Back in the Lifting Game, anyone else coming back? What are your goals?

Me? My workouts vary.

Let's see...two doubles a week (run to/fr work commute; 12 miles r/t), three bike doubles (15 r/t). Four days in gym at lunch. Usually 6-8 exercises with 2X10. Skier side-jumps, pull-ups, dumbbell deep squat to press, plank/roll/side press, turning/squat-to-stand lat pulley pulls, compound lunge/curl/press with dumbbells, straight bench, straight military press, a ton of stuff with foam roller. Not sure what else. Always warm up with some plyometrics or machine (row, treadmill, etc.)

Went to see the doctor 10 years ago and was told I needed bp meds, etc. I immediately bought a bike and started commuting year round as well as running. Did an ultra, two marathons, yada yada yada.

 

4 nights a week..5 years straight now...lovin it more and more
I do what Arnold does...I dont start counting until it hurts..!

 

I recently got back into the gym after an 18 month hiatus. Trying to get back into reasonable shape.

The absolute strongest, in raw 1RM terms, I've ever gotten was using the simplest programs. Either Rippetoe's Starting Strength program (which can't be any simpler) or Wendler's 5-3-1 program. Both are easily available online. I was very lucky to work at a place where we had access to the highest quality strength and conditioning coaches available in the US (ex-NFL, MLB, and Olympic coaches to a man), and while I've gotten to very high levels of specialized fitness under them for different tasks, I always went back to the basics when it was "off season" and time to get huge.

Since I've been out of the game, I went back to my old favorite, Starting Strength. I'm 34, so I can progress quickly still, but my back squat 1RM is already back up to 355 smooth after two months (starting at 285, ugly), my bench is probably 305, and my deads are in the 450 range. Way off my personal bests (425, 355, and 585 respectively) but I don't feel weak anymore. I haven't hit a plateau yet, which is nice.

The Rippetoe workout starts every lifting day (MWF) with squats. Which sucks. The idea is that the heavy nervous system loading promotes testosterone release which carries throughout your workout.

I'll start adding fancy power stuff as my strength level increases. I do sprint work and LSD runs (long, slow distance) TThSat for endurance.

Here's a good, detailed breakdown of the Rippetoe program: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=712752&p=8930794#post8930794

 

damn son, you were a hoss!

most recently I was using either the Rippetoe program or 5x5 (fairly similar) and was seeing great results, and I agree with starting with squats. I need to get back into it.

 

I'm starting again at 46 (although I'm off / on both with lifting and jiu-jitsu).

Never went for strength but at 190 pounds, my personal best incline bench was 365 for 3 reps. The entire gym stopped to watch that one, a day I'll never forget.

At 43 I ruptured my distal bicep tendon practicing jiu-jitsu, and the ortho made it clear that age is a factor. My physical therapist said same.

I'm not interested in strength tests - I'm still 190 and very muscular, but not as ripped, so I'm carrying a good layer of subcutaneous fat. Muscle memory what it is, I'm already seeing the size return and some of the striations after about 2 months.

I've been blessed with great genetics and a good work ethic. I'm amazed that at 46 I look like I do, with some moderate effort, I have no doubt I could walk on stage and compete (and maybe even place) in a Senior level bodybuilding show.

We'll see how it goes!

 

At my bodyweight back then (205) I was either a Rippetoe Cat IV or V in all the lifts. I tried for V, but I could never get my squat into the 500's. That said, I was running 15 miles a week too so it was impossible to gain the mass required to lift that big.

http://startingstrength.com/files/standards.pdf

 

Ever since college, I just carry fat. I've eaten super cleanly for long, long periods of time and worked out harder than many professional athletes and can't get below 200 while maintaining a high level of fitness. I'm sometimes jealous of the skinnier guys I know who shred up easily, but those guys envy my ability to throw up big weights with less effort. So, the grass is always greener

This is me on the right a few years ago when I lifting at or around my personal 1RM bests. Ate nothing but chicken breasts, steamed veggies, and oatmeal. I was much stronger than the other guy in the photo at everything but bench. Couldn't compete with those horse muscles.
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I'm your mini-me. same body type, can't lose fat to save my life, but able to embarrass leaner/skinnier people at lifting.

(I was a Cat 3 lifter most recently, woulda/coulda been Cat 4 if I had kept going another ~6 months)

 

The lightest I ever got in the military was 194, and that was after SERE school. I was running like the wind for the next few months, though.

 

The only programs I use. They are incredible. Try to get others on it, but all they want to do is the stupid crap they read in Men's Health.

 

"That's too simple. It won't work."

