Exercise enthusiasts and wannabees only !!!

[Chris Fitzgerald]

My daughters (10 and 13 years old) are both athletic. They're both awesome volleyball players. Plus, they just love to PLAY..... be it on a court, or just in our pool. I just want to be strong enough well into my 50s and into my 60s to play with them. (OK, and maybe "show 'em who's boss" every now and then.)

I totally get that! I got to do 5 years of BJJ and Kempo with my boy before my knees told me that discretion was the better part of valor.

Plus, people in our age group (50s and 60s) just seem to be falling apart very early around me. I want to fight off some of that as long as possible. My parents can barely make it up the stairs in my house in their early 70s. I want a flight of stairs being a challenge pushed back as far as possible.

God yes. We live in a 3 story house with a basement and the laundry room is in the basement. If I am watching TV on the 3rd floor and need to go tend to a load of laundry, that's 6 flights right there. We plan to be carried out of this house feet first. Our working theory is that living in a giant stair master will help keep our legs healthy. I sure hope we're right!

I told my trainer from day one I had two goals.... don't get hurt, and do get stronger. Note that getting bigger, or looking like a Men's Health cover model with my shirt off were NOT on the list. I made sure he knew that too. I want functional mobility and strength. If I pull this off today, I bet I will be the skinniest guy with the smallest arms to bench over 200 at my gym in a long time.

Perfect answer. Plus, I think we're about the same height. I stay between 175-180 these days. I haven't felt "skinny" in years, and it's a shame anybody who's in shape should ever think of themselves that way. That's a jacked up societal norm right there. I wish people would just say "fit" instead.

Good luck!

 

[two fingers]

Hit my goal exactly! 205. (Failed at 210.) Woohoo!

 

[Gaolee]

@two fingers Either way, don't sweat it. The number is meaningless, but progress is not.

Back in the day, as a 190lb gym rat in my 30's, when I finally started doing reps at 225 I imagined that some sort of magic would happen, the gods would smile, the heavens would open, etc. In fact, nothing happened. It was hard, and anything else beyond that was just silly stuff that went on in my head - I guess I thought it looked cool to have two plates on either side of the bar like the big kids? Whatever. I was an insecure, vain fool who couldn't even enjoy that little vanity. Benching your weight in your 50's is a hell of a lot harder than that. Being where you are right now is an accomplishment that you should allow yourself to enjoy.

These days, at 58, I do 100 reps of 100 twice a week with dumbbells (4 sets of 25). Some days it comes easy, other days less so. As I age, I imagine at some point that weight will eventually have to come down. It is what it is.

So give it your best shot, but don't sweat it if it doesn't happen. You are playing the long game well at this point. Let that be enough!

I was never that strong, and still am not that strong. I can't do one rep at 225. Not even close! The main thing is to feel reasonably strong and protect aging joints. At this point, lifting really heavy (for me) weight is fun, but it is probably a bad idea sometimes. I was doing strict presses yesterday and both of my shoulders felt little impingements. Adjusting technique slightly got those to go away, but there they were. At some point, it's geometry and tensile strength of tendons and ligaments as much as anything. Lifting keeps deterioration at bay up to a point. When it doesn't, then I guess it's time to lift lighter weights.

 

[Gaolee]

I totally get that! I got to do 5 years of BJJ and Kempo with my boy before my knees told me that discretion was the better part of valor.



God yes. We live in a 3 story house with a basement and the laundry room is in the basement. If I am watching TV on the 3rd floor and need to go tend to a load of laundry, that's 6 flights right there. We plan to be carried out of this house feet first. Our working theory is that living in a giant stair master will help keep our legs healthy. I sure hope we're right!



Perfect answer. Plus, I think we're about the same height. I stay between 175-180 these days. I haven't felt "skinny" in years, and it's a shame anybody who's in shape should ever think of themselves that way. That's a jacked up societal norm right there. I wish people would just say "fit" instead.

Good luck!

I feel way too big as a 5'-10 tall person who weighs between 190 and 195. I should weigh 180 at the most. But, I like food. Oh, well.

 

[jmattbassplaya]

I feel way too big as a 5'-10 tall person who weighs between 190 and 195. I should weigh 180 at the most. But, I like food. Oh, well.

Man, I’m 5’8” at 190lbs. Need to drop to 170lbs. I carry the weight well and don’t look fat as I have the torso of someone who should be taller, but I definitely find myself tiring out way sooner than I know I should. Hard to believe I used to hover around 145lbs back in high school/early college.

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

I can't do one rep at 225. Not even close!

I'm not foolish enough to try it now, 20 years later! My dumbbells are fine for now. I have smaller ones when the time comes.

