Staving off the decline, part deux

[JimRiley]

Tue., Aug. 23, 2022
Cardio: Cycled 14.6 miles in 1:08, averaging 12.9 mph. Average/normalized/max power: 126/144/479W. Did my benchmark climb semi-comfortably, averaging 174W.

Wed., Aug. 24, 2022
Machine lateral raise: 55 x 9 x 4
Incline bench: 120 x 10 x 4
Lat flexor: 150 x 8 x 4
Seated dip: 105 x 8 x 4
Overhead triceps extension: 90 x 8 x 4
Machine biceps curl: 55 x 9 x 4
Leg raise: 6 x 20 seconds (4 supported, 2 hanging)
Quad extension: 125 x 9 x 4
Seated row: 95 x 8 x 4
Hip abductor: 155 x 11 x 4
Hip adductor: 185 x 9 x 4
Leg press: 255 x 11 x 4
Hamstring curl: 80 x 11 x 4, plus some very slow light stuff to hopefully soothe the hamstrings

[JimRiley]

OHP: 85 x 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1 @7-8, 65 x 8 x 3 @6-7 E2-2.5M
BB front delt raise: 27.5 x 12 x 4
Rear delt raise: 13.5s x 8 x 4
Cardio: Cycled 9.9 miles in 41 minutes, averaging 14.5 mph. Average/normalized/max power: 132/149/393W. Went moderately hard for 8 minutes, averaging 177W.

[JimRiley]

Fri., Aug. 26, 2022
Bench: 165 (92%) x 1 @8.5; 153 (85%) x 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1 (19 reps) @ 7-9.5 E2-3M

Sat., Aug. 26, 2022
Squat: 165 x 5 x 5 @<6
Cardio: Cycled 14.7 miles in 56 minutes, averaging 15.7 mph. Average/normalized/max power: 151/161/397W. After warming up for a bit, I went pretty hard pretty the rest of the way (about 45 minutes).

[JimRiley]

Deadlift: 275 (81%) x 1 @9; 240 (71%) x 3 x 8 @6 E2M
Cardio: Cycled 11.9 miles in 48 minutes, averaging 14.8 mph. Average/normalized/max power: 137/151/548W.

The weekend was pretty busy, and accordingly I was kind of tired today. I would have liked to use at least 255 for deadlift triples, but given how I felt, 240 was plenty. Briefly considered a couple more sets, but... naah.

[JimRiley]

Buncha GPP at the In-Shape:

Seated triceps extension: 85 x 8 x 4
Machine lateral raise: 55 x 10 x 4
Hip adductor: 185 x 10 x 4*
Incline bench: 120 x 11 x 4
Quad extension: 125 x 10 x 4
Hip abductor: 155 x 12 x 4*
Machine biceps curl: 55 x 10 x 4*
Leg press: 255 x 12 x 4
Hamstring curl: 80 x 12 x 4
Leg raise: 7 x 20-25 seconds (4 supported, 3 hanging)
Lat pulldown: 100 x 11 x 4
Trap bar shrug: 165 x 12 x 4

I saw a guy at the In-Shape doing what by my standards were some pretty heavy deadlifts (like 495 to 565), using mixed grip but struggling to hold on. I just happened to have a pair of straps in my capacious gym bag, and offered to let him use them. He said he had a pair at home but had never figured them out, so I dug mine out for him and gave him the how-to spiel. He did a couple singles with them and then gave them back to me - probably thinking he didn't want his workout derailed any further by some garrulous old fart - but maybe now he'll start using his own pair when the need arises.

[JimRiley]

Wed., Aug. 31, 2022
Cardio: Cycled 13.8 miles in 1:09, averaging 12 mph. Average/normalized/max power: 110/128/531W.

