Bought a workbench and weights...
Discussion
LordGrover said:
... except in Didely's case it's short by about 20 x 20kg plates. 
I need to get some more pairs of 25kg plates. The most I can put on right now is 260kg with one pair of 25's, 3 pairs of 20's and the rest 15's.
ETA - I have to admit that hurting my back has really dented my confidence in lifting (squatting/deadlifting) heavy weights - I hope that goes away as it gets better..
Edited by chris watton on Tuesday 21st June 15:16
didelydoo said:
Just work on the assumption that you're invincible, works for me most of the time- held true thus far too 
It was probably that assumption that got me into trouble! I keep thinking back to how it happened, and I don't think I did anything wrong, I created a block before squatting down, kept my back as straight as I could, but I still felt something go as my backside touched the bench. I guess I was hoping my form was sloppy. If not, it could happen again, no matter how careful I may be. I suppose it's one of those things that we have to accept from time to time...
didelydoo said:
I think box squats may be the issue- you may have subconsciously loosened up as you knew you'd reached the bench, so were 'safe' so to speak- not something you would do in a standard squat.
You may be onto something there. I just tried a Squat with just the bar and then a Box Squat - my backside seems to come out more with the Box Squat, before touching the bench, meaning I lean slightly more forward than when doing the standard Squat! Or it could be that my lower back is still a little stiff..OK, for the past 4 months I have been nursing a RC injury, meaning my overhead press has been way down. I have been doing a 3 day per week routine concentrating mainly on back, chest and legs, with one day per week going really heavy with lower reps.
I am now hovering between 72 and 73kg. My lower back/lumbar region seems to be much better, and am now confident at doing heavy Squats, although I can still feel a twinge when the weight is on my shoulders, but so far, so good.
I guess it's fair to say that I have majored mostly on my upper and lower back with a selection of pull ups and rowing exercises, in the hope that I eliminate as many weak links as possible when squatting and deadlifting. I think this is where I have had the most growth over the past few months.
Still enjoying it a lot - but depressed about how long the left RC is taking to fully heal..!
I am now hovering between 72 and 73kg. My lower back/lumbar region seems to be much better, and am now confident at doing heavy Squats, although I can still feel a twinge when the weight is on my shoulders, but so far, so good.
I guess it's fair to say that I have majored mostly on my upper and lower back with a selection of pull ups and rowing exercises, in the hope that I eliminate as many weak links as possible when squatting and deadlifting. I think this is where I have had the most growth over the past few months.
Still enjoying it a lot - but depressed about how long the left RC is taking to fully heal..!
Thank you guys! Sometimes I can't believe that's me!
I am still very apprehensive about doing a new PB Deadlift, when I hurt my back with medium weight squats, that really knocked me for six, mentally - I realised that one mistake can take you out of the game for months, perhaps forever. So I still have that little hurdle to overcome.
I am still very apprehensive about doing a new PB Deadlift, when I hurt my back with medium weight squats, that really knocked me for six, mentally - I realised that one mistake can take you out of the game for months, perhaps forever. So I still have that little hurdle to overcome.
ajcj said:
Hey Chris
Interesting thread, and good motivation. I'm 49, so nudging 50 a bit harder than you were when you started, and went through exactly the same thought process in August this year. Joined a gym local to where I work, and started doing the stronglifts 5x5 programme, with empty bars as a starting weight, then adding small amounts of weight each week. Felt a bit of a tit in the gym, working in the squat rack with a 5kg disc on either end of the bar....
That passes though, and I've just done my first sets of 100kg deadlifts, and closing in on 100kg squats. The bar looks a lot more respectable now! I've gone from body weight of 123kg to 116kg in that time - want to be at 100kg for my 50th birthday!
So for anyone else in their *ahem* mid-40s who might be thinking it's too late to build strength and muscle, get lifting!
A
Good for you, and well done. You are starting the right way, I think. the 5x5 routine is great. 100kg Squat is a good benchmark. Starting very light is essential, especially at our age, as your body gradually gets used to the weight and ROM. I don't think people would view you as a tit in the gym, we all have to start light.Interesting thread, and good motivation. I'm 49, so nudging 50 a bit harder than you were when you started, and went through exactly the same thought process in August this year. Joined a gym local to where I work, and started doing the stronglifts 5x5 programme, with empty bars as a starting weight, then adding small amounts of weight each week. Felt a bit of a tit in the gym, working in the squat rack with a 5kg disc on either end of the bar....
That passes though, and I've just done my first sets of 100kg deadlifts, and closing in on 100kg squats. The bar looks a lot more respectable now! I've gone from body weight of 123kg to 116kg in that time - want to be at 100kg for my 50th birthday!
