When I read or hear of people proclaiming their Personal Records from gym lift to gym lift I am quickly reminded of what the Great Ed Coan said on more than one occasion, "Save your P.R.'s for the platform".
I've taken it a step further as a maturing athlete and coach, unless I'm going to get well paid for my training whether it's lifting, running, cycling, swimming then P.R.ing from work out to work out, training session to training session is simply playing Russian Roulette.
I get it! You want to better yourself. Everyone wants to better themselves. That's why I encourage just improve a little bit somewhere at something in your session.
Vasily Alekseyv, the great Soviet Union weightlifter could always be found on ABC Wide World of Sports breaking his own World Record on any given Saturday. "
WHAT? Didn't you just say this was dumb, Harry?"
Yes, but here is what a why he did it. The Communist Soviet Union would give "gifts" for world records that athletes obtained.
Sure, Alekseyv could have buried the needle and set the bar so high that no one, including himself, could ever reach AGAIN. But by breaking it a little bit each time he COMPETED (read that again, competed) he would accumulate more things for him and his family. Nicer apartment, car, food stipend, training times, more luxury in general. So no need to PR every time.
In doing so, reading that you "killed your legs" or smashed chest, only makes me think you are quite at a young TRAINING age no matter how old you are.
Take the slow, marathon, keep consistent and disciplined approach will keep you in the trench for decades, and isn't that the goal? Die as young as possible many many years from now?
Training:
Tier I:
Run: 5K
Lat Pulldown: 10x10x130 super set with
C/S Row: 10x10x60
Dips: 300 reps
Bike Commute: 20 minutes
Sprints: 10x40 yards
Tier II
AirDyne: 5 min. steady state
then 10x10/50
Concept II Row: 10x10/50
DB Row: 5x20
Blast Strap Single Arm Row w/ twist:
5x10
Dips: 200 reps
