RustoleusMaximus
New Member
God is my strength and power and he maketh my way perfect! - II Samuel 22:33
Posts: 23
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Post by RustoleusMaximus on Sept 5, 2007 14:16:47 GMT -5
George ... a couple of questions. Would a 46 year old master lifter be able to benefit from this routine and how would the weekly schedule be layed out? God Bless
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Post by dopar66 on Sept 5, 2007 15:25:30 GMT -5
Nice work! Even if you're working back up to an old routine, I am still flabbergasted by how deceptively strong you are! "The road to 500"...... Has a nice ring to it!
God Bless!
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Post by George on Sept 5, 2007 17:19:32 GMT -5
Thanks Rockman and Dopar. It just seems like since I got off the gear 400 has been a pain to get to. Usually muscle memory takes over and I climb very quickly. I finished high school with a 390, started back in College and got up to 450. Took four years off and climbed to 475. Only thing I can figure is that I have to relearn the move after a year and a half of "bad habit" shirt benching. I abandoned the bench shirt in June, so I'm confident the past three months has not been enough time for memory or form to come back.
Rusty: You would have to ask a master lifter, but I would say yes. I think all routines are ageless, its just a matter of recovery and overtraining. I do two chest days a week (three counting a small recovery set of three before shoulder workouts). One day I do the buckeye (Sunday), the other is usually a rep day (Thursday). Some people I know have done the Buckeye on just one day a week and have progressed. (It's near max percentages so recovery seems to be the biggest issue). As for me, I associate my raw with the buckeye and do it every week. I usually make continous jumps with it as long as I stay true and not change it during the first wave of stall weeks. The longest I have ever stalled was for three weeks straight where I actually regressed trying to hit the 480 routine. It was at this time that I switched to gear benching. I would say use it weekly, it will surprise you, and use it until the gains stop. Then I would go back to your old bread and butter for a while until it stops then go again. You might be able to make a nice run, and from my experience and some others I have talked to it gave 10-20lb jumps a month. If you had a higher max before I have yet to see a better "muscle memory" workout to bring someone up to par and beyond their old max.
Good luck. Any other questions you can send my an email or PM...sometimes I get carried away...lol.
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Post by George on Sept 9, 2007 11:50:54 GMT -5
Not going to recap things. I have the internet and things are rolling. Only new news is I am going to restart the Smolov 575 base routine because a fellow lifter on another forum from NY wants to do it at the same time. I missed a heavy day anyways so I welcome it.
Sun - Sept 09 - 2007 Bench
Barbell Bench (390 Buckeye) 135 x 10 250 x 8 290 x 6 315 x 4 350 x 3 360 x 2 370 x 1 315 x 6
Things felt heavy at the top but everything went easy. I might start using a band exercise or two as accessories to keep the end strength in my tris. (Probably for my legs too). We'll see next week or this Thursday.
Incline Dumbbell Press 110's for 12 110's for 10 100's for 9 100's for 7
Skull Crushers 125 for 4 x 8 (EZ Bar + 2-45's and 2-10's) This used to be easier back in High School. Granted it was done almost weekly, I still think I am neglecting my triceps somehow by not directing pounding them heavy enough.
Decline Situps 3 x 10. (Yea, this isn't fitness model territory so this was enough for me. I'm going to start upping the volume before lowering it while adding weight.)
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Post by George on Sept 10, 2007 20:41:16 GMT -5
Mon - Sept 10 - 2007 Squat
Barbell Squat (575 Smolov - Week 1) 135 x 10 245 x 10 410 x 10 410 x 10 410 x 10 410 x 10
410 is five pounds heavier and I did ten reps since this is a repeat week. Everything was fluid and much easier....I'm sure next weeks numbers will be more humbling.
Dumbbell Lunge 80's for 4 x 12
This was it for legs. I wanted to get some recovery bench in with some shoulder work (light flyes, rotations). I am going to be doing Lhota's Bench only meet in PA (Sept 29).
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Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2007 3:10:01 GMT -5
Things felt heavy at the top but everything went easy. I might start using a band exercise or two as accessories to keep the end strength in my tris. George, so is there any certain way to determin the cause for failing at the top? Obviously it's triceps, but how can you tell whether it's because they are under or over trained? I always struggle with this when I start benching twice a week - am I doing enough on RE day, not enough or maybe more then needed? Thanks!
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Post by dopar66 on Sept 11, 2007 9:44:19 GMT -5
410x4x10. I remain humbled....... That's just incredible, George!
