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
I’ve started a 2 week pull up focus. It’s 3 times a week for either 2 or 4 weeks. We’ll see how long I stay interested!
Pull ups 6,8,6,6,10. (10 was max)
Hammer seated row 4x8- 150kg
Close grip seated row 3x9-77kg
Barbell Press 3x7-50kg
Seated DB Press 4x8-24kg
Only managed 5 reps on the Thurs set of barbell press because my left groin ‘twanged’ as I was exerting upward pressure. Which shows…a) how much lower body we still use even in a strict standing movement and b) how ****ed my body still is from that rugby…5 days later!
I think I hindered my recovery by squatting 36 hours afterwards. It’s supposed to be lower body day tomorrow but I think I might do some cardio instead
DB Bench 4,3,3-36kg (amazing the difference 2 extra kg makes - I can do 7 reps with 34)
DB Bench 3x9-28
Flye 3x8-24
Preacher 3x9-47.5
Hammer 3x8-16
Tricep Push Down/Extension 3x9/9-32.5/22.5. Did a gnarly drop set for the final set
also did 11 sets of 4 pull ups after every set of chest and tricep work... doing the 'grease the groove' technique that a lot of the pull up programs espouse
I did gtg on pullups for quite a while and it definitely is a great way to get in a pretty significant amount of volume, though it does go without saying that you need to find the grip that's right for you and remain vigilant about elbow health.
I'm doing GTG pull ups at the moment. I seem to be on 5 sets of 10 and a random number of band assisted one-arjers. (I need a very big band; I am weak.)
5 sets of 10 seems like poorly structured for grease the groove...unless your max is like 25? my default way is to do a set of 3,4 or 5 after every working set over the 70 ish mins I'm generally at the gym
yes Monte, I'm very sensitive to elbow issues - during my crossfit years I developed tendon soreness from all the silly kipping
also interesting re grip. I find shoulder width or just wider is best if I'm maxing out but i feel i use my lats better with a slightly wider grip. IDK FPS probably but I'm thinking about varying it for each session
Barbell Press 4x7-50
Seated Machine Press 4x9-41.5kg
Pull Ups 7,9,7,7,9
Close Grip Row 4x8-77
Neutral Grip Pull Downs 4x8-67
Did some very careful lower body weights today as my hip flexors are still pretty ordinary. I can’t row but can squat - weird
5min cycle
3x12 each leg single leg extension 29kg
4x3 Front squat 70
4x2 power clean 80kg
4x10 leg press 210kg
3x8 each leg single leg KB RDL 24kg
All good
DB Bench 4x6-34kg
DB Bench 4x12-28kg
Flye 3x8-24kg
Dips 3x10
Tricep Push down drop set 3x8/8-35/25kg
17x4 Pull ups
Barbell Curl 1x8-30
Cable Preacher Curl 3x8-32.5kg
early am session with my son after very bad sleep. Sore and tired from yesterday and the week. Dropped weight on everything and it still felt difficult
Press 4x7-45
seated DB Press 4x8-22
Wide Grip Pull Downs 3x10-67
Close Grip Row 3x8-72.5
elbow a little sore from the week of pull ups so didn't do any....pretty dumb of me tbh to go from 0 to 200 pull ups in a week
Crowded gym tonight and I had to rearrange my plan
5 mins bike warm up (tried rowing but my groin on both sides is still ****ed from the rugby game I played two weeks ago?
Leg Press 4x9-240kg
Deadlift 4x7 -130kg
Front Squar 3x5-70
KB one legged RDL -3x8-20kg
shitty sleep, up since 3.30.
As ever, morning strength is down 5% ish on late afternoon strength
4x7 DB Bench 32kg
3x10 DB Bench 28kg
3x8 Flye 24kg
Barbell Curl 4x7-40kg
Hammer Curl 4x7-16kg
Dips 11,15,13,14
Pull Up Ladder 2,4,6,8,10,12,10,8,6,4,2
Seated close grip row 4x8-67
Bent over Barbell Row 3-7-70
Seated hammer row 4x10-120
Barbell Press 5x7-45
Pull up ladder wore me out more than expected. That...and this being 8th day in a row and me dieting hard still...means I didn't have a huge amount in the tank, so I dropped the weights down a little
Am gonna train again tomorrow morning and then take a rest day Fri
5 mins bike warm up
3x3 front squat 70kg
4x5 deadlift 130kg
4x9 leg press 240kg
4x9 leg ext 33kg (singles)
ok, super tired now. 9 days in succession, day off tomorrow. Weight is stubbornly staying at 83.0kg which...I would have been absolutely delighted about 2 months ago, but I'm hoping to get to 81.1 which would be the lightest since I started tracking it in 2006
DB Bench 5x8-32kg
DB Incline 3x12-26
Preacher Curl 3x8-45kg
Hammer Curl 3x7-18kg
Grease the Groove 8x4 pull ups
took a sleeping pill last night after a tough week and got 9.5 hours but....super groggy and listless at the gym, so the session didn't feel brilliant.
