50th year PRs
Cliffs: I'm 50 later this year and am challenging myself to set as many lifetime PRs as I can
tldr
49yo male. 6ft, 90.5kg/199lbs. Grew up in London, now live in Sydney Australia.
Have long term sporting background. International representative rugby player at top tier sporting university and played semi pro into my late 20s. Also played varsity soccer as freshman at college, plus all the sports including track and field growing up.
The past 20 years since rugby finished...I've almost always exercised/trained and have always been fit but it's mainly been 'working out' rather than training. By which I mean I train hard when I go into the gym...but without any real plans or goals.
I had two serious sporting injuries that still impact my training - the knee reconstruction plus a torn & bulging disc in the L5/S1 region and after a really frustrating 3ish years of a cycle or injuring myself every time I tried to go hard for a period of time, I've cut the intensity of my training over the past 5 years. By doing this and giving up several movements (squat, snatch, squat clean), I've managed to stay active and training all the way through....albeit going through the motions for months and then more committed at other times.
But I find myself bored with my training and staring down the barrel of a major milestone as I turn 50 in the middle of 2021. And so I'm going to aim to reach 50 in great shape and to give myself something to keep me interested by aiming to break as many of my lifetime PRs as I can.
Realistically, I'm never running a sub 11.5 100m or hitting the roads to run a marathon again and I'm not squatting or o lifting heavy any more, so those ones are out. But I think the upper body lifts are within reach (I've never been 'strong' in those anyway, but they haven't dropped off much) and I think some of the cardio PRs are definitely do-able if I can commit to the pain...albeit I'm definitely scared of the pain
Simultaneously, my cholesterol levels have been rising the past few years and I'd like to drop some body fat...so I'm going to be adopting a better diet and substantially reducing my drinking
Here's a list of my PRs...some of them are relatively soft, in that I haven't really trained them for that long.
PRs within reach
Lifting
Bench 107.5kg (currently at approx 100kg)
Press 70kg (currently probably 67.5 but gym closed right now and my home gym ceiling is too low for me to do standing press)
Bar Dips 26 (guessing I could do 15ish)
Erg
1km 3.17 (guessing 3.30)
2km 6.59 (I did a 7.19 yesterday and it damn near killed me)
Assault Bike
100 cals 3.11
200 cals (can't find the PR but I'll be attempting one)
DEXA PR: 16.2% (I think I'd be 18% ish now)
PRs that are possible but not probable
Dead Hangs 18
Erg
500m 1.28 (est 1.32 right now - 4 secs is a HUGE difference in a 500m)
5k 18.43 (guessing 19.30)
Caliper bf% when playing rugby was 12.1 - which I'm guessing equated to 14% ish?
Other lifetime PRs fyi that we won't be attempting to break
Squat 165kg (in 1993)
Deadlift 170kg (2010)
Power Clean 105 (2015)
Snatch 82.5kg (2015)
11.5 100m
1.28 half marathon
This is about as far as I've got.
I haven't worked out an exact training plan yet - our gyms are closed for covid at the moment but I have a barbell, rack and bench at home plus an erg and a pull up bar so I can train most of the above. I generally get to the gym 4 to 5 times a week and aim to do at least one other 'activity' per day as well - I've got quite obsessive about getting 10k steps in since I've been working from home since March. And then I have a very sporty 10 year old son who I am helping get fit for his upcoming season - both soccer and rugby will start in March. So we're doing sprints and skills training too.
Next steps
keep things ticking over with no huge focus for the next 2 weeks, then after a week's holiday 13th to 20th January, I'll commit to a more detailed plan and improve my lifestyle.
I'm very heavy for me (most of my PRs were done with me weighing 83-85kg and I'm 90kg right now), so it's a good time to try to get some upper body PRs.
the cardio goals scare me and are the main reason I've started the thread.
I want to force myself to do more conditioning work but I know the pain I'm in for - that 5k row PR was done when I was peak crossfit and will be a total nightmare to get to from where I am right now.
I'll be getting a DEXA in late Jan.
I had my bloods done last month and will probably get another lot done before my birthday.
I may also add some additional fitness goals...just not sure what they'd be right now
sorry for the wall of text and sorry if you're unable to multiply kg by 2.2 to get to lbs
Catching up on all that. Sorry you had to go through so much, but hopefully the worst is over now.
4x1k 4r
Quite a lot faster than last time (2.8/500 I think) and I did 4 instead of 3 reps. Didn’t have much left in me at the end tbh
next time, I’ll aim to marginally beat the average of this time with each of the first 3 reps and see if I can do a faster last rep again to continue to improve the overall pace
wide grip pull downs 3x12-77kg
close grip rows 3x12-80kg
chest supported wide grip rows 3x11-130kg ss with
back extensions 3x10-20kg
preacher curl 3x11-45kg ss with
hammer curl 3x9-15kg
leg curl 3x9-20kg single leg
leg extensions 3x9-49.5kg single leg
leg press 4x8-250kg
hack squat 3x8-120kg
tricep push downs 3x12-35kg ss with
tricep extensions 3x12-24kg
dips 15,16
Had nothing to do this pm as all the kids out so did a double session
2k warm up, 5x250 1r and then 1k warm down
Legs were lifeless after weights this morning - definitely better to do sprints immediately after weights and not 12 hours later
DB Bench 2x6-35kg
then I tweaked my back sitting up after the set and couldn't even get the DBs off the floor and into the rack. Decided to use machines for the rest of the sets
Upright seated Isometric Press 1x11-80kg
Isometric Bench 4x11-80kg
Flye Machine 3x12. I tried using reverse hands, as per Evo and it definitely did take all the stress off my elbow tendonitis, but I didn't get the same feeling in the muscle
seated DB Press 4x10-22.5kg
Press machine 2x11
meh. Got something done but annoyed about my back tweak. Doesn't feel too bad now but bodies are strange....I can leg press a quarter of a tonne and be fine, but then sitting up from a prone position can debilitate me
Sorry to hear about the back tweak; it's been a big few weeks, though. Any updates on the move? Everything is complete with respect to the move part, but still a fair bit of unpacking to do I'd imagine?
