Repman: Staying fit over 50

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Repman
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Posts: 4
Joined: Mon May 14, 2018 7:51 am
Location: The North

Repman: Staying fit over 50

Post by Repman »

Hi.
I'm a former bodybuilder who gave up that "lifestyle" a number of years ago now. I exercise regularly at the gym but because of working pattern (I work nights) and the resulting lack of time I have during the day, training is limited to 3-4 sessions per week.

I have done various methods of training in the past: Building, bulking, gaining strength, cardio and generally keeping fit and strong but because of advancing years and query of whether it's even worthwhile to still aim for strength (you fight a losing battle over fifty!), I have decided on a programme which keeps me toned, fit and healthy going into later years. With repping to failure it is still possible to gain size and definition without the unwanted mass.

A typical workout routine would be:
Twice a week (or one 'double session'): High reps, light weights, some sets to failure. Keeps the weight down and is a great and diverse alternative to cardio, which I hate. I am on feet eight hours with a physical job, so cardio isn't particularly necessary.

Friday or Saturday: Heavier weights to retain and maintain strength.

Sunday: Legs. Again, focusing on reps rather than strength building.

In next post I'll show last three sessions, which should give you an idea of routines.

I'm very much looking forward to chatting with others and joining in the various subjects on the site.

Regards :)
Repman
STARTING OUT
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon May 14, 2018 7:51 am
Location: The North

Re: Repman: Staying fit over 50

Post by Repman »

Thursday, 10 May 18: Monday/Wednesday high reps catch-up:
(All weights in kgs; high reps at end of each set in most cases)

Lat pulldown, underarm grip:
25x40, 20x40, 12x50

Seated row:
20x41, 15x41, 15x47

DB press:
15x22, 12x22, 8x24, 16x18

Tricep extensions:
25x40, 20x40, 15x50, 25x25

Chest press, stack machine version:
25x40, 20x40, 15x50, 25x25

Tricep pulldown, underarm, wide grip:
20x20, 15x20, 12x25
*This was a new exercise never done before. I saw a PT showing a girl this one and as they finished I did some work on it. Because of the hands being placed underneath the bar and pulling the bar down instead of the usual pushing down, it works different muscles of the triceps in particular the larger ones at the back of the arms. I need to adjust the weight and reps but it’s a nice exercise which I’ll keep in programme.

Pec dec:
20x35, 20x35, 15x45, 40x25

Fly dec:
25x65, 20x65, 20x72.5
*Bigger weights are used on this as the difference between this and the above pec dec machine is that whereas the pec dec uses mostly the shoulder to push inwards, most of the effort on the fly dec is utilising the delts and especially the biceps, which are one of better formed areas so the heavier weight is required.

E-Z bar preacher curl, close grip, low pull:
20x28, 15x28, 12x33, 25x18

E-Z bar preacher curl, wide grip:
20x23, 15x23, 12x28, 20x18
*With the amount of reps on these two exercises with very little rest in between sets, arms were begging for mercy at the end!

Tricep pumps:
70x15

Bicep pumps:
50x10
*I’m really enjoying these recently added exercises. They are a culmination and a sort of “top-up” exercise to take training beyond what is usual.

Ab crunch:
50x35, 50x30
*Added a set this time.


1hr. 20mins.

Catching up big time in the gym today with both weekly Monday and Wednesday workouts rolled into one, lengthy session. High reps galore and it felt absolutely fantastic all the way through. The pain was intense, the failure repping really did get that lactic burn heating up and the resulting feel and look of efforts was definitely worth the torture.
I loved all that! Even though this is geared towards light weights, the failure sets do tax the muscles a great deal and I complete the session looking pretty well pumped up to prove it. I had virtually no rest in between sets, other than to walk to the next exercise or move the stack pins. I’ll adjust weights accordingly for next week.
Because of this unusually hard work during the working week, normal Friday heavy weights session will be done on Saturday. No plans to go out this weekend, so I can spend some time on a full 2-hour session.

I’m definitely looking okay for holiday in three weeks’ time now, just keeping the at bay and making sure I keep to the high rep training which is kind of cardio burning.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Saturday, 12 May 18: Strength (low weights with slow, controlled lifts):
(All weights in kgs; some high rep sets)
Today was strength session, which is a pseudonym for “retaining strength whilst keeping the body toned via heavier weights”, in non-bodybuilding terms.
(In bodybuilding terms it would sound something like “Getting jacked, hunched and massed” lol). On with the show then…

Tricep overhead forward pulls, flat bench:
10x28
*Ha! Not a particularly good start. Someone had left a tricep bar near a bench and I attempted to do some lying ‘behind head’ raises. I remembered as I was doing them that the reason I don’t anymore is because it pulls on lower back when it gets arched. Did one set then ditched it lol.

