Fat at forty to fit at fifty - 2 weeks without picking up a single weight

yes mate like I said seems a great approach i really like it..
 
my focus isnt on lifts anymore im not that bothered just want to be a good allrounder..  i know its impossible to get the lifts i used to (300kgs dead)  and be fit enough to box,  they just dont interlink unfortunatly ..if i could get to 250kgs again i wd be pleased, maybe that should be my next mission

Well, it had to happen sometime.
 
Squats         
Warm up  - 2x5 @ 30Kg, 1x5 @ 60g         
Working sets - 5x5 @ 87.5Kg - NEW PB   

Military Press         
Warm up  - 2x5 with empty bar, 1x5 @ 30Kg      
Working sets - 5/4/5/5/4 @ 42.5Kg - FAIL  
          
Deadlifts         
Warm up  - 1x5 @ 60Kg, 1x5 @80Kg         
Working set - 1x5 @ 105Kg - NEW PB

 
Although I managed the squats I nearly put them down as a fail as my form went to bits towards the end of the last couple of sets, I'm not sure if just forcing the reps out any old how is the right way to go about it, not too proud of the new PB in this case. Squats have been a struggle for a few sessions now and they took a lot out of me, possibly contributed to the Military Press fail.
 
Military Press fail was coming for sure, before tonight I thought I would have made this weight but I was stalling early in each rep after the first couple of each set and couldn't get momentum. I know I could have done them with a little leg push but I'm determined to stay strict on these so I take the fail with good grace.
 
Deadlifts OK, got myself together and stuffed these, not easy but I wasn't having 2 fails tonight, felt I redeemed myself nicely here.
 
Some mitigating factors tonight so I'm not going to beat myself up too much, had a couple of very bad nights sleep, was really late from work and family stuff stopped me getting to my session until almost 9pm where I'm used to doing it at 5pm and I just felt a tired, weak and not 100% motivated going into it. Let me stress these aren't excuses for failing which was due anyway, I'm putting the facts down just for my own reference really, I failed, I come back another day and succeed, that's how to get better.
 
I have been concerned about squats for a few sessions now and I am beginning to think 3 sessions of squats a week is too much for me, at my age and with my illness I just don't think I am getting enough recovery so I might consider swapping them for leg extensions and leg curls on workout 2 day to give me a break and allow me to push the Military Press and deadlifts.
I'm very reluctant to deviate from the program but I'm feeling totally wrecked tonight, don't get me wrong I'm not scared of hard work but I'm more fatigued than I believe is good for me, usually I'm buzzing after a session but I feel sh1te right now.
I need to think hard about this, research it and get some opinions, but my thoughts right now are I see no point risking injury, illness or compromising my whole training for the sake of sticking rigidly to a program for the sake of it.
I also need to analyse my diet, I suspect I'm not getting enough protein from just eating food and I may need to consider a whey protein supplement. I've recorded my last 2 weeks intake so I should be able to work out roughly what's going in.
 
2 PB's today, still a decent session overall.......to bed for much needed sleep - I hope.

i like poached eggs

I have been concerned about squats for a few sessions now and I am beginning to think 3 sessions of squats a week is too much for me, at my age and with my illness I just don't think I am getting enough recovery so I might consider swapping them for leg extensions and leg curls on workout 2 day to give me a break and allow me to push the Military Press and deadlifts.
I'm very reluctant to deviate from the program but I'm feeling totally wrecked tonight, don't get me wrong I'm not scared of hard work but I'm more fatigued than I believe is good for me, usually I'm buzzing after a session but I feel sh1te right now.

Squatting at your limit 3x week is punishing for anyone and the reality is once your older you just don't have the recovery for it.  The additional factor is pushing too hard and getting injured has a much bigger impact when your older too.  It's not needed for your goals either.
 
I'd suggest you can still squat 3x week, but make one day your heavy 5x5, one a front squat (say) at 3x8 and the last a light squat 3x12-15 which is easy(ish).  That will reduce the recovery needed while still giving you a lot of time under the bar to get better at squating and will still move you towards your goals.

