LET ME TELL YOU OF THE DAYS OF HIGH ADVENTURE!

Famine

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Hello all:

I use to log religiously on another forum, but when that forum (and my workouts) went belly up, I stopped logging. That was about a year ago. I figure now is a good time to give it another whirl. I'm going to address a bunch of stuff in this initial post so I don't have to rehash it later. Read it or skip it; no worries either way. Disclaimer, I'm long winded...

Overview
I've been lifting iron since I was 15 years old. Unfortunately, I didn't learn crap about nutrition and lifting until my late 20s, and didn't do anything significant with that knowledge until my early 30s. I peaked when I was 38. Now I'm 40 and struggling to climb back up the slippery slope of the hill.

Evolution of Goals
As a teenager, my goal was to workout to reduce my allergies, and to NOT be the skinniest guy in school. For the most part, I failed. I graduated high school 6'2", 160 pounds.

In my early 20s, my goal was to workout to counter the amount of beer I drank, and impress the women with a slightly above average body. For the most part, I succeeded. By my late 20s, I weighed 185 and was fit.

In my 30's I started getting serious about lifting and nutrition. I gravitated toward power lifting because I wanted strength and size. By my mid 30s I weighed 205, and my bench, dead, and squat numbers were increasing steadily. Soon thereafter, everything started going downhill. Lifts were going down, body fat was going up, and my mood was pissy because of it. Blood work said my test levels were dropping...a lot, and age made my recovery time ridiculous. I got super focused, took a mild test booster, and broke all my records by the age of 38. ...and it's been down hill since then.

Now
In my 40s, I'm just going to fight for numbers and motivation every day.

Routines I've Done
3, 4, 5, and 6-day splits
Full body
Muscle groupings
Front to back
Bill Starr's 5x5
Doggcrapp Training
Layne Norton's Power/Hypertrophy
100 variations of Layne Norton's Power/Hypertrophy
The Cube Method
Wendler's 5-3-1 Big But Boring, Simple Strength, Body Building

Supplements
ON Multi vitamin
Fish oil
Vitamin B
Vitamin D3
Creatine monohydrate
ON Whey

Occasionally: BCAA, pre-workout

Macros & Micros
My household menu is about as dependable as Peyton Manning--some days it's on; others, it's not. Best described, my intake is a lifelong dirty bulk with intermittent paleo diets.

Gym
I work out solo in my garage. It has just about everything I need...except someone to motivate me. My hope is that once I get active on this forum, my motivation will build.



Okay, onto the actual logging. Well, not really. I just wrapped up a disappointing week 3 of Wendler's 5-3-1. Next week is a de-load week that I intend to take advantage of. As lame as that seems, I'll start my log with my de-load week.
 
hairygrandpa

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Subbed, first!
 
Famine

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2/17/16
5-3-1 BB Routine


Weight: 231

I don't always post numbers for my auxiliary movements, but I will for my first week just to establish a baseline.

Warm Up
Foam roller
Shoulder stretches

De-load Military Press (cleaned)
5x95
5x115
5x135

BB Upright Row
10x75
10x95
10x115
10x135
Note: I alternate these with trap bar shrugs each week.

Seated Arnold Press
12x45
12x55
12x55
12x65
I alternate these with standard DB presses each week.

Bentover DB Raises
4 sets of 15x25
My endurance is horrible right now. I needed a 2 minute break in between each of these sets.

Superbar Hammer Curls
12x75
12x95
12x115
12x135 PR
12x95
Holy crap! I know it's just an auxiliary movement, and some people don't believe in PRs for anything other than the big lifts, but I just beat my old PR for this that I set in 2011! Since I need all the motivation I can get, I'm taking it. I'm stoked!

Decline Situps
2 sets of 20
 
hairygrandpa

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Nice PR ! Congratulations! Overall looking good!
 
Famine

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2/17/16
5-3-1 BB Routine


Weight: 233

Warm Up
Foam roller
Misc. stretches

De-load Deads
5x145
5x185
5x215
Good thing I went de-load this week. My low back is still sore from last week's deads.

Chinups (or as I like to call them, the thing I suck at the most)
BWx8, 6, 6, 5

DB Rows
15x65
15x65
15x85
15x85
With all due respect, screw you Mr. Wendler for making a routine that includes 120 row movements!!! I felt like I was going to die of a heart attack.