DB press:
8x26, 8x28, 5x28

Incline chest press:
8x60, 5x70, 5x80, 3x85

Smith flat bench press:
8x60, 5x60, 5x60

Lat pulldown, hammer bar:
8x50, 8x60, 5x70, 5x80

Barbell curl, standing:
8x35, 8x35, 5x40, 5x40

Barbell forearm reverse curl, standing:
8x15, 8x20, 5x25
*I noticed forearms becoming bigger over the past few weeks, so I attempted to curl a little more. In the event I ended up reaching 25kg with this exercise with ease.

Machine arm curls, both arms:
8x40, 8x40, 8x45, 5x50
30x20 high reps

Single DB press (lying flat bench, above raise):
30x50, 30x50, 25x50, 15x50 = 100 reps.
25x36 high reps (inclined bench)

Tricep extensions:
12x50, 12x60, 8x70
50x25 high reps

E-Z preacher curl:
8x38, 8x43, 5x48, 4x53, 3x58, 3x60.5
25x23 high reps, close grip
25x23 high reps, wide grip
*Never before have I managed to lift 60kgs by just using the biceps curled with a bar. In bodybuilding days I didn’t actually do a lot of “supplementary work” such as these exercises; i.e. It was more a case of doing deadlifts, overhead lists, squats and bench pressing, which is typical strongman stuff. The physique side of it came later which is more diet-based and lifting continuously middle-range weights to highlight the muscles with definition and “getting ripped” etc.
So to lift post-60kg today felt amazing, and three reps at that. It does show that I’ve worked harder these past few weeks in this area to focus more on muscle definition again whilst going to failure on many sets…this in turn builds bigger, harder muscles without the mass of water retention associated with extreme bodybuilding.

Tricep pumps:
60x20 high reps

Bicep pumps:
40x12.5 high reps

Ab crunch:
50x35, 50x30

*Looking at the clock I had done 1hr. 45mins so far but I was still feeling good and wanted to reach a couple of hours today, so I carried on:

Seated concentration curl, alt.:
6x18, 6x18

Machine arm curls, alt.:
25x15 high reps

Tricep pumps:
50x15

Bicep pumps:
40x10
*As it was the second time on these above exercises today, arms were pretty well fried and pumped up too much to attempt too many reps, so I lowered the weight a little.

2hrs. 05mins.


A thoroughly good workout. I’m getting stronger again but without the bulk that I used to when I was bodybuilding. The strength is built now making muscles harder and with more defined shape instead and because I’m not putting on weight I’m feeling really fit as well at the moment. I’ll keep this training up as long as I’m able, but it’s going very well and there’s no reason I can’t carry on with this until I get to the stage where body will be naturally losing muscle…and that will be hard to take!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sunday, 13 May 18: Legs.
(All weights in kgs)
Sled press:
100x100
*A mammoth start to proceedings! Pumping the quads up well for the rest of the workout.

Seated ham curls:
25x40, 20x50, 15x60, 40x30

Adductor:
25x60, 25x60

Abductor:
25x60, 25x60

Incline press:
50x150, 25x200


30mins.


Sounds like nothing doesn’t it? But when you look at it, there’s a lot of weight shifted and I came away feeling strong and refreshed, which is what it’s all about really.
I do adjust reps and weights after each session for the next workout, hoping to add a few more reps normally rather than going too heavy anymore.
Next session should be Wednesday when I’ll be doing another double session.

Thanks for reading :)
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Boss Man
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Re: Repman: Staying fit over 50

Post by Boss Man »

Hi Repman, good to have you on board.

Personally I get lured into that failure mentality years ago, thinking it was the be all and end all and it maximised your sets, but several years back I came to the conclusion, it wasn't all that.

Basically dropping one rep of your sets or not doing that last struggle for half a rep is an energy saver and in terms of someone looking to bulk or cut, it would hardly make a dent in progress if any, if someone drops 0.5-1 reps off each set, so you might be wise to think about that and see if it fits in with your way of doing things.
Repman
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Posts: 4
Joined: Mon May 14, 2018 7:51 am
Location: The North

Re: Repman: Staying fit over 50

Post by Repman »

Hi Boss Man, thanks for replying. I'm not getting notifications on phone, so I'll have to sort that out! :|

Yeah, I get what you're saying totally. Maybe too much struggling for very little in the way of gains, but I don't rep to fail on all of sets. Sometimes I'll see how many I'm doing just to reach that "sub-fail" point and leave it there amending routine each time to add a couple more reps on the other sets. It's all trial and error, as is all training. As long as we believe we're keeping to our goals, I think we're on the right track :)
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