2 Saturdays to the meet, GIT R DONE big guy!
Solarwind, PM me about that tricep question if you want my .02, I don't want to hijack any more logs than I have already...... (that doesn't leave very many.....)
:')
God Bless!
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Post by George on Sept 11, 2007 10:45:46 GMT -5
Dopar: Thanks. This was def. a last minute meet that I had forgotten about. So much for the yearly plan I talked about....lol. Ah well, its a good addiction I guess.
Solar: Remember I'm still in the transition gear/raw phase. I gave up band work, board presses, lockouts etc to focus on my chest strength. Now that it is getting caught up I feel I need to start using some of these methods again to keep my tris and delts used to the heavy poundage as well. My thinking is the tri's will recover quickly, so after a raw bench why not try some band close grips, etc instead of skull crushers or another tri accessory that is basically all reps? This way I'll be able to work my tri's with more lockout weight and the bottom end should be about the same anyways. (instead of doing say 300 straight weight for close grips for 3x8, do 5x5 with maybe 225 and the purple bands which should equal about 280 at bottom and 360 at the top)
Dopar: PM me if you think I might be wrong about this assessment.
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Post by lysimacus on Sept 11, 2007 13:42:00 GMT -5
Lots of knowledge available here along with the incredible lifting.
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Post by George on Sept 12, 2007 21:46:35 GMT -5
Lysimacus: I am on several forums and this is by far the most beneficial. Too many cowboys on a lot of them. I would say the forum is a reflection of the fed, and this one is true in that regard.
Wed - Sept. 12 - 2007 Squat
Barbell Squat (575 Smolov - Week1) 225 x 7 435 x 7 435 x 7 435 x 7 435 x 7 435 x 7
I again added five pounds but this time things were not as easy as Monday. I had planned to do back along with this but it took longer than anticipated so tomorrow I will do bench, back and some heavy shoulder movements (shrugs or presses).
I'm also going to begin Cardio tomorrow in the mornings, seperate from lifting.
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Post by chancey on Sept 13, 2007 8:04:24 GMT -5
35 Reps of 435. Man, I'm seizing up just thinking about it. Awesome squattin' G!
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Post by dopar66 on Sept 13, 2007 9:19:57 GMT -5
I'm with Chancey, think I just got a cramp...... GREAT GOSH GEORGE! Easy or not, it's darned impressive!
God Bless!
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Post by toolpod on Sept 13, 2007 10:08:24 GMT -5
George...Looking good man! What are you shooting for in Somerset? Triceps...Hard to say whether you are over or under training, given everybody's different. As a Guess, given your age, mid 20's (?) I'd say you might be under training the tris. I get the majority of my tri work from pressing movements, two days a week, one day more volume/heavy chest, one day more top-end / gadget play stuff like bands/chains. When I was your age, it was three days a week (!) My suggestion would be to replace the dumbell presses with heavier decline barbell and/or incline barbell. and maybe hit another day with light chest with some heavy tris snuck in. Not a big fan of dumbell work...unless you have stabilzer issues, wihch judging by your dumbell weights isn't an issue! Just my $0.02
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Post by George on Sept 13, 2007 14:11:34 GMT -5
Thanks guys.
Toolpod: I think I am undertrained as well. Tonight I am going to continue the 5x5 and throw in some band work.
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Post by George on Sept 13, 2007 17:36:23 GMT -5
Toolpod: I would really like to hit 400 by then considering the 390 routine is going good. I am going to see what happens with the switch to heavier top end movements for my tri's and start using the pauses again. I missed 380 at lockout for nationals, but I am not going to cut weight for this meet and will be at 275. I think 380 will be in the bag, I just have to be smarter with my third attempt and decide on 390 or going for 400. I only have four more bench days to go.
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Post by chancey on Sept 13, 2007 20:11:47 GMT -5
George, let me make things easy for you. If you go 3rd go 400. 1 - No "what if?" 2 - What is a measly 10 pounds to your total when you squat like you do. Grab your dime there.
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Post by George on Sept 13, 2007 20:40:34 GMT -5
Chancey I know what your saying but this is bench only territory...I can't hide behind my squat....lol. The only way I could feel weaker would be if it was a push/pull. If I had to guess based on where I think I'll be I'll go 360-385-400. The 370 last Sunday felt good during the buckeye. This week I go with the 400 routine and I will be pausing the 380. If its easy, then the above should happen after hammering some heavy triples next thursday and some doubles the following Sunday (If not the 410 routine).
