50th year PRs
Cliffs: I'm 50 later this year and am challenging myself to set as many lifetime PRs as I can
tldr
49yo male. 6ft, 90.5kg/199lbs. Grew up in London, now live in Sydney Australia.
Have long term sporting background. International representative rugby player at top tier sporting university and played semi pro into my late 20s. Also played varsity soccer as freshman at college, plus all the sports including track and field growing up.
The past 20 years since rugby finished...I've almost always exercised/trained and have always been fit but it's mainly been 'working out' rather than training. By which I mean I train hard when I go into the gym...but without any real plans or goals.
I had two serious sporting injuries that still impact my training - the knee reconstruction plus a torn & bulging disc in the L5/S1 region and after a really frustrating 3ish years of a cycle or injuring myself every time I tried to go hard for a period of time, I've cut the intensity of my training over the past 5 years. By doing this and giving up several movements (squat, snatch, squat clean), I've managed to stay active and training all the way through....albeit going through the motions for months and then more committed at other times.
But I find myself bored with my training and staring down the barrel of a major milestone as I turn 50 in the middle of 2021. And so I'm going to aim to reach 50 in great shape and to give myself something to keep me interested by aiming to break as many of my lifetime PRs as I can.
Realistically, I'm never running a sub 11.5 100m or hitting the roads to run a marathon again and I'm not squatting or o lifting heavy any more, so those ones are out. But I think the upper body lifts are within reach (I've never been 'strong' in those anyway, but they haven't dropped off much) and I think some of the cardio PRs are definitely do-able if I can commit to the pain...albeit I'm definitely scared of the pain
Simultaneously, my cholesterol levels have been rising the past few years and I'd like to drop some body fat...so I'm going to be adopting a better diet and substantially reducing my drinking
Here's a list of my PRs...some of them are relatively soft, in that I haven't really trained them for that long.
PRs within reach
Lifting
Bench 107.5kg (currently at approx 100kg)
Press 70kg (currently probably 67.5 but gym closed right now and my home gym ceiling is too low for me to do standing press)
Bar Dips 26 (guessing I could do 15ish)
Erg
1km 3.17 (guessing 3.30)
2km 6.59 (I did a 7.19 yesterday and it damn near killed me)
Assault Bike
100 cals 3.11
200 cals (can't find the PR but I'll be attempting one)
DEXA PR: 16.2% (I think I'd be 18% ish now)
PRs that are possible but not probable
Dead Hangs 18
Erg
500m 1.28 (est 1.32 right now - 4 secs is a HUGE difference in a 500m)
5k 18.43 (guessing 19.30)
Caliper bf% when playing rugby was 12.1 - which I'm guessing equated to 14% ish?
Other lifetime PRs fyi that we won't be attempting to break
Squat 165kg (in 1993)
Deadlift 170kg (2010)
Power Clean 105 (2015)
Snatch 82.5kg (2015)
11.5 100m
1.28 half marathon
This is about as far as I've got.
I haven't worked out an exact training plan yet - our gyms are closed for covid at the moment but I have a barbell, rack and bench at home plus an erg and a pull up bar so I can train most of the above. I generally get to the gym 4 to 5 times a week and aim to do at least one other 'activity' per day as well - I've got quite obsessive about getting 10k steps in since I've been working from home since March. And then I have a very sporty 10 year old son who I am helping get fit for his upcoming season - both soccer and rugby will start in March. So we're doing sprints and skills training too.
Next steps
keep things ticking over with no huge focus for the next 2 weeks, then after a week's holiday 13th to 20th January, I'll commit to a more detailed plan and improve my lifestyle.
I'm very heavy for me (most of my PRs were done with me weighing 83-85kg and I'm 90kg right now), so it's a good time to try to get some upper body PRs.
the cardio goals scare me and are the main reason I've started the thread.
I want to force myself to do more conditioning work but I know the pain I'm in for - that 5k row PR was done when I was peak crossfit and will be a total nightmare to get to from where I am right now.
I'll be getting a DEXA in late Jan.
I had my bloods done last month and will probably get another lot done before my birthday.
I may also add some additional fitness goals...just not sure what they'd be right now
sorry for the wall of text and sorry if you're unable to multiply kg by 2.2 to get to lbs
Happy New Year everyone!
