Weights for over 50, my experience

EinManEinMan Silver Member Posts: 638
I just wanted to advise on my experience.  As everyone says, my experience is that every man should lift.  The rise in testosterone and the feeling of being masculine is remarkable.

I have been lifting for 2 years, but have been out of commission for 10 months of that time from 2 separate injuries. They didn't require a doctor, but I had to lay off for long periods.   Even going up gradually in weight on the bench press from no weights to 40 on each side was not gradual enough to prevent injuries.

This time I am going for more reps and lower weights.  Only 10 lbs on both sides until I can do 3 sets of 20 before I add any weight.  I'm still able to fatigue my muscles and so far no injuries.  What I think is happening, is that I'm strengthening all of the little muscles that don't get enough exercise, such that even though the bigger muscles can do the heavy lifting, the small ones get injured in the process. So far so good.
fitandfun
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Comments

  • TenneeTennee Next Stop: AwesomevilleSilver Member Posts: 5,963
    edited March 30
    "Fall down seven times, stand up eight"  Japanese Proverb

    How will you live well today?
  • HildaCornersHildaCorners Winter? You call *that* winter?Gold Women Posts: 3,377
    I'm well over 50 and I've worked plenty with weights ... woman style.

    The key is to not push too hard. Don't work to your maximum, work to about 80%, then stop. Over time, that 80% will grow.

    There is an element of "you can't improve, only maintain," but that only applies if you're at or near your peak. If not, you can improve to your peak (which won't be as high as when you were 25). Then you work out so your peak drops as little as possible, though it will drop over the years.

    Next time I get serious about working out, I'll have a few sessions with a Physical Therapist first, so I can have skilled help developing a good program for me - with my arthritic knee but otherwise good strength, the usual workouts don't work for me. [Can't do regular programs because of the knee, but "senior exercises" are far too easy.]

    Enneagram 5w4.  I'm researching what that means, before designing t-shirt art about it.

    "I feel no shame in making lavish use of the strongest muscles, namely male ones (but my own strongest muscle is dedicated to the service of men - noblesse oblige). I don't begrudge men one whit of their natural advantages as long as they respect mine. I am not an unhappy pseudomale; I am female and like it that way." RAH
    Ulysses
  • RorschachRorschach "Just ask the axis ..."Silver Member Posts: 1,458
    How did you injure yourself? What's your form like?

    Higher rep sets, like 20 or more, have their place, but that's more of an intermediate/advanced thing. For you, it's probably not doing much if that's all you're doing, except, as you say, fatiguing your muscles. That's because you're not hitting the fast twitch fibres, which have the greatest potential for growth. The slow twitch, endurance-oriented fibres have some potential for growth, yes, but not so much.

    The standard, basic starter-kit for hypertrophy is 8-10 reps at 70-75 percent of 1RM, 3-4 sets, performed over the full range of motion to technical failure.

    If you keep getting injured with heavier loads, something is wrong. Either it's a form thing, or a pre-existing physical condition thing (e.g., muscle imbalance, something skeletal, etc.), or both.

    Over 50 just means you've got to be a little more careful and attentive to form. If you check Youtube, you can find video of grannies deadlifting some relatively serious weight.
    TemplarWheelManUlysseszook
  • TemplarTemplar WashingtonSilver Member Posts: 3,371
    edited March 30
    Can you do push ups or pull ups without pain?
  • fredlessfredless Silver Member Posts: 2,842
    53.  Crossfit 4-5 times per week.
    3 Goruck Challenges.
    Scheduled for a Goruck Heavy. 

    You just have to be smart, use good form, and listen to your body.
    HildaCornersBlackwulfRorschachUlysses
  • EinManEinMan Silver Member Posts: 638
    Rorschach said:
    How did you injure yourself? What's your form like?

    Higher rep sets, like 20 or more, have their place, but that's more of an intermediate/advanced thing. For you, it's probably not doing much if that's all you're doing, except, as you say, fatiguing your muscles. That's because you're not hitting the fast twitch fibres, which have the greatest potential for growth. The slow twitch, endurance-oriented fibres have some potential for growth, yes, but not so much.

    The standard, basic starter-kit for hypertrophy is 8-10 reps at 70-75 percent of 1RM, 3-4 sets, performed over the full range of motion to technical failure.

    If you keep getting injured with heavier loads, something is wrong. Either it's a form thing, or a pre-existing physical condition thing (e.g., muscle imbalance, something skeletal, etc.), or both.

    Over 50 just means you've got to be a little more careful and attentive to form. If you check Youtube, you can find video of grannies deadlifting some relatively serious weight.
    You might be right about the preexisting thing. It's my shoulder only, so I am doing my best to strengthen it.   Also, I read a study where it was determined that moving very slowly with lighter weights was as effective as heavier weights with normal speed, so I go very slowly.  http://www.simplyshredded.com/new-research-light-training-for-huge-gaining.html

  • EinManEinMan Silver Member Posts: 638
    Templar said:
    Can you do push ups or pull ups without pain?
    Push ups caused pain after and i had to stop.  Pull ups didn't hurt after unless I did too many, in combination with the heavy bench press. I'm not sure which was responsible. I had been up to 10 slow, well-formed pull ups and I can easily do 10 push ups.
  • EinManEinMan Silver Member Posts: 638
    fredless said:
    53.  Crossfit 4-5 times per week.
    3 Goruck Challenges.
    Scheduled for a Goruck Heavy. 