This is a bench only meet, and a last minute one at that to support Lhota after he helped with my meet. 400 would be a 40lb PR since nationals and put me in line for 242 elite by worlds time...you better believe I want it.
(625-425-560...these are the numbers I am racing to for Worlds. Its to the point that its an obsession.)
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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2007 21:45:52 GMT -5
Good work George. I've never tried anything like the Smolov routine. That looks extremely taxing.
By the way - now that you've announced your numbers for Worlds you had better make darn sure you don't come up short - I will be sure to pick at you and get under your skin at the meet. Hopefully it will be for the best and push you even harder. I'm not telling where I'm going...........nany-nany-bo-bo........
Good luck and good training.
Nick
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Post by George on Sept 14, 2007 1:19:33 GMT -5
Lol. Sad thing is you've already hit those numbers (sans the squat...yet). This reminds me of something my always honest coach told me my sophomore year before a football game against a much better opponent when I asked him what he thought during filming since he's usually not so quiet. He was silent for a few seconds, stopped the scouting film, looked me right in the eyes and said "We are going to have to have our best day out there, and them...the worst"...lol.
I posted those numbers for that very reason, fear of humility as a motivator.
I don't know why I chose the Smolov when I did it. I believe it was me trying to find an opposite of what I was doing, which was continous maxing and triples. I reached an offical overtraining point last fall that had me rocked. Despite a geared meet in January I did the Smolov to get away from the low rep madness after taking two weeks off. It was at this time I started doubting gear and learned to respect true training. After doing the Smolov I have to roll my eyes now when I watch guys doing singles wearing groove breifs, a strap down suit, chains and bands...whatever. You want to experience pain, do close to 35 reps within 70-90% of your max four days a week raw below parallel. I don't think I would have became a raw lifter if it wasn't for the way the Smolov made me feel that day I completed the first week.
It might be worth a shot if you've got the time to stay consistent.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2007 7:06:12 GMT -5
I appreciate your mindset for moving to the Smolov routine - makes a lot of sense. I just might have to read up on it and give it a try after the worlds.
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Post by George on Sept 14, 2007 23:52:14 GMT -5
Thu - Sept 13 - 2007 Bench
Barbell Bench 225 x 5 315 x 5 365 x 3 375 x 2 385 x 1
This was going to be triples to max singles, but I began the triples too heavy.
Close Grip Bench (Pinky just inside smooth) with 2 Purple Bands 185 + Bands x 5 205 + Bands x 5 205 + Bands x 5 215 + Bands x 5
Incline Fly's 50's for 3 x 10
Fri - Sept 14 - 2007 Squat
Barbell Squat (Smolov 575 - Week 1) 225 x 5 365 x 5 460 x 5 460 x 5 460 x 5 460 x 5 460 x 5 460 x 5 460 x 5
Very difficult day here, nuff said.
Nothing else done.
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Post by George on Sept 16, 2007 13:09:53 GMT -5
Things are starting to get heavy in the squat dept.
Sat - Sept 15 - 2007 Squat
Barbell Squat (Smolov - End week 1) 225 x 3 315 x 3 405 x 3 490 for 10 sets of 3.
Saturdays are my favorite day for the Smolov. I take each set as its own and lose sight of the fact its ten sets. I usually make marks on my journal after each set because this takes a while, even with only three minute breaks, and I lose track.
Hex bar Shrugs 230 x 10 320 x 10 370 x 10 410 x 0 (I couldn't get it off the floor after the squat...need to use blocks.)
Bent Over Rows 135 x 10 185 x 10 185 x 10 185 x 10
Went fairly light just to get the reps in. Felt like I should have done deadlifts but the squat superceded.
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Post by chancey on Sept 16, 2007 13:21:05 GMT -5
Your back is thanking you for not deadlifting. 490 on the back for 30 reps has gotta be taxing! Nice squatting.
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Post by George on Sept 16, 2007 14:14:38 GMT -5
Thanks Chaney. This is the best I have ever felt training for some reason or another. I have laid off heavy maxing for quite a while and already have an itch to get back into it. I am hoping I can finally peak for a competition at Worlds. I felt unprepared for my last three raw meets as they were so close to one another coupled with my weight cutting. Right now things are come together for once. I cannot wait to end the smolov in two more weeks and take on some low six, mid six squats.
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Post by toolpod on Sept 17, 2007 7:48:11 GMT -5
"Things are starting to get heavy in the squat dept"
Starting?!? Great Googly Moogly Man! :-)
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