Detraining

[CFM]

At some point we either stop lifting or evolve. My solution to maintain 17+" arms and cannonball delts was to find an alternate method of training. 33 years in construction combined with over 40 years of lifting takes an inevitable toll on joints and tendons. My solution was to rethink and re-engineer what we all know works, and we all know progressive resistance weight training works for PL, BB and athletes from sprinters to ice skaters.

I came up detraining my muscles. Over the course of 3 months I deceased the resistance until I was (for example) bench pressing 135 max for 10 reps and getting 'the pump'. Its hard on the ego and seems futile, but someday (unless you die or quit lifting) we all have to save what is left of our skeleton to enjoy life and sustain the physical capability to perform household chores.

This week I start over. My goal is to 'make' my current max weights 80% on all lifts and over the next few weeks increase the wights in increments.

 

[Lizard King]

So what does the workout for lets say chest or shoulders look like? Light weight, 10 reps, lots of sets?

 

[Bigtex]

At some point we either stop lifting or evolve. My solution to maintain 17+" arms and cannonball delts was to find an alternate method of training. 33 years in construction combined with over 40 years of lifting takes an inevitable toll on joints and tendons. My solution was to rethink and re-engineer what we all know works, and we all know progressive resistance weight training works for PL, BB and athletes from sprinters to ice skaters.

I came up detraining my muscles. Over the course of 3 months I deceased the resistance until I was (for example) bench pressing 135 max for 10 reps and getting 'the pump'. Its hard on the ego and seems futile, but someday (unless you die or quit lifting) we all have to save what is left of our skeleton to enjoy life and sustain the physical capability to perform household chores.

This week I start over. My goal is to 'make' my current max weights 80% on all lifts and over the next few weeks increase the wights in increments.

TELL ME ABOUT IT! I spent 27 years competing on a very high level as a powerlifter as well as over 40 years in the gym 3-5 days a week. Doesn't even include HS and College. When I retired it literally took me 10 years maybe to get "strength" out of my head, talk about a loss of ego. I squatted 950 and deadlifted 800 and now don't even squat or deadlift. I weighed 290 and now 240 and have gone from a 4x t-shirt to a 2x. I have a brand new tailored 58 chest suit I have only worn 2 times along with a closet full of 20" neck dress shirts. They look like a tents now. Several surgeries later, my shoulders hurt, knees hurt, destroyed my low back and have trouble walking because my feet hurt. But I can't give up the gym or lifting weights. I have gone from a 525 bench doing 10-12 reps at 425 to lucky to rep 225 for 10. My goal now is to just look like I don't sit on the fucking couch all day. For 240, I still have size and definition so I am satisfied. I don't look like people my age and still get compliments. It took years of my wife telling me, it doesn't matter what you lift anymore.....get that through your head. She use to get so aggravated with me when I asked her to spot me doing 475 on the bench for 5-6 reps.

 

[BackAtIt]

TELL ME ABOUT IT! I spent 27 years competing on a very high level as a powerlifter as well as over 40 years in the gym 3-5 days a week. Doesn't even include HS and College. When I retired it literally took me 10 years maybe to get "strength" out of my head, talk about a loss of ego. I squatted 950 and deadlifted 800 and now don't even squat or deadlift. I weighed 290 and now 240 and have gone from a 4x t-shirt to a 2x. I have a brand new tailored 58 chest suit I have only worn 2 times along with a closet full of 20" neck dress shirts. They look like a tents now. Several surgeries later, my shoulders hurt, knees hurt, destroyed my low back and have trouble walking because my feet hurt. But I can't give up the gym or lifting weights. I have gone from a 525 bench doing 10-12 reps at 425 to lucky to rep 225 for 10. My goal now is to just look like I don't sit on the fucking couch all day. For 240, I still have size and definition so I am satisfied. I don't look like people my age and still get compliments. It took years of my wife telling me, it doesn't matter what you lift anymore.....get that through your head. She use to get so aggravated with me when I asked her to spot me doing 475 on the bench for 5-6 reps.

.

 

[Jin]

When CFM isn’t being the worlds greatest dick, he sure is a wise old cunt.

Nice post man.