Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

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Renascent
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Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#21

Post by Renascent » Tue Apr 18, 2023 6:45 am

Zak wrote: Tue Apr 18, 2023 6:34 amThe one idea that really made a difference though after I'd already built some squatting strength is finding the limiter and attacking that with most of the volume. For me that was knee extension strength, and it probably is for most people, so I shifted some of my main lift volume over to really quad-heavy assistance...
Interesting.

That's kind of been my own thought process lately.

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Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#22

Post by DCR » Wed Apr 19, 2023 6:02 am

Zak wrote: Tue Apr 18, 2023 6:34 am
DCR wrote: Mon Apr 17, 2023 1:28 pm Your squats, at that bodyweight, are embarrassing me. It’s good for me to see this, because I make a lot of excuses when dudes bury my squat but weigh a lot more. You’re burying me weighing a lot less. Got work to do.
Not going to lie, being this light definitely takes its toll on squatting strength, (I'm 5'10, kind of skinny at this point,) but as I get older I find I just have less and less tolerance for bodyfat. The idea of carrying extra fat only to provide passive stability on a barbell lift just does not accord with my idea of what strength should be.

I see you're squatting pretty much every training day. Frequent squat work has been hit or miss for me in the past but I had some good runs with it. The one idea that really made a difference though after I'd already built some squatting strength is finding the limiter and attacking that with most of the volume. For me that was knee extension strength, and it probably is for most people, so I shifted some of my main lift volume over to really quad-heavy assistance, (hacks, lever squat, high-bar pause squats,) and that's what got me over 500 at a fairly low bodyweight.
Zak, thanks for responding and for taking a look at my log. Yes, I’ve squatted each session for a long time now, and not because I think it’s any great strategy - I just really like squatting and a session feels incomplete to me without it. Just doing heavy (for me) low bar every other day probably is not the smartest move, and I think you’re right regarding knee extension. I have an upper back rounding issue but always have felt that it’s not a weakness there, but rather the result of my hips rising before my knees as I start to tire, pitching my back forward. I really like pause squats and spent a few weeks on them relatively recently, but low bar. Thinking I’ll alternate sessions between low bar regular squats and high bar paused squats. My knees hate machines, and I dislike front squatting - too many other cues to really focus on my quads as I’d want to.

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Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#23

Post by Zak » Wed Apr 19, 2023 12:59 pm

4/19/23

Axle C/P
145/3
145/3
145/3

Press
110/10
125/8
135/6
145/4
125/15

Viking
105/10
105/10

Lateral
25/12
25/12

DB Ext
25/15
25/13

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Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#24

Post by Zak » Fri Apr 21, 2023 12:13 pm

4/21/23

BB Row
155/10
155/10

Deadlift
310/10
360/8
385/6
410/4
360/10

S/G RDL
265/10
265/10

Frame DL
280/3
320/3
370/5

Ring Pullup
B/10
B/10


Dizzy/lightheaded and nauseous after almost every set here. Hopefully a one-off kind of thing. Had to sit down a bunch in between sets which I hate to do. None of this was pushed particularly hard, just bagging some work.

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Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#25

Post by Zak » Mon Apr 24, 2023 11:34 am

4/24/23

Log
160/2
160/2
160/2

Bench
175/10
205/8
220/6
230/4
245/2
220/7 (this set was bullshit, kept banging into plates that were racked on a post)

Incline DB
65/10
65/10
65/10

EZ Curl
80/10
80/10
80/10

DB Hammer
35/11


Took a fairly big jump with the log work. Totally limited by technique at this point, still trying to figure out how to negotiate the thing over my head. R shoulder got a little annoyed with the log but settled down quickly. I feel like the DB work may pay dividends for me, haven't done much in a long time.

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Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#26

Post by Zak » Tue Apr 25, 2023 12:56 pm

4/23/23

BW: 175.5

GHR
B/10
B/10
B/10

Squat
260/10
300/8
325/6
345/4
365/2
325/10

Dynamic Lunge (top squat attachment)
100/10
100/10
100/10

Lever Squat
175/10
175/10
175/10

Blast Strap Fallout (position 2)
B/15
B/15


Good energy today, felt strong, coordinated, not too much dizziness/lightheadedness. Could be just a good day, or could be starting to adapt to the workload.

