Bob mate, I know I’ve told you before but you’re a true inspiration to others. More than that though, you relay your posts in very necessary detail which could really help people who are suffering rather strange health issues which may well be leading to a full-on heart attack unbeknown to them. I just hope members who don’t normally enter this thread do read these posts of yours.
Seriously gotta meet up with you sometime this summer matey 
Thanks Floydy It would be great to meet up…
Such a thoroughly enjoyable read, OGF, and an important reminder how important it is not to give up after a setback.
Unreal distances - after a heart attack. That’s not just a body made for running, but hard work and dedication.
The humidity and temperatures were at the 85 mark (percentage and degrees F), which made for challenging conditions, but I did my part and ran six miles. Whew!
Thanks for the comments Surfermom and well done on that six. Humidity is not a runners friend, heavy limbs, copious amounts of sweat [perspiration in your case Surfermom…;-)] and dehydration. I’ve always felt that the moist air going into your lungs is not as efficient at carrying oxygen.
2013 is about as far as I’ve gone with my experiences but I think I should bring it up to date being as a lot happened since then. I knew very little about my grandparents and great grandparents, it would be nice to leave a little something for future generations, providing there will be ‘Future Generations’ after the increasing speed we seem to be hurtling to our own destruction, or is it just me unable to predict the future…
A rest day today, but with the sun shining and temperatures reaching 10*C a visit to the local surgery will incorporate a walk down a scenic route…About three or four miles…
Monday 18/2/19: “7’s” (light-heavy-light) (7sets) 1hr.40mins.
(All weights in kgs)
Back into it after a few days, and I decided on an upper body session taken from my 7-set programme of events which I began in December. Each time I do my routines I amend some of the figures to reflect any increases in weight or reps and those have been noted within today’s exercises.
One problem I do have with this particular routine is that it takes so long to carry out and on a Monday this isn’t really suitable as I tend to rush through things too much and omit three exercises as work beckons later on and I’d run out of time.
With this in mind, I’ll be changing this routine to a more straightforward and manageable five set programme from next time. This doesn’t mean that I’ll be skimping on weight as I’ll be taking one set out of the mid-range increasing weight and the other from the final two higher rep routines. So in effect, there will be more of a poundage ‘gap’ between the sets which will make it in turn more difficult and will therefore ‘shock’ the muscles more into submission! I.e. more tension involved and only one cool down set at the end, which will also increase in weight. My maximum weight (currently Set #5) will be heavier too, in fact I’ll go as heavy as possible on this set. All good fun!
Arm curl, both arms:
15x30, 15x35, 12x40, 10x45, 9x50
15x35, 16x25
Smith flat bench press:
15x35, 12x45, 8x55, 6x55, 4x75
13x40, 15x30
*On the final cool-down sets I used a close-grip on the bar which puts more tension on the triceps, keeping the arms closer to the sides.
Lat pulldown, underarm grip:
20x35, 15x45, 10x55, 8x65, 6x75
10x50, 16x30
Lying DB fly, incline/flat* bench:
(totals for 2xdumbbells)
12x24, 10x28, 8x32, 6x36*, 5x40*
10x28*, 12x30*
Shoulder press:
12x30, 10x45, 8x55, 7x65, 6x75
8x60, 12x35
*Really strong with this exercise for a change. I was getting worried I was losing strength in my shoulders but I could have probably added another 10-15 kgs to the maximum set there, which I will attempt next week.
E-Z preacher curl:
12x28, 12x33, 10x38, 8x43, 7x48
15x28, 15x18
*Super strong in the biceps, I could have lifted quite a bit more but these exercises were already determined from last time so I didn’t want to change my planning. New weights will be annotated for next week though where I’ll be approaching 60kg hopefully which is quite a decent weight lifted only by curling the biceps.
