Codger's Quest

[codgerus maximus]

Week 2, day 3--my first consecutive two weeks of training since the start of the summer.

Deadlift, no belt: 325x4x1@6; 340x4x1@7; 357.5x4x2@8. Three minutes rest.

Bench, touch and go: 152.5x8x1@6; 160x8x1@7; 170x8x2@8. Three minutes rest.

Squats, no belt: 190x10x1@6; 200x10x1@7; 210x10x2@8. 2.5 minutes rest.

[codgerus maximus]

Week 3 day 1 of Beginner template.

Squat, no belt: 230x4x1@6; 242.5x4x1@7; 255x4x2@8. Three minutes rest.

Bench, touch and go: 147.5x10x1@6; 155x10x1@7; 162.5x10x2@8. Three minutes rest.

Deadlift, no belt: 260x8x1@6; 275x8x2@7; 290x8x1@8. 2.5-3 minutes rest.

[gymdad150]

Keep punchin' the clock. It'll all payoff down the line...

[codgerus maximus]

Keep punchin' the clock. It'll all payoff down the line...

I'm enjoying the BB medicine approach and the beginner template is interesting with its mix of rep ranges.

Today, Week 3 day 2:

Press: 117.5x4x1@6; 122.5x4x1@7; 127.5x4x2@8. Three minutes rest.

Squat: 215x7x1@6; 225x7x1@7; 235x7x2@8. Three minutes rest.

BB row: 145x10x1@6; 152.5x10x1@6; 165x10x2@7. 2.5 minutes rest. These sere supposed to be RPE 6, 7, and 8 so I think I can add a bit more weight next time.

[codgerus maximus]

Beginner template, week 3 day 3.

Deadlift, no belt: 330x4x1@6; 345xx4x1@7; 362.5x4x2@8. Three minutes rest.

Bench, touch and go: 155x8x1@6; 162.5x8x1@7; 172.5x8x2@8. Three minutes rest.

Squat, no belt: 195x10x1@6; 205x10x1@7; 215x10x2@8. 2.5 to 3 minutes rest.

Yesterday I walked briskly for about two miles, including a steep uphill section of a 100 meters or so. Beautiful time of year in the high desert, with aspens and cottonwoods turning color, clear blue skies. After the walk I did two sets of 12 lat pull-downs with 90 pounds and 2 sets of 12 ab-wheel roll-outs.

[codgerus maximus]

Beginner template. Week 4 day 1.

Squat, no belt: 237.5x4x1@6; 250x4x1@7; 262.5x4x2@8. Three minutes rest.

Bench, touch and go; 150x10x1@6; 157.5x10x1@7; 165x10x2@8. Three minutes rest.

Deadlift, no belt: 265x8x1@6; 280x8x1@7; 295x8x2@8. 2.5 to 3 minutes rest.

Yesterday my wife and I hiked for two hours in a national forest near our home.

[mybeautifulparadoxiallife]

Love the hike!! Are the tree's changing colors where you are?

[codgerus maximus]

Love the hike!! Are the tree's changing colors where you are?

We live in the high desert in northwestern New Mexico so the vegetation in most areas is pretty sparse--juniper, pinon pine, and sage for the most part, though our neighborhood has some cottonwoods, willows, and poplars. Our hike was in a forested area about 20 miles southeast of where we live, and the oaks and aspens there have started to turn. Really beautiful, especially against the deep blue New Mexico sky.

[gymdad150]

It's a lovely time of year everywhere. The pooch has been the beneficiary of many long walks the past few weeks.
Not quite cardio, but 3-4 miles at a brisk pace has been my goal.

I don't want a repeat of Spokane where i walked my legs off the day before competing.

[codgerus maximus]

I don't want a repeat of Spokane where i walked my legs off the day before competing.

I remember that. Still, you snagged that medal!

Week 4 day 2 on the beginner template.

