Skinnyfat old guy gets fit

Ugh, advice needed.

I woke up this morning feeling like ****. My knee was really painful from this MCL sprain (not tear as I said above). My lower back was killing me for some reason and I just felt really weak, even after eating breakfast and waiting one hour. I decided to go to the gym anyway - is it more important to try to stick to the program or is it better to just leave it till tomorrow if you aren't feeling it?

Squats 67.5kg 5x5 PB - despite the knee and lower back pain I managed to get the target weight on these. Then it all goes wrong.

Bench press 50kg 1x5 FAIL - did get the last rep up but I was about half a second from squashing myself with the bar and knew I couldn't do one more rep let alone four more sets. 47.5kg 1x3 - just felt hopelessly weak on the third rep, might have been able to finish my set but couldn't have done three more sets. Walked out of the gym at this point, despite not having done five sets of BP and with bent over rows, shrugs, triceps, cable-pull through, and biceps still to do. I couldn't even face lifting a 1.25kg weight at this point let alone doing six more exercises.

Should I have just kept lowering the weight on the BP until I could do five sets, and then carry on with the workout? Not really sure what to do now, I want to finish Workout A so should I just start again with the bench press tonight or tomorrow morning or whenever I feel better? Also thinking about switching to dumbbell bench press as someone suggested, half the reason I gave up on bench press was mental because with no spotter I know if I can't make the rep I am totally ****ed.

1) if it hurts, don't do it. This is from my current residing place at snap city
2) Don't reset it even if you fail bench next time
3) learn how to fail a bench press without a spotter
4) go get some sleep
5) DB bench is goat

We all have bad days its how you bounce back that counts

Edit: Buy a foam roller as well!
Posted from TSR Mobile

Thanks for tips. I only did the squats because they don't actually hurt my knees at all. My knees hurt is I change direction, or apply any kind of twisting to them, and a bit if I try and hyperextend them, but for normal bending they are fine. That said I should probably rest them a bit to repair the mcl. If it was an ACL sprain I think it would be impossible to squat. The lower back ached a little doing squats, but it's aching a little sitting in my chair. I think it only hurts because I'm not keeping my core tight enough, so I end up bending forward a couple of degrees on the way up

I might switch to DB Bench. Any idea what weight I should start with, given that I managed 47.5kg 5x5 on BB bench last time? I assume it's less than simply '24kg per arm'.

Sleep is fine - I always get my eight hours in.

Have been told not to foam roll lower back, and don't think foam roll will help with a cruciate ligament strain. But I should use it anyway

Thanks for tips. I only did the squats because they don't actually hurt my knees at all. My knees hurt is I change direction, or apply any kind of twisting to them, and a bit if I try and hyperextend them, but for normal bending they are fine. That said I should probably rest them a bit to repair the mcl. If it was an ACL sprain I think it would be impossible to squat. The lower back ached a little doing squats, but it's aching a little sitting in my chair. I think it only hurts because I'm not keeping my core tight enough, so I end up bending forward a couple of degrees on the way up

I might switch to DB Bench. Any idea what weight I should start with, given that I managed 47.5kg 5x5 on BB bench last time? I assume it's less than simply '24kg per arm'.

Sleep is fine - I always get my eight hours in.

Have been told not to foam roll lower back, and don't think foam roll will help with a cruciate ligament strain. But I should use it anyway

I suggested it for your back lol

Heh, if I google 'foam roll lower back' two of the first three links say, whatever you do, don't foam roll your lower back

I'm not sure what it is, it's not a dull ache but a pain if I sit in the wrong position, or move my back to a new angle. I think I got it from deadlifting with questionable form.

I know hence I didnt say to foam roll your lower back. Foam rolling what I suggested (thoracic spine, glutes, hamstrings) will ease your fascial tension on your lower back and hence may well ease your pain if not eradicate it.

Posted from TSR Mobile

How come you're feeling ****?

Forgot to update this again.

Overhead press 35kg x 5 x 5 PB - finally - 5th rep on a couple of the sets was quite tough, might have cheated one rep by using my back to drive the bar, but I'm counting it. Now I'll stay here until I can lift it easily.

Also did some other stuff but no exciting PBs.

Going to attempt a deadlift PB tomorrow morning

Using your back is fine. If you're keeping your back perfectly horizontal then you're doing it sub-optimally.

I would like to see the overhead press with horizontal back Strong shoulder flexibility involved I would guess.