Ok guys. Ive been really backing off the weights for the last 12 years since i tore my rotator cuff/ labrum on the  right side with my son spotting me at 3rd rep of 365.  I was about 42 at the time and a couple years from retirement from active duty.  The flight surgeon would inject corticosteroids every 6 weeks for 3 effective treatments.  Then they became ineffective.  I opted to forgo the surgery and just backed way way off and did lots of cardio and very light weights for shoulders and bench for 12 years.  

Recently i decided to push it up and get back heavy at bench and shoulders.  I also added back in squats and deads after 20 or so years off.  I figured, old dudes dont need no squats or deads.  Really just a reason to be lazy.

Anyway, 6 weeks ago, started overhead presses and squats and deads but damn i feel weak but healthy.....so far.  Here is a vid of last week on 5th set of OHP at 180 almost 4 reps, no legs helping.  Today was the 5th set of deads with 275, 1st set 5 reps, 2nd 5 reps, 3rd 5 reps, 4th 4 reps and this set was 3 reps with another 2 in me.  

What advice for an almost 55 year old senior citizen.  I just ordered an nice 13mm single prong leather belt since i can feel my back really ache after squats and deads.  


Btw, my squats after 6 weeks is up to 275 x 6 reps easy with no belt.  Does a belt really help?  

Big beer gut, losing it is not an option.  I home brew!!! LOL

 ETA:  total rebuild of right knee, Patella tendon and 4 scopes since 95, torn labrum right shoulder and arthritic shoulder both right and left.  Herniated c4,5,6 discs in neck from Viper but doing good with traction.  

Lots of fish and flax oil to help joints.  

 Oh, and most important.  I know how you guys love curls in the power racks.  Here at the Levitow fitness center on Sheppard, we have 5 of em.  I work out during the lulls and if no more that 2 are in use i will actually do the wagon wheels in the racks to save my old back.  If others show up and start looking..... i offer the rack up and move to the floor.  Im not a dick, i know etiquette.  I also never ever talk and waste time.  Some think im a dick for that but whatever.  Get it done and get the f out...amiright???

  

 



  

 

I'll do one video at a time. First off on deadlift. Stop bending your arm. That's how you tear a bicep. Keep arms strait.

2nd  Ditch the running shoes.

Looks pretty good besides that.

Shoulder press looks good except you aren't doing a full rep. Extend your arms more and drive your head through.

You're swinging the shit out of your curls. Looks more like a back workout.

This was my 5th set.  Ive never even thought of filming myself.  But recently starting heavy again and im old, so i thought,   What the hell.  .  It was 145#.  Alot of weight.  I prescribe to the weider cheater principle on about 25% of my exercises.  Its better to cheat a little to overload the biceps.  Im old schoolthough.  Is there a different school of thought to force fast twitch fibres nowadays for a few sets? Memberberrys, im old....

The bar is too far off of your legs during the deadlift, you will hurt yourself if you keep that up.  You are creating a lever arm when you do that which is probably why it looks like you are bending your back slightly.

Thanks, ill look closer at that.  I also have a new 13mm belt coming thursday.  Ive been the last 6 weeks with no belt.  My old back and core will welcome it for a few more pounds i guess.  

I try to do controlled reps for everything. And only cheat a little for a last rep.  

But I train purely for strength. It may be different if you are training for size.  I don't know much about that.

Agreed, i do a combo.  Strict reps for the first 3 sets then really tear into the fibers on the last 2 or so sets. I learned many years ago though.  dont know about the new fangled scientific shit they may have out now.  Its worked for me for 30 years of so.  but again.  Ive been out of the game for 12 years plus.  Now just starting back up.  Im tired of the BS light weight and high reps for old dudes bullshit.  Time to try something different.  

  Huge thanks for your advice btw.  I appreciate it!!!

Here is the world record deadlift.  Notice how the bar stays in contact with his leg?  You can see it illustrated by the chalk dust as he raises it.

You don't have to buy those long socks, but you should keep it close or even in contact with your shins.  I tried to find a study I read a bit back that showed for every inch or so you lose some a ridiculous percentage off of your lift and put a lot of extra weight on the lower spine.

It is also how I hurt my back many years ago, thank God it was only a minor injury.

No problem.

Thanks Sooner.  Agreed.  I quit deads back in college with i played ball.  I was too lazy for squats and deadlifts and OHPs since 1987.  I concentrated on bench, curls and tris.  the lifts that made you look cool.  

I trained my boy and built his core big time and it paid dividends on the Texas Power lifting scene for high school.  

So i got motivated 6 weeks ago from an old dude lifting article and decided I'd go back to old school lifts and get heavy as able.  Ive been back for 6 weeks on squats and dead lifts.  Also just started back on barbell bench and dumbell bench after 12 years of machines etc.  Im embarassed to say it.  Now im feeling better, but weak.  Ill give it time i guess.  Hope for health of the connective tissue.  So far, all feels solid.

Doesn't look bad other than the aforementioned issues with the deads (seriously, that arm, you're gonna tear that bi).

I'm huge on OHP so I'm probably nitpicking, but your grip seems fairly wide and as previously stated you are losing a little range at the top by not locking out and bringing the head through.

Thanks and accurate, but this was the last, 5th set and as such....sloppy.  Ill film in a couple months after i get back some good form and strength.  

Keep em coming....thanks guys and gals....

As far as tearing a Bi....Ive been lifting stupidly for 40 years and the only bodypart i havent broken is the biceps or tricpes.  Im good there but understand that heavy deads can cause problems.  Danke!  

Jim

Nice work!

If you wear a size 11.5, let me know...I have some hardly worn Metcon 2's that I can send you. Your shoes looked jacked up.

Bull,

Your neck is fucked up just like mine. Traction helps a lot but the best thing I ever did besides traction, chiro  and physical therapy is change to eating keto. Get rid of the carbs/ sugar, start burning ketones, and the inflammation and pain went down about 75%.

Everybody is different and you would have not to give up beer, but if you embrace bourbon it's doable.

That's what I did.

You would be surprised how different things taste while in Keto.

It's like your taste buds are super charged.

You're not getting a gym-girlfriend with those ankle socks and ratty old sneakers

Easy to see where some callsigns originate

I have no lifting critique.   Be advised that long term consumption of fish oil pills is correlated with worse outcomes than no fish oil pills.  Just buy some canned sardines packed in olive oil and eat those a couple of times per week.  The kind that Costco sell are actually tasty.

I should buy some of those.

We are about the same age.  My advice (as outlined by other above) is to clean up your form.  The older we get, the easier it is to injure ourselves, and the longer it takes to heal.

Back off on the weight until you can get that form right.