Working to Stay Lean ~

[Deleted account]

I polished off a tray of brownies...

[steve carpenter]

Will turn 76 in May. Work out about 5 times  per week since at least 2012. I believe it is a mindset for me to constantly challenge myself and not let age dictate what I can do. Started because I fish isolated places alone and knew I need to be able to care for myself. I s now a life style choice.

AJay is amazing.

[A-Jay]

11 hours ago, steve carpenter said:

Will turn 76 in May. Work out about 5 times  per week since at least 2012. I believe it is a mindset for me to constantly challenge myself and not let age dictate what I can do. Started because I fish isolated places alone and knew I need to be able to care for myself. I s now a life style choice.

AJay is amazing.

Thank you and right back at ya Steve ~

Keep it rolling

Here's to a productive 2023 to us both !

A-Jay

[steve carpenter]

?

[A-Jay]

Total Body 2 this morning.

For the next 10 weeks at least, I'll be working the total calories back a little at a time.

Hope to keep the energy up in the process.

It's early on, so I felt pretty good in this one.

Performed 3 working sets of 6 movements.

Showing one set of each here.

#borninfiftynine

A-Jay

[A-Jay]

Total Body 3 took center stage this morning. 

Performed 3 working sets of six movements.

Showing one of each here.

Haven't done the seated face pull for quite a while,

so the focus was on form. 

The rest will come with time.

#borninfiftynine

A-Jay

 

[A-Jay]

Total Body 1 this morning.

Trained with no music.

Sort of forces me to focus a bit more.

I like it.

Did 3 working sets of seven movements.

Showing one set of each here.

#borninfiftynine 

A-Jay

[LrgmouthShad]

Back from the field… back in the gym. Just did an easy upper body workout of rows, slight decline dumbbell press, cable bicep curls, cable tricep push downs, and some abs. Super fast, super easy. I’ll go for a quick run before making lunch. Have next couple days off from work 

[A-Jay]

Total Body 2 this morning.

Performed 3 working sets of six movements.

Showing one of each here. 

Been noticing perhaps a slight difference/decrease in my daily energy levels

as my caloric intake declines. (fat & carbs)

We're keeping an eye on all of it.

Workouts are still going well.

#borninfiftynine

A-Jay 

[LrgmouthShad]

On 1/5/2023 at 5:14 PM, A-Jay said:

Total Body 2 this morning.

For the next 10 weeks at least, I'll be working the total calories back a little at a time.

Hope to keep the energy up in the process.

It's early on, so I felt pretty good in this one.

Performed 3 working sets of 6 movements.

Showing one set of each here.

#borninfiftynine

A-Jay

A-Jay, can you explain the idea behind holding the off-arm behind your head for your first movement? 
 

I just tried that exercise out, was looking for another dumbbell leg exercise. That thing is a quad burner 

[A-Jay]

56 minutes ago, LrgmouthShad said:

A-Jay, can you explain the idea behind holding the off-arm behind your head for your first movement? 
 

I just tried that exercise out, was looking for another dumbbell leg exercise. That thing is a quad burner 

The SBL, step back lunge.

I love and hate this one.

I alternate between two variations of it. Both include my working or front leg stepping up onto a 3 plate stack for more range and stretch. 

I place some rubber matting between the plates to keep them from sliding.  

 The one arm up behind my head makes me a little more unbalanced, as if the one dumbbell isn't enough.

So my core has to work to counter balance that off side.  I usually do not recommend mixing resistance training with balance work, but this one is pretty stable for me. I perform the required reps on one leg and the switch to do the other.

It's not a power deal by any stretch but it will wake up those glutes in short order.

In the second variation I use a DB in each hand, use more weight, do less reps and alternate legs during the set.  Still requires balance but that brief rest I get switching legs back and forth lets me go heavier.

Either way, I am almost always limping a little the next day.

 

I started out a while back using no plates, so both feet on the floor.

Eventually as my strength,  flexibility and balance improved, I start training with the front leg up on one plate and just kept going.

 Not sure many folks do this one like this but it fits right in nicely with a total body training concept and I'll never not have at least some variation of it on my training schedule.

A-Jay

 

[LrgmouthShad]

8 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

The SBL, step back lunge.

I love and hate this one.

I alternate between two variations of it. Both include my working or front leg stepping up onto a 3 plate stack for more range and stretch.  

I place some rubber matting between the plates to keep them from sliding.  

 The one arm up behind my head makes me a little more unbalanced, as if the one dunmbbell isn't enough.

So my core has to work to counter balance that off side.  I usually do not reccomend mixing resistance training with balance work, but this one is pretty stable foe me. I perform the required reps on one leg and the switch to do the other.

It's not a power deal by any stretch but it will wake up those glutes in short order.

In the second variation I ude a DB in each hand, use more weight, do less reps and alternate legs during the set.  Still requires balance but that brief rest I get switching legs back and forth lets me go heavier.