Thanks for the input Wheels, what you say makes a lot of sense to me.
 
I'm new to this game and not in the greatest of shape or health, so probably just pushing a bit too hard too quickly for an old fart.
I do need to back off, my body is telling me that, no aches or pains this morning (never really seem to get DOMS) but I still feel totally shattered, if only my body was as strong as my mind.
 
A few years ago after I first got diagnosed with Crohns I was determined to get fit again and started rowing on my Concept 2.
I went too far, too fast on this occasion as well and refused to back off when I started to struggle....end result was 2 weeks in hospital over the Easter holidays, 6 months on a cocktail of extra drugs and about a year before I got back to where I was. Don't want to go there again.
 
Monthly blood test today and quarterly specialist appointment next week so I'll know how things are then. I'll have a chat with the doctor (who's very good) and see what his opinion is too, he's a big believer in keeping fit with Crohns but gave me a proper b0ll0cking last time I overdid it.

Yes mate you know your own body better than anyone else.
 
wheels suggestion seems sensible.  you are doing a lot of compound lifts at near your max so be careful not to over do it. 
 
squats is the toughest exercise rem that too.

odog


Yes mate you know your own body better than anyone else.

wheels suggestion seems sensible.  you are doing a lot of compound lifts at near your max so be careful not to over do it. 

squats is the toughest exercise rem that too.

odog,
 
You'll know what I mean when I say it's hard to bow to the demands and restraints of IBD, it's really p1ssing me off today as I have been making good progress and just ran into a brick wall last night.
Sometimes I just hate what this illness does to you but I'll just have to accept I need to slow down and take it a little easier.
My target is to be in good shape at fifty, I've got 2 1/2 years to get there, it's a marathon not a sprint and if I set myself back overdoing it I'll not get where I want to be.
 
My wife is helping me in the only way that will work, she's hidden the garage keys and won't give me them back until I satisfy her that I've accepted I need to slow down and I change my routine to one that's more sensible given my limitations. She knows how pig headed and determined I am and how willing I can be to fcuk myself up rather than be sensible.
So, I'll be spending this evening looking long and hard at what I can do to get my keys back, liking Wheels idea at the moment but I'll be reading all I can to look at other options.
 
 

ye battering your body with weights all the time isnt great for ibd which is why i only do heavy lifts x 2 pr week, everything else i do is cardio based or bw exercises.
 
tbh mate not many people could deal with squatting max 3 times a week even on gear so dont beat yourself up over it. 
 
just think how far you've come now no need to spoil it less is more as they say

Try the Madcow 5x5.
 
Much less volume as you ramp up to a top set, still squatting 3x a week but you have a light day in there.
 
http://stronglifts.com/ma..-5x5-training-programs/
 

I've just got back from my specialist appointment and I felt like a naughty kid in front of the headmaster, that was the biggest b0ll0cking of my adult life. I knew I was in for it when he started with "I applaud your efforts to get yourself in better shape but.....".
Long and short of it is that I've been doing too much too quickly and I must back off, the fatigue I've been experiencing isn't co-incidental, it's my body telling to treat it with more respect.
 
I got to see the dietician next (pretty little thing) who says I should take a simple protein supplement if I want to carry on training as my diet isn't giving me enough, especially with malabsorption due to the Crohns. Never had any supplement of any kind ever so I'm clueless here, will have to sift through the other boards for some ideas.
 
The specialist has managed to get me in to see a physiotherapist (well more insisted) later today to discuss a more sensible exercise regime. Trying not to go into that with too many pre-conceived ideas but I'm not expecting too much if I'm honest. I'm guessing he's going to tell me to do just cardio and maybe some very light weights. Hopefully I'll come away with some good advice and be able to continue training, albeit with a modified routine.
Must keep open mind, must keep open mind.
 
Just gotta get the garage key back off my wife now.
 
