Interim Geezer Report

TunnelRat

TunnelRat

Active Member
Interim Geezer Report

I started my third HST cycle midweek on June 19. I’ve finished four weeks and today started week five.

My first two cycles were vanilla HST. However, on my second cycle I extended my fives a coupla weeks, using Max-Stim. I was so pleased with the Max-Stim concept and the increased TUT (20 reps of my 5RM and adding weight each workout!) that I decided to use Max-Stim all through my third cycle.

I used to do two different exercise plans on an AM/PM split, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I’d do 20 Squats in the morning and 20 Deads at night. However, I’ve read so many warnings about doing both Squats and Deads in the same week that I decided to back off and only workout once a day, MWF, even though I really wasn’t experiencing much difficulty. So instead of six workouts weekly, I’m down to just three times a week. So I upped my reps from 20 per exercise to 25 each.

My exercises are simple:

Workout A – Monday and Friday
Deadlift
Shrugs
Decline Bench
Chins

Workout B – Wednesday
Squats
Lateral Raise
Flat Bench
Lying Dumbbell Rows

Plus I do some Abs and some Rotator Cuff exercises each time.

I had to stop doing Dips and Overhead Presses. I was experiencing a great deal of shoulder pain (enough wake me up at night), so I substituted very light Lateral Raises for the OHP and Decline Bench for the Dips.
 
July 16, 2007

Deadlift 195 x 25 MS
Shrugs 195 x 25 MS
Decline Bench 95 x 25 MS
Chins BW – 10 x 25 (yeah, minus ten! But, hey, I started doing them BW minus 60 and working my way down to minus ten, so there’s been some improvement. Next week I hope to start some big boy Chins using my whole body weight).

July 18, 2007

Squats 165 x 25 MS
Lateral Raise 5 x 25 (these are light for rotator cuff recovery)
Flat Bench 95 x 25 MS
Lying Dumbbell Rows 50 x 25 MS

July 20, 2007

Deadlift 205 x 25 MS
Shrugs 205 x 25 MS
Decline Bench 100 x 25 MS
Chins BW – 10 x 25
 
I’ve noticed a significant improvement in my chest (and I’ve even received some comments about it). I’m beginning to have noticeable traps (well, anyhow I’ve got little bumps on my shoulders next to my neck…). My arms are bigger, too (without doing even that first curl…
smile.gif
), and my legs are satisfactory.

There is nothing massive about me (except possibly my ego), but I’ve gained seven pounds in the past five months, mostly muscle (I hope). I’ve gone from 133 lbs. to 140 lbs. I realize none of this sounds very impressive, but you’ve gotta figure I only stand 5 feet 2 inches, and at age 62 every little bit counts.
 
Glad to see the good report.  Being a smaller guy like yourself,  I can completely understand how smaller gains for us really mean a lot more than the big dudes might realize.  Watching my diet a lot more closely has actually helped me to pack on weight a lot faster than I ever have before.  Repping nearly 60 lbs. over your BW on bench is very impressive, MS or not.  Your age makes it all even more impressive, and hope you stick around.  

One thing I'd like to ask about.. is heavy MS squats.  I know a vanilla MS cycle advocates sticking to the same rep total throughout an entire cycle.  I just don't see how you can keep the m-times reasonable when having to constantly rack and re-rack on squats.  Maybe I'm just a weiner, but it can take me around 10 seconds to get it unracked and get my feet positioned and such were I feel comfortable having a lot of weight on top of me like that... sometimes even more.  

In no way is that being critical, or dissin' MS as I use it myself for things, but I've always wondered what people's thoughts were when it came to things like squats.
 
<div>
(UFGatorDude30 @ Jul. 20 2007,16:01)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">
Repping nearly 60 lbs. over your BW on bench is very impressive, MS or not.

One thing I'd like to ask about.. is heavy MS squats. I know a vanilla MS cycle advocates sticking to the same rep total throughout an entire cycle. I just don't see how you can keep the m-times reasonable when having to constantly rack and re-rack on squats. Maybe I'm just a weiner, but it can take me around 10 seconds to get it unracked and get my feet positioned and such were I feel comfortable having a lot of weight on top of me like that... sometimes even more.

