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Bamazav building strength for life

Bamazav

Bamazav

Member
Oct 27, 2012
15
4
Greetings to all. My name is David. I am a 53 year old Grandfather, Father, Husband and Pastor. I started lifting in 2007 because of health issues and not wanting a life of medications. I lost the weight required in 12 weeks, got hooked on they gym and began a journey that I have not looked back from. In 2010 I began a fitness ministry in the church I pastor. Get Fit For the King began in the fellowship hall with a few 2 lb dumbbells, a swiss ball and a few bands. Today we meet in a fully equipped weight room with deadlift platforms, two Squat Racks, 4 bench stations, DB, TRX, dreadmill, eliptical and 4 stationary bikes. Currently I have 8 Senior Citizens that meet with me 3 times a week for a devotion, training and encouragement. I am the youngest one up there and Martha is the oldest at 84. In 2014 I met some teens who wanted to get stronger. Team Dunamis Powerlifting team was started. Girls, jobs and graduation have moved all the teens away, but the Team continues to lift as Master Lifters. Every Team Dunamis member holds at least one 100% RAW Federation State, National or World record, including this old man.

My personal goal is to get stronger and to be strong the be able to live long and enjoy my family. I currently compete in full power meets in both the USPA and 100% Raw Federations. I have considered moving to Deadlift only, but my miserly mindset can't accept paying the same amount for one event as I would for all three, so I do full power. This season I have set personal bests on all three lifts, though my bench is usually just to keep me in the competition so that I can deadlift. If all goes well, I hope to pull a 500 lb deadlift by years end.

My last meet I enflamed my IT Band, which has inhibited, but not stopped, me from squatting. I have stepped back and lightened my loads, increasing my reps for a bit to try to give my leg some time to heal. If I see sufficient healing in the next few weeks, I will begin prepping for an end of the year meet and shoot to set a new VA State Record in deadlift.

Most days I train solo or with my son. Since schedules limit our time together, most of my training is solo. That is where this log comes in. Not being a member of a gym and training solo, this is my source of accountability and learning. I have been blessed to have some good online and personal coaching in the last couple years, but have learned more from the conversations evoked in the logs than any where else. So help me out.

Okay, far more talking about myself than I like, let's get into this Log.
 
Bamazav

Bamazav

Member
Oct 27, 2012
15
4
9/4/2017 Leg Day

Squats
45 x 8
135 x 5
230 x 5

Front Squats
135 x 10

Seated Calf Raise
110 x 12
110 x 10

Leg Extension
105 x 10

GHR
20

Lying Leg Curls
50 x 15

DB RDL
50 x 10
50 x 10

Hanging Knee Raise
15
15

9/6/2017 Push Day

Bench Press
45 x 10
95 x 8
145 x 8
145 x 8
145 x 8

DB OHP
40 x 10
40 x 10
40 x 10

Cable Pushdowns
50 x 10
50 x 10
50 x 10

Decline Bench
125 x 8
125 x 8
125 x 8

Db French Press
40 x 12
40 x 12
40 x 12

NOTES
IT band is still tender when squatting so I am taking things easy for now. No singles planned, just reps, will be increasing those each session.

Everything else is reps over weight these days. Just want to get past the aches and pains right now.

9/8/2017 Pull Day

Deadlifts

135 x 5 - Sumo
225 x 5 - Sumo
315 x 1 - conventional from here on out
315 x 1
315 x 1
315 x 1
315 x 1
315 x 1
315 x 1
315 x 1

4" block Pulls Sumo Style
225 x 5
225 x 5

Shrugs
225 x 10 - sumo style
225 x 10 - Conventional style

Pendlay Rows
135 x 5
135 x 5

Bird Dogs
10
10

Hanging Knee Raises
15
15

NOTES
By far not my heaviest deadlift work but lately they have been difficult and heavy. Decided to return to singles for my heaviest set and work on form. They didn't feel "right" for the first couple and then things clicked and the weight began moving smoothly and easily. The rest of this session was accessory work meant to support the deads. Pull day will be getting tougher as things progress. My goal now is more, health than strength so the numbers, while important, are not my primary focus. Working the muscles will be the focus.
 
Bamazav

Bamazav

Member
Oct 27, 2012
15
4
9/10/2017 Fluff and Buff Day

Overhead Press

75 x 10
75 x 10
75 x 10

Dips
10
10
10

Straight Bar Glide Curls
65 x 10
65 x 10
65 x 10

Lat Pulldowns
70 x 12
70 x 12
70 x 12

Swiss Bar Curls
70 x 10
70 x 10
70 x 10

Bench Dips
15
15
15

NOTES
Today's OHP press was done standing. I do not usually do them standing as they bother my back. Today felt good so I will will continue to move them up slowly and see what happens. Good arm pump.

Tomorrow will begin week two of Push Pull Legs.
 
R

rawdeal

TID Board Of Directors
Nov 29, 2013
4,314
3,476
Inspiration + information . . . . nice.

