Oh wow, it's been this long since I posted here.

I revisited because I hit a milestone.

315 DL. Woot! I've been wanting to be able to do 3 plates forever and I finally got there. It wasn't pretty and I'm sure would get a red light in competition, but I'm calling it good.

Interesting to see where I was this long ago.

My bench has gone done a little. Not much but still down.

My squats have gone up a little. Not much.

DL has gone up. I attribute this form mostly. I wasn't making my glutes do the work like they should. I sort of had a light bulb lift and things got better from there.

I see I was doing sprints when I quite logging. Although I don't really sprint, i've gone back to alternating faster pace with walking. I've had recurring calf pulls when I sort of plod along and so far this new approach has eliminated that.

Nice! Three plates. So satisfying.

Awesome!

Thanks guys. It seems like everything physical just keeps getting harder so victories like this feel really good.

What is your programming?

Drag my ass to the gym. That's about it. I was going to make a post about suggestions when I retire. Anything I do until then needs to be squeezed into about 1-1 1/2 hours - 3 days, which includes rolling/mobility and core.

Thanks should cover real programming as long as the 1-1.5x3 doesn't have to cover travel time.

Look at what KC, Renton, and Monte are running (all different templates from barbell medicine). That is what decent intermediate programming looks like.

Oh geez. I knew this would be depressing.........

My bench has deteriorated quite a bit since I was posting. Just a slow degredation. My typical routine is something like

10x135
8x155
5x165
4x175
8x155

I do some machine presses as well.

My shoulder is in constant pain and lately I've had nerve pain going down to my hand. I don't do inclines at all any more. Ugh.

Squats are close to the same as before. They were never very strong to begin with so I didn't have to far to fall

Deadlifts were going pretty well until something "shifted" in my hips during a lift. Kinda jacked up my back. I haven't been the same since. But, I'm still lifting up to about 285 on a good day.

But, I still hit the gym 3 times a week and try to do what I can.

The focus here, though, will be my attempt to get some aerobic training in. Running is out. I've put some Xmas pounds on and instead of shedding them like I did in the past, I seem to be adding.

So, I'm going to try spin. My wife has a good spin bike and has the peleton app. So, I'm going to try some of the classes. I think I'll start with the 20 minute classes and work my way up. I'm going to try for 3 times a week.

I'll track progress here but if there are some things I should think about, I'm all ears.

Did my first ride. 20 minutes.

The instructor called it a zone ride. We did zone 1 then 2 then 3 then back down. We did this twice. I think maybe 2 minutes each.

I tried to listen to how she described what I should be going for. I got through the first set but had to back off the resistance for the second set.

I must admit, though. I got a pretty good sweat up. Breathing a little heavy. Not really taxing aerobically but my legs were completely toast. I figure this will change pretty quickly if I stick with it.

Not too bad.

Yeah I can't comment much because I have not seen the peloton workouts.

This looks okay because at least you didn't spend the whole 20 minutes in zone3. That's what donks do, they exercise in zone3 for 20 minutes, acting all hard but then quit three weeks later for Netflix n ice cream instead.

Exercise should be enjoyable and fun, if it's not then you are doing it wrong. It's that simple.

Thanks.

The peleton is good for me because it keeps me from being lazy when I'm on the bike. I never liked doing the stationary bike in a gym because I never felt like I got a decent workout. But these have kicked my butt so far.

My second ride today was also 20 minutes but a bit more advanced. It was a hill workout? Lots of standing. A bit too tough for me right now. I got through most of it but had to sit and rest through one cycle. Probably getting a little ahead of myself.

The hardest part other than the fact that I'm just getting started is the peleton has numbered resistance levels and our bike does not so you have to guess. My wife says she's figure it all out but I'm still learning.

Do I need to monitor anything like breathing or pulse or something?

Today was a 30 minute HIIT ride.