Seated row:
15x41, 12x47, 10x53, 8x59, 8x65
12x47, 20x35
Tricep extensions:
25x35, 15x45, 12x55, 10x65, 10x75
18x50, 35x30
*Like my biceps, my triceps are also rocketing in power at the moment, which I’m putting down to the tension training I was doing over the past couple of weeks. Fair size increase too and although that isn’t really my parameter these days, it’s good to know that it can still be achieved. I dread the day when I start losing muscle naturally!:shock:
Bob – I forgot to reply to a point you made about “Dynamic Tension” bud. That brings back memories when I started out when I was a skinny 10.5 stone teenager at 6’4” tall, which is puny!! No chest at all and arms about 12" in circumference. Well I used to have a Bullworker (remember those?) and a chest expander, together with my first ever set of dumbbells which weighed a tiny 5kgs each. None of this really made much difference to my physique at the age of 16 but we all start somewhere! (I remember even lying underneath my bed and pushing it up like a bench press too! Those primitive days indeed. Fast forward twenty years to my mid-thirties and I ended up at my ‘peak’ at 17-stone packed full of muscle with a 46" chest and arms approaching 20" round pumped up (still the same height though lol).
https://a1.amlimg.com/YTExYWRhNDRlYzg2ZjdlMjlmZWFkMmFjNmE4NmY0Yjn10rXJhcVnReLDMxe4PWVGaHR0cDovL21lZGlhLmFkc2ltZy5jb20vYTc5NjFhZjcyMDIzMGUwNmI3NTRjYjZjYzEyZjFiNzY0N2YzZjI5MWJhMzU5NWRlMzZmM2JlOWZjNzBhYTg4OC5qcGd8fHx8fHwyODd4MjkyfGh0dHA6Ly93d3cuYWR2ZXJ0cy5pZS9zdGF0aWMvaS93YXRlcm1hcmsucG5nfHx8.jpg
Those formulative years! 
Tomorrow I’ll be doing a full-on tension training session on the legs featuring some pretty large increases in weight from last time, my legs being in great shape at the moment.
Thanks for reading
Thanks Floydy, and yes I remember the Bullworker and chest expander…Are you saying I would have wasted my money if I’d purchased them?..Being an engineer in those days I made myself some barbells at 115 lbs…I bet you carry more loose change in your pocket than that Floydy…
I would knock myself out with some of those contraptions, Floydy! Funny how I worried about chest development for altogether different reasons 
.
Now as for your set modification, I can see how removing the middle range would work, but why not do middle and heavy? Might you be risking injury with too much increase?
Since you mentioned shoulders, how are they doing after all these years? It seems that my fellow surfers suffer more from shoulder injuries than any other joint problems.
OGF, not only are you a remarkable athlete, you are a superb writer. I can’t think of anything better than maintaining your writing. I sure hope you are leaving hard copies too just in case. You are so, so right - I never, ever sweat ;-).
All the world was throwing Monday obstacles in the way of my running today. Even nature was sending a gray, chilly, northern blast to try to shut me down. I would have nothing of it though and hauled out the Arctic gear to make a steady, but slow go of it. Nothing to write home about, but I did manage 4.5 miles.
I am a sloth.
Not wasted money, Bob but weights have been proven to be more effective and the results appear much more quickly. Each to their own though and as I posted those pics it seems all of those “contraptions” are still available to teens everywhere. Good starting equipment though if I used one now I’d probably pull the things apart
As for the barbells. That’s some weight actually. I guess you got a bar of round mild steel and made the ends using some kind of grinding tool and welded it all together? Sounds interesting 
Aww you’re no sloth, Suzie. Quite the opposite. You are a very durable and determined athlete to brave that cold and inclement weather. Well done 
My shoulders get the occasional niggle but since I’ve been strengthening them by using the ‘fly delt dec’, I’m feeling less in the way of pain. Still cautious every time I do shoulder work though.
And just going back to your mention about my revamp of the “7’s” routine into a 5-set fixture, I’ve spread the weight out more liberally to ensure a more gradual increase rather than bang too much on suddenly, which as you say could cause injury.
All ready to go next week
Thank you both for your comments, they are very worthwhile and I appreciate your interest greatly 
To confirm then, it’s a resistance tension session for the legs today. If it’s anything like last week’s routine it will be a killer! With increases in weight made to my template, the plans are all but sealed. Back later
Tuesday 19/2/19: Tension Training: Legs 55mins.