Hypers
4 sets of BWx15

--alternated w/--

Cable Crunches
15x70
15x80
15x90
15x100

Looking at my posture in the mirror, it's time to add more rows to my routine and some upper cross syndrome stretches. My shoulders are getting too rounded...sitting in a chair working on a computer for many hours per day doesn't help.
 
hairygrandpa

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Looking at my posture in the mirror, it's time to add more rows to my routine and some upper cross syndrome stretches. My shoulders are getting too rounded...sitting in a chair working on a computer for many hours per day doesn't help.
Same here. I constantly have to remind me: Chest out- belly in. Like in the army. LOL
 
kenpoengineer

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Can I join in the party? I'm liking your lifts.
 
Dustin07

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Hey J- have you tried a smolov cycle?

the guys I lift with have had some serious results on it, but I didn't make it past week 4. when you smolov, its all squats all the time and it was killing me to be squatting mid 200s for reps and never picking up a 400+lb barbell for deads. so I brought deads back into the routine and it killed my squats. still, i saw one guy go from 305 to 325 and my other buddy went from 365 to 435 for squat 1rm.
 
Dustin07

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the fact that you're logging has me pumped again. my back issues had me down and I was googling massage options for today, but F that, I'm gonna go move some iron. you got me stoked to lift. brb
 
Famine

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Can I join in the party? I'm liking your lifts.
Well heck yeah; the more the merrier!

Hey J- have you tried a smolov cycle?

the guys I lift with have had some serious results on it, but I didn't make it past week 4. when you smolov, its all squats all the time and it was killing me to be squatting mid 200s for reps and never picking up a 400+lb barbell for deads. so I brought deads back into the routine and it killed my squats. still, i saw one guy go from 305 to 325 and my other buddy went from 365 to 435 for squat 1rm.
No, I haven't tried smolov, but I'll give it a look. My squats are actually going pretty well. It's just recovery time is a bear! If I have a good session, I'm sore for more than a week. My L1-SI area has actually been pretty healthy these past months, knock on wood.

the fact that you're logging has me pumped again. my back issues had me down and I was googling massage options for today, but F that, I'm gonna go move some iron. you got me stoked to lift. brb
I'm glad to hear it. Even though I don't have the followers I had on BBD, just knowing I'm logging again has kept me on point this week. So that's already a plus. You know me, bad mojo sneaks in all the time...so I need to run with the good when I get it.
 
Famine

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2/20/16
5-3-1 BB Routine


Weight: 230

Warm Up
Upper cross stretches

De-load Bench
5x135
5x155
5x185

CGBP (8")
10x135
10x155
10x185
10x205
I went feet up tonight to take the low back out of it.

Dips
4 sets of 10xBW

DB Flys
10x25 (testing the waters)
10x35
10x45
I alternate these in once in a while.

Tricep Pushdowns
15x50
10x70
3x90 wtf?
5x70
12x50
Triceps were fried tonight.

Just a heads up on most of the 5-3-1 routines: they are really light on arms. So for me, a guy who doesn't have naturally big arms, I tend to throw in a bonus arm day most weeks just to even things out. I've tried tacking on additional arm movements to the prescribed workout, but then it just drags on forever. I like a stand-alone arm day.
 
kenpoengineer

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Would love to see pictures of your garage gym. I too workout in mine and I'm always looking at other people's layouts.
 
Famine

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Would love to see pictures of your garage gym. I too workout in mine and I'm always looking at other people's layouts.
Yeah, I can do that. But I guess I need to re-size my images or something. Website says they are too big to post. Let me see what I can do.
 
Famine

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21821d1325097192t-moving-workout-room-again-garage-07.02.1.jpg


21822d1325097213t-moving-workout-room-again-garage-07.02.7.jpg


These are some old pictures, but the only one's I found that were small enough to post. I'll work on getting updated pictures.
 
hairygrandpa

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View attachment 131653

View attachment 131654

These are some old pictures, but the only one's I found that were small enough to post. I'll work on getting updated pictures.
Hehehe, we are getting old with the high-tech stuff. Most of the computer-trouble, I leave to my son to fix, lol.

I take a picture with my phone, then right mouse click "open with paint", upper bar ; resize to 30%, save, done.
Hope this helps.

Btw.: Gym looks clean as a hospital! Nice!
 
Famine

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Hehehe, we are getting old with the high-tech stuff. Most of the computer-trouble, I leave to my son to fix, lol.

I take a picture with my phone, then right mouse click "open with paint", upper bar ; resize to 30%, save, done.
Hope this helps.