    You just have to be smart, use good form, and listen to your body.
    Way cool.  Being fit feels great.
  • EinManEinMan Silver Member Posts: 638
    I'm well over 50 and I've worked plenty with weights ... woman style.

    The key is to not push too hard. Don't work to your maximum, work to about 80%, then stop. Over time, that 80% will grow.

    There is an element of "you can't improve, only maintain," but that only applies if you're at or near your peak. If not, you can improve to your peak (which won't be as high as when you were 25). Then you work out so your peak drops as little as possible, though it will drop over the years.

    Next time I get serious about working out, I'll have a few sessions with a Physical Therapist first, so I can have skilled help developing a good program for me - with my arthritic knee but otherwise good strength, the usual workouts don't work for me. [Can't do regular programs because of the knee, but "senior exercises" are far too easy.]


    I used to have knee pain until I started doing the elliptical nearly every day.  I'm sure I can do more and I'm hoping to get there, albeit slowly.
  • TemplarTemplar WashingtonSilver Member Posts: 3,371
    EinMan said:
    Templar said:
    Can you do push ups or pull ups without pain?
    Push ups caused pain after and i had to stop.  Pull ups didn't hurt after unless I did too many, in combination with the heavy bench press. I'm not sure which was responsible. I had been up to 10 slow, well-formed pull ups and I can easily do 10 push ups.
    You have some type of injury, then. Is it both sides or just one? Take a low weight (~5#), use good arm to raise the bad arm which is holding the weight and then using just the bad arm, lower weight slowly then repeat. Eccentric contractions with help build the strength but allow healing.
    shibariTennee
  • RorschachRorschach "Just ask the axis ..."Silver Member Posts: 1,458
    Google "Seven Minute Rotator Cuff". You should be able to find a PDF version. Try doing those excercises for a while and see if that helps your shoulder.

    Good link: Jonathan Lawson and Steve Holman are smart guys. But you'll note they didn't say "group one did 20 reps per set". That's all about time under tension, particularly slowing the eccentric phase--all a very good idea. So, my point stands relative to rep range and load.

    If you can do them (i.e., no other conditions keeping you from doing them), the best thing to strengthen the knees is full squats (hams on calves, ass to the grass).
    TemplarshibariTennee
  • TemplarTemplar WashingtonSilver Member Posts: 3,371
    Width of grip makes a difference in almost any shoulder exercise from bench or shoulder.military press, push ups, pull ups, etc. If the pain is mild, try a grip adjustment - narrower, wider, slight rotation of wrist, etc and see if you can find a comfortable grip.
    RorschachAngelineTenneeWheelMan
  • stillasamountainstillasamountain CT, USASilver Member Posts: 521
    nubby said:
    I would get a sharp pain in my left shoulder(I'm thinking an old masturbation injury). 
    I'm going to start blaming all my post-50 aches and pains on this! :)

    “She was 3/4 perfection and 1/4 broken glass.”

    AngelineshibariTenneeEightbit
  • never_againnever_again CanadaSilver Member Posts: 1,372
    56 and started lifting 18 months ago. I use Stronglifts 5x5. Get the app.  Increase by 5 lbs every time you do a particular exercise but if you fail at that exercise it has you repeat it twice (in later days), then backs off your weight if you keep failing, so you can build back up.

    I've had injuries too, but they usually only put me off for about a month.  It always happens when I am approaching a personal best (but there's no finish line anyway, right?).  

    My bench press is lousy (PB 135) and I pulled something two weeks ago.  I just don't have arm strength for some reason.  I've backed off the weight and changed my hands and will work back up to it.  A shame really, because my biceps are really the thing that I'd most like to improve.  I've added some additional bicep exercises, too.
     
    OTOH, I've had several young guys (early 20's) joking (and half whining) that they can't squat half the weight I do.  Lol.  5 lbs at a time, I tell them.  Have had others simply say "You're big."

    I won 3 free training sessions at my gym and will be taking them with a lifting coach, starting next week.   Hopefully my injury problems can be corrected with form.
    The man who gives his woman everything ends up with nothing. Not even the woman.
  • ffp20ffp20 upstate nySilver Member Posts: 224
    I find it hard to build muscle trying to limit my calorie intake. I do better when i eat more.
  • WarnPeaceWarnPeace AustraliaGold Men Posts: 125
    I'm 46 and had never worked out a day in my life until MMSL came along two years ago.  For the first 18 months i seemed to be pulling muscles and tendons all the time. The thing i found crucial is to do a decent warm up and start each set on a lower, easier weight.  
    INTJ & 7w8
    Ulysses
  • EinManEinMan Silver Member Posts: 638
    SPR: I love hearing that you never want to stop.  I tried heavier weights and got hurt, but not serious. I think it's from the curls, so I'm keeping that out for a while while I do bench press and pull ups. I do love it and want to continue. I need a trainer or class to make sure I'm doing it right.  Plus, i may simply have an undiagnosed shoulder injury.
  • nubbynubby Right HereSilver Member Posts: 1,964
    I agree with @SignorePillolaRossa I'm also 51 and won't give up lifting. 
    My lower back bothered me since I wiped out while drunk in my early 20's. After starting weight lifting, my back hasn't bothered me. My right foot used to bother me to the point it made walking painful at times. Since I started lifting, my foot doesn't cause many problems at all. 
    I have found that once I started looking better, I wanted to look even better. Once I started gaining muscle, I want to gain more. It's a snowball effect. It has helped immensely with self confidence and self esteem. I'm no longer the fat, lazy couch potato of a husband/father. I have energy to get things done and sometimes I even plot to get extra time to lift. 
    Angeline
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