My current benchmark hill and another iconic local climb supposedly join up on a hilltop. I've long dreamed of riding up one side and down the other, which looks feasible in Google Earth, but both of the roads are gated quite a way from the top. Lately, though, the gate's been open on the side I usually go up, so I promised myself on this ride that I'd conserve as much energy as possible on the climb, keep going through the gate, and try to make it over the top and down the other side. Well, I tried, but it didn't work - after the gate, the road almost immediately turns to sand and then basically disappears into a construction site. I went back later in my car, thinking maybe if I acted like I belonged there I could find a way through, but no dice. It's probably just as well; in Google Earth it looks like the top of the hill is about another 1000' higher than where I usually turn around, and besides the residents are probably armed and suspicious of interlopers.

Thu., Sep. 1, 2022
Walked and jogged 1 mile in 12 minutes. I've hadn't done any jogging in about 2 weeks due to some foot pain, so this was just a quick status check. The foot still hurt a little, but that's not a surprise.

Fri., Sep. 2, 2022
Bench: 162 (90%) x 1 x 10 @9 E2M
Squat: 165 (66%) x 5 x 6 @6 E2.5M
Cardio: Cycled 14.4 miles in 57 minutes, averaging 15.3 mph. Average/normalized/max power: 142/157/516W. Averaged 16.4 mph and 164W for the 10.6 miles in between warming up and cooling down.
BB front raise: 30 x 8 x 4
DB rear delt raise: 13.5s x 9 x 4

[JimRiley]

Cardio: Walked and jogged for 15 minutes, covering 1.2 miles. No foot pain.
OHP: 75 x 3 x 10 @7-8 EMOM

Kept having an odd twinge in my left thigh - not quite in the hamstring, not quite in the ITB - and ended up downregulating my planned deadlift volume to zero. Hopefully this was just one of those random 24-hour specials.

[JimRiley]

Cardio: Cycled 14.6 miles in 1 hour 2 minutes, averaging 14.1 mph. Average/normalized power: 107/126W.
Hammer curl: R17.5, L13.5 x 9 x 4 (still sparing my left elbow, though it's feeling somewhat better)
Wrist curl: 12.5s x 12 x 4
Reverse wrist curl: R 12.5 x 8, 8, 8, 7; L 12.5 x 8 x 4 (first time left stood up better than right)
Deadlift: 275 (81%) x 2 @7; 205 (60%) x 7 x 5 @<6 E2MOM

[JimRiley]

Machine lateral raise: 55 x 11 x 4
Incline bench: 120 x 12, 12, 12, 10
Seated dip: 110 x 8 x 4
Hip abductor: 160 x 8 x 4
Machine biceps curl: 55 x 11 x 4
Overhead triceps extension): 90 x 9 x 4
Seated row: 90 x 9 x 4
Hamstring curl: 85 x 8 x 4
Quad extension: 125 x 11 x 4
Hip adductor: 185 x 11 x 4
Leg press: 260 x 8 x 4 (seat at 7 instead of 8)
I'd been doing 255 on the leg press. This time I added 5 pounds, so about 2%, and moved the seat one notch (maybe about 1 cm) closer to the footplate. Those seemed like pretty minor changes, but it felt quite a bit harder.

Cardio: Walked and jogged for 15 minutes, covering a mile and a quarter. Still rehabbing my left foot; it didn't hurt any, so it seems to be going OK.

[JimRiley]

Cardio: Cycled 14 miles in 55 minutes, averaging 15.2 mph. Average/normalized/max power: 136/149/523W. Averaged 16.2 mph and 152W for the 10.6 in between between warming up and cooling down.

[JimRiley]

Wed., Sep. 7, 2022
Bench: 165 (92%) x 1 @7.5; 182 (101%) x 0; 120 (67%) x 7 x 6 @7-8, 120 x 6 @9 E2M
Going for a PR was a spur-of-the-moment thing after 165 felt pretty smooth. 182 felt pleasingly light in my hands, but I couldn’t quite get it moving quick enough. Kind of encouraging though.

Thu., Sep. 8, 2022
Cardio: Cycled 10.4 miles in 43 minutes, averaging 14.6 mph. Average/normalized/max power: 117/132/398W.
Squat: 45 x 8, 85 x 8, 125 x 6. Was planning to do something like 165 x 5 x 7, but when I unracked 165 for the first work set it felt really heavy, and since it was already late and the house was about 80 degrees, I just said the heck with it.

