Poppys Old Man Training
MONDAY:
Lats
Pull downs 3/4x12 various bars swapped out every 3 weeks or bands.
Standing rows 3/4x12 with high pulley and various bars swapped out every 3 weeks or bands.
Super set with:
Shrugs and/or high pulls (heavy) 3x8-12 with bands or bar.
Dumb bell curls 4x12
Super set with:
Light tricep extensions of some sort 1-2x20
Super set with:
Light face pulls 1-2x20 (shoulder prehab)
Cable/barbell curls 2x8-12
Abs, calves and neck
NOTES: the rows will be from shoulder level to lower between sternum and bellybutton. Shrugs with an elite heavy band and fat grips will add a whole different twist. The high pulls with a band attached low at ~45 degree angle. Triceps are worked for a small pump.
WEDNESDAY:
Belt Squats 6x8-12 ascending and a giant strip set at the end
abs, calves and neck
NOTES: I’ve quit squatting for the moment. Probably take a year off. It seems to be working. My legs are getting stronger and growing without the “whole body pain” and spinal stress (with belt squats). I don’t always do a big drop set. Depends on how I feel and how heavy my working sets were. Stance will vary from close with knees forward for quads to shins parallel to wide toes pointed outward. I’m still tweaking the belt squats.
FRIDAY:
Bench press 6x3-6 mostly close/medium grip. End with 1 set of 135-185 close grip x 20-25
Blast strap push ups or OHP 1x10-20
Shoulder “Y T W’s” or snow angels. 3x~12
Super set with:
Medium/light shrugs/high pulls 2x12
And
Tricep extensions of some sort 3x8-10 heavy
And
Light biceps 1x12
Medium/lite stiff arm pull downs (lats) for 1/2x10
Abs, calves and neck
NOTES: Bench is undulating… for example chains for 3 weeks, bands for 3 weeks, different (thickness) foam blocks under shirt for 3 weeks. Add weight for 3 weeks then switch movements or go straight 3 weeks speed movements…regular or fat bar or fat grips. I rarely go wider than medium width grip and use, mostly, narrow grip (pointers on smooth). To deload, I will forgo the barbell and do several sets of blast strap push ups. There’s also a myriad of shoulder exercises I didn’t mention…that I use. You get the gist with what I have listed.
SATURDAY:
45 degree back raises OR hip thrusts OR RDL’s OR GM’s OR pull throughs.
And/or
Metabolic circuit: Cosgroves Evil 8 is my favorite.
NOTES: Saturday is straight posterior chain/hip hinge movements.
OVERALL NOTES ON MY TRAINING PROGRAM:
Off days from weights will be some sort of conditioning. Could be pushing/pulling the prowler, hi/lo speed on treadmill, steady walk, metabolic circuit or nothing.
Abs, calves and neck training are listed on all weight training days. I will mix and match them throughout the week to include doing them in between other movements as an active rest. The goal is to hit them at least 2 times a week.
You can see the amount of sets in my super sets don’t match up often. That’s because the movement with the lesser sets will be worked in more for an active rest and for the “pump”.
Most, if not all, of my weight training is dictated on how I feel that day. I’m not competing and I don’t have a drill down date…so I look at it as a cumulative effect over the course of a year. Every so often (months), I will look back and assess my strengths and weaknesses to ensure I’m, at least, maintaining.
As you can see, this is what is now called power building or some sort of other catchy name, acronym or phrase. I’ve been doing a version of this for almost 30 years (in between meet prep) before it was cool. Decades ago, I had way more volume and exercise selection but remember this is “as I/we age”. I have ended up with the mantra that “more is not better…better is better”. This basically means to hone your exercise selection down to exactly what works for you and throw out all the stuff that either has low yield or hurts you.
As you can see, I really don’t like spending any more time in the gym then I have to. If I’m past 45 minutes then I’m 5 minutes too long. Granted, I have a nice home gym out back in my shop so it is available with no commute. I’m also of the opinion that those of us that have been training strength and conditioning since our teen years (and haven’t suffered a catastrophic injury) have a huge advantage of preserving strength and muscle mass. It just doesn’t take a lot of extra movements (bs) to maintain.
I know there’s plenty of old folks that like to have 2 hour gym sessions and do a lot of no value added movements (imo)…that’s cool. That’s just not for me and just gives me extra aches and pains along with tendonitis flare ups.
. She told me “I like you big. That way I always look small!” 