So for anyone else in their *ahem* mid-40s who might be thinking it's too late to build strength and muscle, get lifting!
A
I lost most of my weight within the first 7 months (almost 20kg), but I perhaps went too far with the diet with hindsight. My family told be I looked too gaunt and skeleton-like - after 6 months of weight training, that really wasn't what I wanted to hear!
I did do a couple of PB 1RM's in the past couple of weeks. 137.5kg Bench Press and 170kg Squat, which I am very happy with (and wasn't expecting to do it).
OK, it has now been three years since I started this, I was 47, am now 50 (and a half) and still loving it.
For the past year, I have been mainly doing full body workouts three to four days per week, and am around 4kg heavier than this time last year. Doesn't seem a lot, but I guess at my age, I seem to have to fight for every ounce of extra muscle gain, which is why I mainly concentrate on compound movements (along with the odd isolation exercise)
What is great is that what I do has finally rubbed off on the rest of my family, my wife now eats better and joined a gym, as did my step-son and daughter, something I thought would never happen in a million years!
Anyway, took a few pics today, my photography is astonishingly poor and I look pretty crap in the pics. need to get a better set up perhaps. I don't seem to look a lot different from this time last year, but all measurements are larger..
http://s203.photobucket.com/user/chriswatton/media...
For the past year, I have been mainly doing full body workouts three to four days per week, and am around 4kg heavier than this time last year. Doesn't seem a lot, but I guess at my age, I seem to have to fight for every ounce of extra muscle gain, which is why I mainly concentrate on compound movements (along with the odd isolation exercise)
What is great is that what I do has finally rubbed off on the rest of my family, my wife now eats better and joined a gym, as did my step-son and daughter, something I thought would never happen in a million years!
Anyway, took a few pics today, my photography is astonishingly poor and I look pretty crap in the pics. need to get a better set up perhaps. I don't seem to look a lot different from this time last year, but all measurements are larger..
http://s203.photobucket.com/user/chriswatton/media...
Cheers guys!
Doesn't feel like three years, time really does fly! I think one poster said that I am too old to add any muscle somewhere at the beginning of this thread..
I don't think for a second that I am good enough to compete, I think I'd need another three years solid training to think about that. I am just happy to do this for me, I enjoy pushing myself.
No injuries at all this past year, too, thanks to taking warming up more seriously, and no ego lifting..
Doesn't feel like three years, time really does fly! I think one poster said that I am too old to add any muscle somewhere at the beginning of this thread..
Halb said:
KIng ell Chris you look solid, are you gonna compete?
Cheers Halb. I didn't think I looked very good in those pics, TBH, I find it hard to tell the difference between what I look like now and what I looked like a year ago. As I train all body parts, perhaps everything just grows a little bigger in proportion, making it difficult to see any difference.I don't think for a second that I am good enough to compete, I think I'd need another three years solid training to think about that. I am just happy to do this for me, I enjoy pushing myself.
No injuries at all this past year, too, thanks to taking warming up more seriously, and no ego lifting..
OK, I just finished updating the gym slightly. As I was giving the floor a good pummeling, I thought I'd get something a little more substantial, a 3x2 metre Olympic platform. We also put up the mirror, I thought I ordered a 6x4, but it was 8x4, huge! I cannot believe we managed to put it in place without breaking it - although I am sure I shall break it at some point....
LordGrover said:
Any room left for the tiv?
Of course! Thankfully, the garage is huge, and deep! had to throw a lot of crap out though, and am selling a couple of 25's and 10kg 1" plates, as I don't use them any longer (have 10x25kg 2" plates I bought for Leg Press).One last thing I have ordered is a Competition Olympic Weightlifting Bar, which is exactly 20kg, as the original Oly bar I bought that came with my initial Oly package isn't too good, the bolts at the ends keep working loose. When I go for 1RM's, I want to be sure the weight is absolutely correct.
ETA - I wish I had the space to have the platform as a standalone part just for doing DL's, Clean and Press etc. and have the cage not over the top of it..
Edited by chris watton on Sunday 30th July 13:52
AdamC28 said:
Some great progress and the gym is looking spot on now. Some very nice pieces of kit.
How do you find training in there throughout the winter? Just wrap up and get on with it?
Cheers How do you find training in there throughout the winter? Just wrap up and get on with it?
I don't mind the cold winters so much, I usually have three layers on, T-shirt, hoodie and fleece, and do a couple of extra warm up sets to help get the blood flowing. I seem to get through the routines faster, too, as I have less recovery time in-between sets, to keep the heart rate up.
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