OK, I'll start with a predictable progress journal name because that about sums me up.

A quick bit about me:

I'm 41, I've been back training for 5 months after not setting foot in a gym for 15/16 years.
I trained from the age of 15 to about 25 on and off and looked ok but nothing to shout about.
Hero's in my day were obviously the likes of Arnold and Franco but I also appreciated the likes of Tony Pearson, for me ahead of his time.

I know a lot of people my age get to a point and say 'that was the turning point' i.e. seeing a photo of themselves on holiday, but I can't remember one.
The wife dragged me along to the hotel where her friend works in the summer as she was interested in some of the fitness courses and it went from there.

Don't get me wrong, I needed to do something, I was heading for serious health issues before too long.
I was 16 st 4 lb at 5' 7" and 30 % BF.
I ate and drank what I wanted including 6,7,8 or more cans of Stella per night.

I'm happy with the initial progress but there's some way to go yet.

To be completely honest this first year will be about getting back to proper eating habits and getting everything working again.

Some things I'm happy with so far since the summer:

Drinking has reduced and Stella has been replaced with red wine although I have and always will have a problem
Not quite where I was in terms of poundages but a lot of strength has come back
Gone from 16 st 4 lb to 14 st 10 lb although what I weigh is not that important to me
My 40" waist work trousers now sit on my hips to keep them up instead of having my fat gut hanging over them
I can dip and chin with bodyweight, that means a lot to me.

My routine has evolved as I've gotten stronger so that I can now incorporate exercises that I wanted to from the start but wasn't able to.

Current routine:

Chest and Triceps

Flat BBBP
Incline BBBP
Dips
CGBP
Tricep Push downs

Back and Biceps

Deadlifts
Chins
Bent Over DB Rows
EZ Bar Curls
Rope Curls

Shoulders and Legs

Overhead press machine
Lateral Raises (cable)
Bent Over Lateral Raises (cable)
Leg Curls
Leg Press
Leg Extension
Standing Calf Raise

It's a typical 3 day split but done more frequently, e.g. I might do the above on Mon, Tues, Wed then If I feel I'm recovered enough I'll hit chest and triceps again on Thursday, if not I'll take a rest day.
I'll do abdominal work and 15 mins cardio 3 times per week regardless of what the session has been.

With regards to diet I'm not cutting or bulking, I'm not in that league.
If you like, I'm trying to cut until I get to the point where I look like I'm a bodybuilder who's at the end of a bulk.

Hello, thought I'd pop in and offer a bit of support mate. Nice to see another old sod working out. I shall pop in and see how you are doing from time to time.

Feel the fear, and do it anyway!

http://www.englishpowerlifting.co.uk/index.html

Thanks for the support mate, much appreciated.

We're not a million miles apart in our starting points/initial goals.
I started at 16 st 4lb 5 months ago with about 30% BF (one of those machines at the gym that looks a bit like a steering wheel).
I'm now about 14 st 8 lb at 5' 7", not sure of the BF but it's definitely come down and gained muscle too, so pleased so far.

Nice weight loss there mate, impressive you should be pleased.

GRIFF'S JOURNAL

Good to hear you're enjoying it. Just can't wait to get back myself and "hurt some iron". Concentratng on cardio at moment to build up endurance levels. Also due to my own version of the "credit crunch" can't afford to yet but can't afford to wait too long either.

So far so good Griff, a long way to though yet.
I'll get the first years training under my belt and then take it from there.

When I first started back jps it was all cardio for me.
I'd been away so long I didn't know what would work or how I would feel.
I was so unfit I was out of breath going up the stairs

ORIGINAL: 40 plus

We're not a million miles apart in our starting points/initial goals.

Very similar in fact. You have an inch on me though - in height that is!

Feel the fear, and do it anyway!

http://www.englishpowerlifting.co.uk/index.html

Maybe we should park our zimmer frames side by side, really good weight loss i would up the cardio to 40-45 mins per session are you using any supps or taking in protein shakes?. Have you ever tried to get help for the problem there are some really good schemes to go for help/advice, anyway keep hammering away and all the best.

"A man can be anything he wants as long as he,s willing to pay the price"

Hi Colin

I would like to do more cardio but sometimes time is a little tight as when I've done my weights, ab work, then 15 mins cardio I'm looking at about an hour and a half.

I'm currently taking Glucosamine Sulphate 2 grams per day, a multi-vit, EPA Fish Oil Concentrate 4 grams per day.
I'll have 2 whey protein shakes per day but try to get as much of my protein from tuna or chicken as possible, problem is I'm a lazy bastard and shakes are convenient.

I'm my own worst enemy when it comes to the drink. I'm a bit like some other people I've read about on here, a bit of an all or nothing person.
Yet 2 months ago I went to the doctors with a growth under my armpit and was put on anti-biotics, I stopped drinking that day and didn't drink at all for a month even though the anti-biotics were only for a week.

Tonights workout

Back and biceps

Warm up 5 mins x-trainer.

Deadlifts 1 x 12 bar only, 1 x 8 60 kg, 1 x 8 100 kg, 1 x 6 130 kg, 1 x 5 130 kg, 1 x 4 130 kg, 1 x 8 100 kg.
Chins with BW (hammer grip) 2 x 8, 2 x 6.
Single arm cable row 1 x 8 20 kg, 1 x 8 30 kg, 1 x 8 40 kg, 1 x 8 35 kg.

