Hi friends. This intro will be too long. Read this and skip the rest if you desire: I am a relatively heavy lifter and I'm done with any real goals, but I want to keep a log to monitor where I stand as I go through an extremely busy time in my life.

The TLDR:

Basics - My name is Tom and I've been around these threads for much longer than my reg date. I had to change my name when 2p2 got hacked or something way back then. I may have had a thread in this subforum but I can't remember. I'm a member of the US military and have been for 14 years. I'm now 36 and living somewhere in Europe (more on this later).

Numbers - I'm a shade under 6'1", 235-245 depending on recent beer intake, and I'll just say I don't look fat. Haven't been into body building type stuff in 4 years, but I've kept lifting and running without much direction. I don't do any vanity lifting, and stick entirely to bench/squat/DL. If I had to guess my current numbers would be about 365/335/450. Those are poorly proportioned for a reason, which I'll cover later. My PRs, all between 4 and 8 years ago, are 385/450/580. At the time I did 385 I was working out in a place where I didn't feel comfortable going higher due to unstable platform and insufficient equipment, but I'm positive I was good for somewhere in the low 400s. I regret never being able to test that number.

Physical excuses - I had a substantial shoulder surgery (bancart) many years ago, and was young and stupid and didn't rehab properly. As a result, my bench has always been very difficult to move up, even though I've never had any further injury. Additionally, I had a lower back muscle-pull while doing a DL PR in 2007ish (successful at 545, and it felt completely fine for about 20 minutes) that nearly cost me my profession. If you care to know my specific profession feel free to PM. I swore off lifting for 3 years or more, or more accurately anything lower-body. I got back into it and made huge strides during a very intense year, setting a PR like every month, then stopped again for another 2 or so years. I got back into the weight room fairly recently and got stuck with upper-body only due to training for a half-marathon (finished it in 2:01:00 @ 233 lbs).

Life complications/excuses - I have had a very unique career in the military. In 14 years I’ve never had down-time. I’ve been deploying and away from my family and life more than 99% of the military over that time. This European dalliance is a welcome change of lifestyle, and I will be capitalizing on it the the maximum extent possible. What’s that mean? Next week I am taking 9 days to do a 4-city tour of Italy, and I will be doing things like that for the entirety of my time here. During those trips I will not be working out. Also, my job requires travel about 1.5 weeks/month on average. During these trips my workout routine will be in flux. My wife and I have a 16-month old girl and are 2 months away from a boy. My family is visiting for the entire month of December. I also have a chunk of additional education I need to finish before March.

All that is to say, I do not know what my focus will be.

The way forward So 1.5 months ago I decided to get back into leg stuff. It has been somewhere around 3-4 years. I was struggling through painful knees and a tight lower back, and 1 month ago to the day I humorously decided to try a 315 DL. It was easy-isa but I could feel my back not wanting to play ball. Well today I did a 5x5 workout with 405. And it was easy. So the strength is coming back quick and I'm hungry to stay strong.

I am not setting goals. I don't know enough about my future to be able to do so. I would like to maintain as much consistency with my fitness as possible, and I think seeing some data on this site will help that. That said, I think it'd be pretty cool to hit 400 on the bench at this age. I will reassess the feasibility of that number as we go. I seemed to have plateaued at around 350-360.

Any advice is welcome, but I am an old dog. I like being in the gym, and I don't like making it a science, so don't expect me to get super technical. I just go in, find heavy ****, and pick it up. I don't use gloves, a belt, a suit, chalk, or anything. I'm pretty boring and old school.

Philosophy moment - I find the most difficult workout concept to grasp is consistency. Most newbies are looking for a way to get to a certain point, but 99% of them will never understand the level of commitment, and length of time, it will take to get there. I suffer from inconsistency myself, as my story eludes to. I just can't keep working out when I'm doing the mentally draining activities I do at work for 16 hour days. This thread, in some part, will be about me seeking consistency in a very inconsistent personal environment.

Okay, there's the TLDR. From here, I don't know where this thread will go, but I'm going to start with my week. I'm posting this while drinking Lagavulin 16 in predictably large quantities, which will likely be a theme.