Had no idea what that IT Band was till I googled it, read a link from Runners World. I might have that, the symptom about running down the outside of the leg sounds familiar. I don't get it in the gym, but I do scrambling after the dogs in the woods. My shoes are not unevenly worn, but the terrain is, might explain why my experience is different in the gym and in the woods. Could you be one of those who turns one or both legs inward while squatting? You pull sumo, so no inward there, no IT Band symptoms there, just the Squats?
 
Bamazav

Bamazav

Member
Oct 27, 2012
15
4
Inspiration + information . . . . nice.

Had no idea what that IT Band was till I googled it, read a link from Runners World. I might have that, the symptom about running down the outside of the leg sounds familiar. I don't get it in the gym, but I do scrambling after the dogs in the woods. My shoes are not unevenly worn, but the terrain is, might explain why my experience is different in the gym and in the woods. Could you be one of those who turns one or both legs inward while squatting? You pull sumo, so no inward there, no IT Band symptoms there, just the Squats?
I do fight the knee cave in when squatting heavy. My son, the athletic trainer, says it is more an overuse injury than anything else, but now you have given me something else to work on during this rehab period. Not bad pain, just uncomfortable when I squat. Now that you have me thinking about it, I had foot drop on in my left foot back in 1996. I had surgery to repair a bad disc before I had permanent nerve damage. Still, left leg does not work like my right. I walk differently on my left foot. My son had me get some running/training shoes a lot of podiatrists recommend, my left foot pushed through the fabric within a week. So, you may be on to something. Thanks!

Oh, I dead lift conventional. I like to do my lighter warm ups sumo and when I get to heavier weights I switch to conventional.
 
Bamazav

Bamazav

Member
Oct 27, 2012
15
4
Squat
45 x 8
135 x 8
230 x 5
230 x 5
230 x 5

Front Squats
140 x 10

Good Mornings
140 x 10
140 x 10

Seated Calf Raise
120 x 10
120 x 10

Leg Extension with a hold at top
100 x 10
100 x 10

Poor Man's Glute Ham Raise
10
15
15

Rollouts
10
10
10

NOTES
Squats felt better today. Pain was minimal but still there. Feels much better with sleeves on than without.
 
woodswise

woodswise

TID Board Of Directors
Apr 29, 2012
4,334
1,340
For IT Band do some foam rollering (not on the hip joint, but on the muscles between the joints) and stretching after you warm up. I foam roll both quads (front and side) and glutes. It helps a lot. Good luck and welcome.
 
Bamazav

Bamazav

Member
Oct 27, 2012
15
4
For IT Band do some foam rollering (not on the hip joint, but on the muscles between the joints) and stretching after you warm up. I foam roll both quads (front and side) and glutes. It helps a lot. Good luck and welcome.
Thanks my friend. I am doing lots of stretching and rolling. Each day is a little better. Just being patient.
 
Bamazav

Bamazav

Member
Oct 27, 2012
15
4
This has been a busy week and lifting didn't happen as planned. It didn't help that I struggled with back spasms the past few days. Feeling better today so I got in the gym and did a little bit of work.

Bench Press
45 x 10
95 x 8
115 x 5
150 x 5
150 x 5
150 x 5

2 Board Press
155 x 6
155 x 6
155 x 6

Cable Pushdowns
50 x 10
50 x 10
50 x 10

Bradford Press
100 x 5
100 x 5
100 x 5

TRX Pushups
10
10

Bird Dogs
10
10
 
PillarofBalance

PillarofBalance

Strength Pimp
Feb 27, 2011
17,066
4,640
REPS FOR JESUS

I1G8vMU.jpg


That IT band can be a huge pain. Gotta smash the TFL hard with a lacrosse ball a few minutes per day.

Also start looking at your warm ups differently. Like for squat days start doing things to actually prime the muscles like split squats, goblet squats and RDL.
 
Bamazav

Bamazav

Member
Oct 27, 2012
15
4
REPS FOR JESUS

I1G8vMU.jpg


That IT band can be a huge pain. Gotta smash the TFL hard with a lacrosse ball a few minutes per day.

Also start looking at your warm ups differently. Like for squat days start doing things to actually prime the muscles like split squats, goblet squats and RDL.
Thanks brother. IT is feeling better, not 100% but better. Will look at my warm ups.
 
Bamazav

Bamazav

Member
Oct 27, 2012
15
4
9/16/2017 Deadlift Day

Had a little time time to get a session in before heading to the ODU/UNC game.

Deadlifts
135 x 5 sumo
135 x 5 conventional
225 x 3 sumo
225 x 3 conventional
315 x 2 sumo
315 x 2 conventional
340 x 1
340 x 1
340 x 1

Smith Machine Pendlay Rows
135 x 8
135 x 8
135 x 8

Reverse Hyperextension
50 x 8
50 x 8

NOTES
It was a relatively short session but after battling back spasms all week, I wanted to see how things would go. I am pleased with how things went. I would have liked more time but it is what it is.
 
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