I wish you all good health and good fortune and the same thing for your family and friends
I started the year as I mean to go on...with some sprint work. It was meant to be 10 reps but my glute/hammy on my dominant leg started cramping after 5 and got a little worse so I decided to be happy with 8
5k warm up and then 8x100m 1r. You can see the power just slipping a little as the session went along
Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
2:11.1 800m 1:21.9 636 2489 43
0:16.4 100m 1:22.0 635 2484 48
0:16.3 100m 1:21.5 647 2525 44
0:16.3 100m 1:21.5 647 2525 44
0:16.3 100m 1:21.5 647 2525 44
0:16.4 100m 1:22.0 635 2484 44
0:16.4 100m 1:22.0 635 2484 40
0:16.5 100m 1:22.5 623 2445 44
0:16.5 100m 1:22.5 623 2445 44
DB Bench 5x8 32kg
Incline DB Bench 3x8-28kh
Seated hammer wide grip row 5x8 -160kg
Did either more reps or more weight on all 3 exercises, which means I’ve put on a few kg and have made a corresponding incremental strength gain
Had a massive NYD lunch so haven’t wanted to row the past few days but definitely tomorrow
5k warm up then first attempt at the CTC for Jan which is 6x250m 1r with a max stroke rate of 20 s/m.
I calculated that I'd need 17 strokes so 'paced' it off that rather than looking at the s/m. I knew I’d overshot the last one (couldn’t resist a ridiculous half pull at the end) but I was surprised that the first rep was incorrect. (could it be that at 49.5 secs I'm only allowed 16 strokes?)
I set the drag at 140 but maybe that’s a mistake - it should probably be higher for this workout, but 140 is my 1k drag so I wanted to stay with that.
Annoying workout but probably good power workout nonetheless and I'll definitely be trying it again.
Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
4:59.8 1,500m 1:39.9 351 1506 20
0:49.5 250m 1:39.0 361 1541 21
0:49.9 250m 1:39.8 352 1511 20
0:50.1 250m 1:40.2 348 1497 20
0:50.3 250m 1:40.6 344 1483 20
0:50.0 250m 1:40.0 350 1504 20
0:49.9 250m 1:39.8 352 1511 22
mixed session for me.
5k slow row then I did a grey zoney 15r 20.
Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
15:00.0 3,881m 1:55.9 225 1072 20
then I trialled a few other ways of attacking the CTC at different drags and stroke rates...all the way from a drag of 90 to one of 180
this one was probably the most effective and sustainable, done at drag of 160 from static start. Interestingly, I counted 16 strokes (which was the plan) but erg data only has me at 15). I'm going to try it next week with this drag and 16 strokes and see where it gets me
Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
0:49.6 250m 1:39.2 359 1533 19
Quick session this morning
Press 3x5-55
Barbell Curl/Hammer curl ss 3x7/7-40kg/16kg DB
Ezbar Skullcrusher/close grip sa 3x8/15 42.5kg
easy low rate 10k after spending most of the day painting the house. I'll be keen to get back to work on Weds to avoid the bloody painting!
Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
42:21.7 10,001m 2:07.0 171 887 16
5:00.0 1,189m 2:06.1 174 899 17
10:00.0 1,171m 2:08.0 167 873 16
15:00.0 1,188m 2:06.2 174 898 17
20:00.0 1,182m 2:06.9 171 889 17
25:00.0 1,182m 2:06.9 171 889 16
30:00.0 1,171m 2:08.0 167 873 17
35:00.0 1,173m 2:07.8 167 876 17
40:00.0 1,187m 2:06.3 173 896 17
42:21.7 559m 2:06.7 172 891 16
6 hours of house painting today and didn't feel like rowing
DB Bench 4x5 34kg DB
DB Incline 3x8 28kg
seated hammer wide grip row 4x7-160kg
seated close grip pulley row 3x8-77kg
work tomorrow
more positives than negatives I think from this session, but a frustrating end
did an old favourite for the first time in a long time - 8x500 3.30r. My 2k fitness really isn't there right now so while I've done this with a 1.37 average in the past, my plan was to start at 1.43.0 and then get faster each interval, but I couldn't slow down in the first rep.
Nonetheless, I felt really nicely under control and between reps 6 and 7 I thought I'd aim for a 1.38 in the 7th and then go full out in the final one but about 200m into the interval my leg power disappeared. And then 50m after my legs went, my lungs went too and it went from an RPE 8 to a 10. It was remarkable how fast I went from totally in control to totally broken. I made a deal with myself with 150m left that I'd get this one done to pace and then not attempt the final rep and that's what I did, albeit it was really ugly with a shortened stroke and probably some horrific form.
I would probably have taken 7 at 1.40.6 before the session and it's a good indicator that my fitness is fine but nowhere near peak, but it was unnerving how fast my body just stopped obeying me.
Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
11:44.4 3,500m 1:40.6 343 1482 29
1:40.8 500m 1:40.8 342 1476 28
1:41.3 500m 1:41.3 337 1458 28
1:41.6 500m 1:41.6 334 1448 28
1:40.6 500m 1:40.6 344 1483 30
1:40.4 500m 1:40.4 346 1490 30
1:39.8 500m 1:39.8 352 1511 31
1:39.8 500m 1:39.8 352 1511 32
Sounds like a rough session; I've been there re: your body just quitting and that does suck. Good job toughing through it, and I'm sure the next round of this will be better.
Sounds like a rough session; I've been there re: your body just quitting and that does suck. Good job toughing through it, and I'm sure the next round of this will be better.
yeah thanks. I think I was also calorie deprived a little. It was day 3 of limiting carbs and sugars and eating less in general after 3 weeks of highly indulgent holiday period festive eating so perhaps that had something to do with it too. But also probably I reached the limit of my current fitness.
I'm going to do the other two PP sprint intervals over the next two weeks so it'll be interesting to see how I perform. Not expecting 2022 times but hopefully I'll get a little closer
early am weights
Seated DB Press (racks were full) 4x5-26kg
Barbell Push Press 3x4-65
Power Clean 3x2-80
Preacher Curl 3x10-45kg
For weightlifting do you ever do lower body exercises or does rowing take care of that for you?
For weightlifting do you ever do lower body exercises or does rowing take care of that for you?
It’s been a question I’ve played with for the last 18 months or more.
I have been for a lot of the year - deadlift in particular but also front squatting and RDL. (Can’t back squat due to knee, back issues). I was doing a 3-3 weekly split of rowing and lifting but with only 1 hard rowing day and there was enough time to recover. Although not enough days to really attack and improve my quad strength
But when I’m attacking the rowing more I find the fatigue from my legs too much of a compromise on hard my row days. Right now I’m looking at an 8 week block aiming towards the world championships and I’m at 4/2 rowing with 2 hard row days and 2 medium (where even my slower days are done with a lower stroke rate and more leg power in every pull) and will soon go to 5/1 rowing where every session will be intense or medium as I look to peak.
And I’ve just found that any lower body strength gains or maintenance will be offset by losses on my fast rowing days and an overall fatigue that will make me unable to attack my training
So power cleans are the one hip hinge lift I retain, because it’s less debilitating. And then I’m doing maintenance bro type lifting on the upper body to maintain a little size and strength. Which is more about making me feel good and look ok
In an ideal world I’d love to do more and of course having stronger legs would be helpful to add wattage to my stroke but over the last few years of trying to incorporate it I’ve just found my body can’t take it
I forgot that you're actually training for competitions so that makes sense to tailor your workouts to your competitive goals. Most of the fitness advice I look at assumes more basic goals like looking good, getting healthier and stronger so the advice there is to do full body strength training.
I forgot that you're actually training for competitions so that makes sense to tailor your workouts to your competitive goals. Most of the fitness advice I look at assumes more basic goals like looking good, getting healthier and stronger so the advice there is to do full body strength training.
yep. Lower body strength is super important and in time, I hope to get back to more of it. And despite not doing much myself right now, I inwardly smh at all the young gym bros doing nothing but upper body stuff.
I thought I'd stopped training for competitions too tbh after a year with a lot less rowing mojo due to life stuff and a **** year of training due to both that and also badly timed illnesses/a few injuries. But I've still got the desire inside. Hopefully I can train consistently for the next two months and avoid speedbumps and I'll both see what I have left but also see if I enjoy it still
7x1min 1r
got caught in between two aims on this one. If I was to do these at 1k target pace, I'd only have managed 4 or perhaps 5. But I wanted to do a little more work, so went out a little slower. I planned for 8 but the legs went after 7 again and I was happy to leave it at that. I've got 2 more weeks of 'prep' work to do before I hopefully start an intense 5 week 1k plan and I'm happy to leave a little in reserve for that.
Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
7:00.0 2,184m 1:36.0 396 1659 32
1:00.0 313m 1:35.8 398 1668 31
1:00.0 313m 1:35.8 398 1668 32
1:00.0 312m 1:36.1 394 1654 32
1:00.0 312m 1:36.1 394 1654 32
1:00.0 312m 1:36.1 394 1654 33
1:00.0 311m 1:36.4 390 1641 33
1:00.0 313m 1:35.8 398 1668 33
Legs went after your fastest interval?
Hard to explain coherently.
I try to be at RPE 9 in these things….very intense, close to the edge but in control of technique and my body. When I feel them go in an interval, I can either slow down to make the pain go away and finish the protocol at a slower rate or shorten the stroke but speed up, go to the redline to maintain the pace for a short time/the rest of the interval but then there’s no coming back for another one.
