday Morning Squat Club! This week we focused on high reps. We elevated our HR early and kept up a good pace for the entire workout.
Squats - 185x15x3, 185x20x1
RDL - 105x15x3
Pull ups - BWx3x2
Superset - BB Overhead single leg lunge 10 each side paired with hopping over a bench 10 reps
BB Lunge - 45x10x3 / Hops - 10 (each leg / side)
Calf raises - 180x15x3
Glute Kickbacks - 50x15x3
Asst Pull up - 6x2 (40lbs asst)
Hamstring curls - 80x15x3 (failed on last rep)
This was a fun and intense workout. It is a beautiful day in Boston, I may have to change my avatar.
Monday 3/9 – chest & back – returned to normal grip and focused on endurance/volume. It was another beautiful Boston morning – rain, sleet and snow. Between the weather and time change, the gym was empty. At least we had a good weekend. All sets were done on 2 minutes rest.
Flat bench – WU 135x10, WU 185x8, 205x6, 215x8x2, 225x6, 225x5 (failed on each of the last two sets)
BW pull ups – 8x4x3 failed on set 4 at 4
Incline BB press – 175x8x2, 170x6, 155x6 (failure on last two sets)
Hammer Machine seated row – 180x10x4
Decline bench – 135x10x4
Unilateral cable rows – 55x10x2, 70x10x2 (this was too easy so we added weight)
Overall, this was a disappointing workout. I have better and heavier flat bench. The goal for this progression was to get my working weight up to 225. We will test on Friday and see how much progress I have made. My PT checked the log book from November, and the results today are a significant improvement from my starting point with him. On Friday, I’ll just have to attack the bench press even better.
Tuesday 3/10 - Back to my regular schedule. Today was Cardio. 20 Minutes HIIT on cycle (30 seconds out of saddle, 90 seconds in saddle). Followed by 20 minutes on the treadmill. I wanted to do the same HIIT cycle, but failed at 8 minutes (30 seconds sprint, 90 seconds jog). So I cut back to incline walk 10 degrees at 4 mph for the rest of the 20 minutes. Still managed 2 miles on the treadmill, so it wasn't to bad. I'll have to focus back on running - I've clearly spent too much time on the bike.
Wednesday 3/11– so my PT stopped me this morning to follow up on my cardio work yesterday. Although he wasn’t training me and was with another client at the time, he knew that I trained at a different hour and on different machines. I had been doing HIIT on the bike and elliptical. He pointed out to me that trying to max out on the treadmill, for my first session back on it, was a poor plan. Perhaps that is why I only lasted 8 minutes on full intervals!
Seated DB military press – 45x8x3
Upright ez bar rows – 75x12x3
Front raises – 20x8x3
Lateral Raises – 20x8x3
Lying incline rear delt raises – 15x6x3 (gotta work on this, both form and weight)
Triple set – Shrugs / Unilateral seated DB curls / Decline crunches
Shrugs – 75x12x3, Curls – 30x8x3, Crunches – 15
Triceps superset – V bar push downs & Overhead extensions w/rope
V bar – 80x8x3, Extensions – 50x8x3
Overall a good midweek workout. My weight was at 189 (high end of the target range). Testing for my initial 2009 goal – BP 225 is Friday.
Friday 3/13 – Testing Day - 10 weeks training towards 2009 goal – BP 225 for working sets.
BP – 225x5, 225x8, 225x6
Neutral grip chin ups – 10,8,7,6
Triple set – Incline BB Bench / Flat DB Bench / Incline PU
Incline Bench – 165x8, 165x6, 165x6
Flat DB bench – 75x8, 75x6, 70x5
BW Incline PU – 12x2, 8
Triple Set – BB row / Low cable row / Bent over Straight Arm Lat pulls
BB Row – 165x6x3
Cable row – 140x8x3
Lat Pulls – 50x12x3
Test: After warming up, we put 225 on the bar. I unracked the weight and started to do the lifts. I did 5 without a problem. On the descent for rep 6, I went out of the vertical plane and tried to compensate by shifting my feet. Both my PT and the DW knew I had lost the set at that point. Mt PT stepped in and helped me through the upper sticking point to rack the weight.
Sets 2 &3: My PT used his thumb and index finger (like a pistol grip) to guide the bar and keep it in the correct plane. I did 8 reps and then 6 reps. I failed at the top on rep 9 and failed at the bottom on rep 7.
This is good, but not great progress towards my goal. When I started with this PT my working weight was my BW (190). When we first tested I could do 2 partial reps (arms parallel to floor, not bar to chest) at 225. On the opposite side (Back) there was more progress. I haven’t done 30 reps of any kind of Pull up or Chin Up since Airborne School. Doing 30 neutral grip chins, after full out BP work was good.
The plan now is to shift workout styles until May. I’ll do 1 day of total body circuits and 1 day of mixed rep chest & back, with my PT. I’ll keep one day for squat club with the DW and keep one day for me to work on weak areas or “show” muscles (arms /shoulders).
No training this weekend. My MiL and SiL came to Boston for their first visit to our new home. My MiL is a geat woman. She is just shy of 80 and a five year cancer survivor. I cancelled my workout plans and for two days I was just a good host and a dutiful son in law to a remarkable woman.
Monday 3/16 – New training regime – focus on endurance training.
