How do you train?

[PapaBear59]

I am 51 and relatively new to weight lifting. I started SS within the last year and have read PPII , SS2nd edition, and have watched the DVD mant times.
The first month or two went well made decent but not the gains I thought. About the third month I realized I needed and extra day off between workouts and increases got better. I am still following the novice program adding in the pull ups, chins, and back extensions. (The day after I did my first back extentions I thought I was going to die.) Cleans seem to hurt more than the other lifts but I am sticking with them.

How do the rest of you train and what has brought about the best results.?

[Wayne Riddle]

45 and just started SS about a month back. Really no strength training before this, have been doing CF for a year before this but I realized I wanted to be stronger and CF wasn't cutting it.

Currently lifting 3 days a week. I have read SS 2nd edition and going to pick up PP, probably the SS DVD too. I'll keep working this routine, learning, and re-evaluating my programming.

[fnet]

I'm 45 and have been training since my mid to late 30's. Starting strength and now the Texas Method have been more effective for me than anything I've done. I think mainly because I've focused more on continuing to get stronger. I cut a lot of "fat" out of my training by eliminating useless movements or too many exercises. My training schedule is a lot more consistent with scheduled recovery days. Also, I know that if I'm not fully recovered, I do better with an extra day off here and there. I know I'm not going to gains as a 25 year old on GOMAD so my gains won't be as dramatic. Some days, I feel stronger and others, I don't and I adjust accordingly. I have to think "big picture" In short, I train a hell of a lot smarter than I used to.

[minadi26]

I concur with fnet, keep to the basic exercises, squats, deadlifts, presses, bench, and some of the general assistance exercises mentioned in SS, don't get caught up in trying the latest exercise fad.

Warm up properly and use really good form. The SS DVD and Rip's comments on videos posted here should be quite helpful.

It might sound like a cliche, but it is true: Don't worry about the little things. Focus on the big picture and slow but steady works.

Keep a training log to track your progress and log any general comments about training that day. I try to keep my sessions to no longer than an hour, anything longer than that and my energy level drops. But in that hour I am training as hard as I can. Don't worry if you need to take an extra day off every now and then.

Just keep at it and you will make progress in no time.

[hbriem]

I'm 47, started lifting at 41. I've tried various things, but mostly stuck to the basic lifts, squat, press, deadlift, bench, chinup and such, mostly 3 times a week, full-bodyish.

I've added about 20kg (~44 lbs) of lean body mass and lost a fair bit of fat and more than doubled my strength on the major lifts. I've competed in powerlifting a few times with decent results but nothing mind-bending.

I tend to work in the 3-5 rep range mostly, 3-8 work sets on the major lifts, 1-3 on accessory lifts.

I usually squat heavy Mondays with some low volume heavy bench and an upper back exercises. On Wednesdays I bench heavy, do some lighter leg work and chins and do some conditioning. Fridays I warm up with cleans or snatches and then deadlift heavy. Afterwards I usually press. Sometimes I do close grip bench insted.

I track my workouts very carefully, both on paper and in digital form, and keep track of all rep PRs, 1RM, 2RM, 3RM etc. I also track maxes for certain forms of sets across like 5x5, 3x3 and so on.

My best raw lifts are 175kg (386 lbs) squat, 130kg (286 lbs) bench and 235kg (518 lbs) deadlift. I've benched and squatted a little more equipped.

I'm 180cm (5'11") tall and currently weigh about 93kg (204 lbs). I weighed around 70-73 (154-160 lbs) for most of my adult life until I quit smoking 9 years ago. I got fat and 3 years later, started lifting.

[ColoWayno]

I'm 180cm (5'11") tall and currently weigh about 93kg (204 lbs). I weighed around 70-73 (154-160 lbs) for most of my adult life until I quit smoking 9 years ago. I got fat and 3 years later, started lifting.

Good choice!