did a 60 min walk at 7am
Pull Ups 5,6,7,8,9,10,9,8,7,6,5 (80 total)
Seated close grip row 3x10-67
Seated hammer wide grip row 3x9-130kg
Shrug 3x10-100
Seated DB press 4x6-26kg
rest day yesterday as the local gym is closed for the week as they move to a bigger/better site in our same suburb but did a 60 min hill walk
Dropped almost a kg on the scales which was good as I'd been stuck between 83 and 84 for a few weeks. 82.2kg today. Strength has dropped a little but is still ok. Came into the city so could use the gym here
DB Bench 4x7-32kg
DB Incline 3x8-28kg
DB Flye 3x8-24kg
Dips 4x12
Tricep Push Downs/Extensions SS 3x10/10-38/25
was stuck in traffic and saw a gym from my chain just off the road so snuck in for a 30 min session. Awesome gym, 4 lifting platforms, another 6 racks and way way more space than my current one.
Took the opportunity to do a little o lifting as the barbells were actually straight
Power Cleans
3x2-50,70,80, 1-82.5,85,87.5kg. Form got ugly at 85 and 87 - probably had 90 but it would have been very messy so stopped
Preacher Curl 3x8-45kg
Seated Hammer Curl 3x7-17.5kg DBs
brutal sleeps at the moment. so much **** going on at home and once I wake up for a pee at some point between 3.30 and 4.30, that's pretty much me done...particularly on the days I get up early and start the commute at 5.50 to beat the traffic.
Today was 3.40 sadly. Don't marry someone who turns into a coke addict and alcoholic and secretly funnels your money into private bank accounts to fund her habits folks!
Seated DB Press 7x7-24kg
Wide Grip Pull Downs 4x8-67kg
Close Grip seated row 4x8-70
last night
DB Bench 4x6-32.5, 3x10-27.5
DB FLye 3x10-22
Chins 10,8,8 - *haven't done these for years...grip was what gave way
Dips 3x10
Barbell Curl 3x9-40kg
this morning in the new gym
Front squat 4x4-70kg
Hack Squat 4x10-160kg
Leg Press 4x10-230kg
Deadlift 3x5-140
Leg Extension 3x10 each leg as singles 36kg
really enjoyed the session - haven't done a hack squat in many years but the new gym has one. Had wobbly legs walking down the gym stairs for the first time in a while
Press 3x5-50
Seated DB Press 4x9-22.5
Hang Power Cleans 3x8-60
Hammer seated wide grip row 4x8-140
Close Grip Row 4x9-77kg
DB Bench 10.10.10.9.9-30kg
Flye 3x11 22.5kg
Barbell Curl, Hammer Curl ss 3x8/8-50/17.5
Dips 4x15
rest day yesterday.
leg extension warm up 2x6-33kg each leg alternating
front squat 3x4-70kg.
hack squat 5x10-140kg
deadlift 3x6-140kg
leg press 5x10-250kg
nice session. really enjoying having a hack squat machine
early am session and very little energy. I am doing 17 hour fasts Mon to Weds and I'm generally very depleted by Thurs am.
weighed in at 81.7kg - which is down 9kg since Jan. The lowest I've been in the 18 years I've been tracking it is 81.2 and certainly when I was playing rugby I was heavier so it might be the lowest I've been since college. 81.1 had been my goal but IDK - I have a boozy weekend coming up and I think that and relaxing a little on things is more important to me.
Am tempted to get a DEXA as this might be the lowest I've been. If only Loco was alive, I'd post a pic and he could guess ahead of time.
Seated DB Press 5x7-24kg
Barbell Shrug 4x11-90kg
Wide Grip Pull Down 4x10-67
Close Grip Pull Down 4x10-70
4 sets of a circular leg raise thing for abs.
DB Bench 4x6-32.5, 3x15-25
Hammer Bench machine on small incline 3x9-80
Barbell Curl/Hammer Curl ss 3x10/8-35/15kg
Dips - 18
interrupted mid session by new wife/ex wife revelations from my daughter and had to speak to wife/ex wife's sister for 10 mins during session. Didn't have the heart to finish up
