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
500m row warm up (feels so weird)
3x9 alternating single leg curl 20kg
3x12 alternating single leg extension 40kg
5x9 hack squat 130kg
3x8 leg press 260kg
3x12 RDL 80kg
forgot to do hip thrust machine which is annoying. also slightly annoyed with my leg press - I've been dropping weight to add reps and enjoying it but I was working in with a far larger young dude and I trained with more weight than usual for ego reasons. almost added another 20 on either side in a ridiculous attempt to alpha him but a) I'm sure he could have lifted the extra weight too and b) totally futile
went to the gym yesterday but got three warm up sets in and my joints were sore and just didn't have the energy. Looking at my log and it had been 6 days in a row and 12 out of 13 so probably due one.
Plus I was doing some really gnarly work on the house - we're getting ready to sell it for divorce reasons and there's a storage room/cellar which is off the main lounge room but which we've ignored as it's cold and damp. It's developed a lot of mould over the past 2 months where we've had a lot of rain, so I had to vacuum the walls and then scrub them hard with an industrial level mould remover/cleaner and have then painted it. It looks a ton better but it was hard work and I had to do it in a mask and with protective gear because of the mould and it took it out of me.
either way, took two gummies last night, was in bed by 10 and got a very deep almost 7 hour sleep. Was hoping for more but felt refreshed and it gave me time to get to the gym this morning. Very cold here by Australian standards - was approx 45 degrees when I left the house at 6am which is about as cold as Sydney gets. Took a while for me to warm up in the gym
Incline DB Bench 9,11,10,9 - 28kg DB
Isometric flat bench thing 3x9-80kg
DB Flye/Bench 3x9/3-22.5
Prone Front raises on slight incline 3x9-7.5kg DB
Seated DB Press 3x10-20kg
Tricep Pushdown 3xdrop set 30/25/20- kg
wide grip pull downs 4x11-67
neutral grip medium width pull downs 3x12-70
close grip row 3x11-70
barbell shrug 3x17-90kg ss with 3x9 hammer curl 16kg
cable preacher row 3x12-35kg
all good. I'm really enjoying push pull legs, other than how little I seem to get through with my shoulders given the pre exhaust they get after 10/11 chest sets. Also enjoying having the rep range up in the 10-12 territory. Vacation in 10 days time and I'll re-assess as I do still hanker after some heavier weight stuff too.
guess it will depend on my goals. I do have a good cycle's worth of hgh in my fridge still and I've been string at it recently thinking I might get back on it as part of a concerted program but....we'll see
felt great today and ended up doing a lot of volume - prolly too much?
alternating single leg extension 4x11-40kg
alternating single leg curl (prone) 3x10-20
chest supported rear leg thrust thing for glutes 3x12-52.5
hack squat 3x12-120kg
leg press 3x15-210kg
RDL 3x10-80kg
hip thrust machine 3x12-90kg
have never done the rear leg thrust thing and actually enjoyed it, although it used more quads than I think is ideal. and then I did the hip thrust machine for the second time and enjoyed that
also took weight off both hack squat and leg press and did more reps.
actually feel a little nauseous after
am fighting off a bronchial thing. not feeling great and it's still in me but I've only got 25% of the symptoms of a full on flu/virus
took a day off yesterday as I was a little shivery but felt well enough to do a half session tonight
Incline DB Bench 3x11-27.5kg
Isometric Flat bench press 3x10-80kg
seated DB Press 6-22.5, 2x11-20kg
Tricep Push Downs 3 drop sets 3x11-32.5,3x10-25
Tricep machine thing 3x12-45kg
had a few drinks last night and left my car at my friend's house so my session included a 3km walk to collect the car and then...
wide grip pull downs 4x10-67
neutral grip pull downs 3x12-70
close grip rows 3x11-70
power cleans 4x2-80kg
Shrug/Hammer curl ss 3x20/10-90/15kg
all fine. still not totally recovered so did a little less than usual
Did an almost fully unilateral leg workout today. All listed below are alternating single leg
Leg extensions 4x12 40kg
Prone leg curl 3x10-20kg
Glute rear extension thing 3x12-70kg
Leg Press 3x10-100kg
RDL3x10-40kg
Then glute raise machine 3x12-100kg
can't shake this chest infection. worse in the morning and then dissipates through the day
Incline DB Bench 3x11-27.5
Hammer bench machine 3x10-80
Flye/Bench ss 3x13/4-22.5
seated DB Press 3x11-20
Skullcrusher/Close Grip Press ss with EZ Bar 3x10/4-42.5
chest still bad but maybe a little better. was stuck inside all day and it's been biblical rains, so went and did a very easy 45 mins on the stationary bike at the gym, basically as an active rest day to get out and get moving
probably 80% better now, but still lingering chest dramas
wide grip pull downs 3x14-60
neutral grip, medium width pull downs 3x12-67
close grip seated row 3x10-70
back extensions 3x10
preacher curl 3x10-45kg
hammer curl 3x9-15, drop set on last
meh, all fine. hoping to be better by the time I fly to Fiji on Sat am
Glad you're feeling better; enjoy the time off!
