# Fitness recreationalists, what strength do you want? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 25, 2014, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fitness-recreationalists-what-strength-do-you-want/702498 "2014-10-25T15:22:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![nate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nate/32/13085_2.png) [@nate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nate)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fitness-recreationalists-what-strength-do-you-want/702498/41 "2014-10-31T20:34:47Z")
I don’t know how serious your pursuit is **Shodan** , but you may also want to go get some blood work done from your doctor to check your testosterone levels to ensure they are normal for your age group. I had some blood tests performed for an unrelated issue several months ago and it turned out that my testosterone was abnormally low for my age group (30 - 40 yrs). I’ve been on replacement therapy since and I’ve seen significant progress in my lifts… it’s like I’m getting newbie gains all over again. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2014, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fitness-recreationalists-what-strength-do-you-want/702498/42 "2014-11-01T02:41:34Z")
**nate** , use of testosterone like that, the whole “low T” thing, has come under much scrutiny as of late. A recent [FDA advisory panel](http://www.webmd.com/men/news/20140918/fda-panel-limit-testosterone-drug-use) has recommended reigning in its use drastically, mostly out of concern over possible cardiovascular and stroke risks and inappropriate diagnosis. > [@](#): > > The panel, from two key FDA committees, overwhelmingly voted, 20-1, to tighten use of the popular drugs and require drug makers to conduct tests assessing the drugs’ risk of heart attack and stroke … One recent study found a 30 percent increased risk of stroke or heart attack in a group of men recently prescribed testosterone therapy, the FDA said. Another found that men 65 and older experienced a two-fold increase in heart attack risk within the first three months of receiving a testosterone prescription, according to the agency. … > > … doctors who aren’t hormone experts are performing testosterone level tests at the wrong time of the day, which can lead to overdiagnosis of low levels. > > Testosterone levels are at their peak early in the morning and decline naturally throughout the day, he said, but some doctors have been performing hormone tests at all times of the day, diagnosing some men as having low testosterone when in fact their levels are normal. > > “We swiftly went from one extreme to the other extreme, which was overtesting for it, overdiagnosing it and overtreating it,” he said. … Not saying you are part of the low T fad but the decision to treat should be made with repeated carefully timed blood draws (between 7 and 10 am) and with full understanding of the potential risks. Men who get on testosterone otherwise are, IMHO, just doping. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fitness-recreationalists-what-strength-do-you-want/702498/43 "2014-11-23T13:41:56Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > … But now the plan is, medium day, same as before - 10x135, 10x185, 2x10x205. Heavy day - 5X135, 5X185, 5x205, then 2x5x235 (to start) and try to push it to 5X255. > > For reference, I did a max single last night for the first time in years, and got 265 with good form, so I am going to take that as my 1RM for now. … I opened up this thread again mainly to throw this [1 RM calculator link](http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/OneRepMax.html) on (a cool tool), but trying to find thr thread fast by searching I found [this old thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=211527), from 11 years ago, instead. > [@Shodan 11 years ago](#): > > … I was once able to bench press 225 pounds ten times. I would like to achieve this again. > > Currently, I can do 205 for ten most of the times I try. I can get only four reps with 225, and six with 215. > > I can find lots of routines for getting your one-rep max up. But I cannot find anything that will get up to ten reps with a given weight. > > What would the SDMB recommend for a good routine? … Gotta admire your sticking with your goals man! Anyway, using that calculator on your numbers then and now gives some interesting results. Eleven years ago your 1RM estimate would be predicted at 245 to 250 based on how much you could lift for 4 and 6 reps respectively but at 273 based on how much you could lift for 10. An interesting discrepency that I am not sure how to explain but I suspect that having had a back injury you were subconsciously holding back on heavy days. Now you do the _same_ 205 for 10. Testing yourself at a good form, not pushing it, you have 265 1RM and your calculated predictions run to the same 273 based on how much you can lift for 10 reps and your calculated number at 7 reps is about the same as well. The best explanation is that your strength in BP has been mantained, not a bad achievement itself in our 50s, but not increased. I more than before see this as you being fearful (and not knowing your shoulder and back, maybe with good reason) to push yourself on heavy weights. Heavy days had been maxxing out 225 for 5, 80 to 85% of your 1 RM max and your really do need to push north of 85% for 5. Even now your planned heavy days are doing multiple sets that can only count as warm-ups and only two that are pushing into where your heavy days count as heavy days for your strength level. Again, not a powerlifter, but I would suggest for your goal you do no more than one warm up set on heavy days and then your 3 to 5 set with 3 or more minutes rest between pushing to the most you can do with good form each set, which likely is going to be about 240 right now. The other bench day I’d alternate some doing as many of 225 as you can with good form, short rest, and as many more as you can again, maybe even doing some dropped sets, some that are trying to do some linear progression at 10 reps (10 rep sets at the most you can do with good form but push it progressively with adequate rest periods), along with your current one. The other issue maybe to revise your goal? Again, nothing wrong with powerlifting as a sport and a goal, but you have busted your back and hurt your shoulder in its pursuit as the goal rather than as one tool in a broader exercise program … just sayin’. Editted to add [this link](http://www.exrx.net/Testing/WeightLifting/BenchStandards.html). For the weight you were you are solidly between intermediate and advanced for younguns. Pretty reasonable. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fitness-recreationalists-what-strength-do-you-want/702498.md?page=2)