[JimRiley]

Fri., Sep. 9, 2022
Cardio: Walked and jogged 2 miles in 24 minutes, averaging 5 mph. Still rehabbing my right foot; it hurt a little jogging, but that’s OK.

Sun., Sep. 11, 2022
Cardio: Cycled 13.6 miles in 1 hour 1 minute, averaging 13.4 mph. Average/normalized/max power: 103/121/542W. Went super easy almost all the way, and ended up with numb hands and feet as payback. That'll teach me! Picked up a PR on a little downhill Strava segment, just to break the monotony.
OHP: 90 x 1 @8; 65 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 3, 3 (36 total) EMOM
Squat: 165 x 5 x 7 @6 every 2:30
Reverse wrist curls:
• Right: 12.5 x 10 x 2, 10 x 10, 10 x 9
• Left: 12.5 x 7, 12.5 x 6, 10 x 8, 10 x 7
Wrist curls: 13.5 x 9 x 4
Hammer curls:
• Right: 17.5 x 10, 10, 6
• Left: 13.5 x 10 x 4

Had zilch on reverse wrist curls, maybe because I didn’t warm up by doing regular ones first. And afterwards my right forearm was so wrecked I couldn’t hang onto the dumbbell for hammer curls. Weird.

Also I think it’s about time to stop doing less weight with my left arm on hammer curls. Maybe I’ll switch to 15 on both arms and then slowly work up again from there.

Mon., Sep. 12, 2022
Deadlift: 265 x 2 @8; 225 x 5 x 3 @7 every 2.5 minutes.
Not the greatest deadlift session. I generally avoid doing 3 sets of 5, for historical reasons, but I just didn't feel like doing any more. At least I didn't just do one set of 5!

Cardio: Walked and jogged 1.9 miles in 22 minutes, averaging 5.1 mph. Over 5 mph for once! The problem foot felt fine.

Tue., Sep. 13, 2022
Forearms are still sore, seemingly from my wrist curl misadventures on Sunday.

At the In-Shape, all on machines except the knee raises:
Lateral raise: 55 x 12 x 4
Incline bench: 180 x 1, 135 x 6 x 4
Lat flexor: 150 x 9 x 3 (similar to a narrow-grip lat pulldown)
Seated triceps extension: 85 x 9 x 4
Leg press: 135 x 10 x 3 (slow, seat further back than usual)
Knee raise: 8 x 25-30 seconds (4 supported, 4 hanging)
Quad extension: 65 x 10 x 3, slow
Hamstring curl: 45 x 10, 40 x 10 x 2, slow
Trap bar shrug: 175 x 8 x 4 (had to use straps and gloves)
Biceps curl: 55 x 12, 12, 10, 8
Lat pulldown: 105 x 8 x 4

I went much lighter than usual on all the leg stuff, and did it at a slow tempo, because of some persistent pain in my upper outer hamstrings on both legs. I've been kind of ignoring it for a couple weeks, but it's gotten old, and I've had good luck with this approach in the past.

The weights on the lateral raise and biceps curl machine are exaggerated, probably due either to some sort of internal dual pulley arrangement or else just putting bogus numbers on the plates. There's certainly no way I could do lateral raises or biceps curls for sets of 12 with 27.5-pound dumbbells! This design probably has the same motivation as vanity sizing in clothes.

[JimRiley]

Cardio: Cycled 14.4 miles in 57 minutes, averaging 15.3 mph. Average/normalized/max power: 137/151/547W. Averaged 16.1 mph for 10.6 miles in the middle.

[JimRiley]

Cardio: Walked and jogged 3 miles in 43 minutes, averaging 4.2 mph. Both hamstrings were very tight at the start. The left one eventually loosened up but the right one didn’t, so I ended up alternately walking and jogging the whole way. The right hamstring did pretty much stop hurting on uphills, so that’s somewhat encouraging.

Bench: 155 (86%) x 2 @9; 120 (67%) x 7 x 4 @7-9 E2M
Didn’t start benching until 9 pm, which is too late. The tank was empty after just a few sets.