Sorry to hear about the back tweak; it's been a big few weeks, though. Any updates on the move? Everything is complete with respect to the move part, but still a fair bit of unpacking to do I'd imagine?
thanks for asking. Move is done. Everything pretty much unpacked over the weekend. I still need to buy a new washing machine and dining table but other than that, we’re all settled in.
Feels really good - love being in an apartment with no yard work, no pool to manage, right in the centre of our village so I can walk to the beach and gym and store.
Lower back still a little tight but managed to train today…ironically mainly back muscles
Wide grip pull downs 3x13-70
Close grip rows 3x12-77
Cheat supported isometric row 3x11-130
Preacher curl 3x11-45 ss with
Hammer curl 3x10-15
all single leg today and chose very stable exercises to ensure back safety. lower back has relaxed and I think will be fine to open up from here on
1k row warm up
leg extensions 4x11-50kg
leg curls 4x11-20kg
leg press 3x8-120kg
skullcrushers 3x12-42.5kg ss with
close grip press 3x22-42.5kg
dips 2x20
Incline DB Bench 10,10,10,9,8-30kg
DB Flye/Bench superset 3x8/5-22.5kg
Machine Lateral Raises 5x12
Standing Barbell Press 3x8-40kg
Baby steps still. I think I might have a 20 min 5k in me or close. Can definitely get to 15 mins at 2.00
Single leg extensions 3x10-47kg
Leg Press 5x8-270kg
Leg Curl singles 4x10-17.5kg
Dips 23, 20, 17, 20, 17
Feeling really strong on the leg press but those sets took it out of me and I didn’t do anything else heavy
wide grip pull downs 4x11-77kg
close grip pull downs 3x10-80
chest supported wide grip row 3x10-130kg ss with
back extensions 3x10-15kg
barbell curl 3x10-35kg ss with
hammer curl 3x9-15kg
chins 1x6
preacher curl 2x10-40kg
DB Bench
3x6-35
3x10-30
DB Incline (high)
3x12-25
Machine Flye 3x15-55
Barbell Press 5x9-40
I’ve said it before but my only problem with Push Pull Legs is that my shoulders aren’t up to much by the time I get to them on push day
Still, fun session
4x1k 4r
Quite a lot faster than last time (2.8/500 I think) and I did 4 instead of 3 reps. Didn’t have much left in me at the end tbh
next time, I’ll aim to marginally beat the average of this time with each of the first 3 reps and see if I can do a faster last rep again to continue to improve the overall pace
Got a fair amount quicker today. Probably the first time since I restarted rowing that it was mentally difficult too - almost quit about 400m into the second rep!
Not sure I’ve got the mental minerals to keep pushing much harder and I can’t say I enjoy it but I do think it’s good to be doing some cardio a few times a week and the erg really is the best way of doing this
Very nice!
I think the minerals, as they were, will come back with consistency. Definitely good to get something like this in a few times a week.
Very nice!
I think the minerals, as they were, will come back with consistency. Definitely good to get something like this in a few times a week.
Some truth to that, albeit given I’ll only be rowing 2x a week…not sure the times or mental strength will improve much
Still…happy to be doing some cardio and I have to credit loco. He gave me a lecture late last year and he was right
really bad sleep last night and I think I've done 10 days in a row. So did a lightish lower body session today
leg curl 3x8-20kg single legs
leg extension 4x10-47kg single legs
deadlift 5x7-140kg
skullcrushers 3x11-45kg ss with
close grip press 3x20-45kg
I'm going to train through til Thurs and then Fri til Mon I have a fishing/drinking/gummy trip so I'll have a decent rest. Albeit I'll try to do something light each day at the beach
wide grip pull downs 3x13-77kg
close grip pull downs 3x10-80
chest supported close grip rows 4x11-130kg
preacher curl 3x9-45kg ss with
hammer curl 3x8-15kg
gym was crazy busy this morning so had to adapt and work around things
isometric bench press 3x9-80kg
seated machine press 1x9-80
db bench 4x9-30kg
incline flye/bench ss 2x9/3-22.5
flye/bench ss 2x9/3-22.5
seated DB press 4x10-22.5
flye machine 2x12
30 min glamour session today
cable preacher curl 4x14
chins 5x9
barbell curl 3x15-30
dips 5x18
off on a fishing and drinking trip with the boys Fri to Mon inclusive. Will swim and walk most days but that's probably it. Might try a crossfit style bodyweight thing on the beach if I find the motivation, but I'm looking forward to a few days rest. looking at my notes and I've done 35 training sessions already in 2025. I'm not breaking records every day or going to max but it would be good to have a few days off
almost back from 3 nights away on a fishing, boozing trip to Kangaroo Island. Really fun trip.
Did 1 15 min crossfit style workout on the beach - 15 rounds of 10 push ups 10 sit ups 10 squats.
other than that did 2 long beach walks each day. Managed to eat less shitty food than I usually do but still ate more than ideal. Guessing I'll have added a kg or two!
still...good for the soul to hang out with my good friends
back at it this morning, albeit felt a little weak
DB Bench 9,8,7,8,8-32kg
Incline Flye 4x8-22.5/with 4 DB Bench finishers on each set. I love doing this...really get a good pump
seated DB Press 4x11-22.5kg