"Squats every workout? That's too much leg work."

"Where are the curls? Or the pull downs? I want to isolate, this won't get me strong."

Fools.

 

Ha!

I'm surprised people still read it. I never saw anything truly worth reading in them.

That's probably one of the best things about technology is that we can follow various YouTubers and get different ideas from them and then modify it to what you're doing.

 

Not getting back to weight lifting, but only started a few years ago (3 years to be exact).

Goal is 315 bench, 350 squat and 400 deadlift at 200lbs. Squat will be by far the most difficult goal to reach (I'm tall 6'3" and my ROM on bench and squat is a bit absurd... over 78" wingspan doesn't help, but no excuses). Likely won't reach it but I'm okay with that -- just set the goals high for myself and reach.

Currently at a 285lb bench at 205 lbs but cutting to a target weight of 190lbs before the next bulking cycle... my goal is to maintain my 1RM on bench through the cut. Deadlift at 300 lbs and squat at 250 and I expect both of those to fall over the next few months.

Long road as we all know, but worth it!

 

At 6'2" 79" wingspan , I struggle with bench. Squat is mi best lift. Best squat 640 but could not get 315 bench

Go figure

 

The generally accepted "good" ratio of 1RM lifts is 3/4/5 bench/squat/deadlift. For example, 300 bench/400 squat/500 deadlift (which is a good goal).

I'd throttle back on the upper body and throttle way up on the others. Coaching is key with the big lifts (squats and deads) so make sure you know what you are doing. Bench is "easy" so people tend to work on that way more than the other stuff, especially squats (which can get scary with big weight if you are doing a full ROM lift).

 

I'm aware but wary because of family knee issues. I have very good bench technique (most people I see in the gym do half reps, poor form, no control). My bench presses are controlled enough that I don't feel like there is any real injury risk (though I always get spotter at 225+).

Squats and DL, on the other hand, feel inherently more risky to me, even though my technique was checked and form is good. Squat in particular... so I kinda agree with your "scary" assessment.

Again, totally agree on your assessment. Just pointing out that it has been a conscious decision to not push myself quite so hard on the other lifts. I don't skip leg day, but I don't push myself nearly as hard either.

 

One more thing. In terms of "easy" lifts for me... it would have to be deadlift in terms of body type and I guess genetics. My first bench press 3 years ago was around 135 lbs -- I have an enormous range of motion so a big negative. My first deadlift was around 225 pounds, without forcing it. I just never pushed to get the weight up for both knees and back reasons. I often now substitute in the hex bar instead as well...

 

With knee issues, just make sure you are going as deep as possible with squats. Going to the normal thighs parallel to the floor depth isn't enough. Try to go ATG (ass to grass). Counter-intuitive but it is MUCH better for your knees.

As for the hex bar, it's good if deadlift technique is a concern. I lift better with a bar now though after years of practice (read: getting yelled at). I broke my back in 2007 (L1 fracture) and was worried about deadlifting and concentrated on technique. Never had any issues when I was pushing 600.

 

Same - I'm 5'6", how tall are both you and NousDefions?

 

Absolutely. I try to explain this to the kids I coach in soccer (we do body weight strength training in the off season), hard for them to grasp the concept.

 

Yup, I squat past parallel. I liken it to bench partial reps vs. touching chest. The latter (so long as weight is in control) is actually less stressful on the system vs. arbitrarily ending the motion at some spot that your mind needs to choose independently for each rep. The caveat is for people with smaller chests, elbows going way too far back... then using a block makes sense imho.

Similar with squats. Again, don't disagree with anything you are saying, just that for my personal preferences, I'm okay having a modest upper body bias in my lifts, particularly since when I started, my natural bias was actually the opposite for deads.

I make sure my back and core keep up with my chest, so not like I am dis-proportioned or only do chest day (6x per week weightlift schedule, 2x being chest).

 

Don't have a current pic of me post workout, but here's a photo taken last week. The shirt makes me look like I have a belly (it's slight, looks worse here - still have a six pack), but you can see there's still some bulk, but I'm not shredded like I was.

As noted in previous post, I'm short - 5'6" - currently walking around at 190lbs, which I'd love to get up to 200lbs should I stay disciplined with the lifting (so far so good).
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I'm 5'6" too. Nous is ~6' IIRC.

 

I've been doing 5-3-1 with good results but I'm going to switch to this rippetoe program for a change of pace. Thanks for the info!

I've never been a super strong guy but 5-3-1 helped me PR all my lifts. Odd thing is I have very weak legs but just PRed my deadlift at 400. Hopefully rippetoe will get my squat up.