Trying like heck, to keep father time from winning just yet...Looks like I need to do a lot more volume than I used to. In view of that, I added sets to failure, about every 3 - 4 weeks. This is something new for me. Went 225 for 20, on bench. Bet I don't get that on squat! Weight is up to 180, still 62 years old....trying different strategies, taking some time off from competition.

Do you walk as well or only do weights?

Good for you. About to turn 60 myself. I've had to lower my max's this year, increasing reps...Father Time in the rear view mirror! Had to do it to protect shoulder and elbow joints barking back at me from a lifetime of lifting heavy. Keeping my benches @ 200 -225.

Still hit the gym 4x per week concentrating on higher reps and legwork that won't wreck my knees for upcoming elk hunts. Spin class on Mondays and Thursdays (killer class) + weights and Stairmaster @ 45 minutes Tuesdays and Fridays + weights.

Keep at it Benchman!

Do some bodyweight stuff, as well as walking. Weightlifting strength is nice to have, but does not cross over to real life, as well as bodyweight stuff. You tend to get heavier. That's not always a bad thing, but you reach a point where you can't move as well as if you were lighter. Climbing trees and stuff like that gets hard. Wish I could run, but injuries prevent that. Over the long run, I think walking is nearly as good.

As they say, Use it, or lose it. I should be in better shape myself.

Started going to a chiropractor a few weeks ago and this has helped me immensely. Don't lift in meets anymore but use a bench daddy band to protect rotator injury. Can still hit 405 on a good day.

Spin class! I don't have the guts for that!!! Grueling. The strategy change, to prevent overtraining, is important as you age. Since recovery is so slow, once you mess up, it takes a REAL long time, to get back on track. I just need to drag a deer without stroking out! I still go pretty heavy, when possible, because I have to, for competition. Still figuring it out. If they were rep competitions, it would suit me better. Geared stuff, as in using a bench shirt, does not seem to be affected as much. My guess is that the smaller muscles go first. That's why the reps. They work the smaller part of the chain more. Still, can't neglect the heavy stuff, due to my goals. The gear makes up for the deterioration of strength in the smaller muscles. Still around 500 in the bench shirt.

Is that like a slingshot? Great tool! 405 is serious weight!

Good for you!! I lifted 5 days a week from 28 to 40 then life got in the way. Worst thing I ever did was stop and I need to get back. IMO weights are the fountain of youth. Stay with it and never stop!

I think you get a lot of benefit, related to the time involved. My workouts are usually only 45 min. You should just start again. No need to set the world on fire. Consistency is the most important thing.

I'm 62 and started lifting again about a year ago. I've always been a runner, so now I alternate lifting 3X/week running 2X and reverse the process the following week. Although I'm not looking to "bulk up" as it were, I just have the goal to hold onto what I have. I did notice that increasing weight was MUCH harder than it was thirty years ago! I've reached a goal of 150/10 reps/3sets and it took me a while to get there.

Bench press and squats are no measure of capability.

How many chinups can you do?

How much weight can you carry up a grade without breathing hard?

How long can you use a screwdriver or do work over your head?

How far can you swim?

How long can you hold your knee to your chest while seated?

How many stairs can you climb?

Can you touch your toes?

How many pushups can you do on top of your wife?


Stairmaster, sprinting, bodyweight exercises, and jumping every other day or so. Strength training to failure once a week with weights and machines.

Bench and squats are most certainly a measure of capability, especially if you are a competitive weightlifter, which I am. Strength training to failure once a week, will ensure that you can operate at about 60% efficiency, for extended periods. If that's your goal, have at it. I have zero pullup, pushup, dips, situps, stairclimbing problems. Can still do a split, (can you?), carrying weight up steps, not a problem. Swimming? I see poorly without my glasses, and swimming just is blindness. Good exercise, if you have the opportunity. Pushups on the woman are frequent,
, enjoyable, and generally involve a fair amount of rep work. In any case, there is absolutely nothing wrong in your workout philosophy, as it accomplishes your goal. Why would you imagine that weight training for strength, would ensure lack of success in the exercises you mention? Virtually all competitive athletes use weight training as a part of their regimen. Stronger, is better, given work on flexibility and speed, if needed, is included as well. Weightlifters aren't all meatheads.You imply that they are single faceted. That has not been my experience, even at the world level.