Btw.: Gym looks clean as a hospital! Nice!
Thanks. Trust me, it's not clean right now. I have a few more things packed in there right now, so there's not much space, but plenty for a solo lifter.
 
hairygrandpa

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Hey, nice! Hell of a bike too!
 
Famine

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2/22/16
5-3-1 BB Routine


Weight: 233

Warm Up
2 miles elliptical
Foam roller
Cable crunches
Hypers

De-load Squats
5x135
5x185
5x215

Standing BB Calf Raises (off plates)
15x225
15x225
15x315
15x315

DB Lunges
4 sets of 10x25
I haven't done these in a long time. My biggest difficulty was keeping my balance. I guess I need to do them more often.

SLDL
10x135
10x155
10x185
10x205

Decline Sit Ups


Okay, that was the last of my de-loading on main lifts. I guess I'll need to bring some heat with next week's workouts.
 
kenpoengineer

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Awesome home gym! You are a speed bagger as well!
 
Famine

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Awesome home gym! You are a speed bagger as well!
I've dabbled in martial arts and boxing, but that was a few years ago. I think I only do speed bag now because it sounds cool. If I get more serious about it, I need a better bag.

Found you log. See your doing 5/3/1 too.
Yeah. Been at it for a while. I found that if I mix up my auxiliary movements week to week it helps keep it a bit fresher. Adding an arm day was a must too. Glad you found me!
 
kenpoengineer

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I've dabbled in martial arts and boxing, but that was a few years ago. I think I only do speed bag now because it sounds cool. If I get more serious about it, I need a better bag.
Me as well! I have a black in Kenpo Karate. I need to get back into boxing. Here is my home gym:
ImageUploadedByAnabolicMinds1456316657.369356.jpg
 
Dustin07

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Yeah. Been at it for a while. I found that if I mix up my auxiliary movements week to week it helps keep it a bit fresher. Adding an arm day was a must too. Glad you found me!
almost have the guys all back together, lol. Just missing SBjones who's MIA, and Geoff.
 
Famine

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2/24/16
531 BB Routine


Weight: 232

Warm Up
10 minutes

Military Press (cleaned)
5x95
5x115
3x135
5x155
5x175
5x195 (little bit of a push press on this last set)

Trap Bar Shrug
10x225
10x275
10x315
10x365
Low back was feeling this. I might need to throw in my bonus arm day tomorrow instead of running mu scheduled dead routine.

Seated Arnold Press
12x45
12x45
12x65
12x65

Rear Delt Band Work
5 sets of 15

BB Curls
15x45
15x65
12x95
10x115
10x95
30x45
A little history lesson on my BB curls. Years ago I hurt my wrist (bad) with a wild and sloppy right hook to the heavy bag. Then a few years later, I hurt it again. BB curls was the wrist angle that I couldn't do because of it. My wrists have been about 95% healthy for about a year now, so I'm starting to build momentum, but nowhere near where I want to be.
 
hairygrandpa

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Nice workout! Your military press and shrugs are light years ahead of mine.

Well, one day I will do shrugs with 365 lbs....one armed.
Muhahaha!
:mischievous:
 
Famine

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2/25/16
Bonus Weak Point Day


LISS Elliptical
3 miles

Cable Crunches
3 sets of 15
--superset w/--
Hypers
3 sets of 15
--superset w/--
Decline Sit Ups
3 sets of 15

Reverse Grip BB Curls
3 sets of 15
--superset w/--
Wrist Curls (behind back)
3 sets of 15

Seated Calf Raises
4 sets of 15

HIIT Snow Shoveling
30 minutes

With the exception of the snow shoveling, this was a super slow paced workout. If my low back feels good tomorrow, it will be dead lift day.
 
hairygrandpa

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To take snow shoveling to the next level, use a spoon next time, teaspoon. Hehehehe!
 
dapack

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Can't wait for winter to end. We are +22" above normal so far, sick of the white stuff.
 
Dustin07

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Can't wait for winter to end. We are +22" above normal so far, sick of the white stuff.
I dont know how you guys do it. we are having our first dry week since december and I can't imagine going back to rain this weekend.
 
Famine

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I dont know how you guys do it. we are having our first dry week since december and I can't imagine going back to rain this weekend.
I've actually been snow free most winter. Ironically, the snow has all been south of me. When Ohio through DC got smashed with snow, I had a semi-green lawn. Weird winter.
 