Seated DB bicep curls 1 x 8 16 kg, 3 x 8 18 kg.
Rope curls 1 x 8 20 kg, 1 x 8 30 kg, 1 x 6 40 kg, 1 x 6 35 kg.

4 x 30 Ab crunches
15 mins bike.

Tonights workout

Chest and Triceps

Warm up 5 mins x-trainer

Flat BBBP 1 x 12 bar only, 1 x 8 60 kg, 1 x 8 100 kg, 2 x 3 120 kg, 1 x 6 110 kg
Incline BBBP 1 x 3 100 kg, 1 x 8 90 kg, 1 x 7 90 kg, 1 x 6 90 kg
Dips with BW (Approx 92 kg) 1 x 15, 1 x 12, 2 x 10

CGBP 2 x 5 100 kg, 1 x 8 90 kg
Tricep Pressdown 1 x 8 40 kg, 1 x 8 50 kg, 1 x 7 50 kg

4 x 30 Ab crunches
15 mins bike

Tonights workout

Shoulders and legs

Warm up 5 mins x-trainer

Seated OH press machine (hammer grip) 1 x 12 10 kg, 1 x 8 30 kg, 1 x 8 50 kg, 1 x 6 60 kg, 1 x 1 70 kg, 1 x 3 65 kg
Lat raises (cable) 1 x 12 5 kg, 3 x 12 10 kg
Bent over lat raises (cable) 1 x 12 5 kg, 3 x 12 7.5 kg

Leg curls 1 x 12 30 kg, 1 x 8 50 kg, 3 x 8 70 kg
Leg extension 1 x 12 30 kg, 1 x 8 50 kg, 1 x 8 70 kg, 3 x 8 80 kg
Leg press 1 x 12 50 kg, 1 x 12 100 kg, 1 x 12 140 kg, 1 x 12 170 kg
Standing calf raises on one leg 4 x 12 BW

4 x 30 ab crunches
15 mins bike

Tonights workout

Back and biceps

Warm up 5 mins x-trainer

Deadlifts 1 x 12 bar only, 1 x 8 60 kg, 1 x 8 100 kg, 3 x 8 120 kg
Seated one arm cable rows 1 x 8 20 kg, 1 x 8 30 kg, 2 x 8 40 kg
Chins with BW (hammer grip) 2 x 8, 1 x 7, 1 x 6

Seated DB curls 1 x 8 16 kg, 1 x 8 18 kg, 1 x 3 18 kg (see below)
Rope curls not sure how many sets, worked up from 10 kg - 30 kg doing sets of 12 (quite painful)

Swimming 20 mins

Lots of pain at the bottom of my left bicep when I started doing them.
I have suffered with tendonitis for a while now, it comes and goes, it does limit some of the exercises I do.
Very painful at the moment though.

Decided not to train today as I'm still feeling a lot of pain at the base of my biceps/top of my forearms.
This is not DOMS or something I have pulled, it hurts.
Today would have been a Chest/Tricep day but I didn't want to aggravate it.

I took some pics a month ago and when I saw them I was disappointed to say the least.
Probably expecting too much too soon, I certainly didn't get in this shape overnight.

I started training at 16 st 4 lb with 30% BF at 5' 7" in June.

I'm now about 14 st 10 lb, not sure of current BF but have attached pic.
Please feel free to add comments as long as they are something I can work with.

Tonights workout

Chest and triceps

Warm up 5 mins x-trainer

Flat BBBP 1 x 12 bar only, 1 x 8 60 kg, 1 x 8 100 kg, 2 x 3 120 kg, 1 x 7 110 kg (same as last work out + 1 rep at 110 kg)
Incline BBBP 1 x 3 100 kg, 1 x 8 90 kg, 1 x 7 90 kg, 1 x 6 90 kg (same)
Dips with BW (Approx 92 kg) 1 x 20, 1 x 12, 1 x 10, 1 x 8 (decided to do as many as I can on each set)

CGBP 2 x 5 100 kg, 1 x 8 90 kg (same)
Tricep Pressdown 2 x 8 50 kg, 1 x 6 50 kg (slightly better than last workout)

4 x 30 Ab crunches
20 mins bike

Felt pretty good considering diet was poor today due to travelling.
Bottom of my bicep is still quite sore but is definitely better for the rest.

Lots of pain at the bottom of my left bicep when I started doing them.
I have suffered with tendonitis for a while now, it comes and goes, it does limit some of the exercises I do.
Very painful at the moment though.

I've had to cut two workouts short in the last few weeks because of the same thing m8.
Just the left elbow with me too at the moment- was both for a while- so some improvement at least.

Some really good benching there. I'm sure you'll push even more when the tendons heal fully.

My Epistane Log
http://www.muscletalk.co.uk/tm.aspx?m=2177312

Thanks for stopping by mate.

Some days are better than others with it and I've had to cut out some exercises I really want to do.
BB bicep curls are definitely a no no but some days I can get away with EZ bar curls.
Also, exercises where I have to jerk the weight into position i.e. military presses and DB presses are very painful and I've had to find alternatives.