Andy's Journal Comments

[Jungledoc]

I continue to think about where my training needs to go in the short-run. In the long run, I know where I want it to go--stronger.

In the next week or so I need a deload, and then I think I need a few weeks of lower-intensity, presumably higher-volume training. Looking at Peter's suggestions on the 5/3/1 thread in General:

So I'd recommend going higher reps with significantly lower weight - enough to matter for your reps but not so much total that it crushes you. You might want to look at something like EDT, or back off to a bodybuilding-type phase (3-5 sets of 10-20 reps of lots of smaller exercises) for a couple weeks, and then get back on the intensity horse. You can also try just taking a week or two for practice - pick a couple exercises you don't normally do (TGUs, Windmills, clean and press, farmer's walks), a weight you can handle pretty easily with them, and just practice for an hour or so. It'll end up being a fair amount of work done but nothing insane.

Personally, I kind of like EDT, done with technically simple exercises. It's really hard, but the weights are never so heavy that any given rep is hard. After a few weeks, it's nice to back off to heavier weights for fewer reps, no matter how much heavier that is.

So, thinking about EDT. I can't find any of Charles Staley's articles, as T-Nation is blocked on our network, and I can't seem to find his site, google as I might. I wonder if it's been taken down.

I'm also thinking about exercise selection. I love DL, but I've gotten to the point that I'm pulling pretty heavy, and my back is not recovering well. In fact all my lifts are at very low rep weights. So, of course, bench is in, probably in some form at least twice per training week. Maybe keep a heavy day, and move the other to 10-15 something, maybe 3 sets (my limited imagination only allows 3 sets). Maybe sub DLs out for now, do some swings or GMs or something. Squat leave in, but sort of maintenance , mostly high-volume modest load, occ heavier singles to stay in touch with my max. Maybe there should be something more conditioning oriented, like Peter suggested, like TGUs or farmers' carries (though I don't have any decent equipment for that. Maybe I should build some. I'm feeling like the lost soul of the gym. I'll wander in tomorrow and carry on with the current template, but I've got to stir things up soon.

[stuward]

Staley's site is staleytraining.com but I have no access to it at work. I'm not sure if it's up or not.

[Jungledoc]

So, I haven't really taken the good advice I was given. Pretty well went on with business as usual, just trying to adjust set-rep scheme to make it a bit easier on myself. I've failed. Back's getting worse. I'm sleeping poorly, so getting less sleep. I actually hate to go to bed, 'cause I know that I will be uncomfortable. My back is always worse when I get up in the morning than when I go to bed at night. On top of that, my arthritis has flared up in the last couple of days. Today was DL. I pulled singles at 315/325/315. I felt weak. A few weeks ago I was pulling sets at 330. So I'm weak, sore and down in the old dumps. I clearly need to make some kind of changes. Right now I'm thinking that almost any kind of change is better than the status quo.

Probably will lay off both DL and squat, as per Dub's suggestion a few posts back, and rely on unilateral lifts for lower days. And time to get serious about Self Movement Screen, and then do some of my work based on that.

[Jungledoc]

I'm slowly feeling my way.

I've been doing leg-lowering progression in my warm-up. I find it hard to remember to do it consistently at home on non-lifting days. I'll retest SMS soon.

I haven't deadlifted for a few weeks now, and I miss it a lot. I started cautiously squatting again today, and I think it went OK.

So for now, here's the routine:

Day 1
Swings
GM
Grip

Day 2
Bench heavy
Chins
Row

Day 3
Squat
Core
Maybe some sort of PC accessory

Day 4
Bench, volume
SS Chins/pushup/farmer's walk

My goals are to try not to lose strength while decreasing strain on low back, improvement movement.

Comments and suggestions are welcome.

[ephs]

sounds like you joined the front squat challenge. dub and robertscott should watch out...

[Jungledoc]

They don't have much to worry about from me!

[pdellorto]

Andy, if you can't find the EDT articles, still, let me know. I talk about them here, which is probably enough to start on:

http://strength-basics.blogspot.com/200 ... logic.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Also, you might like looking at this article on Paul Carter's blog, about getting the most out of volume with lower intensities:

http://www.lift-run-bang.com/2012/12/qu ... acked.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

and this one:

http://www.lift-run-bang.com/2012/09/mo ... of-my.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Both are long and contain bad words, but they're kind of where I've been headed for a while. Get the most out of lighter weights, and don't kill yourself doing 90%+ of your true max over and over.

[Jungledoc]

Thanks, Peter. I'll look at theses soon!

[KenDowns]

Happy birthday and is that 200 on bench a PR? I seem to remember you commenting you've been chasing that.

[robertscott]

happy birthday Andy

[Proper Knob]

So the bar has been set so to speak. What will people be able to bench on their 60th birthday, depending we make it that far. 200lbs is the target. Alas, it's going to be 25 years and 363 days till I get there. Hope it's worth the wait.

Happy birthday Doc.

[Jungledoc]

So, Phil, your b-day is the 4th? And you just turned 24?

Thanks all for your kind words and wishes.

[Proper Knob]

Birthday is the 4th, but your maths is off. I'm 34.

[robertscott]

all you old dudes in here. It's like a prostate clinic waiting room

[Jungledoc]

Prostate clinics have small waiting rooms, and large restrooms.