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Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#27

Post by Zak » Thu Apr 27, 2023 1:14 pm

4/27/23

Axle C/P
155/3
155/3
155/3

Press
110/10
125/8
135/6
145/4
155/2
135/10

Viking
105/10
105/10
105/10

Lateral
27.5/18, 8

DB Ext
27.5/14, 5


Solid 80%-er kind of pressing day. I think the move here is to start to lighten and volumize the Axle and Log work for a wave or two. Something like 4-6x3-4 nice and crisp. My cleans are not the prettiest.

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Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#28

Post by Zak » Fri Apr 28, 2023 1:25 pm

4/28/23

BW: 175

BB Row
160/10
160/10
160/10

Deadlift
310/10
360/8
385/6
410/4
440/2
385/8 (t/g)

S/G RDL
275/10
275/10
275/10

Frame Dead
370/3
370/3
370/3

Ring Pullup
15/9+2+2 (13r/p)

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Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#29

Post by Zak » Mon May 01, 2023 12:44 pm

5/1/23

Log C/P
120/5
120/5
120/5
120/5
120/5

Bench
175/10
205/8
220/6
230/4
245/2
260/1
230/6

Incline DB Press
65/10
65/10
65/10
65/10

EZ Curl
80/10
80/10
80/10
80/10

DB Hammer
37.5/9+4+3 (16r/p)


Log felt smooth, just need to keep bagging easy-ish work with the log and axle I think.

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Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#30

Post by Zak » Tue May 02, 2023 12:56 pm

5/2/23

BW: 175.4

GHR
B/10
B/10
B/10
B/10

Squat
260/10
300/8
325/6
345/4
365/2
385/1
345/6

(some single-leg bullshit, 3 sets...)

Lever Squat
180/10
180/10
180/10
180/10


Will get some ab work in later. Pretty gassed right now.

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Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#31

Post by DCR » Tue May 02, 2023 5:29 pm

@Zak, I cut/pasted all of your squat workouts since the beginning of this log into a spreadsheet and was able to follow what you’re doing. Did you put this progression together, or is it a piece of another program?

I think I’m nearly ready to cut the shit with squatting every session, and may try this.

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Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#32

Post by Zak » Wed May 03, 2023 7:19 am

DCR wrote: Tue May 02, 2023 5:29 pm @Zak, I cut/pasted all of your squat workouts since the beginning of this log into a spreadsheet and was able to follow what you’re doing. Did you put this progression together, or is it a piece of another program?

I think I’m nearly ready to cut the shit with squatting every session, and may try this.
Ha, I could have saved you the work my man, the progression for the main lifts is this:

1. 60/10, 70/8, 75/6, 80/4, 70/8+
2. 60/10, 70/8, 75/6, 80/4, 85/2, 75/6+
3. 60/10, 70/8, 75/6, 80/4, 85/2, 90/1, 80/4+
4. Deload or add a little bit and go.

Very conservative training max for me here, but this is going to depend on your recovery status, whether you're losing/gaining weight, etc.

I didn't design it myself, it's based on Alex Bromley's "Powerbuilder" scheme from Base Strength (excellent book). It does a couple things I like. First, you touch heavier weights but they aren't "hard" sets and they're done under some fatigue. I've had good luck in the past with fatigued singles (basically working up to something heavy after doing some volume,) and this is in a similar vein. It's also an efficient way to get a good amount of work in a little more quickly than working up to a top set, then doing all the volume on the back end. My joints also appreciate being very warm before touching any kind of heavier loads. Another thing I kind of like is that after the first set (the 10s), each ensuing set (except for the + set at the end) is about as difficult as the set that precedes it, but you get to drop the reps, which to me at least offers some relief. Finally, the "powerbuilder" progression prescribes something like this for a few waves, then flips to lower volume work for a few waves to hit some PRs. That looks like this:

1. 85/rm, 80/rm, 70/rm
2. 90/rm, 85/rm, 75/rm
3. 95/rm, 90/rm, 80/rm

I would not treat these as true RM sets, but I do plan to push them when the time comes.

With these progressions you can go a number of different directions with your program. If you don't want to go the pure powerbuilder route and bomb the main lift and related assistance with volume 1x/wk, you can easily make it a heavy/light program by doing some work with a lighter variation (high bar, front squat, paused variation, etc.) on a second day.