Press: 120x4x1@6; 125x4x1@7; 130x4x3@8. 3 minutes rest. Presses felt heavy today so I think I'll only add 1.25 next week.

Squat:, no belt : 220x7x1@6; 230x7x1@7; 240x7x2@8. 3 minutes rest.

BB rows: 150x10x1@6; 157.5x10x1@7; 167.5x10x2@8. 2.5 minutes rest.

[codgerus maximus]

Delayed posting yesterday's workout because I was watching the raw nationals and then had to drive to Albuquerque, an all day trip from our neck of the desert.

Yesterday: Week 4, day 3 on the beginner template. Finally have an uninterrupted month of training after a hectic summer.

Deadlift, no belt: 335x4x1@6; 350x4x1@7; 367.5x4x2@8. Three minutes rest.

Bench, touch and go: 157.5x8x1@6; 165x8x1@7; 175x8x2@8. Three minutes rest.

Squat, no belt: 200x10x1@6; 210x10x1@7; 220x10x2@8. 2.5 to 3 minutes rest. These 10-rep squat sessions with short rests feel like HIIT workouts--they leave me gasping for air. But I feel pretty good afterwards.

[codgerus maximus]

Beginner template, week 4.2, day 1.

Squat, no belt: 242.5x4x1@6; 255x4x1@7; 267.5x4x2@8. Three minutes rest.

Bench, touch and go: 155x10x1@6; 162.5x10x1@7; 170x10x2@8. Three minutes rest.

Deadlift, no belt: 275x8x1@6; 290x8x1@7; 305x8x2@8. 2.5 to 3 minutes rest.

[codgerus maximus]

Week 4.2, day 2

Press, no belt: 121.25x4x1@6; 126.25x4x1@7; 131.25x4x3@8. Three to four minutes rest.

Squat, no belt: 225x7x1@6; 235x7x1@7; 245x7x2@8. Four minutes rest.

BB rows: 152.5x10x1@6; 160x10x1@7; 170x10x2@8. Three minutes rest.

[Silentpadna]

How long do you think you'll stay on the Beginner's template? Having taken 3 months off (due to my June auto accident), I've been back at it now for 5 weeks - as of the end of today. I'm a little cautious with the lumbar area of the back with a couple of disc hernations. Are you going to switch when the gains slow down? Are you going to wait until you reach your previous numbers?

Not asking for a friend...

[codgerus maximus]

How long do you think you'll stay on the Beginner's template? Having taken 3 months off (due to my June auto accident), I've been back at it now for 5 weeks - as of the end of today. I'm a little cautious with the lumbar area of the back with a couple of disc hernations. Are you going to switch when the gains slow down? Are you going to wait until you reach your previous numbers?

I've been on the Beginner template for five weeks too. I think I'll run out the full program and see how it goes, which means I'll be working on it for at least another two months. The instructions in the template suggest that you jump to the next phase of the beginner template when two lifts or more stall or regress. I think that will probably happen with my press and maybe my bench sometime within the next two or three weeks.

Seems like you're making nice progress after what sounds like a serious accident.

[codgerus maximus]

Beginner's Template, week 4.2 (aka the 5th week):

Deadlift, no belt: 340x4x1@6; 355x4x1@7; 372.5x4x2@8. 3 minutes rest.

Bench: 160x8x1@6; 167.5x8x1@7; 177.5x8x2@8. 3 minutes rest.

Squat, no belt: 205x10x1@6; 215x10x1@7; 225x10x2@8. 3 minutes rest. Phew, these are really like a HIIT session.

Walked for about 2 miles yesterday with my wife. Actually I tried something new: "nordic walking," where you use poles to mimic the actions of cross country skiing without the skis. Pretty good workout, including a steep hill up into the cliffs near our house. After the walk I did some ab wheel stuff: roll-outs, pikes, knee tucks, bridges. (I have an ab wheel that you can strap to your feet, which opens up a lot of different movement possibilities.)