Weight Training for Fighters

Even though I am way to close to 40 years old for comfort, and even though I have a receding hair line, growing bald spot (a “pate” as Mary enjoys calling it!) and even though my joints still hurt, and my days as a competitive fighter are over, I feel as if I can actually train harder now than when I was in my 20s. The reason? Experience.

Last night I had a great (grueling) back workout and was exhausted by the end. (Which is how I want to feel by the way. No sense in training and feeling as if I just took a ‘brisk walk’ in the park, right?) I could feel my lower lats, upper lats, rhomboids and traps burning at the end, and I had no strength left to hold the weight either! (Thank God for wrist straps!) No way I could have done this workout 20 years ago, and here’s why:

First, I didn’t have the “mind-muscle” connection I do today. As I move the weight, I can literally feel the muscles working through the movement. When I was younger I would just throw the weight around not really hit the target muscles as well as I could have. Second, I wasn’t as quite strong as I am now, my muscles grow and progress at a slower rate than most other people I’ve found. And third is my work ethic. I have developed the skill of really digging down deep and keep pushing myself when I’m tired.

There is a fourth reason of course, and that would be I have the best training partner I could ask for, and that is my girlfriend Mary. Mary is an amateur body builder and knows her why around a gym the way tiger knows her way around the plains of Africa looking for food. She helps me get those extra few reps that add up over time, but most importantly, she is a source of motivation on the days I need it. (Which at 39 I need it.)

Here’s last night’s back workout:

T-Bar Rows
Set 1: 1 plate 30 reps
Set 2: 2 plates 20 reps
Set 3: 3 plates 15 reps
Set 4: 3 plates and 25 pound plate 10
Set 5: 4 plates 8 reps
Set 6: 4 plates 8 reps, 3 plates 10 reps, 2 plate 12 reps, 1+25 plate 15 reps
Set 7: 4 plates 6 reps, 3 plates 8 reps, 2 plates 10 reps, 1+25 plate 10 reps

(The video below is not last night's, but a previous workout.)

Pull-ups
Body weight 4 sets, 10 reps
Dumbbell Rows
Set 1: 70 lb, 12 reps
Set 2: 75 lb, 11 reps
Set 3: 80 lb, 9 reps
Hammer Strength Low Row
Set 1: 2 plates, 17 reps
Set 2: 2+25, 14 reps
Set 3: 3 plates, 12 reps
Barbell Shrugs
3 sets @ 315lb, 20 reps each (I would go heavier, but not secure with previous back issues.)
Dumbbell Shrugs
3 sets @ 125lb each, 30 reps
Hammer Strength High Row
3 sets @ 200lb, 10 reps

Didn’t have the energy for any bag work after that. Just went home and half ½ pound of roast beef on bread with cheese and rice cakes!