Power lifter? Bodybuilder? come on in!

[Mrbobcat]

Gyms finally opening here on the 26th! I wonder how heavy (or light) to start back up? I usually start with 60% of my previous cycles heaviest weight, but that is with a week off in between, not 2 months. I know I haven't been doing enough as I have only done pushups, bodyweight squats and pullups a couple times since the gyms closed. I have also lost about 6 pounds of muscle.

[TRZ06]

Originally Posted by Mrbobcat

Gyms finally opening here on the 26th! I wonder how heavy (or light) to start back up? I usually start with 60% of my previous cycles heaviest weight, but that is with a week off in between, not 2 months. I know I haven't been doing enough as I have only done pushups, bodyweight squats and pullups a couple times since the gyms closed. I have also lost about 6 pounds of muscle.

Yeah, it's going to be an interesting time with gyms. I am not sure I am ready to be in a closed room in that kind of environment just yet.

While I have lost a decent amount of muscle too and only doing cardio, I would rather hold out for a month and see how the dust settles first before I go into a closed room with sweat and heavy breathing where air is circulated in a HVAC system.

[kevint]

Originally Posted by TRZ06

Yeah, it's going to be an interesting time with gyms. I am not sure I am ready to be in a closed room in that kind of environment just yet.

While I have lost a decent amount of muscle too and only doing cardio, I would rather hold out for a month and see how the dust settles first before I go into a closed room with sweat and heavy breathing where air is circulated in a HVAC system.

Same here. When things open up a bit more here in Jersey I'll start paying more attention to town and county infection rates. I'm not down with people forcefully exhaling their lifts all over me.

[Mydivorcegift]

Originally Posted by Mrbobcat

Gyms finally opening here on the 26th! I wonder how heavy (or light) to start back up? I usually start with 60% of my previous cycles heaviest weight, but that is with a week off in between, not 2 months. I know I haven't been doing enough as I have only done pushups, bodyweight squats and pullups a couple times since the gyms closed. I have also lost about 6 pounds of muscle.

Nonsense. So let's just take some #'s....if your max on a lift is 315 and let's say you use 250 for "working" sets. So you will start back with 150?

If you have lifted for a while and are in "lifting" shape no reason it shouldn't be 90%, even after 2 months. If you are coming back from a true "injury" (surgery or the likes) then yes you should probably dial it back.

Get the sand out of your ******

You are in OH....take a trip to Westside....that will cure you.

[Mydivorcegift]

Originally Posted by kevint

Same here. When things open up a bit more here in Jersey I'll start paying more attention to town and county infection rates. I'm not down with people forcefully exhaling their lifts all over me.

We have been back ever since the reopening but it's a small town and there aren't very many people. If I still lived in ATL I may have chosen a different path.

[Mydivorcegift]

This is how we remember Memorial Day....

https://themurphchallenge.com/pages/the-workout

[kevint]

Originally Posted by Mydivorcegift

This is how we remember Memorial Day....

https://themurphchallenge.com/pages/the-workout

This will be the fourth year in a row I'm tracking it. Trying to decide now if I want to push for a PR or "just be happy I can work out." Ultimately it'll dictate just how pissed at myself I want to be that I didn't do more to prepare when it's all said and done.

[Mydivorcegift]

Originally Posted by kevint

This will be the fourth year in a row I'm tracking it. Trying to decide now if I want to push for a PR or "just be happy I can work out." Ultimately it'll dictate just how pissed at myself I want to be that I didn't do more to prepare when it's all said and done.

My vote is this day, this particular workout, you let it all hang out. For me though, even without a vest on, my PR is 54 and change. I don’t expect to even be close to that this year.

Monique wears a vest and has been prepping. She’s done pull-ups and pushups throughout this week (no need for air squats) and Thursday she ran a mile with the vest on in 6:19. Her PR is 39 and change.

[kevint]

Originally Posted by Mydivorcegift

My vote is this day, this particular workout, you let it all hang out. For me though, even without a vest on, my PR is 54 and change. I don’t expect to even be close to that this year.

Monique wears a vest and has been prepping. She’s done pull-ups and pushups throughout this week (no need for air squats) and Thursday she ran a mile with the vest on in 6:19. Her PR is 39 and change.

Mother of God

[Mrbobcat]

Originally Posted by Mydivorcegift

Nonsense. So let's just take some #'s....if your max on a lift is 315 and let's say you use 250 for "working" sets. So you will start back with 150?

If you have lifted for a while and are in "lifting" shape no reason it shouldn't be 90%, even after 2 months. If you are coming back from a true "injury" (surgery or the likes) then yes you should probably dial it back.

Get the sand out of your ******

You are in OH....take a trip to Westside....that will cure you.

