The title of this week’s blog comes from a former coach of mine. He’d always bring it up whenever I referenced a relatively old personal record (PR), and his point was, in essence, that you’re only as good as your last workout.
For older athletes, it’s even more important to detach yourself from accomplishments from years gone past. In fact, although I use the Strong workout app to archive my training records, each New Year’s day I delete the previous year’s records. This keeps me grounded and realistic when planning my current training, and it also keeps me continuously hungry to notch up my PR’s at any and every opportunity.
In your own training, regardless of your age, remember that fitness levels (including maximum strength) are not set in stone, and in fact, will erode the moment you start slacking on your training. The most successful people keep constant pressure on themselves. This is the price that must be paid for excellence.
This Week’s Training
I’ve got several videos for you this week. I’ve been hitting it pretty hard, and in fact, this week’s pulling session was probably the hardest one I’ve ever done. I’m also feeling quite healthy, aside from some lumbar stiffness from Thursday’s session that lasted a few days.
All in all, I’m feeling very focused and on track – hope you’re similarly dialed in. Always appreciate your questions and comments, so don’t be a stranger!
Training Log
Weekly Training Volume: 46,763 lbs (Last Week’s Volume: 49,601 lbs)
Significant Lifts:
- Cambered Bar Squat 295×3
- Bench Press 250×1, 200×10
- Chins: 13 Reps
- Deadlift: 375 (5×5)
Monday, July 14, 2014, 5:40 PM
Bodyweight: 202.6 lbs
Volume: 12,745 lbs
CAMBERED BAR SQUAT
Set 1: 65 lbs × 5
Set 2: 115 lbs × 5
Set 3: 155 lbs × 5
Set 4: 205 lbs × 5
Set 5: 245 lbs × 3
Set 6: 295 lbs × 3 (Video Below)
Set 7: 245 lbs × 5
BACK EXTENSION
Set 1: 135 lbs × 8
Set 2: 135 lbs × 8
Set 3: 135 lbs × 8
LEG EXTENSION
Set 1: 165 lbs × 8
Set 2: 165 lbs × 8
Set 3: 165 lbs × 8
Wednesday, July 16, 2014, 8:25 PM
Bodyweight: 200.8 lbs
Volume: 7,673 lbs
BENCH PRESS
Set 1: 45 lbs × 5
Set 2: 95 lbs × 5
Set 3: 135 lbs × 5
Set 4: 185 lbs × 3
Set 5: 205 lbs × 1
Set 6: 215 lbs × 1
Set 7: 225 lbs × 1
Set 8: 240 lbs × 1
Set 9: 250 lbs × 1
Set 10: 200 lbs × 10
CHIN UP
Set 1: 13 reps (Video Below)
Thursday, July 17, 2014, 7:45 AM
Bodyweight: 199.4 lbs
Volume: 13,285 lbs
DEADLIFT
Set 1: 135 lbs × 3
Set 2: 135 lbs × 3
Set 3: 225 lbs × 3
Set 4: 275 lbs × 1
Set 5: 325 lbs × 1
Set 6: 375 lbs × 5
Set 7: 375 lbs × 5
Set 8: 375 lbs × 5
Set 9: 375 lbs × 5
Set 10: 375 lbs × 5 (Video Of All 10 Sets Below)
HIGH-BAR SQUAT
Set 1: 45 lbs × 5
Set 2: 135 lbs × 5
Set 3: 185 lbs × 5
Saturday, July 19, 2014, 10:19 AM
Bodyweight: 200 lbs
Volume: 13,060 lbs
BENCH PRESS (DUMBBELL)
Set 1: 100 lbs × 15
Set 2: 160 lbs × 10
Set 3: 160 lbs × 10
Set 4: 160 lbs × 10
Set 5: 160 lbs × 10
BENT OVER ROW (DUMBBELL)
Set 1: 80 lbs × 8
Set 2: 80 lbs × 8
Set 3: 80 lbs × 8
Set 4: 80 lbs × 8
BICEP CURL
Set 1: 65 lbs × 10
Set 2: 65 lbs × 10
Set 3: 65 lbs × 10
Set 4: 65 lbs × 10
A big believer in practicing what he preaches, Charles Staley trains and competes just like his clients. Every Friday you can read what Charles has done this week in his workout sessions.