I like the program but the squat and deadlift days are no picnic.

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Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#33

Post by DCR » Wed May 03, 2023 4:32 pm

Zak wrote: Wed May 03, 2023 7:19 am
DCR wrote: Tue May 02, 2023 5:29 pm I cut/pasted all of your squat workouts since the beginning of this log into a spreadsheet and was able to follow what you’re doing. Did you put this progression together, or is it a piece of another program?

I think I’m nearly ready to cut the shit with squatting every session, and may try this.
Ha, I could have saved you the work my man, the progression for the main lifts is this:

1. 60/10, 70/8, 75/6, 80/4, 70/8+
2. 60/10, 70/8, 75/6, 80/4, 85/2, 75/6+
3. 60/10, 70/8, 75/6, 80/4, 85/2, 90/1, 80/4+
4. Deload or add a little bit and go.
Thank you. Tbh I'm never sure if it comes off as lazy to ask someone what they're doing, when their log is right there for the viewing.
Zak wrote: Wed May 03, 2023 7:19 am I didn't design it myself, it's based on Alex Bromley's "Powerbuilder" scheme from Base Strength (excellent book). It does a couple things I like. First, you touch heavier weights but they aren't "hard" sets and they're done under some fatigue. I've had good luck in the past with fatigued singles (basically working up to something heavy after doing some volume,) and this is in a similar vein. It's also an efficient way to get a good amount of work in a little more quickly than working up to a top set, then doing all the volume on the back end. My joints also appreciate being very warm before touching any kind of heavier loads.
Same, same, and same. I've referenced all of those things at various times here. Obviously, I'm not particularly strong, but all of my best progress over the years has come when training in this fashion. Working up in triples or whatever, hitting the massively popular 1@8, and getting volume from back offs never did a thing for me and, perhaps more importantly, I hate it.
Zak wrote: Wed May 03, 2023 7:19 am With these progressions you can go a number of different directions with your program. If you don't want to go the pure powerbuilder route and bomb the main lift and related assistance with volume 1x/wk, you can easily make it a heavy/light program by doing some work with a lighter variation (high bar, front squat, paused variation, etc.) on a second day.
I notice that "do it every session like a dolt" isn't one of the options.

Seriously, I like the idea of having two days, with the other probably being high bar paused squats for me.
Zak wrote: Wed May 03, 2023 7:19 am I like the program but the squat and deadlift days are no picnic.
I started off today with squats, using a training max that I hit last week and that was probably 10-15 lbs. off my actual max, and it was decidedly unpleasant. That said, it was less unpleasant than some of what I'd been doing. For example, the uppermost set was 265x4. I had been doing shit like 295x4, but of course in a breathing squat / rest pause / choose your preferred term way. I also totally agree that no one set sucked much more than the others because of the drops in reps. It was just a steady "sorta sucks."

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Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#34

Post by Zak » Thu May 04, 2023 12:36 pm

DCR wrote: Wed May 03, 2023 4:32 pm

Seriously, I like the idea of having two days, with the other probably being high bar paused squats for me.
Hard to go far wrong with these heavy/light cyclical type programs. Whatever strength base I have was mostly built with that kind of training. I think a lot of people have success with that kind of thing and then assume there's something better out there and wander aimlessly for years until they realize maybe there never was a better way.
DCR wrote: Wed May 03, 2023 4:32 pm
I also totally agree that no one set sucked much more than the others because of the drops in reps. It was just a steady "sorta sucks."
I think the steady sorta sucks is where most training needs to be.

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Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#35

Post by Zak » Thu May 04, 2023 12:38 pm

5/4/23

Axle Clean/Press
120/5
120/5
120/5
120/5
120/5

Press
110/10
125/8
135/6
145/4
155/2
162.5/1
145/8

Viking
105/10
105/10
105/10
105/10

Lateral
30/13+6+4=23r/p

DB Ext
30/14+5+3=22r/p

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Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#36

Post by Zak » Fri May 05, 2023 1:27 pm

5/5/23

BB Row
165/10
165/10
165/10
165/10

Deadlift
310/10
360/8
385/6
410/4
440/2
465/1
410/8

S/G RDL
280/10
280/10
280/10
280/10

(alt. w/...)