[JimRiley]

Geez, I nearly dropped onto page 3!

I've been doing most lower-body stuff in short sets with ascending weights, usually with slow (like 5-count) eccentrics. Both hamstrings have been hurting in the upper outer quadrant (for the lack, on my part, of better anatomical terminology), and while I suspect it's just some lingering nociception that doesn't indicate an actual problem, I still want them to stop hurting. At this point they mostly have, so I'm gradually transitioning back to my normal routines with squats, deadlifts, leg presses, etc.

Fri., Sep. 16, 2022 and Sat., Sep. 17, 2022: Rest days, since things went poorly on Sep. 15.

Sun., Sep. 18, 2022
Machines at the In-Shape:
Seated row: 90 x 10 x 4
Incline bench: 135 x 7 x 4
Lateral raise: 60 x 8 x 4
Biceps curl: 55 x 12 x 4
Overhead triceps extension: 90 x 10 x 4
Seated dip: 110 x 9 x 4

Later on:
DB rear delt raise: 13.5s x 10 x 4
BB front raise: 30 x 9 x 4
BB shrug: 135 x 10 x 4

Mon., Sep. 19, 2022
Hanging knee raises: 1 x 20 seconds, 3 x 30 seconds, 1 x 20 seconds
5-3-0 tempo squats: air x 3, 15 x 3, 25 x 3, 35 x 3, 45 x 3, 55 x 3, 65 x 3, 75 x 3, 85 x 3, 95 x 3, 105 x 3, 115 x 3, 125 x 3, 135 x 3
Cardio: Cycled indoors on the trainer for 27 minutes, covering 6.1 miles (based on rear wheel revolutions). Sped up very gradually for 22 minutes, then did a 1-minute simulated climb (biggest gear and braking). Average/normalized/max power: 108/128/261W.

Tue., Sep. 20, 2022
Bench: 165 (92%) x 1 @9; 120 (67%) x 7 x 9 @7-8 at intervals of 2:30
3-2-3 tempo deadlift: 65 x 3, 85 x 3, 105 x 3, 125 x 3, 135 x 3, 145 x 3, 155 x 3, 165 x 3, 175 x 3, 185 x 3, 195 x 3
Hammer curl: R 17.5, L 13.5 x 10 x 4
DB wrist curl: 13.5s x 10 x 4
Reverse wrist curls: 12.5s x 10, 10, 8
Cardio: Walked and jogged 1.9 miles in 22 minutes, averaging 4.9 mph.

Wed., Sep. 21, 2022
Machines at the In-Shape:
Incline bench: 135 x 7 x 4
Lateral raise: 60 x 8 x 4
Hamstring curl: 25 x 3, 35 x 3, ..., 85 x 3, slow
Seated triceps extension: 85 x 10 x 4
Hip adductor: 85 x 3, 100 x 3, ... 145 x 3, slow
Hip abductor: 55 x 3, 70 x 3, 70 x 5, slow; quit because it was hurting
Lat pulldown: 105 x 9 x 4
Machine biceps curl: 60 x 8 x 3; skipped 4th set because left elbow was hurting
Lat flexor: 150 x 9 x 3, 120 x 10
Leg press: 95, 105, ..., 155 x 3 slow, with the seat a couple notches further back than usual
Walked and jogged on a treadmill for about 6 minutes

Thu., Sep. 22, 2022
Cardio: Cycled 7.8 miles in 32 minutes, averaging 14.6 mph. Average/normalized/max power: 123/139/396W.
5-2-0 tempo squats: 45 x 3, 55 x 3, 65 x 3, 75 x 3, 85 x 3, 95 x 3, 105 x 3, 115 x 3, 125 x 3, 135 x 3, 145 x 3, 155 x 3
OHP: 85 (81%) x 1 @7, 77 (74%) x 3 x 8

Fri., Sep. 23, 2022
Cardio: Walked and jogged 35 minutes; 2.9 miles averaging 5.0 mph. Right hamstring hurt just a little, otherwise fine.