(All weights in kgs)
Usual routine for this paused resistance work I’m currently “enjoying” – that word partly uttered tongue in cheek as although it’s extremely effective it’s also bloody brutal! My legs are in taters after this marmalising. On the other hand the gains are definitely outweighing the pain and torture, my legs ending up very powerful and looking really fit. It also helps my knees and my lower back so it’s gotta be worthwhile in some kind of agonising way! 
Today then, more weight added from last time, same set of exercises bar the prone leg curls which are definitely not ideal for the back.
Incline leg press:
25x180 - pause - 15x180 –p- 12x180
15x270 – p – 8x270
8x320
50x150 high reps
*Immediately jumping onto the incline press adding a rather startling 90kgs for the second set, which went surprising well, pushing up the quads quite casually. The final set’s post-300kg (320kg in fact) poundage was a different matter though – very strenuous indeed but I still managed eight reps, the quad muscles in my thighs bursting out all over the place! Plus, to cap it all a quickfire 50 at 150 for the high reps. Climbing off this machine my legs were like jelly and this was only the first exercise :shock:
Seated ham curls:
20x40 – p – 15x40 – p – 10x40
10x60 – 6x60
7x70
50x30 high reps
*Back of the legs pushing out like girders on this!
Sled press:
25x160 – p – 15x160 – p – 12x160
20x200 – p – 12x200
15x200
50x130 high reps
*Just wish this stack-weight machine went higher than 200kgs, but hey ho that’s was the incline press is for!
Extensions:
20x50 – p - 7x50 stopped
15x80 – 6x80
7x100
25x40
*I actually faltered on the first set here. I leapt onto it far too soon after the sled press and my legs just were not rested enough and I failed at 7 reps after the first pause, discarding the third push entirely such is my eagerness to pummel the weights. My top quads just couldn’t take it. I made up for it with the remaining sets though.
Adductor:
25x60
Abductor:
25x60
All in all a pretty extreme workout, my legs begging for mercy but I know they will grow back to normal (and more) in a few days’ time.
That’s it for training now until Friday when I’ll be doing a long session featuring the “40-30-20-10” routine of light weights/high reps I haven’t done for a couple of weeks, this time involving a full body workout. Should be fun 
Thanks for reading
Haven’t been able to check performance in the gym as the electronic key system has been down the last couple of times I have been there. “No Internet Access” message on the console, meaning the machines can’t transmit any data. Technology, eh! I knew it was all too good to be true.
I decided just to have fun and didn’t even bother counting the reps manually. I actually increased some weights, too. 
There’s something to be said for that kind of workout too, though I am surprised that there is no one to address the tech issue. Some of the best running I have every done has been without the running watch and nothing pressing to do.
It’s cloudy, rainy and very cold but with the next several days being on the road, I am not going to be dissuaded by the weather today. By checking in, I have to make a go of it so…
3…2…1…
Thank you, Floydy and good call on ramping up slowly!
We seem to have swapped weather Surfermom, this mornings five was under a clear blue sky and a rising sun. Apparently Friday could reach 15*C very unusual for this time of year. I just hope it’s not the lull before the storm.
Give me my weather back, OGF! 
Actually, you are welcome to borrow it for a while, as long as you promise to give it back.:-D.
With a day trip in the car tomorrow, I’ll be spending it mostly with my face pressed against the window, wishing I was on the other side of the glass. 
While that’s a bit of an exaggeration since I’ll be driving, an outdoor run is out of the question. With good fortune though, the hotel will have a proper gym so I can at least run on the hamster mill and remember Floydy’s tips while I make my way around the expected machines.
Even with the rain, and to my word, I dove into the rainy day to find that the winds had died down and it was warmer than expected. Though it wasn’t raining cats and dogs - it was seemingly raining frogs! Where the main road crosses my little creek, several tiny toads were hopping the way across the road. I stopped long enough to chase them back into the marsh so they wouldn’t fall victim to passing cars. Back on my way, with squishing shoes and rain dripping of the tip of my nose, I sloshed my way onward.
