Jerry R's log

[Jerry R]

Name:Jerry

Age:70

Weight Class:-100 M4A

First meet in over 38 years:Absolute Recomp Rookie Meet August 27, 2022. I had Covid for about 6 weeks and did the meet about a week and a half after getting over Covid.

Results:Five State Record Certificates. Now training for the USAPL Nationals in Memphis, TN in September, 2023.

Health:January 9, 2020 I had two massive widow maker heart attacks while doing deadlifts: Rushed to the hospital and emergency open heart surgery. I lost from 215 pounds down to 150 and spent 30 days in ICU. They tell me only 6% of the people who have widow makers live, so the name. They also told me no one had ever survived 2 widow makers on the same day. Man do I feel lucky!

I started back training July of 2019 using Starting Strength. I can't do low bar squats though as my right shoulder is really a mess and no mobility in it. Then after the heart attacks I started again in August 2021. I did Starting Strength for about 3 more months then changed to my present 8x3 program and 5x3 when it gets really heavy for me. I don't count the sets until 315 and above.

Friday, January 13, 2023 workout.

Squats:
3@135
3@225
3@275
3@315
3@365
1@375
1@380
1@385
1@390

My next meet is May 20th and I hope to be setting some new state records but at my age you never can tell. For all the young guns saying age is just a state of mind, well, bull shit on that! It is a state of decay and it just gets harder to keep up. I will try until I pass away. Sit around on your ass and you will surely die!!! Good lifting to everyone.1E9FC065-DB48-497B-B1CB-DB5630927BA8.jpg

[Jerry R]

Saturday 14, 2023

My bench really sucks because my right shoulder really is a mess. I have been able to do bench just for about 4 months after another long round of rehab that has been going on for several years. Anyway, no excuses the results are what they are.

Bench
5@45
5@135
3@185
3@195
1@225
1@235

3x8@135

[lou tuch]

Name:Jerry

For all the young guns saying age is just a state of mind, well, bull shit on that!

Hi Jerry,
The reason young guns can say that is because they never been old. Although I get the mindset part, the physical obstacles that comes with a lifetime of training as well as other shit does present some challenges.

I'm 66 and competed for years in the USAP @ 74kg. My last comp was 2016. I am just getting back to training to compete although I have been training but without the focus of competing. I started my comp training about 4 weeks ago.
I am eyeing a meet in April if I am moving respectable weights.

May seem arrogant on my part but I won't compete unless I have a realistic chance of winning.

I've had my successes competing and loved every minute of being in a competition.

Look forward to watching your progress.

I had (2) stents @ 52 years old. So we have similar issues.

[Jerry R]

Hi Lou,

Thanks for chiming in. You get want I mean, anyone over 60 it is much harder to train and get strong than when you are 18, 28, 38 etc.

I am pretty arrogant about competing myself. I go in with the attitude no one can beat me in my age and weight class. I feel like I was kind of cheated out of my prime lifting days as I had to drive anywhere from 40-150 miles to go to work in construction and then most weeks we worked 6-7 days 10-16 hours. I stayed in shape and strong by being a structural Iron Worker. We had to climb the iron to get to work and my tool belt weighed anywhere from 40-70 pounds, just according to what I was working on and how many and what size bolts I needed.

Good luck in April.

My next meets are May 20 and September for the USAPL Raw Championship. I plan on winning my class and setting 1 or 2 records, the squat and maybe the total. Of course health and injuries can put a damper on that.

I am enjoying reading yours and the other logs.

[lou tuch]

Thanks for chiming in. You get want I mean, anyone over 60 it is much harder to train and get strong than when you are 18, 28, 38 etc..

Compound the age and reduction of T, slower metabolize and add the wear and tear does make it more challenging.

[Jerry R]

Compound the age and reduction of T, slower metabolize and add the wear and tear does make it more challenging.

Plus the fact I have 4 stents, a 3 way bypass, lifelong asthma, Bronchiectasis, COPD, kidney disease and kidney cancer, broken over 70 bones, 5 kinds of arthritis including gout, a worthless right shoulder I got from falling over 30 feet with 200 feet of welding cable on my shoulder at 54, and a very bad right meniscus. My fingers on both hands are twisting and turning from the arthritis and sometimes my fingers lock up on the bar. But it all goes away when I go to a real powerlifting gym and everyone tells me I am an inspiration to them. Makes me suck it up and go harder.

It is funny I just started doing squats to be able to sprint faster when bicycle racing. Now I am more of a powerlifter who rides a bicycle! If I do win at Nationals in September, then in September 2024 I will go to Battle Mountain, NV to try to break the over 70 years old record at the World Human Power Speed Challenge. The record for us old people is 48.79 mph by my buddy Richard Myers who is 85 now.
The Recumbent Bicycle and Human Powered Vehicle Information Center

[lou tuch]

Plus the fact I have 4 stents, a 3 way bypass, lifelong asthma, Bronchiectasis, COPD, kidney disease and kidney cancer, broken over 70 bones, 5 kinds of arthritis including gout, a worthless right shoulder I got from falling over 30 feet with 200 feet of welding cable on my shoulder at 54, and a very bad right meniscus. My fingers on both hands are twisting and turning from the arthritis and sometimes my fingers lock up on the bar. But it all goes away when I go to a real powerlifting gym and everyone tells me I am an inspiration to them. Makes me suck it up and go harder.

It is funny I just started doing squats to be able to sprint faster when bicycle racing. Now I am more of a powerlifter who rides a bicycle! If I do win at Nationals in September, then in September 2024 I will go to Battle Mountain, NV to try to break the over 70 years old record at the World Human Power Speed Challenge. The record for us old people is 48.79 mph by my buddy Richard Myers who is 85 now.
The Recumbent Bicycle and Human Powered Vehicle Information Center

awesome goals. Look forward to following your journey

I have a similar list of physical shit to overcome. I refuse to let it get in my way. I keep pushing forward.
the most challenging physical limitation is my left shoulder and left hand. I had (4) full thickness tears of the left rotator cuff. The surgery failed in that the reattachements all pulled out. So I have no left functioning rotator. Also years ago I had a complete bicep tendon tear at the insertion of the left elbow. The surgery caused nerve damage in the lower part of my left arm which has left me with paralysis of the left hand. It is basically a hook. I don't have any extension of the fingers and the left wrist and grip is weak as shit. I have no muscle on the top portion of the forearm due to atrophy.
I don't complain. I just to work around it by find lifts I can still do. But to be honest there are times when it gets frustrating.

[skid]

Interesting reading about yours and Lou's battle wounds. I'm just a young pup turning 60 this year but have my share of accumulated injuries. Nothing as bad as you guys though knock on wood! Currently working as a millwright which helps keeps me somewhat in shape

[Jerry R]

Hi Skid,
I worked a lot with Millwrights over the years.

Squats
5@135
3@225
3@315
1@365
1@385
1@400

400 was high. My meniscus was giving me a fit. It seems I can do my heavy sets a little high but nail it in a meet. I might have to get another shot of prednisone about 2-2 1/2 months out from the meet.

Deadlift
5@225
5@315
5@315
4@315
3@315

OHP
10@45
5@65
5@85
5@105

I can't believe I could do OHP.

[Jerry R]

Bench
5@45
5@135
4@185
4@175
5@165
8@145

Not very much weight but it is better than 4 months ago when I couldn't bench 135 because of my shoulder. I am hoping to have my bench to around 225-235 for the May meet and 250-260 by Nationals in September.