So yeah, it was either finish this one at 1.40 and then do another one at 1.42-1.45 or just go nuts for another 30 secs get it done to speed and then lie on my back for two mins in agony. And that’s what I prefer to do most of the time
low rate 10k to finish off my week. Heart rate was a little higher than normal (by feel). Guessing because it remains hot and this was only 14 hours post last night's intervals.
Ended up a little faster than intended - I had an annoying guy on the rower next to me....about my age and clearly very fit...who was rowing with terrible form at about 28-30s/m and kept staring at my screen, trying to row faster than me. I always try to zone those guys out and I certainly didn't need to show off or go faster, but I think inadvertantly it made me pull harder and purer on each stroke
Day off on Sunday so I may have a few beers this pm. Have a great weekend everyone!
Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
42:21.4 10,002m 2:07.0 171 887 16
5:00.0 1,165m 2:08.7 164 864 16
10:00.0 1,168m 2:08.4 165 868 17
15:00.0 1,178m 2:07.3 170 883 17
20:00.0 1,180m 2:07.1 170 886 17
25:00.0 1,174m 2:07.7 168 877 17
30:00.0 1,199m 2:05.1 179 915 17
35:00.0 1,175m 2:07.6 168 878 16
40:00.0 1,192m 2:05.8 176 904 17
42:21.4 572m 2:03.6 185 937 17
had to take an extra rest day yesterday as my body is fighting off some kind of virus. Mainly winning the battle but I'm 20% off and I didn't want to push it
So I did something very light and short today, just to get moving and to see how I feel tomorrow.
Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
31:14.4 7,244m 2:09.3 162 856 16
the standard 2k warm up, then 20x30secs, 90r.
A sprinter on the C2 website did this the other day and I wanted to try something new.
I wasn't quite sure what this session 'is' going into it and I'm still not sure after it. The rests are too long to make it overly accurate as a 1k test and there are too many intervals to be able to travel at 500m pace.
I think if I were to do 30 sec intervals again, I'd either shorten the rest to 45 secs or a minute and do 20 at 1k pace or I'd cut the number of reps to 8 or 10 and attempt to do them at 500m pace.
But...no need to overthink it too much, it was some enjoyable sprint intervals! Sadly, no overly competitive guy on the next machine today trying to row faster than me!
I went out a little conservatively because I wasn't quite sure how to pace it and then ramped it up a little in the second half as I became confident I could get through it and then got closer to the redline for the final 5.
Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
10:00.0 3,306m 1:30.7 468 1912 35
0:30.0 163m 1:32.0 449 1845 34
0:30.0 164m 1:31.4 457 1874 34
0:30.0 165m 1:30.9 466 1903 36
0:30.0 165m 1:30.9 466 1903 34
0:30.0 163m 1:32.0 449 1845 34
0:30.0 165m 1:30.9 466 1903 36
0:30.0 164m 1:31.4 457 1874 34
0:30.0 164m 1:31.4 457 1874 34
0:30.0 165m 1:30.9 466 1903 34
0:30.0 164m 1:31.4 457 1874 34
0:30.0 165m 1:30.9 466 1903 34
0:30.0 164m 1:31.4 457 1874 34
0:30.0 164m 1:31.4 457 1874 36
0:30.0 166m 1:30.3 474 1932 36
0:30.0 166m 1:30.3 474 1932 36
0:30.0 168m 1:29.2 492 1992 36
0:30.0 168m 1:29.2 492 1992 36
0:30.0 167m 1:29.8 483 1962 36
0:30.0 168m 1:29.2 492 1992 36
0:30.0 169m 1:28.7 501 2022 38
truly terrible sleep last night for wife reasons and decided to train at 5am given I was up already. Performance was understandably down after the sleep and only 11 hours post a hard row
DB Bench 4x5-32kg (ss with Face Pulls 4x15 -10kg)
Incline 3x8-26kg DB
Barbell Curl ss with Hammer Curl 3x6/6-40/16kg
Preacher Curl 3x7-40kg
Skullcrusher/close grip press ss 3x8/15-40kg
Low ish rate 10k. Not mega hard but not easy
Sat am weights
Press 4x4-52.5, 3x8 42.5
Power Clean 2x2-80z both bars are now so kinked that I don’t want to clean anymore to protect my wrists. New gym opening in 4 weeks and I don’t think I’ll clean again til we’re there and I believe there are both new bars but also lifting platforms
Seated Hammer wide grip row 4x8-140
Wide Grip Pull Down 4x8-67
all fine although I feel like I’ve dropped a little strength the past few weeks. I’ve also managed to lose 2.5kg, as part of eating better and drinking less so it’s probably just that
