The year of the Comeback!

[Poppy]

I understand completely.

I won’t tell you what to do but I’ll tell you my mindset for myself…

I realized that there was a fork in the road… one way was throwing caution to the wind and risking quality of life and longevity to obtain maybe greatness in a sport that most folks could care less about with very little to no monetary gain to subsidize my (possible) ongoing medical bills. Orrrrr err on the side of caution and live to fight another day…

 

[JB_rD81]

I think as of this AM, during my squat workout… I’m leaning majorly towards giving in to full retirement from competitive lifting and just leaving it at that… maybe change my training up from trying to be strong and continue to break myself to something more along the lines of preventing cardiovascular issues, General fatassedness and sloth…

 

[JLee]

General fatassedness

 

[JB_rD81]

Men in my family put on weight easily. My moms dad and all his brothers were iron men linemen in football, all three played in college and 1 made it to the NFL (what became the NFL) in the late 40’s… they all also weighed over 300 lbs, my grandpa and his brother that played for the Bears both died very young of heart attacks, my grandpa when he was 45ish and his brother Lyle at 38… diabetes runs in my family and a whole plethora of cancers… the only thing I have going for me is my type O- blood and the fact that I work out.

I look at guys I used to train with when I was a young teenager, the guys who got me into powerlifting, they all look terrible… they were all the age I am now 25 years ago… I look at some of my idols too, not many of them look too good. I already have a fake hip, demolishes knees, a loose as a goose shoulder that’s been surgically repaired twice, torn bicep that was never fixed, big hole in my left hamstring from a tear… now it’s about quality and not becoming a lard assed cripple waiting for a heart attack and sucking down McDonalds and Twinkie’s

 

[Poppy]

Did someone say twinkies? Those thinks are delicious!

 

[Poppy]

Reverend @JB_rD81 …. I understand completely. We got room in the club…come on in…the water is nice and warm.

Fyi…me …. @herrubermensch and. @TBU are the chairpersons of said club.

 

[Dirtnasty]

I think a chang eof goals will do you good. Make health a priority and now with new style you can start to hit different prs.

 

[JB_rD81]

We’ll, tomorrow will start a new era… my training will change drastically… although, I’m still going to keep it upper/lower 4 days a week, 2 week days and both Saturday and Sunday… I will be attempting, ATTEMPTING, to do a little cardio. I’ll be gearing my training mostly towards hypertrophy, but overall health will be my main goal. Tomorrows upper workout will be as follows

Bench Press, 3 working sets 8 reps
Dumbbell press 3 x 6-10
Dumbbell Low Incline Fly 3x12-15
Pullovers 3x6-8
Dumbbell Row 3x12-15
Wide Grip Pulldown 3x12-15
Arnold Press 3x12-15
Skull Crusher/ EZ Bar 21 superset
Lay machine Face Pulls 3x15-20

 

[JB_rD81]

Holy shit, my muscles haven’t been this sore except the week directly following meets. I did 125 lb ez bar pullovers, my lats are f’ing destroyed

 

[JB_rD81]

Sunday was deadlift and lower chain… hit 3x8 at 290 for working sets on DL, it was light so I added short rest (60 seconds or less) into the mix to help. After this I watched my wife DL while I hit 3x6-8 on Buffalo Bar Good AM’s. From there 3x12 weighted step ups with a 16” step, and glute machine hip thrusts. My hips and glutes were pretty well destroyed.

Today was bench again with upper. 3x8 @ 190 with 60 seconds rest, followed by 20 degree incline DB presses 3x6-8, flat dumbbell flyes 3x12-15, dumbbell rows 3x6-8, medium grip pull downs 2x12-15, Arnold overhead press 2xfailure, rope pushdowns with alt dumbbell curls 3x15 superset and face pulls 3x15

 

[herrubermensch]

I really like that workout. And I think your decision is wise. I was never a powerlifter, but I was always strong and had bodybuilder aesthetics in many areas. Now, like you, I have one surgically repaired shoulder that, eh, looks and works ok, and another one literally handing on by a thread that looks ok, but works poorly. And a resurfaced hip that hurts like a mother and a high grade 1 spondy at L5/S1 that’s naturally fused, but hurts my mechanics. Whine, whine, whine, I know, but inside, I’m still that 25 year old guy with potential and drive who loves to train. But at nearly 57, I have to check myself and not go crazy. I recently dropped my tren ace after 10 weeks because, well, I was limp as a dishrag and I felt like shit even though I looked great and was strong. Quality of life, in short, overcame my ego and what remains of my ambition. That was a good choice; so was yours.

 

[herrubermensch]

Oh, also, as to McD’s: I recently saw a nutritional comparison between a typical protein bar and a McD’s quarter pounder with cheese. Guess what came out on top? The burger by a not immaterial amount with respect to protein (higher) and carbs (lower). Only downside relative to the protein bar was fat. I’m eating the burger.

 

[Poppy]

I’ve seen the same thing…

 

[JB_rD81]

I could fuck up a few McD’s breakfast sanniches right now… thinking two sausage and egg McMuffins and 2 sausage and egg biscuits…. Plus hash browns! Guess I’ll settle for 4 whites, 2 whole, Turkey bacon and rolled oats

 

[herrubermensch]

Bacon egg and cheese McGriddles. Two of 'em at a time, with OJ and a protein shake. Breakfast of champions.

 

[JB_rD81]

Buffalo bar squats this AM, 3x8 @ 200. Followed by hip sled 2x6-8 with 5 plates on each side, finished with 2x12-15 triple sets of RDL’s, Leg Ext and Rev Hypers

 

[Poppy]

That’s a pretty intense lower workout

 

[JB_rD81]

Yesterday bench with upper… left Elbow started bothering me again, so I had to bust out the sleeves.

Bench Press 3x8 working sets, 200, 200, 190
Incline Bench Press 3x6-8 185
Low incline Fly 3x12-15 35, 40, 45
Dumbbell Pullovers 3x6-8 80, 90, 90
T Bar Row 3x12-15 90, 90, 90
Neutral Grip Pulldown 3x12-15 150, 170, 170

No shoulders or arms as my wife was already done…

Today DL with lower chain
Deficit Dead’s (2”) 3x8 300, 300, 290
Snatch Grip Dead’s 3x6-8 185
Glute Maximizer Machine 2x15 100, 100
Hamstring Curl 2x15, 100, 100
Arnold overhead press 3x12-15 40, 60, 60
Face Pulls 3x15, 121, 143, 165, 165 (121 was warmup)

 

[JB_rD81]

Been hiding out, been in a dark place mentally since my decision to walk away from my goals. Not really into working out for health, it feels monotonous and assembly line… I have nothing in common with the asshats that just go to the gym for social hour.

 

[Poppy]

Not really into working out for health, it feels monotonous and assembly line

Exactly! I’ve been struggling for a long time also. What works for me as lame as it sounds is setting little mini goals.

For instance last year i wanted visible abs by my 60th bday or a rep goal on a movement…

Of course having my home gym helps a bunch. Don’t have to be around the “fitness” crowd