The "old guy" workout :)

[Will Brink]

Yes, my “hard core” days are over. When I was younger, my priority was getting bigger and stronger, and that was basically it. These days, I’m often experimenting with my own programming in an attempt to find a balance strength, conditioning, and body composition, that fits my schedule, goals, etc. As we age, it’s common our personal priorities change, and mine have too. I’m more interested in overall fitness than I am say adding a new PB to my 1RM to the bench press (have not benched in years, but for sake of example…) and so I don’t tend to worry too much if something I’m doing is not say optimal for strength or increasing muscle mass, if it fits my overall goals. As we age, we often accumulate some injuries, perhaps degenerated discs, or loss of cartilage in joints, and so forth, and have to work with them or around them as quitting is not an option. It may also be time is limited, and or, an increased focus on cardiopulmonary fitness exists. That person may also hate doing aerobic work, like me…I will conclude this section by saying; older I get and the more time I spend in the gym or out, the more I find I benefit from blended programs, or “hybrid” programs, or what some may view as concurrent programing, but more on that later on.

This is a program I have been following recently that checks off the boxes for my needs and goals, your mileage may differ, but it may be something you wanna try for a change, may kickstart some motivation and such. If there’s one thing you learn after decades in the gym is, don’t underestimate motivation! I’ll take a less than optimal program that I’m motivated to do over the most uber modern program I don’t enjoy any day. When I do seminars, and someone invariably asks “what’s the best program or form of exercise?” I will always respond with “the best program is that program you’ll actually follow year in and year out.” Sure, someone who has a specific goal in mind who has been at it some time, there’s approaches they will need to follow to get those results to be sure, but for many, motivation and long term consistency is their major progress killer. They often find themselves in paralysis by analysis in search of the “perfect” program and end up doing nothing in my experience. That’s one reason I recommend finding exercise approaches that keep people motivated vs being the “perfect” program per se, but that’s another topic for another day.


Cont:

The BrinkZone Old Guy Workout! | BrinkZone.com

 

[T.O.firefighter]

I have incorperated bands into my workouts. Use them with dumbell chest presses, cables flys, trap bar deadlifs, squats, single leg stuff, romanian deadlifts even smith machine squats. Anything that I can add a band to that changes the strength curve to be more consistent. My joints feel so much better. I will be 53 next month.

 

[RPellerin]

As a 55 y/o who has spent my adult life working out with weights I am considering this device to ease joint pain and approach gains in a different manner.
X3 - Made in USA, Free Shipping
I am skepital and not a gimmick guy, since joining the X3 FB group to learn more about the device, hundreds are reporting great gains and workout sessions.

 

[T.O.firefighter]

As a 55 y/o who has spent my adult life working out with weights I am considering this device to ease joint pain and approach gains in a different manner.
X3 - Made in USA, Free Shipping
I am skepital and not a gimmick guy, since joining the X3 FB group to learn more about the device, hundreds are reporting great gains and workout sessions.

I think adding bands to free weights and cables gives you the best bang.

 

[Outcome]

I think adding bands to free weights and cables gives you the best bang.

How are you adding bands to cable weights if you don’t mind explaining.

 

[Mountain Man]

I use bands almost exclusively for upper body. That X3 system is not as easy on the joints as plain hoop bands, as your hands can’t find the path of least resistance for some exercises like they can with bands alone. Throw in some dumbells and you have the benefits of quality resistance work. I use bands from resistancebandtraining.com. I have got better results from bands and TRT because I am not getting hurt like I was. My avitar shows the results of 45 minutes, 3-4 times per week at age 65. Home workouts, at least for me, make more sense too.

 

[Vince Carter]

One thing Ive adapted to as I got older was not breaking 90 degrees on the elbows, for instance on the bench not bringing the bar down to the chest. Or on over head or mil press not bringing the bar so deep, not going 'full range', more of a partial rep. I still lift heavy free weights and cables.

 

[Nashtide]

I use a combo of machines, cables, bands and dumbbells. I can’t think of the last time I used a barbell. I have also learned to decrease the number of exercises and sets along with only lifting 3x per week. I also focus more on hypertrophy than strength.

 

[Vince]

I still use free weights, I really like how they feel. I don't go as heavy as I once did and now I make sure I do full reps, no partials. What my favorite exercise is Pull-Ups, I love the feel of the stretch, all the way down all the way up. Plus I'm still in love with squats, I do make sure I go low, so my knees get a full workout. I know if I did partial squats I would destroy my knees.

I'll turn 65 this year.

 

[T.O.firefighter]

How are you adding bands to cable weights if you don’t mind explaining.

When doing flys Or presses I just wrap the band around my back and onto my hands. I do lying presses and flys.

 

[T.O.firefighter]

When doing flys Or presses I just wrap the band around my back and onto my hands. I do lying presses and flys.

Chest presses.

 

[bfoley]

One thing Ive adapted to as I got older was not breaking 90 degrees on the elbows, for instance on the bench not bringing the bar down to the chest. Or on over head or mil press not bringing the bar so deep, not going 'full range', more of a partial rep.