My mistake, I don't know what I was thinking. My warm ups are usually about 60% of my work sets. I usually start my workout cycle at 70-75% of my top work sets. So say my best bench is 250x8, I would usually start out at about 185 for 8-10 reps and add 5-10 pounds each workout for 10-15 weeks or so and try to surpass my last best work set, so my goal would be 255-260x8 using this example. But I haven't even finished a workout cycle in over a year and a half. I don't know what the deal is as I've been doing this type of workout for years, but lately I've just either been getting minor injuries or taking too long between each body part workout and having to start over. Part of the problem may be my work schedule as I work 12 hour night shifts and its hard to work out right after work and also first thing after waking up isn't good either for heavy squats or deadlifts. I really need to find another gym that is open 24 hours, but nothing is close like the Y. IDK, it could just be my age as I just turned 50 too. I try to train each main muscle about once a week, but if I go any longer than that, the strength just isn't there and less than that and I don't recover enough. What I have been doing is legs and tris the first workout, back and shoulders next workout and then chest, bis and abs the last workout of the week. I have experimented with different types of routines in the past as I've been lifting for over 35 years, but nothing else seems to work as good for me being a hard gainer and not taking roids, ect. I probably shouldn't complain as I'm roughly the same size as I was in my late 20's, although my weights on the main lifts are not as high obviously as I rarely try PR's or do reps below 6. I just can't seem to gain much muscle anymore and don't think I'll ever hit my goal of 200 pounds. I came close a couple times, but also started to put too much fat on. BTW, I'm just under 5'8" and weigh 190 now (down from 195).

[Millson13]

Originally Posted by Mrbobcat

Gyms finally opening here on the 26th! I wonder how heavy (or light) to start back up? I usually start with 60% of my previous cycles heaviest weight, but that is with a week off in between, not 2 months. I know I haven't been doing enough as I have only done pushups, bodyweight squats and pullups a couple times since the gyms closed. I have also lost about 6 pounds of muscle.

Our hall for its occasionally opens. You just need to start and everything will be fine. At first, everything will hurt, but in a different way. I do not advise you to get involved in proteins

[Mydivorcegift]

Originally Posted by Mrbobcat

My mistake, I don't know what I was thinking. My warm ups are usually about 60% of my work sets. I usually start my workout cycle at 70-75% of my top work sets. So say my best bench is 250x8, I would usually start out at about 185 for 8-10 reps and add 5-10 pounds each workout for 10-15 weeks or so and try to surpass my last best work set, so my goal would be 255-260x8 using this example. But I haven't even finished a workout cycle in over a year and a half. I don't know what the deal is as I've been doing this type of workout for years, but lately I've just either been getting minor injuries or taking too long between each body part workout and having to start over. Part of the problem may be my work schedule as I work 12 hour night shifts and its hard to work out right after work and also first thing after waking up isn't good either for heavy squats or deadlifts. I really need to find another gym that is open 24 hours, but nothing is close like the Y. IDK, it could just be my age as I just turned 50 too. I try to train each main muscle about once a week, but if I go any longer than that, the strength just isn't there and less than that and I don't recover enough. What I have been doing is legs and tris the first workout, back and shoulders next workout and then chest, bis and abs the last workout of the week. I have experimented with different types of routines in the past as I've been lifting for over 35 years, but nothing else seems to work as good for me being a hard gainer and not taking roids, ect. I probably shouldn't complain as I'm roughly the same size as I was in my late 20's, although my weights on the main lifts are not as high obviously as I rarely try PR's or do reps below 6. I just can't seem to gain much muscle anymore and don't think I'll ever hit my goal of 200 pounds. I came close a couple times, but also started to put too much fat on. BTW, I'm just under 5'8" and weigh 190 now (down from 195).

Haha......

I've highlighted what I think your major "problem" is. Google law of accommodation weightlifting and read. I am NOT a know it all...I do know a lot though....through lifting for many years like you (this year makes 33), lifting with people much stronger than me, trial and error, reading, etc.

A conversion to a conventional WS program may serve you well. There are 2 max effort days (one for a squatting movement, one for a pressing movement) and 2 dynamic days (lighter weight days).

A change would for sure do you good if you've been doing the same thing for year. But in addition it may let you be more focused. I am assuming you don't work 7 days a week, and most likely 5. If that is the case you can put your 2 heavy days on your off days, the 2 dynamic days some other time throughout the week, and have a few "extra" short workouts in between.

Chuck Vogelpohl about 20 years told me to do this and it has served me well. Up until I tore my pec a couple of years ago I was still setting PR's.

[kevint]

58:52 murph, chipper-style, no vest. 5:12 slower than last year.

[Mydivorcegift]

Originally Posted by kevint

58:52 murph, chipper-style, no vest. 5:12 slower than last year.

Man just finishing is an accomplishment! Good job.

I misspoke earlier....Monique’s pr was 48 and change doing it all the way through (with a vest). Her pr doing it chipper style is 39 and change.

Today she did it all the way through and pr’d by 2 mins...46:18.

She’s going to do it again either Thursday or Friday chipper style to see if she can beat that 39 and change.

Her hand afterwards...