Either way, I am almost always limping a little the next day.

 

I started out a while back using no plates, so both feet on the floor.

Eventually as my strength,  flexibility and balance improved, I start training with the front leg up on one plate and just kept going.

 Not sure many folks do this one like this but it fits right in nicely with a total body training concept and I'll never not have at least some variation of it on my training schedule.

A-Jay

 

Really helpful, thank you

 

how do you think the SBL interacts with Bulgarian split squats in the same workout session? Does performing one make the other redundant? Or are they complementary? When performing the Bulgarian split squats, I seem to feel it more in my hamstrings, and the BSS is one of my favorite leg exercises. But want to hear how you think these two exercise interplay with each other. 

[A-Jay]

5 minutes ago, LrgmouthShad said:

Really helpful, thank you

 

how do you think the SBL interacts with Bulgarian split squats in the same workout session? Does performing one make the other redundant? Or are they complementary? When performing the Bulgarian split squats, I seem to feel it more in my hamstrings, and the BSS is one of my favorite leg exercises. But want to hear how you think these two exercise interplay with each other. 

So glad to see you back in the groove my friend.

Makes me smile.

Amazing how long it took right ? 

 

That's a good exercise but does seem redundant if you're already doing SBL.

Could do them on alternate workouts clearly. 

I used to do that one but it NEVER felt 'right'.

Always way too much stress on my front knee and my back ankle.

The later may have simply been some inflexibility on my part.

Either way, resistance training is hard enough without adding extra PAIN into it.

A-Jay

 

[LrgmouthShad]

6 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

So glad to see you back in the groove my friend.

Makes me smile.

Amazing how long it took right ?

Yup, I sometimes have to reflect on the couple months I had of constant pain and low functionality to realize how blessed I am now to be doing something. My shoulder is far from perfect but I can at least lift without feeling like I’ve done something wrong. 
 

About the front knee on BSS… yeah… I’ve felt it before. Particularly after a hard leg day. That exercise used to be my finisher after lots of squats. Never had a problem with it and I’ve always had great knees (please Lord let that continue) but I definitely have felt it stressed after a workout. I should do some thinking on that and whether I should continue to do them. 
 

Thanks for the comment on how the two exercises interact with each other. I don’t have any more questions at the moment but those two were right off the top of my head ready for you. Thanks for your help! 
 

And yeah… I ain’t doing front squats any time soon ?
 

 

[FryDog62]

Just survived a widowmaker event this week. Only reason I’m alive is the regular workouts that give a warning somethings not right.  Stay at it all - -

[A-Jay]

1 hour ago, FryDog62 said:

Just survived a widowmaker event this week. Only reason I’m alive is the regular workouts that give a warning somethings not right.  Stay at it all - -

Glad you're OK

A-Jay

[A-Jay]

Recognize the miracles that shape your life.

 

A-Jay

[LrgmouthShad]

There’s something that I just really enjoy about leg day. All that blissful soreness. I really don’t like it the next day, but in the moment, I just like to make my legs groan a little.

[A-Jay]

Total Body 1 this morning.

Another brick on the wall.

Which seems very solid at this point.

#borninfiftynine

A-Jay

 

[A-Jay]

One of the most powerful forces in the world is a product of the human mind and will.

That product is — consistency.

With consistency, we have the ability to push past frustration, indecision, procrastination,

and all sorts of -ions and -isms.

Without consistency, even the best laid plans often remain unfulfilled

and gather dust as time passes and dreams become passing visions.

“If we are persistent, we will get it.  If we are consistent, we will keep it.” 

#borninfiftynine

A-Jay

[LrgmouthShad]

I’m back in the gym again today too. Have been consistently for a while but did take one rest day. Everything is still working fine. Haven’t really had any problems

 

Keep on driving through the winter @A-Jay. Staying healthy and lifting throughout makes it ten times better right?

[A-Jay]

This is not my quiet place ~ 

A-Jay

[A-Jay]

Total Body 1 on this chilly Sunday Morning.

Performed 3 working sets of seven movements.

Showing one set of each here.

Feeling pretty good.

#borninfiftynine

A-Jay

[A-Jay]

Total Body 2 This morning. 

I sleep an average of 7 – 8.5 hrs a night.

Just depends on if there’s open water or not.

My resistance training is performed in just over 90 minutes; after a solid warm up.

The remainder of everyday, I’m committed to doing whatever I can not to undermine the above.

This includes proper nutrition and sufficient hydration.

Staying lean, strong, healthy & balanced is always the objective.

#borninfiftynine

A-Jay

[LrgmouthShad]

Okay sir I'd like your opinion on another exercise centered on the lower body. Romanian deadlifts for the hamstrings. At a gym now, I will simply do machine leg curls, but with the winter storm that came through last night, most gyms that I go to are closed right now (and I don't want to drive). But there's a local very small gym here with a barbell and weights among some other things.

 

Hope you're doing well