My training History: I trained less than one year before competing in my first powerlifting meet as a teenager back in 1983. Before leaving the sport partially due to injuries in 2005 I achieved my elitefts status in the 198,220,242,275 & 308 weight class. Throughout these years I did have a 3 year run in the bodybuilding world. I have degenerative joint disease, have had two shoulder surgeries (right shoulder now needs replaced), one full hip replacement, knee surgery, and herniation's in all three regions of my spine, Bone spurs (all joints). I can't even begin to list the number of muscle tears I have had, surgical and non surgical. I am "The Mashed Up Meathead" and this is my story.
You can find my training log archives HERE and my most current training log posts HERE.
My best lifts are behind be but my best training is yet to come.
* Unless otherwise noted the tempo of the work sets is about 1/2 of what most would consider normal. In most cases, if I did the set with normal temp what I fail at with 8-10 reps in training I could do for 20 reps with a normal tempo. This is to keep the joint stress down while increase the stress on the muscle. I have found this to work best for me provided the conditions listed in my training history above.
Saturday back training.
Kettlebell dumbbell rows
Using the prone bench sets of 8-12 reps, with each set to failure.
Core blaster rows
Using the chopper handles. 5 warm up sets, of between 10 and 15 repetitions, progressively increasing the weight by a quarter each set. Last sat, 7 quarters for 6 reps. They were dead stop reps, so once we got after 4 plates, every repetition became a dead stop repetition, where you stop on the floor, and then without heaving or momentum, pull off the floor using your lats, and then flex at the top, and then back down to the bottom.
Close grip pull downs using the comfort grip handles.
1 warm up set to gauge the weight, then 5 work sets of 10 reps.
Kettlebell pullovers
4 sets, 10-12 reps, each set to failure.
Standing calf raises
4 sets, 12-15 repetitions, each set to failure.
Preacher machine curls
2 warm up sets, and then 4 work sets of 8-10 reps, each set to failure.
...and then some basic neck work, and that was it.