[tennisgod]

I'm 50, 188cm, 95kg. Been lifting for about a year after I realised that I was becoming skinny-fat and little nagging injuries were all too common due to being weak. Started at 83kg.
I say it's been a year of lifting but started on (embarrassed to say) a Smith-machine/cable pulley machine. Tried to follow SS on the machine but realised that the machine was pulling me one way when my body wanted to go another, and this was ripe for injuries. What I like about SS is the simplicity and logic behind it.
In February, bought all the gear... cage, barbell, bench, bumper plates and started SS in earnest. I got the squat up to 110kg when I realised that I had very poor depth. I reset to 70kg just to nail-down the correct form. Now I video every squat set to ensure good form.

Current stats:
SQ: 90kg (5x3)
PR: 55kg (5x3)
BP: 77.5kg (5x3)
DL: 152.5kg (5x1)

I still workout 3xweek using the novice A/B workout but no cleans substituting bent rows. I am still progressing nicely on the squats due to the big reset and the large discrepancy between SQ and DLs. Upper body is quite weak but progressing very very slowly.

Getting some injuries... I'm getting my shoulder looked at this week as it's sore and not recovering.

I agree that warming-up properly is key, along with proper form to minimise injuries. I find that the last warmup weight should be quite close to the workout-set weight to minimise the impact of a big increase which the body may not be able to handle.

Diet is critical for us oldies, and I have changed to a minimal-carb diet and the gut is getting better. I was upto 99kg and didn't like the look.

[IlPrincipeBrutto]

Geez, I feellike a spring chicken in here :-)

41, started SS last year, at 75Kg weight.
Before SS I used to go to the gym a couple of times a week, my main sport activities being at the time volleyball and running.

I'm now about 91Kg, and following a TM program since January. Numbers are pathetic for an intermediate program, but I was finding the 3 sets of five progression of SS hard to recover from. With TM progress has been slow, but I like the volume/recovery/intensity rythm better.

I've injured myself four times since starting, three times pulling the gracilis in the left leg, and once doig my back on the DL. For this reason, and because I'm obviously not hard enough, my numbers are poor.


Squat: 232.5 x5 (currently 225, after latest injury)
Press: 112.5 x5
Bench: 170 x5 (back to 162.5 after realising form was shocking)
Deadlift: 290 x5 (currently 250)
Power Clean: 152.5 x3

I've added also some Snatch, front squat and chin-ups, on recovery days.

For the curious of disposition, you can follow my weekly exploits in the logs section (Intermediate).

IPB

[Greg C]

IPB, got ya beat buddy!

40 here (barely, old man at school/work, but military is a young man's job I'm finding).

I've been an on and off workout guy for the last 19 years, but in the last 6 been much more serious - rowing, swimming, running, CF for about a year and a half, and now more serious lifting for the last 9 months.

I started a modified SS program (some conditioning due to military requirements) this winter, and that went pretty well - one delay due to injury and a vacation, and am now switching into intermediate programming with an eye towards the olympic lifting (thanks to exposure from CF).

I found the SS program to be really good, and as long as I was eating a lot, it was going very smoothly - but, I started to get some chub on, and decided to put the brakes on a little. Still making progress, and feel pretty decent.

I think the key is really listening to how you feel and having some level of patience with progress. You just aren't going to recover and progress like a 20 y/o, but consistency will pay big dividends in the end.

[StrongIslander,NY]

43yrs old /5ft 4in 153lbs and 5 yr out liver transplant recip- been doing lifting 3 yrs- SS almost a year and have made the most gains in my life. i'm stronger now than when i was 20-25 and healthy. The basics are where its at: i stick with the big 4 press BP squat and DL- i've just started to work in rack work with ea of these lifts and im really starting to make progress. Some days are good and others just suck- i may be in a mentally good mood to lift and the body just isnt in to it.
As for rep scheme i vary mine.1-2 weeks hard n heavy 90-95% 1 RM at singles and triples-usually 2 days of work the rest RnR then a bit lighter where im doing 3x5 or 5x5 for a week or 2 at 3 days per week.

The only wisdom i have gained: BE in tune with your body it knows what you can do and tell your mind to shut the fuck up (it lies constantly--ex: "you CAN'T Lift that -YOU"LL FAIL..") it always takes the pussy's way out!