Frame
370/4
370/4
370/4
370/4

TRX Face Pull
20, 10


Notes:
-Plan was ring pullups as the last exercise, but left shoulder disagreed, so hit some face pulls, which ostensibly is good for the shoulders, and at the very least does not hurt them.
-Going to make some adjustments to the next wave. Will move the Frame stuff to Squat day for one. Possibly sub regular RDLs or GMs for the S/G RDLs.
-Have been weight stable for like two months now right around 175-176. Going to slash some calories for the next month and a half or thereabouts to get to 170-172 so I can slowly grow into August. Would rather feel strong and recovered for my first strongman contest than be thinking about weight.
-This day, like the squat day, is pretty miserable. The third week of these waves is the most work, and it's all doable but it sucks bad. Trying to get in the habit of going before I'm ready on some of this stuff. Like another minute of rest isn't really gonna make it suck that much less, so just go now.
-I alternated the S/G RDL sets with the Frame pulls, taking advantage of the neurological principle of "interleaving," also known as the principle of not spending the entire afternoon in my garage.

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Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#37

Post by Zak » Mon May 08, 2023 11:41 am

5/8/23

BW: 176

Log
125/5
125/5
125/5
125/5

Bench
175/10
205/8
220/6
235/4
205/11

Incline DB
75/8
75/8

Sisyphus
150/8 trips


Over the last few weeks I've been getting more and more interested in sandbag work, and have gone from playing around with them on off days/weekends to building them into the programming for this wave. I am excited about this.

"Sisyphus" is one of the 60 sessions outlined in Brian Alsruhe's excellent e-book on sandbag training. These were 50 foot carries with the 150-lb bag, of which I did 8 in 10 minutes. This was hard but not too hard, so I should be able to progress this number weekly for a little while I think. Planning on doing a different sandbag finisher each training day to complement the main work and/or fill in gaps, and this will take the place of some of the smaller assistance.

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Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#38

Post by Zak » Tue May 09, 2023 11:15 am

5/9/23

Squat
260/10
305/8
325/6
350/4
305/10

Frame
380/5
380/5
380/5

Lever Squat
200/10
200/10

Airmail
150/4 ,4, 2


Notes:P
-Solid day, squats feeling decent despite low bodyweight, low calories, and only one weekly exposure.
-"Airmail" is another of Brian Alsruhe's sandbag sessions. This one involved timed loads over a bar.
-I've had a pretty significant body composition shift over the past couple of months, which I attribute to the workload progression and introducing the sandbag work.
-Feels like I am in the midst of a breakthrough with this training paradigm.

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Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#39

Post by Zak » Thu May 11, 2023 12:36 pm

5/11/23

BW: 174

Axle C/P
125/5
125/5
125/5
125/5

Press
110/10
130/8
140/6
150/4
130/12

Viking
110/8
110/8

Meatloaf
150/6 trips (10 mins)


Notes:
-Meatloaf involved bag over shoulder, 50 ft trip, another bag over shoulder, ideally on the minute for 10 mins, but that was not happening. Missed one of the bag over shoulders, and 6 trips in 10 mins was very very hard work.
-Cleaning the axle from the floor on rep 1, then all other reps from the hang, i.e., I am holding the axle double overhand the entire set so getting a little grip work there.
-174 is the lightest I've been since I'm not sure when, but definitely been well over a decade.

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Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#40

Post by Zak » Fri May 12, 2023 11:16 am

5/12/23

BB Row
175/8
175/8

Deadlift
315/10
365/8
390/6
415/4
365/8

Ring Pullup
B/8
B/10

Crab Soup
100/1,2,3...8 (10m.)


Notes:
-Need the weekend. Low back is cashed.
-I audibled to pullups here. I had written good mornings in the plan, but in the heat of things I did not see how more low back-intensive work was going to be a good thing. With 4 days of sandbag work each week, plus deads, plus axle and log, squatting, etc., I decided more was not going to be productive. I realize this is a swap of something easier for something harder under fatigue, but for now I think it's the right call for this wave.
-Otherwise things feel fine. Deads are not fast or anything, but not really "hard". Held back quite a bit on the (+) set to give the lumbar a little bit of a break this week.
-Crab soup = sandbag picks to a bearhug then squats, adding a squat each pick, getting as high as you can in 10 mins. This is meant to be done with a fairly heavy bag. I, instead, chose to use a light one.

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