Good for you, BM.
At 42 I'm noticing I'm near as strong as I was at 32. It just takes longer to recover and things start to get a bit stiff. It ain't unusual to to get a hitch in my giddyup.

I am however just as handsome as ever. Lol.

Bench and squats is not a measure of capability for life. I'm a career soldier and I scoff at your assessment of endurance ("extended periods") and efficiency for any activity other than benching.

The cases I've seen where strictly body building bench work resulted in "lack of success" is with folk that don't work the body in unison. You've seen it I'm sure. I test this theory on a daily basis with troops. I've noticed something over the years, all around the world. When troops of different sizes from 6'8" body builder to 5'9 monkey builds, its almost always the midsized builds (between ectomorph & mesomorph) at the finish line (or completed mission) first. The outcomes are almost always predictable, and they usually have energy to spare. I can say the same for capable elderly and their typical lifespan too.

The fact is, the areas of the world with the most capable centurions (100+), they don't exercise or workout in gyms at all. I guess one would have to decide what their long term goal is, long steady life, or benching?

I never implied that weight lifters were "meatheads".

Do whatever works for ya

Take-a-Knee redux?

Had to set my Kettlebell down for a spell because of a hamstring pull.
Gained 4 pounds right off...

Hope to be back in full "swing" before my 80th in a couple of months.

You're right about Father Time, he'll eventually get us all but staying fit helps put it off a while both physically and mentally. No question you'll lose it if you don't use it.

I was never a serious lifter but tried to lift three times a week and do some running from the time I was around 30 when I started working a desk job until I was 63. I was never anywhere near lifting the kind of weight some of you guys do and can't say I liked lifting but felt it was necessary to stay in some kind of shape.

When I was 63 I had a bout with cancer and a back injury that kept me relatively inactive for a couple of years. Afterwards I didn't lift free weights for about five years just did a lot of walking. I started lifting again when I was 70 and couldn't believe how much strength I'd lost. The weights don't lie. I'm sure getting older caused some of the loss but not lifting caused a lot of it too. I don't like lifting any more than I ever did but I'll be 74 next month and I'm a lot stronger than I was at 70.

"The Iron never lies to you. You can walk outside and listen to all kinds of talk, get told that you're a god or a total bastard. The Iron will always kick you the real deal. The Iron is the great reference point, the all-knowing perspective giver. Always there like a beacon in the pitch black. I have found the Iron to be my greatest friend. It never freaks out on me, never runs. Friends may come and go. But two hundred pounds is always two hundred pounds."

From The Iron, Henry Rollins

We agree that the more sport specific you get, the less well rounded you become. In your business, it is better to be adaptable. I think that regardless of training, the bodies that fall in the middle of extremes, will be more adaptable to either end of the spectrum. That's no revelation. While I argue my stance from a sport specific (powerlifting) perspective, you look at ways those techniques diminish success to your goals. In some cases - yours, for instance - endurance is more important than limit strength. I still contend that resistance training is helpful, as you yourself said, in your training to failure. That's more of a test, than a meaningful exercise program, at once a week. That would make it useful for assessment. It would be nearly useless, for my puposes. I still think stronger is better, all else being equal. Again, we agree on bodyweight stuff, for crossover to the real challenges we normally encounter. Because of lifting, I can still crank out over 100 pushups in a minute. I believe that to be a direct benefit. You do have to watch excess bodyweight. Makes a huge difference. Once again, middle of the road seems to work best. One of the reasons I offerred this thread, was to observe how workouts must change, with age. I basically use the numbers I achieve, as a measure of training success. My goal is the most limit strength I can develop. Though goals are different, because I work at my limits, I am able to get reasonably fast feedback on whether my training works or not. Whether you train for endurance or not, use weights or not, things like rest, recovery, nutrition and hydration are still a constant factor in success. If you do not work near the limit, you can get away with poor techniques, and still be moderately successful. That simply doesn't work at full throttle. Figured people would be interested, and use the information to their best advantage.

