4/29/2011:

Low pulley row: 100 X 10, 180 X 10, 220 X 8, 240 X 7, 260 X 6
(Light) Bent-over row: 135 X 3 X 10
Shoulder shrug: 225 X 10, 405 X 10 (stopped after feeling it in pec)
Elliptical: 0:58:48 at 20/11 - 20/10 interval, 130 strides/minute, 800 kcal expenditure total (per machine readout); had planned a moderate session but I felt strong -- HR below 135 BRM throughout -- so I went with it.

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Notes: abbreviated session due to partial left pec tear; minimized left shoulder ROM by keeping lifts low (not elevated) and close (grip).

"I'm now I'm at my target weight and am transitioning to Lyle McDonald's maintenance plan."

I'm sorry if I've missed the answer and I do hate cardio by default but why are you going so hard on the elliptical?

I found it to be very beneficial while training to achieve my target weight. While cardio is often catabolic, I found it to be muscle-sparing when combined with weight training and reduced caloric intake.

I also am glad to have the cardiac benefits that came with it. I really do feel a lot better just in my day-to-day life with a resting heart rate in the low 50s or maybe even lower.

Now that I'm at my target weight, I will be transitioning cardio downward as well, but will be gradual about it -- especially as I'm increasing caloric intake at the same time.

My end game here is likely something like one 45 minute steady-state session (running, elliptical, or similar) and two 20 minute HIITs per week.

But you don't hate cardiovascular conditioning. You just do HIIT and other training rather than steady-state cardio.

Still, on average, I suspect the random guy in his 40s or older is more concerned about cardiovascular conditioning than is the random guy in his early 20s. If either random guy is doing anything about it is a different story, of course.

I do that hiit stuff because I like to eat a lot and doing that allows me to get more done in less time than steady state cardio. Also, there is a resistance aspect to those things I do, so its barely even cardio.

I think some of what youre saying is right though. When we get older, it is harder to recover from lifting, so most older people tend to not like doing stuff that is hard & makes them hurt.

Cha59,

Your HIIT training makes sense.

As for me, cardio was a necessary evil over the past 35 weeks. However, it was also great rehab in that I walk and run perfectly now....no limp or other visual evidence of any nerve damage. I also simply feel better with good cardiovascular conditioning.

So, I'm glad I did it, but I'll be quite happy as I reduce it over the next month or so.

4/29/2011:

DL (sumo): 135 X 10, 185 X 10, 225 X 5, 275 X 5, 295 X 5, 335 X 2
(Light) Romanian DL: 135 X 3 X 10
Running, indoor track: 20 min HIIT, 1.4 miles total

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Notes: slightly abbreviated session due to partial left pec tear; minimized left shoulder ROM by keeping lifts low (not elevated, so no squats or good mornings).

yeah, back in mid-2009 when I started getting active again after being sedentary for > 6 years, all I could do was the elliptical, a recumbent bike and the treadmill. I know it has its place for a lot of people, & I did a lot of it for a while because I couldnt do anything else, and it did help me get to where I am now, but its not for me right now.

I understand that for sure. Again, great comeback!

I personally use the elliptical machine because it's low impact. I can run and sprint fine -- and I enjoyed today's HIIT session -- but I've been happy to keep some of the impact on my left ankle down.

I feel a ton better about all of this now than I did just a few months ago. I'll probably always do some HIIT on the machine, but will mix in more sprinting, staircase running, and stuff like that.

4/30/2011:

Stretching: Hip flexor stretches, hamstrings, calves, and upper body.
Run, outdoor, moderate hills: 4.0 miles total (GPS-enabled pedometer)

Notes: Felt good. Still a bit flat-footed on left side, but reasonable form. Greatly improved over last year.

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Week 1 maintenance

• Weight: unchanged
• Daily food intake (average): 2,106.2 kcal, 57.9 g fat, 187.7 g carb, 194.7 g protein

Week 2 plan

• Will try for 2200 kcal/day, with one refeed to stimulate metabolism
• Training: if weight stays put, will replace one steady-state cardio session with HIIT
• Will continue week 1 supplementation: EC stack, 20g X 200g X 2; multivitamin; 1.25 g fish oil

Not too exciting today:

5/2/2011:

Stretching: Hip flexors, hamstrings, calves, and upper body.
Various light overhead pressing exercises: 10 sets, mainly for ROM due to pec tear
Pulley rope pushdowns: 55 X 3 X 10
Hanging leg raises: BW X 3 X 5
Elliptical, low/moderate intensity: 0:45:54, 500 kcal total

Note: abbreviated session due to partial left pec tear

I trained 5/3/1 and variants thereof for years as a powerlifter. I don't think training so close to maximum would work for me now, unfortunately.