Remember when we used to splash in the puddles when we were little? Well for five miles, I did just that…http://www.sherv.net/cm/emo/funny/1/running-around-smiley-emoticon.gif
I hope you find yourself on the good side of the windows tomorrow!
Oldgreyfox! The more I get to know you, the more impressed I am. This is beyond impressive. You are the kind of person I thought I’d be more like but I stuck to swimming and high intensity workouts instead. Either way I was hooked on that Adrenalin rush you speak of.
May I ask what the difference is between road running and running on the fells. Are the fells, the softer shoulders of the road?
What an incredible adventure you have had thus far. One can’t hekp but be inspired.
What did your wife think of your running when she first met you and did she do any running with you?
Oddly enough my husband used to be a runner when he was younger but that was about the only physical sport he did which is why I was so shocked that he joined the gym with me but am glad he did.
The other day instead of running I opted to try one of those machines that allows you to run without picking your feet up. Your feet fit into paddle like objects and move with you when you run , taking away all the harsh impact of running. I really enjoyed it. I liked the freedom of having space around me. I’ve got a certain amount of privacy that I don’t have while running around the track and while I’m honestly flattered that I’m being noticed, I truly don’t like it. That’s the part of going to the gym that I dislike the most but I have to push past it and am doing so.
Oddly enough I’d somehow forgottten that many people actually like getting noticed and seem to go out of their way to do so:shock: After working out on the weight lifting machines I usually do my leg workout near the wall climbing area but there was a group of rock climbers there. The only other place to workout only has three mats on the floor and they are right near where the free weighters workout and oddly enough is very busy and a much wanted area for some reason. Some people really want to be noticed whereas I’d rather just be noticed as part of the background so I found a pile of workout pads, grabbed one and found my own secluded spot. Yay! It makes the world of difference to me. I loved my workout then.
I don’t like being too close to people. It makes me extremely uncomfortable and I doubt that’s going to change any time soon.
This workout , I ran 4 1/2 miles, did some free weight lifting as well as working out in a few of the machines. I’m starting to feel really buff.
Oh and I’m extra excited today because I want to have a family reunion BBQ in our backyard this summer and want to have live music created by us. ( my family ) I come from a very musical family so I asked my brother yesterday if he’d be interested in bringing up his trumpet and sound system so we could entertain the guests and he not only agreed but said he’d ask my nephew if he’d play his bass. I’ve got a keyboard, sing and play both alto and soprano saxophone so I’m tickled pink.
We’re gonna rock our neighbourhood that weekend and it will be most fun & memorable.
I’m going to the gym again today.
Have a great day everyone.
Tachyon. Really ? I hadn’t thought of that possibility happening and really count on my machines to do what they are supposed to do but I’m somewhat spoiled.
Surfermom… I now have visions of you splashing your way through puddles like a school girl.
Floyd… impressive as usual. It’s nice noticing improvement.
I can actually relate to that feeling 
Aww’ thanks Bratti, much appreciated…:hug:
I haven’t forgot your questions and will explain in more detail later, I’ve just nipped in to post some breaking news about this mornings five mile run…
After a lackluster run yesterday I thought I’d go out this morning and go through the motions for the sake of continuity…
How wrong I was, no matter how fast I ran I just didn’t get tired and stormed round over two minutes faster than yesterday, and 24 seconds faster than last years record…:shock::shock::shock:
In fact you need to go back to 2016 to find a better time on that course…Amazing! Just off down the cafe’ to celebrate with a bowl of soup and a hunk of Victoria Sponge cake!..
Sometimes it’s good to have to improvise, Tachyon because you do find that you can actually better yourself without going through a tried and tested formula. Well done bud
Sounds pretty wet out there right now, Suzie. Good on yer though for “sloshing around” and making the effort.
Good luck with the gym work too. Let me know which apparatus you end up doing, it will be interesting to hear of your results! Safe journey to the hotel :cool2:
Sounds a bit like a cross trainer machine, Bratti. Holding the handles whilst standing in foot holes and ‘running’ along as such?
I’m quite a solitary person at the gym too, I enjoy my own space and aside from when I was bodybuilding years ago where I would have a training partner (or ‘spotter’), I like to get on with things in my own time.
