11/2 - still around, mentally worn with all the COVID, politics and general strife in these times. Overall my immediate circle is doing well. Headed to AZ (Scottsdale, Sedona) for long weekend and will find taking stick a night or two for some live poker which I miss. Lots of hiking with the Mrs and R&R otherwise.

Still hitting CF 4-5 per week. Health (low back, right shoulder impingement) improving with combo of PT, chiro, massage, not being dumb and nightly CBD. Not crushing but hit 5x225 FS (squatting limited for a long time) and 88# weighted pullup (only have done strict , not much weighted at all). Oly is sorry (could maybe PC barely 200#), taking it super slow and don’t have confidence back yet. BW steady about 196 (89kg), a bit softer profile.

7/18/21

Check in: nothing crazy to report. Have had left knee swelling, PT evaluated and gave some exercises that are helping. Once warm I can do most movements, not sure how basketball will go (haven’t played in a couple months) when I give it a try soon.

Still CF 4-5x per week and other than knee feel pretty good overall. Shoulder had been a drag for a while but now better.

Some recent lifts:
PC 2x225
DL 5x425 (after my CF gym ran an 8 week cycle with DL weekly)

I can easily knock out 10 strict pullups, have done so 3x this week in warmups. May target October Tactical Strength Challenge, which has 3 events. 1RM DL, max strict pullups, 5 minutes max KB snatch (45#). It’s run in KB gyms all over but definitely limited participation. I may have a shot at winning old guy division out of the 40 or so that sign up world wide.

Random check in. Feeling pretty good overall, limiting overhead work as don’t want to push my limited mobility. Back feeling good and shoulder better.

Gym notes:
Just bought the Eleiko crossfit bar, parking it at the CF gym I go to. Many folks do this and I have some b-day and Christmas $$ and thought, what else should a 52 year old spend $ on? Only so many pairs of socks I need. I’ve used 3 times, so far so good. Doesn’t spin like regular Oly bar by design for better power lifts and not razor blade knurling like their comp bar.
Still doing the CF thing 4-5 times per week. Would probably benefit from a rehab/prehab program and limit metcons and focus on mobility and strength. Will see if I motivate to do so.

I’d like to DL 500# someday. Did PC 245 a couple weeks back. Squatting feels better, just hasn’t been programmed much.

I would be interested in you logging more. I do crossfit 5 days a week now and am trying to tweak the programming to get stronger while maintaining everything else.

Probably not going to log here much at all, more a lurker due to life and other priorities. Plus our gym uses Sugarwod so my logging is super simple and searchable. I’m a mediocre CF -participant these days, so any extra motivation I could get logging here wouldn’t be worth the juice.

Do you use Sugarwod? If so could connect that way to see our gyms info and my workouts.

Biggest things I’ve learned as someone fairly new to strength training is to find almost any program and stick with it. If you’re in beginner to intermediate levels you should be able to level up. I went thru Oly cycle for 8-12 weeks that had me squatting 3x/week and hit a 400# Backsquat at 200# BW (at better depth, up from 330 or,so). Did a Smolov Jr 8 week bench program after blowing Achilles and took 1 RM from 250 to 285 (Close to 300).

Do almost any program and make sure mobility, sleep and nutrition are in line and you see gains. Will need more specialization as you improve beyond Advanced levels (Per Rippetoe, decent gauge for power lifts).

We use Wodboard unfortunately. I log in here, so if you're interested have a look at my log and would welcome any feedback. I'm at a place where I'm enjoying training and my strength, cardio, and gymnastics are all fairly balanced, so I'm just showing up to class 5 days a week and scaling/changing things to try and get a bit stronger.

I do peek at your log, will comment if I feel something is helpful.

Sounds like you’re training for life and if you enjoy it and stay consistent, that’s a win.

Update: doing fairly well, shoulder feels better and starting to mix in some overhead work. Double KBs have been solid.

On a Wendler cycle for 8ish weeks. Finished our last heavy before retesting in 2 weeks. Testing was a week after I had Covid , was negative but not 100%. Lung goo was present for almost 4 weeks (had it last Year and also vaxxed, this time lingered like a roided cold).

Benched 2x225, DL 3x405 this week. Bench felt meh, DL felt smooth. Hope to get 450+ in 2 weeks belted and if I feel may load 500 for a spin.

Did some testing this week after our program.

Monday: 335 Backsquat, felt good after not having 300+ on my back in years
Tuesday: 245 bench, was a struggle. RPE 9.8, like 6 second grind
Wednesday: 455 DL RPE 8.5. Tried 500 and it left the floor, bailed. I think my torso was too forward at the start and bar started to move away from me.

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Lost tension in my back early on, upper back can maybe deal with but I felt mid back start to be compromised and bail.

Was running out of time, otherwise I may have tried again with a more upright torso at start.

Nice lifts! Are any of them PRs?

The video link doesn't work.

I didn’t think the link was working….trying to post from my iPad and haven’t tried inserting pics/vids forever.

None PRs - squat 400, bench 285, DL 475

So I’m likely stronger in DL now, could’ve had the 500 and 480 likelier. Squat was after 12 week Oly cycle when I squatted 3x per week and felt good. Happy with how 335 felt considering recent nagging issues have kept me from squatting heavy. Benched 285, almost 300 years ago when recovering from Achilles tear and went thru Smolov Jr bench cycle while my foot was worthless.

Life in general is good - family, house, career. May be on Thremp path and retire in 5 years….although not as young. But probably not.

My right should has been an issue for over a year. Not shooting up the arm, but pain, lack of mobility. Hurting to shoot a basketball. Chiro I’ve seen some suggested getting to ortho and some X-rays as he thought it felt like some bone impingement.

Today confirmed: arthritis and bone spur. Ortho said while they treat people not X-rays, X-ray said time for new shoulder.

I will get to PT that helped me thru previous issues (low back…fine with improved hip mobility- Achilles rupture - left shoulder labrum tear). Ask him their thoughts and options. Plus 2nd ortho. I’m not a fan of cutting but bone spurs and arthritis (bone on bone in part of the joint) not going to magically heal. Years of working at a desk, being old and activity likely took a toll.

Open to others here thoughts/experiences. Ortho today said replacement (numeral head and glenoid). Claims 3-4 month and ROM back. My rotator is good. I did also see that there’s something called resurfacing that’s less invasive but not sure arthritis would allow.