Of the other two, Texas Method is probably the better fit for me. I won't jump right into it, of course, preferring instead to ramp gradually from what I'm doing now. Should be fun.

Well, if done properly 5/3/1 will produce less sets at fewer reps than TM will, so that sounds kind of weird. Properly done 5/3/1 implementations in H&F seem to get at least 3+ reps on the last week on the last set, and more on previous weeks. So, TM will mean you work closer to your max.

Thanks Soulman.

I'll adjust any program to match my goals (and capabilities). For instance, I'll not go below my five rep max on much of anything, so anything that calls for anything heavier will be adjusted automatically. I think that pretty much rules out 5/3/1, as it's based on training in lower rep range at close to maximal loads. TM may not be the correct one either, of course.

Right now, I'm still getting good results training three-on, one off. I used to train four days a week, so this is really just that but with the upper body training split into two separate workouts.

I'm not really a fan of 5/3/1, but most of the people on here doing it never do max effort sets of fewer than 3-4 reps. It would be very easy to adjust it so that you're always working in the 5-10 rep range on your main lift, and all assistance work is higher rep as well.

Would def be a minor adjustment. Just use 85% for your training max and you're good to go for sure. Even when I used 90% I never got below 5 reps in the last "1" week.

Yes, you guys are correct. Additionally, I don't mind hitting triples here and there on squats and deadlifts, and (of course) I never went below five on assistance work even when training for pure powerlifting.

Thanks.

5/3/2011:

Stretching: Hip flexors, hamstrings, calves, and upper body.
Bent-over row: 135 X 10, 185 X 10, 225 X 2 X 8
Low pulley row: 220 X 10, 240 X 8, 260 X 7
Pull-ups (close, neutral grip): BW X 5 (just making sure I can do it)
Shoulder shrug (no straps, non-alternate grip -- more for grip training than traps): 225 X 15, 315 X 10, 335 X 8, 365 X 3
Upright row: 45 X 10, 95 X 10
Cardio: walking to my car

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Notes: abbreviated session due to partial left pec tear...felt pretty good...patiently waiting for my metabolism to ramp up

Now that's my kind of cardio!

5/4/2011:

Squats: 135 X 10, 185 X 10, 225 X 7, 245 X 5, 255 X 3
Romanian DL: 135 X 10, 185 X 10, 225 X 8, 245 X 5
Hanging leg raises (feet to the crossbar): BW X 2 X 8 (five all the way up to the bar or at least head-high, the final three progressively lower but still chest-high or higher)
Cardio: walking to my car

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Notes: concerned about squatting due to pec tear, but all was fine...felt pretty good

Mine too, so I repeated it today.

I thought I'd do some, but the leg training was enough. My body weight is holding steady, so no need today.

5/5/2011

Off

5/6/2011

• Stretching: Hip flexors, hamstrings, calves, and upper body.
• Wide grip pull-ups: BW X 3 X 10
• Narrow, neutral grip pull-ups: BW X 3 X 10
• DB seated shoulder presses: 20 X 10, 30 X 10, 40 X 6 (not heavy and could have done ten pretty easily but felt slight pain in left pec and stopped the lift)
• Shoulder shrug: 45 X 10, 225 X 10, 495 X 2 X 15, 495 X 17
• Close grip bench: 45 X 8
• Lateral raise machine: 170 X 7, 185 X 5, 110 X 15
• Pulley rope pushdowns: 80 X 3 X 10
• Hanging leg raises: BW X 8, BW X 5
• Run, outdoor, moderate hills: 5.0 miles (measured with GPS-enabled pedometer)*

* recent PR and probably tied for lifetime PR (never had any interest in running further than that....and still don't).

Notes:

• took some things easy due to partial left pec tear
• running has been great rehab for my left leg....it's probably the best thing I've done to train other muscles to take over for those weakened by nerve damage
• running form was just fine...left foot not hitting ground flat at all

As I'd hate for new lifters to read my posts and get the wrong idea, I should mention that I have been on a set program all this time and have not just been winging it.

I've been training three-on, one-off, with chest/tri as day 1, back/bi as day 2, legs/lower back for day 3 (detailed more in post #8), and a bunch of cardio mixed in. I always start with some sort of compound lift and always seek to improve it from the week before. I don't generally do the same lift twice in a week (i.e., I may squat the first rotation and DL the second). Most importantly, it's all been planned out well prior to me showing up at the gym.

This is a tried and true system and it was exactly what I needed to hit my fitness goals...which I did successfully.

I am at a different point in my training now that I'm lifting heavier and am capable of more intensity. I'll be modifying some training, but I'll do this with a preset plan as well.

One goal I had was to look like myself at poker functions, which I finally did yesterday:

looking great man. Your shoulders/traps are definitely busting out. One question: I don't think I've seen you stretch your glutes, yet your lower body exercises focus a lot on them. How come?