In no way is that being critical, or dissin' MS as I use it myself for things, but I've always wondered what people's thoughts were when it came to things like squats.</div>
&quot;Repping nearly 60 lbs. over your BW on bench is very impressive, MS or not. &quot;

Whoops -- Typo! I only benched 95, not 195 (I corrected my original post...
blush.gif
).

Yeah, Max-Stim squats can be a PITA. I start out by re-racking the weight, counting to three, and picking it up again. My M-time increases as I go, but I always try to keep it below 30 seconds.

It does take a bit -- probably a good ten seconds -- to unrack the bar and position my feet, but I just consider that part of the exercise. Even counting the time it takes to get set, my total M-time is usually well less than the 30 seconds Dan Moore recommends.

It is indeed something of a hassle, but the Max-Stim method lets me do a total of 25 reps much more easily, in less total time, and with significantly less fatigue than if I were to try 5 sets of 5.
 
sounds like a pretty good method to me tim. I like to max-stim w/ squats too.

I generally use a longer M time...I like supersetting, so I usually hit a set of standing military or dips between squat repetitions. if I'm doing a regular set or clustering, I'll hit a different exercise in between sets.
 
Monday, July 23, 2007

Deadlift 215 x 25 MS (one and a half times my bodyweight...)
Shrugs 215 x 25 MS
Decline Bench 105 x 25 MS
Chins BW x 25 (my first big boy chin ups -- no assist)

Squats on Wednesday, but Friday I plan to deadlift 225 lbs -- two big plates on each end of the bar! That has been one of my short term goals. Next is 250 lbs (seems like a nice round number). 280 lbs is twice my body weight; no telling if I'll get that far this cycle.
 
Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Squats 165 x 25 MS (again...)
Lateral Raise 8 x 25 (these are light for rotator cuff recovery)
Flat Bench 110 x 25 MS
Lying Dumbbell Rows 55 x 25 MS

Plus Abs and rotator cuff stuff...

I didn't get much sleep last night and was really whipped. So I decided to go with 165 lb. squats once more. I'm glad I did -- they really kicked my butt. I kept getting cramps in my ankle. I tried walking it off during my M-time breaks, but was hampered all the way through.

My flat bench is getting close to my personal best. I've done 115 before, but that was on a Smith Machine. It seemed like reps 20 through 25 were easier than reps 1 through 5...!
 
Friday, July 27, 2007

Deadlift:
135 x 3
155 x 3
175 x 3
195 x 3
225 x 25 MS (PB) (This was one of my short term goals -- two 45 lbs plates on each end of the bar!)

Rack Pull:
(I though I'd try some of these in lieu of Shrugs. I wasn't real sure how well I'd do, so I started with the bar set several inches above my knees)

225 x 3
275 x 3
315 x 5
I was only moving the bar a few inches, so not really very impressive. Next time I'll start with the bar set a little lower.

Decline Bench
95 x 3
105 x 3
115 x 25 MS (PB)

Chins BW x 25

As a reward for my personal best on Deads and Decline Bench, I didn't do any Abs. Heck, skipping Abs is better than ice cream...!
 
congrats w/ your deads! what kind of grip do you use? did you have to change your grip for the rack pulls?
 
<div>
(fearfactory @ Jul. 27 2007,15:17)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">congrats w/ your deads! what kind of grip do you use? did you have to change your grip for the rack pulls?</div>
I used a mixed grip for both deads and rack pulls: left hand pronated; right hand supinated. My left hand is my strong hand, but I started losing my left hand grip after 5 reps of 315 lbs.

Looks like I'll need to work on my grip if I want to pull over 300...
sad.gif
 
Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Squats 175 x 11 MS (had to stop!)
Lateral Raise 10 x 25
Flat Bench 120 x 11 MS (had to stop!)
Lying Dumbbell Rows 60 x 25 MS
Plus my rotator cuff stuff...

