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Only 37, but almost out of nowhere, much feels like it has gone south since I turned 36. While following my former 20's and early 30's routines, I was getting injured every three or four months, forcing a lay off, then restarting only to get hurt again, the cycle repeating itself...
I finally woke up and changed the following:
- 10-15 minute warm ups for the body parts being worked are now mandatory
- Increased rep range to 12-14 from 6-8
- Decreased set rest periods from 90-120 seconds to 45 seconds
- Added 30 minutes of cardio every three to four days.
*Fingers crossed* but have been going on five months without a serious injury so far. Only minor joint pains here and there.
Good stuff. One thing That affected me a lot was when I had a major sciatic nerve issue that basically prevented me from doing any sort of squat or deadlift movement for almost 9 months without severe pain. I also couldn't do any serious biking or running for quite a while. I think the big issue has been rebuilding the strength and muscle that I lost during that long layoff, and getting back to where I was without incurring injury in the process. I'm really working on just incorporating more volume and frequency gradually to rebuild muscle and restore the neural connections I had stored for many of my preferred exercises. Hopefully doing this, as well as eating better and adding more warmups and cardio will help get me back close to the level I used to be - and maybe even better in some physical capacities (especially cardio which I think I've neglected for a while now, and which used to be my strength!).
Never been an exercise fan (especially cardio) but I started weightlifting when I was 50 and I'm now 52. Very basic stuff...bench press, dumbbells, push-ups, pull-ups, etc. I'm definitely stronger and look & feel much healthier. The fact I'm even exercising is a "win" in itself, and I do it about 3-4 times a week. The key for me is to know my limits and not push too hard to cause injury. Baby steps is fine with me.
I've been lifting in my 20s and now in my late 30s, I continue to lift just not as intense as I used to. I did have 2 years of a break due to work and it's very hard to get back into it if you take a long break. You muscular strength really falls off quickly if you stop lifting for more than 6 months+
Age does play a factor with recovery and endurance. When I was younger, I could do slow and steady sets much longer. Now as I get older, my strength hasn't dropped off that much but I can't do the same amount of reps especially at a slow pace.
My intensity in my workouts have increased since I've crossed the 40 year old threshold. Not because I wanted to increase the intensity, but because I have to. I have to work much harder to achieve what used to come extremely easy for me when I was in my 20's and early 30's. By the time I hit 40, I felt like the lights were turned off. On top of that, I don't have as much free time to spend in the gym as I did when I was single and childless. So, it makes me work that much harder. But aside from that, for me, it's not about gaining size and looking like a linebacker. It's more about being in great cardiovascular shape and having more of a lean muscular body. I want to be able to enjoy playing a game of tennis or throwing the ball around with my son, go on nature hikes, and just being active in general. I don't plan on growing old gracefully. I want to fight it, tooth and nail.
Only 37, but almost out of nowhere, much feels like it has gone south since I turned 36. While following my former 20's and early 30's routines, I was getting injured every three or four months, forcing a lay off, then restarting only to get hurt again, the cycle repeating itself...
I finally woke up and changed the following:
- 10-15 minute warm ups for the body parts being worked are now mandatory
- Increased rep range to 12-14 from 6-8
- Decreased set rest periods from 90-120 seconds to 45 seconds
- Added 30 minutes of cardio every three to four days.
*Fingers crossed* but have been going on five months without a serious injury so far. Only minor joint pains here and there.
Great advice!
Injury. It happens. It is all to common after a certain age. Like with worn out knees from running, change has to come. It is good, OP, that you recognize it and are willing to adjust accordingly--unlike some obstinate people out there who insist their over forty bodies can still take a licking ruining life and limb.
I regular lift weights now at 40 than I did at 20 and I'm all the better for it. Of course I have to be mindful of my medical issues but I feel stronger, look better, and find myself more challenged.
I've made one significant change since turning 40, I'm now 43 and have been lifting for 16 years regularly, well two changes really and one came from my MD after my second shoulder surgery that added 3 screws, and 40 stitches to hold my labrum together.
I wish I made this change 16 years ago, it's an easy change that I wish more people would practice, never, ever, letting my elbows go past 90 degrees on bench press, the other being 3 days a week of serious stretching, like Yoga.
Just the stretching had made an enormous difference on my recovery, plus the not needing the bar to bounce off my chest like I'm a football player at the combine has made me feel almost 25 again..... Almost.
Don't ever train until failure. I think adopting a program that utilizes sub-maximal lifts is a great idea. It's actually been proven based on Russian records that sub-maximal lifting, often in the 70% range is more effective than max lifting. This article gives you some insight into this.
Don't ever train until failure. I think adopting a program that utilizes sub-maximal lifts is a great idea. It's actually been proven based on Russian records that sub-maximal lifting, often in the 70% range is more effective than max lifting. This article gives you some insight into this.
Other than that, joint rotations are great, and definitely some flexibility training.
I read your link and did not come to the same conclusion. This site is referencing the training methods of Soviet Olympic weightliftersfrom the 1960s up to 1990, so it is somewhat dated.
Some of the statements on this site are:
Quote:
The First Rule: Most Lifts Should Be in the 70-85% Range
Not exactly the same as "Don't ever train until failure," or "often in the 70% range."
Quote:
Around 68% of the lifts came in at around 70-85% of 1RM. Only 5% of the lifts were above 90%.
How is this stating, "Don't ever train until failure."
If I do a set of bench presses of 10 reps and fail on the last rep, what % of my reps were above 90% of 1RM?
The answer is none.
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