Samwell

Seeking feedback on a strength training program I've been on for about six weeks. I feel very good about the results so far, but this program is different. Relevant background: male, 53 / 6'0" / 180 lbs. Okay shape: historically a runner with a couple of years of triathlon under my belt, still running 2-4 miles every couple of days with other aerobic stuff (erg, etc) 30-40 minutes 1-3x per week. I had done little to no strength training until the last couple of years: my upper bod has been seriously neglected. Goal: increased strength and muscle mass if possible, retention of muscle mass a requirement. Brief CrossFit experience, some bodyweight stuff. I used to do hi rep low resistance stuff but it never seemed to do much. Diet: generally low carb during the week with dairy (I limit all refined carbs and grains during the week). I'm ok with beer, cookies, and pizza on the weekends. My weight dropped 15 lbs when I started and has been stable for 3 years. Thanks Gary Taubes! Program is high intensity individualized training on compound machines. Concept is: one set of limited reps (five or six) at high resistance performed very slowly with no rest between reps (reps go as slowly as possible without breaking fluidity during the movement - about a ten count up / ten count down). Each set goes to muscle failure: every lift, every time. Machines are all carefully calibrated for fit / reach etc., and form is tightly monitored. Workouts are twice a week - both workouts focused on major muscle groups but they are different workouts and alternate. The workouts change gradually over time (substituting one lift here or there for something else). I have been wiped out at the end of every workout, and generally feel great. I am in and out of the gym in less than 30 minutes. Conceptually, this approach makes a lot of sense to me. Any feedback would be appreciated - it isn't cheap...! Sam.

Pull-ups seem to be a common theme around here! I found a really helpful, gradual and realistically phased program that I have followed to completing five pull-ups myself yesterday, from a base of zero (!). I tracked almost every workout, missing a day every now and then, and repeating one or two if I didn't hit the goal, but it works and works well. With three workouts a week you can afford a miss or two and still stay on track. You might try it. I looked at several when I started out and this made the most sense: http://www.jeromefitness.com/15-pull-ups-in-15-weeks/ Sam.

GRADE: C+ ... but I'm ok with that. I had 3 "5" goals and a fourth: Run 5 miles. BONK. I screwed up early, got injured. Took ten days off, backed off to 2 miles, and am back up to 2 1/2 and ramping slowly. I'm ok with this pace of recovery, though: I am 52 and my overarching #1 fitness goal is not to get re-injured. Having screwed up early, I wasn't going to blow it completely by making up for lost time; I gave up on this goal early. Do 5 pull-ups: GOT IT - right on target, to the day. The last one was REALLY hard ... Lose 5 pounds: B-. Lost just over 3. Caveat: I am trying NOT to make too big a deal of weight loss (at 6'0, 177 I've got a few extra but I'm pretty healthy). I had planned on a few incremental changes and slow loss - I am happy with the 3, as long as the pace is sustained over the next few weeks. Execute a project for my family: I am on track to complete as originally scheduled. Sam.

First the Bad News: I got on the scale today and actually picked up some weight, after having leveled off ten days ago or so (I weigh myself very infrequently). At this stage, I may not be down five by the end of the challenge. And, given my silly over-running early on, to avoid further injury I am recovering only incrementally, so I won't make the running goal either. Losing weight too quickly isn't a good long term strategy and has never worked for me; and so much of the last few years has been dedicated to injury recovery that avoiding reinjury is my #1 fitness priority and I will NEVER make my Mudder goal if I screw it up again. Now the Good News: I am ok with this, because: I am on track with pull-ups; I am on track with my project; AND I have been getting much better workouts in with real progress - I am getting fitter by the day. I didn't aggressively work the diet goal, and in the realm of learning from mistakes I will make a few small changes and recalibrate. Today is another day.

3x1 pull-ups today(!!). Ran 2 miles taped (plus Angry Birds). I haven't done a proper pull-up in years, and today I did three sets of 1, in good form, slowly. Even after my last workout (which called for 2 x 9 negatives), I was concerned I might not pull today's workout off. It was remarkably easy; this routine has helped a lot!

On track except ... for the running. With my ankle injury (the prevention of which was my objective(!)), I've taken ten days off and will probably do an easy mile jog this afternoon, ankle braced. Depending on how that goes, I may modify the objective. I'm not claiming an epic fail on this ... yet, but I have learned the value of taking recovery S_L_O_W_L_Y.