Good luck on your goals. Can't offer any advice apart from suggesting you need to upgrade the calibre of your scotch. Lagavulin quality has decreased in the last 10 years . If you happen to be based in Germany biggest whisky festival is in Limburg in April over the weekend. You need to start drinking some independent cask strength bottling imo... Anyway sorry for the derail and if your ever in this neck of the woods let me know.

September 5th

Monday - Labor day. Family day.

Tuesday -

Early AM 5k-ish. Ran around my new neighborhood. Gorgeous, but hilly. Ugh. Can't believe I did that half-marathon so recently, I couldn't come close to that. Oh well, I love running but a half-marathon is not what I'm built for.

Afternoon lift. Chest. Bench worked up to 315, where I did 4,4,3,4. OBTW, I very rarely use spotters, and did not today. Then did some 120 dumbbell incline, then some other ancillary chest stuff. I plan on increasing my bench work and decreasing the ancillary stuff in due time.

Wednesday - DL, did a bunch of stuff in kilograms and I don't speak that language so I wasn't really paying attention. Ended a fairly lazy pyramid with 3x25 and 1x10 on each side for 3 reps, whatever that means. Then did some more back stuff. I like hitting my back hard on DL days. I started with dumbbell rows, 4 sets of 8 with 140s. If I keep this up I'll need to start using straps, my grip was struggling towards the end. We'll see. Then off to pulldowns. This new gym of mine has the pulldown machine that hooks up to two points. So when it says 190 as the whole stacks, I never know what that means just that it feels heavier than a normal machine where I like to work in the upper 200s, to include affixing an extra barbell plate. Anyways, I just did the whole rack for like 8,8,7,6 or close. Then some more stuff to sweat it out.

Thursday - Squats were weak, but I'm still working through my form and making sure I'm taking care of my knees and lower back. I stopped adding weight at 275, and did I think 5 sets that went something like 6,7,8,6,5. Felt good, can't wait to step up to some heavy work. I'm a full ATG kinda guy BTW. I said I don't do vanity stuff, but I do like to work shoulders I suppose. So I did 3 different lifts until I was sweat-out.

Friday - Bench that ended at 275 for 8,8,7,6,5. DL that ended in 405 for 5x5. Actually it was 5,5,5,5,6 cause I felt like a king. Then dumbbell presses with 120s for 8,8,7,6. The DLs were amazing. I didn't expect to be back to these numbers for another 2 months. Very happy, we'll see how it goes from here. The bench work was weak, but I didn't feel fully healed from Tuesday and again I don't use a spotter, so I decided to stop at 275 and rep it out.

My ideal split at this time is just the 5 weekdays. I don't want to waste my weekends with my daughter. It looks something like this, but variates wildly haha:

Monday - Bench
Tuesday - DL/Back
Wednesday - Squat/Shoulders
Thursday - Bench
Friday - DL and Squat

C'mon, man!

You should have one.....Drink better whiskey!!!

Lagavulin is way overrated and is mostly sold export because it is easily palatable and has lost some character.

Pretty good day on the bench. Guy next to me seemed competent and he was very willing to hang around and spot me. So my first spotted workout in 2 months or so. I ran into one of the problems that I have with spotters, and on my heaviest set. His hanging out at the top of the bench made me feel a bit rushed. I probably needed another minute of rest but at some point I just went for it. Got it with some difficulty but glad it went up. Not a PR by any means, but heaviest successful lift in 4 months. Makes me think that 400 will be possible after about a year or so.

45x15
135x8
185x6
225x4
275x2
315x1
335x1
345x1 ez
355x1 smooth
360x1 max today, pushed through stall, needed more rest but spotter rushed
225x12

Incline DBs
120x6x2 110x6x2

Decline press machine, 4x45/side. 10x3x4

Wrapped it up a little early because I needed more time at work. Tomorrow I'm going to see if I feel good enough for an AM run, then in the gym do some DLs and squats. Tomorrow is my last day before heading off to Rome. Super excited, but I'll lose the entire 12 days of working out while on leave.

Frustrating day today. Was just getting going with DLs and wanted to test myself up towards 500 and got cut off. Apparently this base gym doesn't allow DLs in the big weight room. They told me to use the xfit room upstairs, but they have thick bumper plates so I can't get enough weight on the bar. So tilting. I kinda lost my **** on the gym manager. He had no idea what he was talking about and no valid justification. But whatever. Gotta figure something out when I get back from Italy.