 

[5andFretless]

I was (am) a long course triathlete and 61 years old. 4 IM finishes and lots of shorter races. I have been a runner/swimmer/biker all my life but didn't put the 3 together until 10 years ago. On August 4th, 2021, I came home from a 15 mile run and the back of my right leg hurt. I assumed I had over done it. It did not get better, it got worse.

Jump to April of 2022. After physical therapy, message, acupuncture, and 4 doctors (while I eventually went to walking with a cane) a neurosurgeon ran a contrast MRI and found a 14 mm growth between L4 and L5. He asked my insurance to approve surgery and spine stabilization. I waited.

On May 15th, 2022, I woke up at 4 am knowing something was badly wrong. I was paralyzed from the waist down on my right side. Off to the emergency room, then transferred to a spine trauma center, and emergency surgery.

That seemed to correct the problem, then I got a fever. I went for COVID and that was negative. I called my family doctor, who determined that I was in the early stages of sepsis. Off to the ER, and emergency surgery - that was 2 emergency surgeries on my back in 12 days. For the sepsis surgery it was 5 hours between me walking in the doctor's office and being put to sleep for the surgery, and that was a Friday night at 6 pm.

Monday was the first time I have run since November of 2021. I am pain free. For 3.5 miles I averaged 14 minutes a mile of running and walking, and that was pushing the pace. A year ago I did IM Chattanooga's run leg (marathon) in 3:48:12. I also started swimming this week (I lost about 15 seconds/100m) and I will ride my bike for the first time on Saturday. I expect that to go much like the running.

I have a long road of recovery ahead of me, but no pain and I'm alive.

 

[Gaolee]

I was (am) a long course triathlete and 61 years old. 4 IM finishes and lots of shorter races. I have been a runner/swimmer/biker all my life but didn't put the 3 together until 10 years ago. On August 4th, 2021, I came home from a 15 mile run and the back of my right leg hurt. I assumed I had over done it. It did not get better, it got worse.

Jump to April of 2022. After physical therapy, message, acupuncture, and 4 doctors (while I eventually went to walking with a cane) a neurosurgeon ran a contrast MRI and found a 14 mm growth between L4 and L5. He asked my insurance to approve surgery and spine stabilization. I waited.

On May 15th, 2022, I woke up at 4 am knowing something was badly wrong. I was paralyzed from the waist down on my right side. Off to the emergency room, then transferred to a spine trauma center, and emergency surgery.

That seemed to correct the problem, then I got a fever. I went for COVID and that was negative. I called my family doctor, who determined that I was in the early stages of sepsis. Off to the ER, and emergency surgery - that was 2 emergency surgeries on my back in 12 days. For the sepsis surgery it was 5 hours between me walking in the doctor's office and being put to sleep for the surgery, and that was a Friday night at 6 pm.

Monday was the first time I have run since November of 2021. I am pain free. For 3.5 miles I averaged 14 minutes a mile of running and walking, and that was pushing the pace. A year ago I did IM Chattanooga's run leg (marathon) in 3:48:12. I also started swimming this week (I lost about 15 seconds/100m) and I will ride my bike for the first time on Saturday. I expect that to go much like the running.

I have a long road of recovery ahead of me, but no pain and I'm alive.

That's quite the story. Welcome back to the living and functional.

 

[Gaolee]

I'm not foolish enough to try it now, 20 years later! My dumbbells are fine for now. I have smaller ones when the time comes.

I could never come close to benching 225, so at 62, it's more or less not even a thing I think about.

 

[turf3]

I'd be happy to be able to bench half my weight.

As a lifelong cyclist, sheer strength in the upper body has not been a priority. On the other hand, when I'm riding regularly I can max out those leg press machines at the gym all day long.

 

[FilterFunk]

I've never been a bench press guy. I've always preferred the chest press machine that you sit to use, and dumbbell flyes, flat and incline. I also used to do pushups with handles and with my feet up on a chair, and I made sure my chin touched the floor on every rep.

 

[Krisfield]

I got heavily into Indoor Rowing, rowing 50 minutes a day, every day. Then I developed Piriformis Syndrome. All I can say is ouch. Butt hurt is real.

 

[two fingers]

I was never that strong, and still am not that strong. I can't do one rep at 225. Not even close! The main thing is to feel reasonably strong and protect aging joints. At this point, lifting really heavy (for me) weight is fun, but it is probably a bad idea sometimes. I was doing strict presses yesterday and both of my shoulders felt little impingements. Adjusting technique slightly got those to go away, but there they were. At some point, it's geometry and tensile strength of tendons and ligaments as much as anything. Lifting keeps deterioration at bay up to a point. When it doesn't, then I guess it's time to lift lighter weights.

If you want a serious challenge without enough weight to cause injury, switch to dumbells. Holy crap! With way less weight they are harder to do (for me) due to some serious imbalances I have. (I just exposed this with my trainer last week as well.)

