COVID-19 cases are rising steeply in my area, and my gym isn't requiring patrons to show proof of vaccination. So I'm heading back into voluntary lockdown. I.e. working out at home and outdoors. As before, I'll keep an eye out on the numbers and
During my first self-imposed gym absence (16 months), I was annoyed about the situation and worried about losing size/strength. This time it doesn't feel like a hardship at all. I enjoy the flexibility of exercising at home, fresh air in the park and recreation areas, and the absence of non-mask-wearing/potential unvaccinated idiots in my immediate vicinity. Moreover, I have figured out a training system that lets me maintain my lifting gainz without touching a weight. The first 16-month no-weights experiment was a roaring success, and I don't anticipate this second "lockdown" taking anywhere near that long.
In the short time that I deemed it safe to go to the gym this year (June-December), I hit some numbers I have not been capable of in years. I almost tied my all-time best bench press and squat, was only 10 lbs. off matching my top standing overhead press, and set all-time PRs in the front squat and deadlift. Frequently pulling and squatting over 500 lbs. for reps. 2021 turned out to be one of my best lifting years ever.
I turned 40 a couple of months ago. Last time I was anywhere near these numbers was in 2014. Was really looking forward to bench pressing 400 lbs. before my 40th birthday, but oh well. It gives me hope that one can maintain, if not increase, strength and muscle mass as one cruises into middle age. Don't want to attribute it all to isometrics, but for high levels of joint-sparing muscle tension, they can't be beat.
Hopefully this will be a short hiatus, but I won't be holding my breath. I know the weights are there when I'm ready to go back to them.
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5 comments:
Great job with your lifting. Jill E. Myron. Come back to my blog. I made it private so you gotta make an account but i don't think it takes long and even cowboy figured it out. Miss the time wasting arguments
I think I set up an account. Came up with a weird name that I didn't pick (robinjambalayasomething). Either I have a Wordpress profile now, or my computer's been hacked.
Granted. Saw that username and had to come back here to check it was you. My mom likes the word jambalaya and she's the main one who I'm trying to keep out, since she then calls Karena and discusses various posts with her i.e. snitches
to fatman
please describe how you perform bench press, floor press, and squats with the forearm lifting straps.
Hmm let's see if I can do this...
Imagine a pair of Forearm Forklift lifting straps. Each strap has three loops on both ends.
For the floor press, I double up a single strap and lie down on it. Then I take the pipe and pass one end through both sets of loops. The other end is passed through the bend in the middle of the strap. Kind of like in this image:
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61oLoUTaRNL._AC_SX466_.jpg
The position of the bar is determined by which set of loops I use. If I use the first set of loops (furthest away from the end), it's a bottom-position iso, if I use the last set (closest to the end), it's more like a lockout iso.
Alternatively, you can loop the strap around your body instead of doubling it up (and put the bar through one loop on each end). Play around until you figure out a good pressing angle.
For the bench press, same as above, but elevate your torso closer to the bar to get more of a pec stretch at the bottom. E.g. I'll put a cushion, or a foam roller, between my back and the strap. The only difference between floor and bench press iso is in the bottom position, so I don't bother with other variations.
For squats, you have a few options:
Loop the strap around your waist, put feet into the end loops (depending on which position you're after), and squat up. This mimics a "belt squat" as the bar is not on your back.
Or double up both straps and dangle them from the pipe ("bar"). Then step into the "bends", wriggle under the bar, and squat up. You can also perform front squats this way.
I realize this is a shitty explanation, so I might post some photos if/when I find the time.
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