Squats were weird. I don't squat on DL days so I didn't really know where I was at. Had a very good sweat going towards the end. Not really a powerlifting plan but I was having fun. Last rep I got forward on my toes while I was at the bottom. Did not like it so I stopped.

Here's my iPhone notes:

DL
135x14
225x8
275x4
315x3
365x2
405x2 ez but lower back tight
435x1
455x1 cutoff

DB Rows
150x8/6/6/6 grip gave out

Squat
135x8
225x6
275x4
295x3
315x3 rolled fwd on the way up, not comfortable

Off to Italy! So stoked for this vacation. Gonna be choking down some serious carbs and chasing it with ample vino.

Oh, and I ran this morning.

Italy is awesome. Have fun! I'm going to Tuscany in 2 weeks. Can't wait!

Welcome back.

Might be completely impractical for your setup, but can you put one set of bumpers on and then use iron plates for the rest?

No they won't let me drag iron upstairs to their stupid "functional fitness" room lol. I dunno wtf I'm gonna do!

And thanks, good to be back!

Will they let you drag two bumpers downstairs?

Yeah, that sucks. Any other gyms in the area? Google/Facebook some strongman or powerlifting (or maybe crossfit or Olympic lifting) clubs and see where they train? I already forgot where in Europe you are... But any rugby clubs around?

Turns out I'm staying pretty active in Rome! Yesterday and today prolly walked 20 miles total and today's not over. I have a 20 lb kid on my back, but my wife has a 5 lb in her stomach and hasn't made a peep. Women are really bad ass sometimes.

I think my wine total is approaching 5 bottles as I finish a bottle of good white that my Airbnb guy left me. After this break we walk again. Yesterday was the Vatican, today Ancient Rome in the morning and just dicking around before dinner at a fancy place near the Pantheon.

Even with the super quality Deuter kid backpack my shoulders are blasted. Oh well, that's what the wine is for. Bullet train to Firenze tomorrow. More wine, meat, pasta, and walking.

Oh today our tour guide called me a "real gladiator." I chubbed.

Nah, I'll have to make do. It's the gym in base, and if I don't get it in on my lunch, it ain't happening. Can't validate leaving the wife for another couple hours at night.

Make sure you go to the leather market...If you pay anything over 50% tag price you've been had.

Italy was awesome. Dream vacation. Balled pretty hard, top shelf trip all around. Drank some very nice bottles of wine and even ran down a good Italian ipa that shares a name with my daughter. Anyways, back at it.

Lightish day today, didn't wanna hurt myself, didn't want to get a spot. Noticed on incline DB press the 120s cause me some discomfort in my previously operated on right shoulder. Think I'm gonna cut those back, or move them to when I'm gassed and lighter weight returns similar results. Rest felt real good. Going running tomorrow AM and gonna try to figure out the DL situation.

Bench
45x15
135x10
185x6
225x4
275x2
295x2
315x2
335x1
340x1
335x1
315x3
225x10 (speed)

Incline DBs
120x6/6/5
100x6

Narrow
185x10/10

Decline machine
4 plates/side 10/9/9/8

Good day considering first leg hit in 2 weeks. Had to use kg plates, so lots of staring at my phone converting #s.

I think I need to decrease the weight and up the volume. But all these lifts were good. Last heavy went up good but was work. And I need to pack straps. I don't want to use them for DL, but my grip right on the edge on my aux lifts.

DL
45x10
155x10
265x6
331x4
375x2
441x1
463x1/1//1
375x5/5

DB row
150x6/6/6/6 grip held atw

Pulldowns
Stack X 7/6/6 grip problems

Ok, two more probably completely impractical options for your deadlift situation...

Buy your own 50kg bumper plates or long sleeve bar and leave them in the gym.

Food pics or gtfo..

Welcome back!

Both good ideas. I suppose I'll have to see where this current stretch takes me. I should be good until about 550. I'm not really committed to going north of that. We'll see.

