Lifting heavy things again

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g-man
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Lifting heavy things again

Post by g-man »

Okay, so not as heavy as some of you really big ogres, but nonetheless heavier than I have in a long time. Started a new lifting program. Starting Strength, based on the book of the same name by Mark Rippetoe. I understand he's either loved or hated on teh intarwebz, but I think having a good beginner program to keep me from just doing random shit constitutes a reasonable plan. In any case, it's a damn sight better than doing lots of pushups, situps, and running (standard Army PT) when it comes to gaining strength again.

The program emphasizes 5 basic lifts: Deadlift, Squats, Bench, Powerclean, and the Press (overhead press or 'military press' in some naming conventions). You find a 5RM starting weight and work up linearly each session, adding weight each time. The program calls for 2 lift groups (Workouts A and B), alternating, so if you lift 3 times a week you'll do ABA, BAB, etc. I'm doing 2 sessions a week because it's what I can manage with the "At least one analyst must be at their desk by 0830" BS we have going on here in the office, and so I can have a longer recovery since I'm doing stuff around the house and chasing a 1-year-old evenings and weekends.

Starting weights:
Squat: 215
Bench: 135
Deadlift: 225
Press: 95
Powerclean: 95

Basic goal is that I want to get stronger again. 1000# combined Deadlift/Bench/Squat is a nice numbers goal. Latest work sets were at 275 for squats, 155 for bench, 275 for deadlift, 105 for the press, and 95 for the powerclean. I just put powercleans into the rotation, and my form SUCKS. I started much lighter so I can work the kinks out before I get to weights where I could screw something up. If I can get my bench back above 250 I think the 1000# total is doable. The only 'auxiliary' exercise I've added is pull-ups, since I don't want them to fall off too bad. They factor heavily in Crossfit workouts, which I'll switch back to in order to cut weight before my next weigh-in in 4 months. I figure I've got 3 good months of lifts before I have to start starving myself again.

Okay gents, sound like a good plan? Any things I should really watch out for? At 6'0", 213# (with a little extra around the middle, but not so much that I don't pass tape), is the 1000# combined goal a reasonable one?
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308Mike
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Re: Lifting heavy things again

Post by 308Mike »

Sounds great!!! I wish you the best of luck getting back into working out. Just remember, proper form is more important than the amount of weight. Strength will come in time, & you'll run less a risk of injury by doing the movements correctly. Don't push too hard until your body is ready and good form becomes habit.
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Langenator
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Re: Lifting heavy things again

Post by Langenator »

I'm working somewhat similarly (or trying to. I dislocated my shoulder back in October and still have to baby it somewhat - it especially doesn't like bench press - plus I developed shin splints.) I've always been the skinny runner type (I've actually gained 40 pounds since I joined the Army many, many moons ago) so your starting weights are about what I've managed to work up to.

I'm close to you size-wise (6'2", 207), but I'm going for the goals Rippetoe proposed as a new APFT - deadlift 200% of bodyweight (420), press 75% (call it 155-160), 12 pull ups, and run the quarter mile in 75 seconds.

I might recommend adding some sort of plyometric-heavy workout maybe once a week. I'd been concetrating on just lifting for about two months, then had to do a workout that involved lots of jumping (burpees yay!) and it kicked my ass. Plus it adds some good variety. Doing the same thing over and over gets stale.
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MarkD
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Re: Lifting heavy things again

Post by MarkD »

Starting Strength is an excellent beginners plan. I'm personally doing Stronglifts, largely because there's a free app for tracking progress and the power cleans are a bit intimidating. The other major difference is that Stronglifts starts you off with an empty bar for most lifts, so you have a chance to get the form correct before the weights get too heavy. I started in April and the weights are just getting challenging now.

I think if you keep at it 1000 lbs is within reach, if you're careful and don't hurt yourself. Double body weight is pretty attainable for most people in squats and deadlifts.

As for people's opinion of Rip, he rubs a lot of people the wrong way, especially after he disassociated with Crossfit. He had some criticism of Crossfit, and for some people that's worse than criticizing Mom, Apple Pie, the Flag, and Bassett Hounds. He's fond of saying that Crossfit isn't training, it's exercising, and he's VERY critical of things like high-rep Olympic lifts (with, I think, some justification).
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JAG2955
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Re: Lifting heavy things again

Post by JAG2955 »

Yeah, you'll hit a 1000lb Bench/Deadlift/Squat before you turn to dust. I'd be a little worried that 2x a week is not enough, but you'll still definitely make progress.

Re: Power cleans, you'll start jumping up in weight once you figure out the technique. I recall when I started, I plateaued around 135, then soon after that it exploded upwards. A good bar helps a ton as well.

