Seems like maybe you're losing interest if you're just going through the motions. Have you considered dialing back on some of the "active recovery" activity in order to be fresh and eager for the strength training? I guess it's about finding your right balance so that it all works. But 30 pounds?! Damn. I weigh myself every day, and make immediate adjustments if I think I'm off. Which, I suppose, may be counterintuitive if I'm trying to add a bit of muscle. But at 66, what are the odds of that happening? Regardless, don't fall asleep at the wheel, boyo!
I read that Mike was in the military at some point, where he worked out, so I don't know if that figures into the equation. But, you're in luck. There is a Mentzer biography that will be available later this month.
Yeah, the Colorado Experiment has holes in it. But Dorian Yates's training was more HIT than volume, and it seemed to serve him well. And this while taking all kinds of chemistry to boot. Other BBers were taking pretty much the same stuff, except they lived in the gym, while Yates was a relative part-timer. The argument goes that some people who devote their lives to bodybuilding probably feel the need to engage in it as often as possible to fill their day and give their "career" meaning. I don't know. Yates claimed he did better by doing less. And while he didn't do Mentzer's consolidation routine by any means, it was quite consolidated when compared to his contemporaries.
As do I sans the pickleball. And my walks are probably shorter. But I do some max speed bodyweight squats on my off days, first thing in the morning, just to get the blood pumping. How many sets per muscle group do you presently do? I recently pared down my volume as I believed it was affecting my sleep. And I decided today that I will also reduce my frequency to 3x/2wks, so averaging from every 3.5 days to just over every 4.5 days. I want to see if I get better rep numbers or improve even more on my sleep. I don't really expect better body composition or growth, but I can hope, even though I did this frequency for a while some years back. But I always added more sets when I did so, to compensate. Presently I will try to keep volume per workout essentially unchanged from that of the 2x/wk frequency. At 66, I can't really expect much improvement if any. Let's hope I don't regress and hope for the best.
I WAS going through the motions. Currently putting in the work. Things got busy. I went back to work part-time to help a guy out and it turned into a project. This job also had me going out to lunch quite often and the menu choices got the best of me. We also sold our home in 2024 and bought a new place. And I quit weighing myself altogether for a few months. Clothes got tight before I got on the scale for my self loathing disgusting pig moment. That's my confession of nutritional sin. Edit: I'm calling it a dirty bulk.
Sounds like you had a lot on your plate. (Bada boom.) Seriously, though, you were probably under added stress which can eat into your recovery and eventually result in your just phoning it in. All the more reason to adjust and prioritize, no?
I currently do a circuit 4 times, so 4 sets. Rest 60 seconds between circuits. Squats, row, deadlift, press, suitcase carry, DB curls, bear crawls 30 seconds, skull crushers. That's it.
I like to watch Dr. Mike videos for entertainment. But I always smile when he criticizes Mr. World or Mr. Olympia or whatever winners. After all, they did win those titles, so maybe, just maybe there are more than one way to skin the cat and achieve the same result?