thanks. very much looking forward to it. life has not been easy
didn't sleep brilliantly last night and didn't have the minerals for a heavy session. Training through an illness is fine but it's really hard to do the extras
alternating single leg extension 4x10-42.5
alternating single leg prone curl 4x9-22.5
leg press 5x14-190kg
barbell RDL 3x10-70
meh
30kg DB Bench 12,10,8 then 1x14-25
Machine Incline bench thing 3x12-75kg
Seated Adan a press 3x12-20kg
Tricep push down/extension ss 3x12/12-32.5/24kg
All fine. 1.45am wake up tomorrow to get to airport by 3.15 for flight to Fiji
got back late last night after a week in Fiji. Actually went to the pretty good hotel gym every day, but it was damage minimisation and feeling good training rather than anything super aggressive, so it feels like a de-load of sorts. Also only trained at 80% today
Wide Grip Pull Downs 3x11-67kg
Neutral grip mid width pull downs 3x12-67
Close Grip seated row 3x14-70
Preacher Curl 3x11-45kg
Hammer Curl 3x13-15kg
have gotten out of the habit of posting.
Sun did lightish Chest and shoulders session
DB Incline Bench 3x12-28
Hammer Bench machine thing 3x12-80kg
Seated DB Press 3x12-20kg
cable lat raise 3x12
rest day Mon
early am legs this morning. Have been getting a swollen left knee so avoided any big pushing exercises
leg extension 4x12-40 alternating single leg
prone leg curl 4x10-20kg alternating single leg
KB RDL 1x10-28kg alternating single leg
barbell RDL 3x10-80kg
tricep push down/extension ss 3x12/12 31/24kg
all fine. I need to work through a plan of what my training looks like for the next few months and have something to aim for. am getting bored and going through the motions but don't really have an idea of what I want to do/no real passion or drive for anything in particular
early am pull session
4x13 Close Grip row 67kg
4x13 Neutral Grip pull down 67kg
seated hammer chest support row 3x12-120kg
shrug 3x17-120kg
preacher/hammer super set 3x9/9-45/15kg
machine curl thing 2x12-42kg
early am push
4x10 DB Bench 30kg
3x12 DB Incline 26kg
3x12 Flye 22kg
4x12 seated DB Press 20kg
3x10 cable lat raises 7.5kg
all fine although I feel like I'm losing a little strength. Considering doing some lower rep/higher weight stuff for a block?
4x10 leg extension 42kg
3x10 leg curl 20kg
3x12 rear flute machine thing 60kg
All alternating single leg then
3x11 hack squat 100kg
3x11 glute raise machine 130kg
3x10 single leg press 80kg
Re: a strength block, I guess I'm not clear on exactly what your goals are - mainly body composition, or something else?
Re: a strength block, I guess I'm not clear on exactly what your goals are - mainly body composition, or something else?
No concrete goals.
Mixing it up/keeping interested, not losing strength, enjoying the training.
I find the higher rep stuff less taxing on my joints but also less enjoyable.
Same with the single leg and machine stuff I’m doing on lower body day.
My body doesn’t put on muscle very easily anyway and tbh I’ve been dieting so I haven’t noticed much difference to muscle size and appearance over the last 10 weeks of doing higher reps so I don’t think anything is going to drastically transform my body at age 53 (birthday a few days ago, getting Old AF). The weight loss has made the biggest positive difference to my look so that is probably the main priority but that’s a diet thing not a training thing for at least 90% I’d say
Wide grip pull down 4x14-60
Neutral grip pull down 4x14-67
Close grip row 4x13-70
Cable curl 4x13-35
Preacher curl 3x9-45
Painted most of the day. Proud moment when my son got sent off in his rugby league game for punching an opponent who had spear tackled one of his teammates
rest day yesterday.
Incline DB Bench 3x11-27.5kg
Hammer Bench machine 4x11-80
DB Flye 3x13-22.5kg
DB Press 4x12-20
Power Clean 4x3-80kg
all alternating single leg lower body session
4x11 leg extensions 40kg
4x9 leg curl 20kg - this is where my weak leg is weakest...even at low weight it's a real challenge to finish this rep scheme
4x10 leg press 110kg
3x12 machine calf raise 55kg
1x15 dips
3x15/12 tricep push down/extension 31/24kg
3x12 skullcrusher 40kg
wide grip pull downs 3x11-67kg
neutral grip, medium width pull downs 4x13-70
close grip row 3x13-70 ss with
back extensions 3x10
shrug 3x17-120kg
preacher curl 3x10-45kg ss with
hammer curl 3x8-15kg
two unbroken 7 hour sleeps and I feel great today
cursed myself with that talk of two good sleeps. Max of 3.5 hours last night. Couldn't sleep til after1.30 and had turned my alarm off but woke at 5 anyway so figured I might as well go and got through it, but feel like the walking dead now
DB Bench 10,10,11,8-30kg
DB Incline Bench 10,12,13-26kg
Flye Machine 3x14-47kg
seated DB Press 10,12,13,12-22kg
chest supported DB front raise 3x10-7.5kg