Sat., Sep. 24, 2022
Machines at the In-Shape:
Leg press: 95 x 10; 115, 135, ... 255 x 5 slow
Incline bench: 135 x 8 x 4
Seated row: 90 x 11 x 4
Biceps curl: 60 x 8 x 4
Overhead triceps extension: 90 x 11 x 4
Lateral raise: 60 x 9 x 4
Seated dip: 110 x 10 x 4
Hip adductor: 85 x 5, 100 x 3, 115 x 5, 135 x 5, 145 x 4 slow
Hamstring curl: 40 x 5, 50 x 5, 60 x 5, 70 x 3 slow
Hip abductor: 55 x 5, 70 x 5, 85 x 5, 100 x 5, 115 x 5 slow
Quad extension: 125 x 8 x 4

Sun., Sep. 25, 2022
Cardio: Cycled 13.6 miles in 54 minutes, averaging 15.0 mph. Average/normalized/max power: 142/156/437W.
First workout with my new Whoop (one of those wearable fitness tracker thingies) and I wanted to create a fairly ambitious baseline. Results:
• New PR for average speed on this ride and its variations
• New PR for 5-minute average power (207W)
• Tied PR (6:25) for my benchmark 1-mile climb
Heart rate, according to Whoop: average 115, max 141. I don't think 141 was really the maximum HR, as I was going absolutely all-out on the climb, and I've seen heart rates in that neighborhood on much less taxing efforts since then.

Squat: 45 x 5, 55 x 5, ..., 165 x 5
Rear delt raises: 13.5s x 11 x 4
BB front raises: 30 x 10 x 4

Whoop data: cycling "strain" 11.9 out of 21; lifting strain 6.4, average HR 104, max HR 154 (!); whole day strain 15.1 out of 21.

Mon., Sep. 26, 2022
Cardio: Walked and jogged 3.1 miles in 38 minutes, averaging 4.9 mph.
Bench: 160 (89%) x 1 @8, 127.5 (71%) x 5 x 11 @7 E2.5M
Hammer curls (with 90-degree twist): R16.5, L 12.5 x 11 x 4
Wrist curls: 12.5s x 11 x 4
Reverse wrist curls: 12.5 x 10 x 3
I meant to go a pound heavier on the hammer curls and wrist curls, but on the latter it was probably for the best.

Whoop data: cycling strain 10.9, average HR 118, max HR 137; lifting strain 5.9, average HR 89, max HR 123; whole day strain 13.5 out of 21. Recovery from previous day: 95%, HRV (heart rate variability) 57 ms. Supposedly that’s a pretty good HRV number for someone over 65.

Tue., Sep. 27, 2022
Cardio: Cycled 14.3 miles in 57 minutes, averaging 15.1 mph. Average/normalized/max power: 138/149/606W.
Hanging knee raise: 1 x 60s (my first 1-minute hang - yay), 3 x 20s, 1 x 15s
OHP: 85 x 1 @9; 65 x 3, 4, 5, 3, 4, 5, 3, 4, 5 (36 total) EMOM
Deadlift: 135 x 5, 145 x 5, ..., 205 x 5, 215 x 3, 225 x 3

Whoop data: cycling strain 11.6, average HR 115, max HR 143; lifting strain 7.0, average HR 101, max HR 129; whole day strain:14.3 out of 21. Recovery from previous day: 84%, HRV 48 ms.

[JimRiley]

Machines at the In-Shape:
Incline bench: 135 x 8 x 4
Biceps curl: 60 x 9 x 4
Lat pulldown: 105 x 10 x 2, 85 x 10 x 2
Seated triceps extension: 85 x 11 x 3, 65 x 11
Lateral raise: 60 x 10 x 4
Quad extension: 125 x 11 x 4
Leg press: 220 x 20 x 4
Hip abductor: 140 x 8 x 4
Lat flexor: 150 x 9 x 4
Hamstring curl: 75 x 8 x 4
Hip adductor: 155 x 8 x 4
Whoop data: lifting strain 7.4, average HR 90, max HR 119; whole day strain 11.9 out of 21. Recovery from previous day: 98%, HRV 60 ms.

