So I returned to the gym for the first time in around 10 days, totally expecting to continue the strength deficit I have been experiencing ever since my weird ear pop several months ago. Of the last three weeks, I only have been to the gym something like four times. What I didn’t expect was for my strength to drive right off a cliff.
I posted my absolute worst performance bench pressing in years. It may have been the worst since I resumed the movement a few years ago when I added weight training back into my formerly all calisthenics routine. I just had nothing. I immediately knew I was in trouble when I had to pause between rep 4 and 5 of my “warm up” set at 185 pounds. Everything just felt like a struggle. I topped out with two difficult reps at 205 pounds. I couldn’t believe just how far my strength had slipped. Early in 2016 I was in the 235-240 pound range with bench press with LOTS of reps at mid-range on the way down. That feels like a very long time ago at this point.
So what’s going on you may ask? I’m not exactly sure. I know my body weight has dropped a bit. My night time weight has been right around 180 pounds, five or six pounds off what it was for quite awhile. My running program has been more consistent with me covering nearly five miles on Sunday. When I was in half marathon shape my body weight was down in the mid to low 170’s but I never recall feeling this weak. Of course I was not bench pressing at that point in time either.
Hell I am flirting with the idea of ordering another bottle of Revita-T, the supplement that according to a urologist sent my testosterone numbers to something ridiculous like 1100. Overall weakness is one side effect of low T. Maybe I am just hitting the half century wall that I have heard about from so many older men. I’ll never forget when a guy told me years ago that once he hit 50 every year felt like a dog year. Up until this point of my life I have been able to continue to train and perform at a moderately good level despite the increasingly heavy chain of Father Time. I won’t ever stop dragging it forward but I don’t like the feeling of it slowing me down.
Today’s Workout
5 minutes cardio/stretching
20 pull ups
Barbell bench press – 135lbs x 10, 185lbs x 5, 205lbs x 2, 195lbs x 3, 185lbs x 4, 135lbs x 12
Standing cable fly – 100lbs x 10, 100lbs x 10, 120lbs x 8
Decline barbell bench press – 135lbs x 10, 185lbs x 3, 205lbs x 1
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