Lang, Rippetoe's APFT is pretty ambitious. I can do those things (would have to practice the 400m run), and I like to think that I'm in pretty great shape. The catch is, I do not know many fit Marines who could do those lifts without loads (years?) or practice. Of course, and this applies to anything that says X% of your bodyweight, as you get bigger, those numbers start to become harder to attain. It took me a long time to get to a 200% bodyweight deadlift, and I was always good at that exercise. That being said, after googling that article, I was finally glad to hear someone say that strong people are harder to kill. I completely disagree about the whole "people 100 years ago were stronger." Nope. The average male going through boot today would be called "Moose" if he were transported back to WWII. Here, take the flamethrower. By and large, we are much, much bigger.

Kind of funny how as you get bigger and stronger it gets harder and harder to pass that damn weight/tape, isn't it? A skinny little weakling who could barely pass the PFT is just fine weighing in at 5lbs under his max, but since I'm over it I have to be taped, and then certain folks look down on that. I would always do deadlifts, rowing machine, and a ton of shoulder shrugs the night/morning of a weigh-in so my waist/love handles would be smaller and my neck would be swollen. Actually, right before my last weigh-in, as part of a CGRI, I went in my office, closed the door, and held a few max handstands to get the blood to flow into my head and neck. I think they taped me at 19" that day.
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g-man
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Re: Lifting heavy things again

Post by g-man »

The thing is, I agree with his assessment of Crossfit. I know I got stronger when I was doing it while in 25ID, but that was because I hadn't been doing ANYTHING, and would have gotten stronger just from getting in basic shape again. And doing shit-tons of pull-ups did get me stronger than I had ever been on that exercise. But these fools who think that doing 500 kettlebell swings in a session is "work" are nuts. Have fun with your rhabdomyolysis there bubba. I am going with 2x a week and keeping toward the upper end of the weight plus-up (thus far). Like I said above, I get 2 workout days a week, so I use both of them. I was 'fuckaround' cleaning and semi-jerking 155 overhead a couple of months ago, so I know I can get the weight up... I just want to un-fuck my form before I wreck a shoulder, wrist, or somesuch.

There's a difference between fitness and strength, and given I have 6 more years until I can get the pretty blue ID card, I am not sure I won't deploy again. Another deployment might not be to FOBistan with the big PXes and other assorted nonsense. I can maintain fitness anywhere. I can also gain strength pretty much anywhere, but it's easier to do the former without any equipment than it is the latter. So while I have access to good gym equipment (to say the Pentagon gym is well-equipped would be a mild understatement) and a good diet, I'm going to try and get stronger.

As for bigger... I'm in the small end of my family gene pool. My 'little' brother is 6'4", and in college was walking around at 250 without looking cartoonish. Dad's dad was 5'10" (current average male height), and was not one of the small guys in his unit during WWII.
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JAG2955
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Re: Lifting heavy things again

Post by JAG2955 »

Lang, if you dislocated your shoulder and are still in the service, make sure that you get an MRI with contrast to rule out a SLAP tear prior to your departure.
Langenator
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Re: Lifting heavy things again

Post by Langenator »

I retire in a year and eleven days. :D I did have an MRI, and the ortho doc said at my age I was lucky nothing was torn. If the physical therapy doesn't do to trick in a few more weeks I might do back to ortho again.

I've never had an issue making weight - when I took the physical for my ROTC scholarship I was only the pounds over the minimum weight. As an LT, I could make weight in full battle rattle (flak vest and LBE back then.) My run time has slowed down a bunch, though.
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JAG2955
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Re: Lifting heavy things again

Post by JAG2955 »

Langenator wrote:I retire in a year and eleven days. :D I did have an MRI, and the ortho doc said at my age I was lucky nothing was torn. If the physical therapy doesn't do to trick in a few more weeks I might do back to ortho again.

I've never had an issue making weight - when I took the physical for my ROTC scholarship I was only the pounds over the minimum weight. As an LT, I could make weight in full battle rattle (flak vest and LBE back then.) My run time has slowed down a bunch, though.
Make sure it's with contrast. If it hurts on bench, that's one of the signs. My physical therapists told me that was the last exercise that I was supposed to take back up again.
Cobar
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Re: Lifting heavy things again

Post by Cobar »

I don't suppose any of you have knowledge of how to deal with joints that are all "crunchy". I want to get back in to shape but when I do things that put any real strain on my muscles my joints just scream. It used to be just the shoulder I messed up year ago and my cruddy knees. but now it is pretty much every joint.
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