[JimRiley]

Thu., 9/29/22
Cardio: Cycled 13.7 miles in 55 minutes, averaging 15.0 mph. Average/normalized/max power: 133/148/510 W.
Felt a little nauseated while cycling and cut it shorter than I was planning. Was fine later on. That was weird.

Whoop data: Cycling strain 11.4, average HR 115, max HR 143; whole day strain 11.9 out of 21. Recovery from previous day 97%, HRV 73 ms.

Fri., 9/30/22
Bench: 165 (92%) x 1 @9; 137.5 (76%) x (3, 4, 5) x 4 @7-8 at 2:00 intervals, except I took 2:30 and 3:00 between the final sets
Squat: 165 (66%) x 5 x 5 @6 at 2:30 intervals
Did regular squats instead of tempo for the first time in a couple weeks. The only concession I made to the recently sore hamstrings was to try and keep the lockouts a little soft – and even that I forgot most of the time.

Cardio: Walked and jogged for 52 minutes, covering 4.3 miles at an average speed of 4.9 mph

Whoop data: Lifting: strain 6.2, average HR 92, max HR 126. Cardio: strain 13.7, average HR 126, max HR 144. Whole day strain: don't know yet; it doesn't tell you until the following morning. Recovery from previous day 92%, HRV 68 ms.

[JimRiley]

Sat., 10/1/22
Whoop data: Recovery from previous day 42%, HRV 36 ms.

Sun., 10/2/22
Cardio: Cycled for 1 hour 1 minute, covering 13.7 miles at an average of 13.4 mph. Average/normalized/max power: 109/128/539W. Very easy ride.
OHP: 85 x 1 @8; 77 x 3 x 6 @7-8 every 2 minutes
Deadlift: 255 x 2 @7; 225 x 4 @<6; 185 x 8 x 3 @<6 every 2 minutes
Hamstrings were hurting a little on deadlifts so I ended up going ultralight.

I’m sending the Whoop back. Out of all the data and recommendations, heart rate is the only thing I've found useful, and there are much cheaper ways to get that data. The recommendations are a joke, but I'll save the full rant for another time. Fortunately I'm still well within the 30-day tryout period and can still send it back without paying.

[JimRiley]

Mon., Oct. 3, 2022
Machines at the In-Shape:
Seated row: 90 x 12 x 4
Hip adductor: 165 x 8 x 4
Incline bench: 135 x 9 x 3, 135 x 8
Hip abductor: 150 x 8 x 4
Lateral raise: 60 x 11 x 4
Biceps curl: 60 x 9 x 4
Quad extension: 125 x 12 x 4
Knee raise: 8 sets of 10 (4 supported, 4 hanging)
Overhead triceps extension: 90 x 12 x 4
Leg press: 240 x 10 x 4
Hamstring curl: 75 x 8 x 4
Seated dip: 110 x 11 x 4

Tue., Oct. 4, 2022
DB neutral grip wrist curl: 12.5s x 8 x 4
DB reverse wrist curl: 12.5s x 10 x 3
DB rear delt raise: 13.5s x 11 x 4
BB front raise: 30 x 10 x 4
DB wrist curl: 13.5s x 11 x 4
Hammer curl: R17.5, L13.5 x 11 x 4
Cardio: Walked and jogged my standard hilly loop. Took 50 minutes, covering 3.8 miles at an average of 4.6 mph.

Wed., Oct. 5, 2022
Bench: 165 (92%) x 1 @9; 145 (81%) x (2, 3, 4) x 4 @6-9 starting every 2:30 (took an extra 0:30 before the last set)
Squat: 165 (66%) x 5 x 5 starting every 2m
Cardio: Cycled on the indoor trainer for 37 minutes. After warming up, I did eight 0:20 intervals with 1:40 rests, with an additional 2:00 of recovery between the 5th and 6th. Target power in the 1st through 7th intervals was 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, and 500W; on the 8th one I just went as hard as I could, and managed a fairly meager 627W.

[slowmotion]

Nice work!