I was sicker than two dogs over the weekend. I missed my workout on Monday -- just no way I could drag myself to the gym. I figured I would try to make it up today, but there was nothing doing.

I had to stop after only 11 reps on both squat and bench. It seemed like I had no steam left at all. I'm going back to bed. I'll see if I can workout again on Thursday or Friday.
 
Thank you, Gator. I've been down all week. Today was my first day back in the gym. I wasn't at all sure that I would be able to do much, but apparently a few days rest didn't hurt any.

Saturday, August 4, 2007

Deadlift 235 x 25 MS (PB)
Decline Bench 120 x 25 MS (PB)
Dumbbell Row 65 X 25 MS (PB)

I was able to increase the weight on every lift. Not by a lot, but every little bit helps. I am well past my 5 RMs.

I found that 235 lbs makes for a heavy deadlift. I hope to reach 250 this cycle, but 280 lbs (twice my bodyweight) may have to wait for a while...
rock.gif


I had plenty of energy left and wanted to try some rack pulls. Unfortunately, the gym closes early on Saturdays, so they threw me out rather unceremoniously...
 
Tunnel

Hell of an inpressive array of lifts for a geezer your age, well done!

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I found that 235 lbs makes for a heavy deadlift. I hope to reach 250 this cycle, but 280 lbs (twice my bodyweight) may have to wait for a while... </div>

Don't you worry,my best dead was 130 Kg for 5's but my legs were shaking pretty bad, so the 2x body weight thing for me must wait too!
 
dont worry as you get stronger so will your grip, it happens to the best of us lol.

some good figures there,nothing like beating pb's to motivate you.

just curious on squats how long does it take to complete the 20 or so reps.
 
Thank you, gentlemen, your words are encouraging.

Just starting out, my PB's are low enough that I get to break them fairly regularly...
biggrin.gif


When I do my 25 max-stim squats, it usually takes me about ten minutes, including warm ups. Racking and re-racking the bar makes it a bit of a bother, but I figure it's worth it. It still takes less time than five sets of five (besides -- I'm not sure I could do five sets of five...!).
 
TR,

When you have finished this cycle and if you would like too I would like to see how this transfers to SE (strength endurance), could you do a rep out set to how this changed for you? Just use your previously know RM, (8-10 or whatever) and rep it out to see how much it changed.

Dan
 
<div>
(Dan Moore @ Aug. 05 2007,09:59)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">When you have finished this cycle and if you would like too I would like to see how this transfers to SE (strength endurance), could you do a rep out set to how this changed for you? Just use your previously know RM, (8-10 or whatever) and rep it out to see how much it changed.</div>
I'd be happy to oblige, but I want to make sure that I understand what you're looking for. Does &quot;rep out&quot; mean that I select a previous RM, then see how many reps I am able to do with it?

Sorry, I am still a noob, and don't know all the terms.
 
Monday, August 6, 2007

Deadlift
135 X 5
185 X 3
245 x 20 MS
I don't know if this count as a personal best or not, since I was not able to complete my prescribed 25 max-stim reps.

I still don't feel very well after last week's illness, and I recall you guys saying that I need to &quot;listen to my body&quot;. Well, my body pretty much wanted to curl up and die today, so figured I'd stop at 20 max-stim reps for each exercise.

Decline Bench
85 X 5
105 X 3
125 X 1 (PB, but no way I was going to make 25 or even 20)
so: 120 X 20 MS

Dumbbell Row 65 X 20 MS

I don't know if I'm just tuckered after being ill last week, or whether I'm reaching the limits of my physical strength. Dirty Harry said &quot;a man's gotta know his limitations&quot; -- I wonder if I'm rapidly running headlong into mine. This is the eighth week of my cycle and I am long past all my previous RMs.

I'm finding out that (for me at least) a 245 pound deadlift is heavy (my hat is off to you guys who regularly double that)! And I really have to fight the dumbbells to get them through the full ROM on my rows.

I'd like to hit 250 on my deads, 185 on my squats, 125 on my bench, and 70 on my rows, but I am beginning to suspect I won't get past that during this cycle.
 
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