Protein shakes

Malcolm · Post by **Malcolm** » Wed Feb 22, 2012 3:06 pm

I used to split my year up into 4 distinct phases of: general Preparation, Specific preparation, pre-competitive and competitive. each week with their own splits of working at UT2, UT1, AT and LT training.
General prep would be building maximum strength, then onto endurance, speed endurance etc.

I've stopped doing that now as I'm getting older - I'm in my mid 50s now - so I just keep myself moderately fit all year round with the following basic routine.

4 days/week an hour on the rowing machine before breakfast for endurance - that's about 16 kilometres worth and burns about 1000 calories. That's roughly about 75% HRMAX. The second session a couple of times a week will be a short endurance weights session - very few exercises and just one set of 20-30 reps and all done with dumbells ranging from 16kg (curls) up to 42 kg (single arm rows). I do these with a swiss ball as a support rather than a bench as it's a bit more unstable.

I add in two other sessions a week from January to June: a higher intensity piece on the rowing machine - typically 3 x 10 minutes at AT (Approx 85% HRMAX)or 6x 2 mins flat out and cut out one of my weights sessions.

rrw35 · Post by **rrw35** » Wed Feb 22, 2012 4:06 pm

Mainly weights performed circuit style, with no more than 10 seconds rest between sets. Compound and isolation moves.

Two 30k cycles a week as a well as some warm up ten minute runs. Unfortunately knees dont allow much more these days.

I've also been doing this TRX training, which is fantastic, but brutal at the same time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4W_sWszO2qc&feature=related

One things for sure, it takes longer to recover in your 40's that it does in your 20's.

Paul Arden · Post by **Paul Arden** » Wed Feb 22, 2012 5:59 pm

To be honest I haven't noticed slowed recovery. In fact the only difference is I'm a lot stronger! I read an interesting book by Bill Bryson recently, one of the most fascinating things is that there is no atom in your body over nine years old!

Right, with that in mind I'm off to the gym

Cheers, Paul

Gilgamesh · Post by **Gilgamesh** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 10:02 am

Hi Paul

Interesting reading, I quit cigarettes 4 months ago, at that point I'd lost 15kg's and got a bit fitter.
Gained some weight but I was amazed at my improved endurance within a week of quiting.

Now about heart rate.....

I'm 5/6 weeks out of ICU, landed there after passing out and I suffered from extreme bradycardia.....
Refused the pacemaker, pissed off the doc....and I'm still alive.
Resting heart rate is low/middle 40's, I'm still fat but at least fitter, heart rate gets up to 120 when on the treadmill or undressing a woman with my eyes......

Facinating what a pulse oximeter can teach you :p

And, apparantly I've been self-medicating for years, doc just laughed when I told him about the SF :p

Cheers

Gerhard

Paul Arden · Post by **Paul Arden** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 1:55 pm

Bloody hell! Great that you've quit smoking

rrw35 · Post by **rrw35** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 4:19 pm

Paul Arden wrote:To be honest I haven't noticed slowed recovery. In fact the only difference is I'm a lot stronger! I read an interesting book by Bill Bryson recently, one of the most fascinating things is that there is no atom in your body over nine years old!

Right, with that in mind I'm off to the gym

Cheers, Paul

My atoms feel 100 years old some days.

Paul Arden · Post by **Paul Arden** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 6:22 pm

Sure. Apparently we all have a few atoms of William Shakespeare in us.

Paul Arden · Post by **Paul Arden** » Wed Feb 29, 2012 1:42 am

Only have another five days of gym then it's back to Hungary (I think). Where I live there isn't a gym close but I definitely want to keep it up, because the difference is remarkable. I'm thinking for Hungary to buy a bench press. I have a chin-up bar and a couple of dumbbells (only 10kg - I'll have to double this now).

Where can I learn the proper exercises and technique to make use of this - is there a good link? Lee how many kg do you bench press?

Thanks, Paul

Malcolm · Post by **Malcolm** » Wed Feb 29, 2012 2:42 pm

The swiss ball is a great alternative to a static bench. As it's unstable it helps activate a lot more muscles and recruits normally passive muscles in a different way in order to stabilise. Dumbells are ideal with the Swiss ball. You also use lighter weights as it's more difficult.

It's no use if you are going to use heavy weights but are fine for doing benches with a pair of 30kg dumbells.

White Hunter · Post by **White Hunter** » Sun Mar 04, 2012 2:35 pm

Hi Paul

It has taken me 11 months to get to a point where I have flat pressed my own body weight, on chest days I train to maybe 65-80% of this depending on how I feel on the day/time of day I'm in there.

I really like Malcoms suggestion of using a Swiss ball as a platform to press off, but I know for a fact I am a long way off having the core strength, stability and experience to carry this out safely.
That is something I will look forward to working toward in the future.. thank you Malcom..!

The equipment I purchased for my garage last april was ok initially and will be for ticking over with but it is no substitute for the robust equipment/olympic bars etc found in the rugby gym and more importantly a good mate who I train with to spot me. He takes me further than I ever could at home as my barbell presses had to be sheepish, falling 1-2 reps short.

To be honest mate, now after much hard work over winter in a proper gym I couldn't give a shit if I don't place anywhere this year, after an rta "edit" 4 years ago I could hardly walk, couldn't pick up either of my young daughters or wrestle with my son and was ultimately facing lower spine surgery, now Im finding the confidence and strength to perform respectable dead lifts, squats and bent over rows, I would never have dreamed of this not so long back.

Ultimately your training for an iron man event and fair play to ya mate, I just wanna be good at launching 50 grams of floating head for about three minutes....

Paul Arden · Post by **Paul Arden** » Sun Mar 04, 2012 4:38 pm

I'm training for both the Ironman and the world championships, Lee. Noticed a significant difference in my haul speed yesterday. Great news about your back, dude.

Cheers, Paul

White Hunter · Post by **White Hunter** » Sun Mar 04, 2012 7:09 pm

Great news yourself if you have seen improvements mate...

Have you ever asked the likes of Steve Rajef etc how they trained over the years...?

Paul Arden · Post by **Paul Arden** » Sun Mar 04, 2012 7:55 pm

No but I will do. I know Rick has a gym in his garage. Stuff that I couldn't lift a few years ago (and maybe still can't! :p ).

White Hunter · Post by **White Hunter** » Sun Mar 04, 2012 8:50 pm

Good luck with that and enjoy the training, its gonna be a good year for you mate..! You should come early to train here for a couple of days when you come up to AAPGAI in a few weeks..

Cheers
Lee

Paul Arden · Post by **Paul Arden** » Sun Mar 04, 2012 9:26 pm

Ok that could be good. You got any days off?

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