Over the last couple of weeks I have been making some unusually big gains in strength since I got back into weight training. It’s felt so amazing that I can almost liken it to a drug addiction – not that I know what that feels like exactly. I started in November of 2009 by joining a small gym near my house. It had been nearly 15 years since I touched a weight with any degree of seriousness. I started strength training when I was 20 years old right before joining the Navy in 1986. In 1989 I was certified as a personal trainer and went to work training clients privately as well as fitness clubs. In 1998 I changed careers and stopped weight training altogether. From 1998 to 2008 I went from 200 lbs to 290 lbs. I spent a year from November 2008 to November 2009 losing most of the fat I had accumulated by walking, running, and eating healthy food in very small portion sizes. As a reward for going a full year without faltering on my commitment, I joined a gym knowing the money spent would not go to waste. Here are my approximate starting strength levels for the basic movements:

Dead Hang Pullups: 0
Pulldowns: 90 lbs. (8 reps)
Cable Rows: 70 lbs. (8 reps)
BB Bench Press: 115 lbs (8 reps)
DB Incline Bench Press: 35 lb DBs (8 reps)
DB Shoulder Press: 25 lbs DBs (8 reps)
Leg Press: 400 lbs. (8 reps)

These are the weights I am currently lifting:

Dead Hang Pullups: 7
Pulldowns: 170 lbs. (8 reps)
Cable Rows: 150 lbs. (8 reps)
BB Bench Press: 205 lbs (4 reps)
DB Incline Bench Press: 70 lb DBs (6 reps)
DB Shoulder Press: 65 lbs DBs (6 reps)
Leg Press: 800 lbs. (5 reps)

So on average I have about doubled my strength in most movements. It’s amazing how good it feels to be able to lift these kinds of weights. A great deal of this adaptation is neuromuscular rather than actual new muscle tissue development but I estimate I have gained about 10-15 lbs. of new muscle since I started. These kinds of numbers make the act of going to the gym kind of like going to an amusement park. I can’t wait to see how far I can take my strength potential. It’s going to be a great new year.