Which brings up a good point. I was bored at work and bumping around the web. Started looking into Sheiko, which I've done, and 5/3/1, which I haven't. I was toying around with jumping into one starting next week. I don't think I'll go that way. I want to spend a couple months just lifting what I want when I want with no structure. As stated in the OP/title.

When you do decide you want to get a bit more structure in your programing, you could go and hit up Aidan, cha, weasel or someone like that. They've got a fair bit of powerlifting experience and have helped out a number of posters with programming. I think they'll have some ideas just beyond simply "do 531" or "do sheiko.

Squat form is a hot mess. I'll get there. I'm experimenting with moving the bar further down my shoulders. I've always been a base of the next guy and I think it drives my knees out too far. When I couldn't get it to work and when back to normal, my knees started barking. 315 is light for my legs but heavy for my back so I kept it low volume and treated everything as educational. Did get some good work on the leg press at the end, but I hate that thing and would rather squat all day.

iPhone notes:

Squat
45x12
135x10
225x8
275x4
315x2

Can't get weight lower than base of neck

Figured it out, much better. Knees feel great, steady down and up. Shoulders don't like it but we'll see what a couple weeks working on it does.

315x3/3/3

DB bench

70x10 speed
100x6
125x4
150x3/3/3
100/12

Leg press
4 sets of 8

I had such an amazing breakthrough, "ah-ha" moment day today!

So I'm traveling for work again. This time its 16 days in the middle of the woods basically. It's a pretty built-up base though and there's a fantastic gym. Unfortunately its a heavy presence of young army dudes. OMG today was hard to watch. Cringeworthy. I'll save the gym complaints except for one: WTF is the deal with sleeveless hoodies????? Wow, gym was just full-douche. There was 1 guy with 405 on the bench, walking around and screaming to pump himself up, and then wrapping his elbows reallllllllllllll tight.....then of course about 6" of travel.

Anyways, on to the breakthrough. Like I've stated, I'm still "getting back into it." I have been struggling to find my form on the squat rack. Last time I tried moving the bar way down on my back (comparatively) and it was killing my shoulders.

So today I figured out two things. One, I found a little crease in my upper shoulders where the bar fit perfectly and didn't bruise me like last time. Second, and far more importantly, I didn't try so hard to stay erect. I pushed my ass out more, kept my knees over, not past, my heels, and kept my whole back activated all the way down and up. I even upped my weight and felt suuuuuper good throughout.

Oh, and this week I'm going to try 3 lifting days, M/W/F, with a little less volume on the bench but benching all week. And 2 squat days. I'm too busy to do anything too high volume, but this was probably 50 minutes and I feel great.

Bench
135x10
185x8
225x6
275x3
315x3/3/3
335x1+f

Squat
135x10
225x10
275x6
315x4/44
365x2/1
315x7

Can't wait to see how I feel Wednesday during DLs. I'm really feeling like my muscle memory is clicking in, and I'm just loving the feeling of heavier weight. Gotta stay injury free. Too old for this ****...

I hate hate hate being in a rush. I didn't do my normal stretching routine and didn't have as much rest as I'd like. I torqued my lower back on the last couple DL sets. Shoulda just stopped. Now I'm a bit sore but I don't think it'll be too bad tomorrow. Oh and I got told to put my shoes back on so I had to DL with regular running shoes (I love barefoot) and I shoulda taken that as a sign and just racked it.

Bench was whatever, just trying to get back into 3/week.

DL (reduced rest time)

135x10
225x8
315x6
405x3
435x2
455x1/2/1
405x6 ouch lower back. 1 more and I'm dead.

Bench

Quicker warmup than I like. Gotta go.
135x10
225x6
315x3/3/2/3

DB row (straps)

150x8/8/8

Used a belt during squats cause one was available. Kinda nice, might get back to it.

Also, this was the end of my trial run of 3x lifting days with all 3 containing bench, and alternating bench/DL. It felt good, might commit to a month to see if there are good returns.

Bench
Warmup
225x6
275x4
315x3
325x2
335x1
340x1/1/1
225x20

Squat
Warmup
225x6
Belt on to test
275x4
315x3
365x1
385x1/1
315x8

I recorded the first 385 just cause it's been a while since I was operating that high and I wanted to see my form. I'll try to post it now.


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