Fabulous effort, Bob. You definitely earned your sponge cake! :-p
:cool2::cool2:
Friday 22/2/19: “60-reppers” (30-20-10).
Full body – Part 1. 1hr. 05mins.
(All weights in kgs)
It was a long and tedious week at work this week. We seem to be going through a bit of a quiet patch at the moment, the past 2-3 weeks being particularly tiresome with my work in a stock control capacity being especially flat. The main reason is because of our adjacent new huge warehouse being under construction and the reluctancy of the company’s desire to be receiving much new stock and/or returns right now to vendors, leaving my job as an incredibly mundane task most nights doing stock counts or “audits” just to fill in the time until 6 a.m. This in turn leaves me even more intent to be looking elsewhere when the time comes to leave that desperate place of work.
But it’s a job, it’s secure and we’re actually doing very well with sales (or so they tell us), so I have no choice but to stick it out. There is that light at the end of the tunnel which for me comes in October when I’ll be 55 and I’m able to pay off all of our debts after clawing our way back from impulsive spending over twenty years ago. It happens, but you get through it and when we do we will be in a much better position financially with the prospect of re-evaluating our circumstances.
Anyway, enough rambling. My point is that I only live for the weekends at the moment, save for the paltry 2-3 hours I get free in the afternoons to visit the gym and ‘chill out’ (if you can call pounding the steel relaxing) and help my stepdaughter with her moving house, which is a change of scene.
Today though, I was busy doing the monthly food shopping, trawling the supermarkets for groceries and other essentials. By the end of this it got to 4.30pm and after unpacking and putting everything in its relevant cupboard or refrigerator I was changed and ready for the gym for some “me time” once more.
To the training then, and I was all set to have another bash at my “40-30-20-10” 100-rep style routine until I decided that banging all those reps out is rather pointless and this workout can be fine-tuned a touch. So I decided to ditch the first set of 40 reps entirely to focus more stringently on three remaining sets but embracing some of my recent “pause” type structure into the equation by making the final 5 reps of each set very slow and controlled in their movement and thus working the muscles to their best efforts, still using light weights. I had a list of almost twenty exercises but found this pretty taxing after running around all afternoon shopping so I’ll be continuing with this programme today (yes, it’s Saturday already and the first chance I’ve had to do my write-up after chilling out most of the evening watching my new box set ‘Homeland’). Part one then…
UPPER BODY
Smith flat bench press, close-grip:
30x25, 20x25, 10x25
Chest press:
30x35, 20x35, 10x35
Arm curl, both arms:
30x20, 20x20, 10x20
*Increase to 25kg next week.
Seated row:
30x29, 20x29, 10x29
*I’m utilising this exercise in a different way now. Because the weight is very low, instead of pulling and leaning back I’m sitting virtually upright and just using my arms more instead of my back doing most of the work. With the arms pulling the weight nearer to the chest this puts more pressure on the biceps and shoulders, especially in the five final reps.
Lat pulldown, hammer bar:
30x30, 20x30, 10x30
Single DB press, flat bench:
30x42, 20x42, 10x42
Pec dec:
30X30, 20X30, 10X30
Fly delt dec:
30x80, 20x80, 10x80
E-Z preacher curl:
30x18, 20x18, 10x18
Tricep extensions:
30x35, 20x35, 10x35
LEGS
incline press:
30x200, 20x200, 10x200
*making up for the omission of the 40-rep first set with an increase of 50kg on the weight, this was heavy-going, especially the final few reps of each set where I went very deep with the legs, the knees touching my belly!
Adductor:
30x50, 20x50, 10x50
I’d have done a few more exercises on the legs but the time was after 5 p.m. and the gym was rammed. I couldn’t get on anything else and I wisely abandoned any more efforts until the next day. Pleased with the way it all went though Next week I’ll revise the format with my notes amended to include upped weights. A very effective workout and I’m looking forward to part two later today.
Thanks for reading
Saturday 23/2/19: “60-reppers” (30-20-10).
Full body – Part 2. 1hr. 05mins.
