Please allow me to introduce myself

[Andy Maddison]

I'm a 45yo male from the UK who is currently around 153lbs at 5'5". Hopefully I'm not too young to be posting here. I've been lurking for a while and have made a few posts here and there.

I have some history of weight training from my late teens/early twenties and then again in my late twenties but I didn't ever get too far in terms of strength and size. I was doing bodybuilding type workouts with compound and isolation movements from magazines plus following what other other gym bros did. I thought I knew stuff - I now know I was wrong!

Fast forward a decade and a half or so and in August 2016 I decided to join a local gym, at first just for something to do and get me out of the house. I applied my 'knowledge' and started doing mostly compound movements such as high bar squats, deadlifts, various rows and pulldowns, and various presses for chest and shoulders. I also added some curls and pushdowns for arms. I did a bit of cardio too. At the beginning I used light weights and didn't tax myself but a few weeks in started to work harder, plus I started to eat more and did notice I could increment the weights I was lifting pretty much every workout - and I've since learned why that was!

Anyway, maybe 4-6 weeks in I started to notice pain in my left elbow when doing rows, pulldowns and curls. I tried to adjust/change the movements too avoid this pain but it got worse and at the start of November I decided I was going to stop the weight lifting and rest it in the hope it would heal. By now I had read a bit about nutrition and decided to try a calorie deficit while I had the break. I assumed I was some kind of special snowflake and it wouldn't work for me but I would try is as an experiment anyway. I upped the cardio work in the gym plus continued to cycle and play sports (indoor soccer mostly). I was amazed! I dropped about 15lbs by Christmas and since then I've dropped another 15lbs or so. And you know what, I feel great! I feel fitter and look better than I have done in a long time. I feel faster and more agile when I play sports, and I'm enjoying it more.

Since January I've been seeing a physiotherapist who diagnosed golfers elbow. I've been doing lots of exercises for it but it doesn't seem to be feeling any better but I will keep going for now.

I discovered Starting Strength a short while ago. I've got the book, I've read some articles and watched some videos, and I can't wait for my elbow to be healed so I can start doing the Novice LP. The thing is, I could probably do the 4 main lifts without much/any discomfort but I'm not sure about power cleans as I've not tried them, and I know I couldn't do the chins, and I want to do the programme exactly as written (DTFP).

Anyway, that's my story so far. I'm not actively lifting unlike the rest of you but I'm reading posts in order to try and learn what I can so that I'm well prepared when I can actually start again.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Welcome, and no, you are not too young. Be patient on getting yourself back together and good luck in your endeavors.

[carson]

Also, when you get start consider posting your log on the Starting Strength section.

[bbuszard]

Welcome, sir. I got started around the same age myself. You are what is technically known as a geezling.

Regarding the golfer's elbow, I had a spate of that myself and it took a good, long while to settle down. I don't know how limber your shoulders are, but you should loosen them up with some dislocates before each session if getting into low-bar squat position is at all difficult for you. That was the trick for me, at any rate. The chins shouldn't bother your elbow either so long as you're not pronating or supinating your hands beyond where they will comfortably go. I purchased a monkey-style pull-up bar for my rack so that I never have to go beyond 45 degrees in either direction.

[bob g]

You are a man of wealth and taste.

[Andy Maddison]

Welcome, and no, you are not too young. Be patient on getting yourself back together and good luck in your endeavors.

Yes I will definitely do this.