45 second standup, 15 second rest 3 sets.
45 second fast cadence, 15 second rest 3 sets
45 second rest

Another round of the above. Then

30 second standup, 10 second rest 2 sets
30 second fast cadence, 10 second rest 2 sets
1 minute rest

Another round of above.

20 second fast cadence, 10 second rest 4 sets.

I might be wrong on some of the rest periods but this was basically the workout.

I made it through everything this time. My legs are starting to not be complete jelly.

30 minute zone ride. 4 minutes on, 1 minute rest 4 times then 2 minutes on 1 minute rest 4 times.

I like the hiit ride better but I will mix it up.

I should probably be logging everything if I'm going to take the time to log.

I think I'm the fattest I've ever been. Maybe not but I'm so much less muscular that it shows a lot. It's been a combination of Xmas fat I never lost, eating more, and not being able to run. You would think I might have gained some strength because of this, but no...

4/19

Squats

8x135
5x145
5x155
4x165
4x155

curls - 8x75 (3)
machine curls - 8 reps (2)

30 minutes core (side planks, planks, bird dogs, ab roller, repeat)

45 minute walk

4/20

Bench

8x155
5x165
4x165
5x155
5x155


machine bench 8 reps (3)

overhead press

8x65
5x85 (2)

tris

skullcrusher

8x75 (3)
lat pushdown with rope - 8x45 (2)

20 minute HIIT ride

30 secs 90+ cadence, 60 sec rest - 6 reps
30 secs 90+ cadence, 30 sec rest - 6 reps

4/21

30 minute HIIT ride

60 second on, 60 rest 7 times alternating between 110 cadence and 80 cadence standup

60 second on 110 cadence, 60 rest
60 on, 30 rest
60 on, 15 rest

repeat above

60 on 110 cadence, 15 rest 6 times

Getting stronger.

DL

5x225
5x245x2
2x265
1x275

lat pulldowns
8x130
6x140x2

db rows
8x65x2

tbar row
10x45x2

15 minute core

Does golf count as exercise? Meh, probably not. But I do end up walking a lot more than most on the course.

Anyway...

45 minutes HIIT and Hill.

I wish I could remember the exact sets but my brain turned to mush pretty early on.

Only 4 fast cadence sets. The rest were slower cadence while standing, but with much higher resistance. it was a mix of 20 second on, 30 off to 40 second on, 20 off.

Extremely challenging but I was able to do everything. And, I feel pretty good after cooling down.

20 minute HIIT ride. Mostly standing up at high resistance/slow cadence. 3 sets of fast cadence.

Legs are toast.

The bad news is I'm fat. Like the fattest I've ever been. Due mostly to the fact that my wife got on a baking binge since Xmas. Cookies, cake, pie......... And, she's a great cook. Resistance is futile.

The good news is she's been eating them too and she has decided she is fat as well and will not be baking for a while.

4/25

45 minute walk

4/26

Squats
8x135
7x145
5x155
5x165
3x175

Barbell curls

10x65
8x75x2

Dumbell curls

8x30x2

45 minute walk

Bench

7x155
5x165
4x175
4x65
5x155

Chest machine 3 sets of 8

lat pushdowns
10x65
8x70
8x70

lat rope pushdowns
8x45x2

20 minutes interval ride

DL
5x225
5x245
3x265
2x275
1x285

3 sets 8 reps lat pulldown machine
3 sets 8 reps row machine

15 minute core

5/3

Fishing is hindering the workouts a bit. When we go, it's an all day thing and I'm pretty much toast the next day. Not as easy as it used to be.

squat

8x135
5x155x2
5x165
2x175

bb curls

8x65
6x75
7x65

2 sets of machine curls

45 minute walk

5/4

bench

8x155
6x165
3x175
4x165
6x155

3 sets 8 chest machine

3 sets 8 lat push down
2 sets 8 lat machine

30 minute zone ride

5/7

Pretty beat up from fishing yesterday.

Light dl

5x225x3
1x245x2

Lat pull-down

8x135
6x145x2

3 sets of 8 machine rows

15 minute core