Age is undefeated. But you can give it a fight to the finish nevertheless.

Actually, all of the "exercises" you mentioned (including squats and bench) are measures of capabilities for life. Each exercise may be a somewhat different capability but all of them can help a person stay in better shape. If a guy only lifts heavy weights and does nothing else, they might lose some flexibility. If a person only ran and nothing else, they might get too skinny or risk blowing out their knees (seen that happen to a few people). This topic was started by an older guy with a lot of comments by older guys. A lot of older people tend to have some issues with knees so jumping and sprints may or may not be something they can do with their knee limitations. All of the exercises listed are good for a body and longevity. Just have to figure out what works best for you and what you like doing enough to stick with it.

Lifting (as heavy as you want) does not decrease flexibility. Never using a range of motion leads to (or may lead to) decreased flexibility.

Sir, (Mr. Benchman)

"Rounded" is the key here. I also need to clarify that the stuff I talked about way up there ^^^^ is intended for older people. You just ain't gonna convince a youngin or gym rat that strength training shouldn't be often.

I do know people that can bench heavy weight but can't do 50 pushups in a set. I know folks with huge lats and biceps that can't do 10 chinups. I know folk with huge thighs that can hardly put shoes on. I know folks who have large triceps that can barely hang a set of mini blinds over their heads. So I still disagree that max weight is a measure of overall health or capability.

I will say for the intended purpose of your first post that "youth" is indeed wasted on the young. There is no substitute for youth, as you know well.

I'm 58 and do a mix of activities to stay fit. Cycling, 30-35 mile rides at a 17-21 mph pace, running 4-5 miles at a 8 minute or less per mile pace, and moderately light free weights at least twice per week. Each one of these are usually done twice a week as well as push ups, crunches, body weight squats, and jumping rope. I always have an off day as well. Certainly life gets in the way some days. There are times when an off day turns into several.

I had an 85 lb weight loss 6 years ago. I have maintained 180 for the last 5 years with this routine and sound nutrition.I always listen to my body and push hard on good days and back off when I don't feel as strong.

Calhunter, I am an "older guy" too. Very few big weight guys that I know of make it this far without injuries which limits their life capability even more.

I friend of mine at the base gym has always took the moderate approach -vs- stressing the body with max weight. He recently blew a knee from twisting it on Mt Everest. He is 89 years old.

Using the moderate approach to stressing the body with maximum weights may result in less injuries.

Generally speaking, medium sized people do best at virtually everything that is not size specific. They are usually most efficient. Coordination and flexibility allow you to maximize positioning and technique, for most efficient performance. There is more to strength than the actual size or density of the tissue. Neurological efficiency is very important, and everybody develops that a little differently. My former lifting partner is a strongman competitor. At 6' 2.5" and 335, he is massively powerful. Until we trained it, his pushups and situps were extremely inefficient. Most big guys don't get to practice stuff like that. They depend on weight and sheer size. That stuff works against them in bodyweight exercises. Once we determined where he was getting in his own way, and fixed it, his numbers shot up, and the energy he used was far less. At 335, he was around 70 pushups in a minute. I was impressed. So often, people do things in a way that is inefficient and pass it off as "I'm not strong enough". They need to make sure they are exploiting whatever strength they have, for the most result. The young, with hormones bouncing around nearly unabated, tend to use brawn instead of brains. Because they can! Doesnt mean it's the best way. Coaching them can be difficult at first, but once they see gains, it gets easier. You just have to keep steering them though. 100%, 100% of the time, doesn't work. Sure wish I knew this stuff when I was younger.

Shoulders kept hurting when doing normal bench. Switched to a reverse grip bench and my shoulders feel great again. Same thing with military press. Changed grip angles and back to no pain. Doing a lot of stairs, stairs while packing 38 pounds, some light jogging and a bunch of walking for legs. Should be ready to carry dead things again this fall.

Exactly the thing to do! A lot of people would have just hung it up, or put up with the pain. Sometimes, your noggin is your most important workout machine. ..

Me too.