UPDATE
 
Physio surprised me, I really thought he would be a waste of time but he was actually very good and pretty knowledgable on Crohns too. After a good chat about what I want to achieve and my state of health we came up with the following PPL routine, which he thinks will be better from the fatigue/recovery point of view with it being a split and a lot less punishing than Stronglifts. 
He also recommended slower progression and a protein supplement too so really need to learn about that. 

Push - Bench, Military Press, DB Flyes, Bicep isolation 
Pull - Deadlifts, Pendlay rows, CG Lat Pulldowns, Tricep isolation 
Legs - Squats, Leg Extension, Leg Curls, Calf raises 

  
All to be done 3x8-12, by that I mean 3x8 to start, working up to 3x12 then upping the weight and going back to 3x8 and NOT going to failure at all. 
I'll slowly introduce increasing cycling and Concept 2 rowing after workouts and/or on rest days for cardio. 

 
Might not be a perfect routine but I believe there's enough there to make progress with for now.

Bonus, my wife has given me the garage key back - she reckons she was hiding it her bra and got fed up of waiting for me to find it 
Back in the garage on PPL tomorrow
Apparently she has devised a press ups based workout for me this evening.

your very lucky to have good people like that you can gt advice from my doctor told me the colour of my pee didnt mean a thing even tho it was orange.  ive come into my fair share of numpties so generally i dont listen to hardly any but a few..  but they sound like they know what there on about plus they give a fuk! so you should pro listen lol..
 
im on waiting list to see specialist,,  been on that for 6 months.  i need another colonoscopy a full one as havent had one for ten years
 
anyway dont give up mate your doing well just ease of gas a bit

Yeah, health care varies a lot depending what you've got and where you live. The specialist I see seems to have taken a shine to me, he likes a lot of the same stuff I do and is skiing mad so I don't know if that helps but he did great getting me in same day with the dietician and physio. I do have quarterly appointments (was monthly until 18 months ago) so we've got to know each other a little.
 
Ouch, Colonoscopy is no fun and I hate the day before, the "bowel evacuant" is evil stuff. I have to go through this every 2 years and it doesn't get any more pleasant.
 
Keep pushing for your appointment, mind you I guess you're in no hurry to have a camera shoved up your fart pipe.
 
Crohns has been pretty bad today, hence typing now cos I just can't get any peace from it at the moment, looking like a couple of weeks at least before I'm back training now.

Not got back in the garage yet, the Crohns has seen to that, suffered a 9lb weight loss in the last couple of weeks and just have no energy, struggling to sleep so feeling pretty crap all round.
 
Seems to be starting to settle a little over the last couple of days so all being well I'll be starting again next week.
Got another appointment with the specialist Tuesday evening  so I'll see how the bloods I give on Friday are and take it from there. How romantic, seeing a bum doctor on Valentines Day.
If things have settled down well enough I'll be back on the weights, if not maybe a bit of cardio to keep the heart and lungs working.
 
I've decided to go with PPL routine below
Push - Bench, Military Press, DB Flyes, Tricep isolation 
Pull - Deadlifts, Pendlay rows, CG Lat Pulldowns, Bicep isolation 
Legs - Squats, Leg Extension, Leg Curls, Calf raises 
It gets me some good compound work and the isolations (although not my favourite things) will pack the session out and help prevent me pushing things too much on the big lifts.
 
Fingers crossed for next Tuesday.

Looks good mate, how about Triceps on push days and biceps moved to pull days though.
Also if you can do them then wide grip pull ups (palms facing away) is better than lat pull downs in my own opinion.

billy2shots


Looks good mate, how about Triceps on push days and biceps moved to pull days though.
Also if you can do them then wide grip pull ups (palms facing away) is better than lat pull downs in my own opinion.

Glad someone noticed the "deliberate" mistake, I've edited my post so it's you who looks daft not me
 
I agree on the pull ups being a better exercise than lat pull downs, I just struggle to do a reasonable amount, certainly a good way off 3 x 8. I'm aiming to work up the weight on pulldowns to build up the strength then switch to pull ups, I might do them alternate sessions.