Great idea to have a post-injury forum! At my age (52) most of my time is spent recovering from injuries... It is frustrating as heck because I always overdo it. I'm just over some chronic piriformis syndrome PT, and while I still suffer some discomfort it hasn't been getting worse, so I have been upping running mileage until ten days ago when I tremendously overdid it (ramping from 2 miles to 4 in just a couple of weeks) and injured an ankle. Today or tomorrow I will do a gentle 2 and see how it feels. The message for the older folks is ... DON'T overdo it. If the 2 goes well, I think I will set a long term plan / goal of VERY incremental increases. Long term I want to do a Tough Mudder next spring. Sam.

Reporting results for my modified Angry Birds - totals for the first two sets: Squats:102 Push-ups: 52 Planks: 210" Side planks (each): 190" Pull-ups incorporated in my goals above, on a different program (on track): 9 negatives.

Weighed in this morning down a 1.4 pounds ... ahead of track. Pull-up routine ... on track. Running ... uhm, ran an old route on Monday morning, remembering it as three miles. It turned out to be four (I wasn't paying close attention to my watch, but I knew I had way exceeded my target) and I've been limping on an ankle since. No reason to believe it won't be ok, and I've actually hit my week 4 goal in the middle of week 1, so there is still hope. I emailed my family yesterday and set some internal deadlines ... on track. So far, so good (well, almost).

A couple of thoughts: 1) I bonked this week and I just started! Went out for 3 miles on Saturday ... in the 80's but TOTALLY humid. Uhm, I didn't get my 3 in... 2) ... Still on track with the pull-ups, though. 3) @ Grizzy - The Tough Mudder scares the heck out of me, too. But at 52, WTF? This is a DEMON and I want to conquer it! Unlike other events, it calls for total fitness, not anything event-specific and this is why I like it as a goal. 4) My daughter made a really good chocolate pie the other night. I've had more of it than I would like to admit. Sam.

I do the Angry Birds as a circuit, one set of each exercise with a minute rest, then circle back to the beginning for the second / third / fourth set of sets. Working each set till you can't do another rep feels IMHO badass like you say. I've never been much for strength training but this feels great. Doesn't feel like I work biceps enough, but maybe that's where the pull-ups come in.

I got a bad chin-up off with a couple of negatives, then decided to search for a beginner routine. Found it at: http://www.jeromefitness.com/15-pull-ups-in-15-weeks/ I liked the gradual, structured and phased approach. I've hit every target and feel pretty confident about the program. It has been a couple of years since my last pull-up, and I look at this - and push-ups - as pretty important parts of restoring upper body strength. I'm doing a modified "Angry Birds" workout routine for the core with squats, push-ups, planks, side planks and the beginner pull-up routine. It has been a great few weeks. I think I will report out the first two boxes of the Angry Birds workout too. Thanks for the encouragement!

Great goals - running is very much an incremental game. Getting started is the hard part ... but stick with it. Once you've got the first mile down, they come easier.

Male, age 52, 175 pounds, 6'. Too much flab and not enough muscle; not much in the upper bod. I recently began running again after months of therapy for a nasty hip problem. I am up to 3 miles, which I completed three times this week without any incremental pain, having ramped up perhaps a little too quickly. I love to run, and want to work back to distances without re-injury. I spent so much time doing PT that I let myself get completely out of shape. My long term goal for next spring is a Tough Mudder - so this challenge is all about setting the stage. My goals: Run five miles. Work up to four miles by the end of week 4 and five by week 6, taking it easy and NOT re-injuring myself. Complete five pull-ups. I recently started using a "fifteen weeks to fifteen pull-ups" plan I found on-line and this is where I should be at the end of 6 more weeks if I follow the plan. Lose five pounds. As much as I would like to add muscle at this point, job 1 is getting rid of some of the flab. I've lost a lot of weight over the years yo-yo-ing (until I went "no refined carbs") so, while I have held my weight for 18 months at about 175, I've set a modest goal. Complete a (confidential) project for my family. I'm in the middle of it but need to drive it home.Tracking / monitoring is pretty easy: Running: log the miles Pull-ups: follow the plan; track the workouts Weekly weigh-ins. Weekly progress reports to my spouse / siblings.