Famine

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2/26/16
531 BB Routine


Weight: 233

Man, it's a miracle this workout happened tonight. Today was a snow day from work, so I went on a little spur of the moment late night bender last night. I slept like a rock in an awkward position, so when I woke up, my shoulder blade to my neck was locked up. So my day started with Advil. Then I did some woodworking and staining in an enclosed room, so the fumes got another headache rolling. The wife had to work 2nd shift today, so my dumbass didn't feed myself. At 8:30PM, I decided to give it a whirl. Plus, I had a mid-workout interruption...detailed below.

Warm Up
Cable Crunches
Hypers

Deads
5x185
5x215
3x255
5x275
1x315!!!
5x315
5x365
So during my 5th set, my damn dog decided to walk into the doorway of my garage/gym and pissed everywhere! Piss on the tile, the threshold, the step, my scale, the carpet, my rubber matt...WTF? He's only 6 months old, but he hasn't had an accident in the house in months, and he sure as hell has never pissed in front of me. Grr...I was tempted to go piss on his bed. So there was about 15 minutes of down time so I could clean. I was close to saying screw it, but I kept with the workout.

Chinups
8, 6, 6, 6
Man, I need to drop 13 pounds.

V-Bar Cable Rows
10x140
10x160
10x180
10x200

Cool Down
Cable Crunches
Hypers

I think I've worked out 5 days a week for the past 4 weeks. I sore and tired. No workout tomorrow.
 
hairygrandpa

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Outside is it cold, probably snow too. I can understand your dog.
 
kenpoengineer

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Workout fueled by pissed off lifter! Lol. Where do you live? I'm near Cleveland Ohio.
 
hairygrandpa

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He might be a 6-month old puppy, but he's big enough to handle some snow...

Middle of Michigan
My kind of dog! LOVE Molosser! English mastiff ?
 
Famine

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2/28/16
Abbreviated Workout

Bench

5x135
5x155
3x185
5x205
5x235
5x265

CGBP
10x135
10x165
10x185
10x205
Last set was a grinder for some reason.
 
Dustin07

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wtf that's a huge 6 month old lol.

i cracked up at the idea of pissing in his bed. eye for an eye. ha.
 
Famine

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2/29/16
531 BB Routine


Weight: 231

Warm Up
Cable Crunches
Hypers
Foam Roller

Squats
5x155
5x185
3x225
5x245
5x285
5x315
10x135 fast
10x135 fast
10x135 fast

Leg Extensions
12x90
12x135
12x160
12x185
I know it's sort of irrelevant posting numbers for something like this since there is no common lever or pulley among machines. It's mostly for my own reference.

Leg Curls
12x50
12x75
12x85
5x100
My hammies were shot after the 3rd set, but I thought maybe, just maybe I had more in me. Nope.

Decline Situps
2 sets of 20
Would have been 4 sets, but nature called...and she was calling loudly!


This workout took forever for some reason. I wasn't use to all this isolation work; I'm gonna be walking funny in 36 hours (which is when leg DOMS always hit me).
 
dapack

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10 sets of squats even counting warm ups does take a while. I know I probably piss a lot of people off at my gym since on squat days I am in the rack usually between 45 to 60 mins.
 
Famine

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10 sets of squats even counting warm ups does take a while. I know I probably piss a lot of people off at my gym since on squat days I am in the rack usually between 45 to 60 mins.
LOL, so you're THAT guy!?
 
Famine

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3/1/16

I watched a couple of CT Fletcher videos for fun, then this happened...

EZ Bar Curls
12x70
12x90
12x110
10x130 PR, I think, but with a little bit of movement.
1x150 sloppy as hell
10x110
15x90
15x90
15x90
12x90
10x90
10x90
5x90 finally

Kenpo's workout plan might have had something to do with it too.
 
Famine

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I went to my chiropractor today and had him look at my foot that has had plantar fasciitis symptoms for the past two months. I say "symptoms" because it was self diagnosed, but it's not rocket science, it was plantar fasciitis. Anyway, he grabbed onto my foot, felt all the bones, muscles, and tendons, and said it was all sorts of FUBAR. He pushed and pulled and cracked it for about 3 minutes. 100% of my pain gone instantly. I'm not sure why some people live with plantar fasciitis if it is that easy to fix.
 
kenpoengineer

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Awesome EZ Curl session! OLAD Style! I suffer from plantar fasciitis as well. Researching it and it seems to result from wearing running shoes, heel being too thick and not having proper arch support.
 

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