I'm going to be dropping back on weight and doing some unilateral work(fancy term for one arm or leg at a time rather than barbells with both).

That said, my favorite thing about lifting as that ANYONE can do it. You keep YOUR goals and weaknesses in mind. Get in the best shape you can without injuring yourself (either immediately or by doing something wrong for long periods of time).

When I went to my trainer initially, I had two goals and three rules.

Rule #1 - Don't get hurt.

Rule #2 - Get stronger. (Notice I didn't say bulkier or leaner.... but stronger.)

Rule #3 - See rule #1.

 

[jmattbassplaya]

I'm not foolish enough to try it now, 20 years later! My dumbbells are fine for now. I have smaller ones when the time comes.

Honestly, I found the best shape I was ever in was when I practiced lower weights with higher reps and perfect form. The heavy weights are cool when you’re younger, but the injury isn’t worth it once you’re older. Plus, I’m not convinced heavier weights are necessarily better if general health and fitness is the goal.

 

[two fingers]

I feel way too big as a 5'-10 tall person who weighs between 190 and 195. I should weigh 180 at the most. But, I like food. Oh, well.

Man, I’m 5’8” at 190lbs. Need to drop to 170lbs. I carry the weight well and don’t look fat as I have the torso of someone who should be taller, but I definitely find myself tiring out way sooner than I know I should. Hard to believe I used to hover around 145lbs back in high school/early college.

I would focus more in measurements than weight.

When I started working out I hovered between 190-195 lbs and occasionally got down to 185 lbs (at 6'1") wearing 34" waist pants and a large shirt.

5 months later I weigh 205 wearing 34" waist pants and having to pick up a few XL shirts because my chest and shoulders are getting a little tight in some of my large shirts.

Conventional wisdom is that gaining 15-20 pounds in 5 months is a bad thing. But it's not if it's mostly muscle.

Eat mostly whole foods and do whatever exercise program your body will allow or your mind really enjoys. Weight will sort itself out and your measurements will likely change some.

One of the hosts of my favorite fitness podcasts put it well recently. "Sure, I have my ideas about what the best exercise program is. In reality, the best exercise program is the one you will stick to consistently."

Truth bomb.

 

[two fingers]

Finally subbed

 

[Joe Nerve]

Honestly, I found the best shape I was ever in was when I practiced lower weights with higher reps and perfect form. The heavy weights are cool when you’re younger, but the injury isn’t worth it once you’re older. Plus, I’m not convinced heavier weights are necessarily better if general health and fitness is the goal.

Same here, which I probably stated earlier in this thread.

I nearly killed myself from about age 10 to 30 trying to get bigger (I didn't), and then started to finally, actually get bigger when I stopped trying to lift as much as I possibly could.

I've been using a Total Gym and super light dumbells (8lb, 12lb, and 20lb) since Covid. I do super sets on the Total Gym with 3 exercises, 25 reps each with perfect form (75 in a set), and I still make gains - at 61. Almost ready to post a yearly pic . I'm not big on selfies, but feel its OK once a year among family... TB is family to me.

Oh yeah... I still do super light runs, too. 2 or 3 week, from 4-6 miles. I like to think of that as shrink wrapping whatever muscle gains I've made . Eating less Taco Bell and Pizza helps with that too. They're my kryptonite.

 

[Razman]

Finally subbed

It's never too late to start.

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

If you want a serious challenge without enough weight to cause injury, switch to dumbells. Holy crap! With way less weight they are harder to do (for me) due to some serious imbalances I have. (I just exposed this with my trainer last week as well.)

Concur. They force you to deal with imbalances for sure! And if you bite off more than you can chew without a spotter, they are most likely to at worst end up crashing to the floor rather than across your neck. I saw that happen to a guy benching too much weight in the gym decades ago. Put the fear of FSM into me for sure.

 

[Gaolee]

If you want a serious challenge without enough weight to cause injury, switch to dumbells. Holy crap! With way less weight they are harder to do (for me) due to some serious imbalances I have. (I just exposed this with my trainer last week as well.)

I'm going to be dropping back on weight and doing some unilateral work(fancy term for one arm or leg at a time rather than barbells with both).

That said, my favorite thing about lifting as that ANYONE can do it. You keep YOUR goals and weaknesses in mind. Get in the best shape you can without injuring yourself (either immediately or by doing something wrong for long periods of time).

When I went to my trainer initially, I had two goals and three rules.

Rule #1 - Don't get hurt.

Rule #2 - Get stronger. (Notice I didn't say bulkier or leaner.... but stronger.)

Rule #3 - See rule #1.

The gym is full of all kinds of people. Some can lift a house. Some can lift their heads and that's about it. I find all of them inspiring.

As a person who isn't strongly right handed, both sides are fairly evenly matched, meaning my left and right are equally wimpy.