Strength / Weight Training

The key would be looking at it as volume accumulation rather than hitting a classic 'deadlift day' x3 - you'd want all reps to be moving smoothly throughout.

One way would be lots of mid-weight singles or doubles, maybe triples, in the 60-80% region with waved periodisation. The way I've ran it was purely singles with short rest periods; 15@60%, 10@70%, @80%. Up 5% the next week then down 5% after that with a max single (without throwing form out the window) on heavier day. It was on a block where I was focusing on technique and the volume was enough to leave fatigue but far from debilitating (I was squatting 2-3 times a week at the time too).

The other way I'd run it if you want a more traditional heavy/med/light setup is to incorporate the opposite stance. Limiting the volume or intensity on the heavy day (so 3-4 sets of 3-5 reps around 80% OR ~90% for a single set), speed singles on light day and opposite stance as a muscle-builder on medium day (3x5 without straining for reps or something). Or, if you need to keep to one stance, maybe use a variation for the med-day work or just have a second speed day. Either way, even heavy reps should be, if not fast, at least smooth. Once you start properly grinding you're already putting yourself in a hole.

I note that no one has mentioned age in relation to recovery. I have noticed I am noticeably more wrecked now than I was three years ago when I started this madness.

You can be sore in a good way though.

State of me trying to get out of bed at age 37, the day after playing 5s.

Deffo.

Switching from one, to two rest days between sessions is a "coming of (old) age" thing.

I only get DOMS if I've had a break or over-do it.

I play 5s too, do my weights, squash, Bikram yoga and a bit of social walking (to get my step count up) and at 50 I have too many aches and pains.
I take BCAAs before weights and squash - they seem to help but there could be a placebo affect too.
I am pretty active on my days off and am almost always aching - but, in a good way.
I have noticed that old injuries are starting to impact on my body - mainly one knee (rugby injury from school) and my lower back (motorbike accident in my 20s). I also have shoulder pain which affects my OHP and bench - this causes the most annoyance.
I think you just have to get on with it and suffer a little EXCEPT when you actually get an injury when lifting - at that point STOP. Stop your workout and do not do anything until the injury recovers. Age affects recovery after injury and a small muscle pull can turn into a tear and then you are losing weeks of training. If you are younger, the loss of time is minimal.

Time for weights ....

I got shingles, so I'm out of the gym and not really gonna spend much time on the bike, so am going to work on writing up an exercise plan to keep my head in it.
Had started to find the load for stronglifts is impacting on rides and rare runs and I think I might try and redress the balance a bit, cycling was the point of starting the gym in the first place after all.
Can anyone point me towards some authoritative sources in lifting for power improvements/how to build up a plan with different exercise types sensibly located in the week?

Mike Matthews

https://www.muscleforlife.com

Greg Nuckols

https://www.strongerbyscience.com

So... A combination of going on holiday to Vegas and then slipping on ice last weekend (and buggering up my left ankle and right arm) means that I've not done any meaningful strength exercise for three weeks and possibly more until they heal.

Slightly depressed and majorly pissed off at the moment.

Don’t get too annoyed. Get fit and then get back to it. This is a long term game!

I know but when I fall out of daily routines I can struggle to get back into them.

Motivation is always an issue. Perhaps treat the injury as a holiday and decide you will get back to training after your holiday.
Only a thought.
I was injured for three months and was itching to get back and it was ok. The weights dropped a lot but I worked back up. That is worth noting - start gently when you go back, failing to do so could result in a worse injury.
Best of luck.

Don’t get downbeat. You get injured it happens, take the time to recover properly and then go at it again. No excuses and work really hard to get back into it.

I’ve been injured with a badly damaged elbow and so have had to reduce the gym time. But exci Big to get back into it and make those gains all over again

Thanks. This why I love the forum.
😁

Absolutely feel for you. It's the worst.

Do you keep a workout log? I find that creating a plan and then recording in a log keeps me target-focused. It could be an excel page, an online tracker (weightxreps is my favourite) or even a handwritten notebook but it definitely keeps me accountable. The bonus is you can see with your eyes the progress you've made, even when you feel like you're plateauing.

I find it especially useful when injured as it means you actually do all the rehab stuff you've planned rather than just say "eh, it's light stuff, I'll do it tomorrow". Looking back at a week of blank space is a sucky feeling and avoiding feeling sucky can be a great motivator.

I use the 5x5 app so you get all the funky graphs showing how you've progressed.

They were all going up...

At some stage they will drop so don’t be too discouraged. Have a look at this piece of modern art!

1 Attachment

Drops are inevitable - whether through injury, inability to train for whatever reason or the weight is too high. It is a matter of getting used to them, I remember my first fails and I was annoyed. You do get used to it although they are never fun!

Relax, recover and resume when you are ready.

Not much news here.

I got my 5 chins, and can do 6 now.
Dropped 68 to 64 to 62 so I don't think I can deadlift 160 anymore as I was 64 when I did that, still do a triple at 130 sumo

And bench going well at 80 kg.

Went training with my brother-in-law last week and after I did my working set for squats he asked me what my 1rm was. I said I’d never tested it and he goaded me into giving it a go. Managed a decent form rep at 120kg and called it a day at that.

It’s good to know I can lift that weight, but I’d already dropped back down to 90kg now for my working sets and cycling back up towards 105kg.

I’ve also got fat since beginning to lift so I’m now cutting to lose 5kg or so. Will be interesting to see how that affects my progress. 👍

If you cut the right way, and keep protein at 2 gram per kg bodyweight (up the skyr/fage, whey shakes, meats, pulses...) it will be annoying as it's cutting and you can't do as many reps BUT you will keep your strength.

Cut max 12 weeks, at the max, and then add 100 calories per week to get back to maintenance.

Thanks, sounds like good advice.

Dude - that's still a seriously strong pull.

Did a bunch of deadlifts last Saturday (which is usual) and my legs have felt like jelly all week. Also been coming down with a cold but wonder if it's also because I didn't follow up with protein (or any food at all) until much much later in the day.

Tx :)