(All weights in kgs)
A lovely summer’s day here in Hull driving to my stepdaughter’s this morning. More pictures, a clock and a mirror hung onto the walls plus a curtain pole fixed and some struggling to heave a large wardrobe up the stairs. Three hours later I somehow still had some energy left to travel further onwards to the gym, where I set upon Part 2 of my session of which I began yesterday.
All different exercises, same 30-20-10 routine with a pause after each five reps to continue the remainder of the reps very slowly it ensures you get nicely pumped up by the end of it all.
UPPER BODY
Shoulder press:
30x30, 20x30, 10x30
Triceps cable pulldown, alt.:
30x35, 20x35, 10x35
*I’m not a big fan of cable exercises as I somehow can never get the grips to feel comfortable in my oversized hands. The benefits outweigh that problem though as they are fantastically effective for the triceps.
Triceps pulldown, reverse-grip bar:
30x41, 20x41, 10x41
*An exercise I’ve only just started to reintroduce to my sessions. The bar is similar to an E-Z curl bar but it is attached to the top pulley cable and pulled down by using an underneath grip – so in effect you are utilising mainly the thumbs only to pull the stack. Again, an amazingly effective bit of kit and it burns and pumps out the triceps like nothing else!:shock:
Rope pull-up, alt.:
30x7.5, 20x7.5, 10x7.5
*This was extremely difficult. Attaching a rope to the stack machine at the bottom setting and pulling up the weight with one hand, keeping your arm close to the sides, then the other one. It is primarily for exercising the sides of the arms just outside the elbows, plus the outer biceps get some work too. It really isn’t an easy exercise to perform but again, it blows up the arms.
Rope pulldown, alt.:
30x10, 20x10, 10x10
*A reverse of the pull-up, this sees the user grab the end ball of the rope and pull it down lifting a small weight. This is mainly for the forearms so not a great deal of weight is needed. I normally do both arms with the rope pulls but decided to diversify a little today.
Lying bicep curls:
30x15, 20x15, 10x15
*Lying on the floor with the head on a core bag, knees slightly bent and facing the stack weight machine, you pull the weight towards you with a close grip on the bar isolating the biceps fully as you go as far as possible to the shoulders. Holding the weight there for a few seconds is torturous and as the bar is lowered the arms tend to go into spasm slightly, veins showing scarily!
DB concentration curl, alt.:
30x10, 20x10, 10x10
*Using a small 10kg weight – remember you’re doing thirty reps on each arm curl – lift fully to the shoulder and pause for a second then slowly lower almost locking the arm out at the bottom. Despite the weight, this was a killer especially as I had to repeat it all with a set of 20 then a final set of 10. My biceps were out like cannonballs after that little lot!
LEGS
Sled press:
30x180, 20x180, 10x180
*An extreme weight to do this many reps on as I’d normally be doing no more than 120 on the sled for these on the usual high reps, but I managed it well. If my legs could speak they wouldn’t agree though!
Seated ham curls:
30x30, 20x30, 10x30
Extensions:
30x35, 20x35, 10x35
That was it for today, another fine session in the bag and I’m feeling fit and strong but fit to drop as well! Tonight we’re going up to our local pub to see a local glam rock band, which should be fun.
Tomorrow, no big plans although I do have the night off work so I may even contemplate another gym session. We’ll see how I’ve recovered from these two!
Thanks for reading
A good couple of days workouts Floydy, they left me feeling tired…
Good to see you back at the helm…
Took Mrs Fox to Hornsea yesterday and after a good meal at the Garden Centre on the way, we made for the beach for a walk. She’s been struggling with a swollen knee for a while so it was just a short walk and some reviving sea air.
Glorious sunshine all afternoon and there were plenty of people taking advantage…
The beaches at Hornsea are some of the finest on the East Coast, but you must keep an eye on the tides, it comes in very fast and there is no escape…
There’s a fantastic ten mile walk based on this beach, it also takes in part of the Trans Pennine Way…A cycle route all the way across the country to Liverpool.
Sorry about the blurred photo of me, sometimes the self timer has a mind of its own…A bit like Mrs Fox who was almost half a mile in front…