Same here. Not breaking 90 degrees has helped my shoulder health. Also, after any chest or shoulder exercise, I take bands and do dislocates (DC training). This stretches my chest and shoulders like nothing else.

 

[Guided_by_Voices]

I recently went back to using a 9 or 10 day "week" for my training schedule (so that you have at least 3 days rest between similar workouts and 4 days for back and legs), and I find that this helps tremendously.

Regarding the X3 bar, besides seeming wildly overpriced, I would strongly recommend getting some basic bands to start with and see how you do. Bands are tricky to have the right tension for the range of motion and it varies greatly from person to person. Start with the $15 walmart bands and evolve from there. I like to use bands or chains with barbell work.

I also added in sled pulls and higher rep work along with the lower rep work which also seems to help a lot. I have become very into sled pulls using my home-built weight sled. It lets you combine sprinting with mild strength work. A great workout between heavier weight days and it's easy on the joints and very cheap to make.

 

[Will Brink]

I recently went back to using a 9 or 10 day "week" for my training schedule (so that you have at least 3 days rest between similar workouts and 4 days for back and legs), and I find that this helps tremendously.

Regarding the X3 bar, besides seeming wildly overpriced, I would strongly recommend getting some basic bands to start with and see how you do. Bands are tricky to have the right tension for the range of motion and it varies greatly from person to person. Start with the $15 walmart bands and evolve from there. I like to use bands or chains with barbell work.

While I agree that that the XR is way over priced, it does appear a very different animal than the basic bands that exist out there and how it's used, attachments. etc. Seems an applies oranges comparison to me. While I have not tried the X3, users seem quite happy with it. Like the TRX trainers, way over priced but very useful. Like the TRX, I'm sure good quality knock offs for way less $ pop up shortly.

I also added in sled pulls and higher rep work along with the lower rep work which also seems to help a lot. I have become very into sled pulls using my home-built weight sled. It lets you combine sprinting with mild strength work. A great workout between heavier weight days and it's easy on the joints and very cheap to make.

Sled work is the single most productive form of exercise one can do, bar none. Listed as such by many of the top S&C coaches, etc. I have an FB page dedicated to push sleds if interested:

Push Sled Nation

 

[Nashtide]

While I agree that that the XR is way over priced, it does appear a very different animal than the basic bands that exist out there and how it's used, attachments. etc. Seems an applies oranges comparison to me. While I have not tried the X3, users seem quite happy with it. Like the TRX trainers, way over priced but very useful. Like the TRX, I'm sure good quality knock offs for way less $ pop up shortly.



Sled work is the single most productive form of exercise one can do, bar none. Listed as such by many of the top S&C coaches, etc. I have an FB page dedicated to push sleds if interested:

Push Sled Nation

Will,
What do you think about the Tank sled? That is the only sled type apparatus at my gym.

 

[Will Brink]

Will,
What do you think about the Tank sled? That is the only sled type apparatus at my gym.

Never tried one, but always thought it looked like an interesting approach to it. If it's what you have access to then by default it's good enough to do the job. I purchased my own Prowler sled and left it at the gym for other members to use, so win win for the gym. I also created the best damn sled there was, but I'm sad to say, guy who built them closed his biz and I never followed up on finding someone else.

 

[Nashtide]

Never tried one, but always thought it looked like an interesting approach to it. If it's what you have access to then by default it's good enough to do the job. I purchased my own Prowler sled and left it at the gym for other members to use, so win win for the gym. I also created the best damn sled there was, but I'm sad to say, guy who built them closed his biz and I never followed up on finding someone else.

It’s a really interesting concept. It has a braking system that allows you to increase the tension on the wheels. Everything from no tension to almost immovable. You can also add plates just like a sled. Because it has wheels it can be used on gym floors. I’ve used it in the past and found it to be very similar to the prowler.

 

[Will Brink]

It’s a really interesting concept. It has a braking system that allows you to increase the tension on the wheels. Everything from no tension to almost immovable. You can also add plates just like a sled. Because it has wheels it can be used on gym floors. I’ve used it in the past and found it to be very similar to the prowler.

"On paper" always looked like a good idea to me, but also seemed overly $ for what it was.

 

[Nashtide]

"On paper" always looked like a good idea to me, but also seemed overly $ for what it was.

Lol. I’m sure it’s expensive. The gym I belong to has a crap load of expensive equipment.

What is the shortest distance I can push the thing to achieve good results?

 

[Will Brink]

Lol. I’m sure it’s expensive. The gym I belong to has a crap load of expensive equipment.

What is the shortest distance I can push the thing to achieve good results?

That depends on loading, time of the push, goals, etc. Max push for short distance will have different effects than moderate loads for longer distances and short rest periods. If you're trying to HIIT, a load that's close to max effort for 20-30s seconds of pushing, followed by 1m rest, should be in the ball park. What distance choices do you have?