For me, working with a PT is a real luxury. It helps me work outside my comfort zone and I really enjoy the challenge. My PT is a skilled and confident man. One of the things I like about him is the way he begins each program with an overview, description and suggested goals for us to achieve. It is a smart business plan, he wants me to buy into the program before we start to work; because once we start lifting there is no stopping or renegotiating during the session. Today, we did the usual first day brief and I have to admit I looked at him like he was “Nuckin Futs!”
Round 1 emphasized upper body training:
Decline DB bench press – 30(e)x30x3
Hammer T Bar row – 35x30x3
Flat DB bench press – 30(e)x30x3
Hammer Unilateral Row – 35(e)x30x3
Incline DB bench press – 25(e)x30x3
Wide grip lat pulls – 70x30x3
Triceps V bar push downs – 30x30x3, 40x30x2
Preacher Curls – 40x30x3
Abs – 30 knee raises, switched over to crunches 30x2
All sets were done on 60 seconds rest. I may have to borrow the DW’s tee shirt that says “My trainer is awesome and I can’t feel my arms.” I practically had to eat my egg white veggie omelet by shoveling it directly into my mouth off the plate. Our goal was to keep my work level high and my system under almost constant load. I think we did that.
Monday 3/16 – Abs – 30 knee raises, switched over to crunches 30x2 / Session follow up point.
Just an anecdote to share: By the time we got to abs, 50 minutes had gone by in the session. I did the hanging knee raises. My PT looked at me and said “Nope.” He recognized that my hip flexors were compensating and doing all the work, rather than my lower abs (this is a result of my arthritis). So we switched to a form of crunch that I’ve been doing in Pilates – forcing my hips to a neutral position and making my abs do the work. I appreciate that 1) he was focused and 2) adjusted on the fly to change the program. I was too tired to realize the error at the time as I was just gutting my way through the final reps.
Tuesday 3/17 – Happy Saint Patrick’s Day to you! If ever there was a holiday made for Boston, this is it. Today was a scheduled day off, my end of week schedule is still undetermined. So we moved training to Weds, cardio Thursday, Friday tbd? Instead my PT gave me homework and I had to take my skin fold measurements. Here are my body comp stats from the log book.
The data surprised me. First off, damn that stubborn abdominal body fat on a guy. Second, given that I moved across country and lived in a hotel and corporate apartment for 6 months (July to Dec) last year, I’m pleased to have maintained my weight loss and kept the body fat in a narrow band. I’m really surprised by the change in my legs. I was diagnosed with the onset of early arthritis in May and on my Ortho’s advice stopped running. I ran consistently from age 16 to 49. When I stopped, it forced me to do more for leg work – Saturday squat club, Deadlifts, etc. I’ve added two inches to my thighs! Now, if I could just my “gun show” to make the same progress.
I don’t know about your experiences with BF measurement, but mine are consistently inconsistent. On the Calipers, done by either the DW or my PT I routinely test out at 16-17%. On a hand held electronic test device, I routinely read out at 18-19%. On my damned Ironman scale, I show a magical 25%.
Wednesday 3/18 – St Patrick’s Day is a professional holiday here in Boston. It is too bad that so many amateurs choose to complete well beyond their capability. The only benefit to that is the gym was somewhat less crowed than the standard Wednesday.
Today was round 2 of my new endurance training program. I did some exercises that that were new: Crunches with legs elevated (90 degree angle) on ball / Incline DB lateral raises (do a standard lateral raise while lying back on incline bench) / Alternate oblique crunches. I also used weights that were really light. When my trainer handed me the weights, I looked at him with a “you gotta be kidding” expression. He just smirked and said “after you do the reps and the form – I’ll give you more weight.”
I’m old enough to know that at that point I was in trouble! I learned a long time ago that there is a time and place to leave your ego behind; this was one such day.
All sets done on 60 seconds rest:
Warm up – Jump rope – 2x1 minute
Box Jumps – 30x3
Seated DB mil press - 20(e)x30x3
Crunch w/leg elevated - 30x3
Squats – 135x30x3
Incline DB lat raise – 7.5(e)x30x3 – don’t laugh
Alternating side oblique crunch – 30(e)x2
Walking Lunges – 10(e)x30(e)x3
Bent over rear delt raises – 5(e)x30x3 – again don’t laugh
I was amazed at how long I stayed “under load” for some of these sets. The lunges required 1:35 to 1:45 to complete the set. The simple lifts all took close to 45 seconds to complete. I will admit that I must have looked foolish doing the final sets. I looked at myself and thought – If I were across the gym and saw this I’d think “the dude was trying to fly.”
My quads and hams are fried from yesterday. I have DOMS. Changing the program from strength to endurance / hypertrophy created an instant impact. Unfortunately, I’m also ravenously hungry; time to sublimate with more water.
OT: Our office has a breakfast hospitality tradition every Friday. Tomorrow is my day to bring breakfast. Usually, the kids just bring in bagels or “gut bombs” from the Dunkins. Occasionally, there is a nod to health by having “lite” cream cheese or a quiche. I’m going to set up two offerings – I’m going to make big fruit salad and complement it with a couple dozen of my specialty blueberry protein pancakes. I’ll also grab some bagels and “gut bombs” as an alternative. I bet the healthy stuff gets eaten first. I’ll let you know how it turns out.
Looking great at 50 Tom! Great log and great results so far. I have just 5 more years to start my own (so this is 50 ) log. You are quite the inspiration!
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