SS Radio #35: The Old Guy Episode

[Mark Rippetoe]

A small detail you mentioned caught my attention that I may have been overlooking as it regards to my lack of strength in the SQ/DL. You said at 5’8” you were 220-242 when competing. I’m the same height at 185; just gained 20# from 165 since getting back to training this June after debilitating back spasms —I still get them daily but they’re more manageable. Question is, at my height do I still need to put on another 20 or so lbs. to help these lifts along?

I said I was 220, not the 242 I should have been. I was in my early 30s. You didn't mention your age, and if you're in your 50s, you probably have no reason to be any heavier than about 200, especially since you're not doing the program anyway.

At about what age should we begin to reduce the training frequency from 3 days a week? Is it just once we see it getting difficult to make progress at the 3 days a week rate?

When it becomes necessary. This is what we call "highly individualized." Try the longer schedule and see.

Not sure how you feel about the mara-ja-wana, but for some people this helps with the whole woke up and can’t stop thinking about shit problem.

I don't like it, but if you do and it helps, fine with me.

[Matt James]

Really appreciate this episode, Rip. As a 42 y/o, pushing 43, I am busting my ass to get strong while it's still (relatively) easy. The sleep thing is pretty critical. I wasn't sleeping great for most of my NLP and I finally addressed that with otc sleep aids once I switched to intermediate programming. Consistent rest has made for far more consistent recovery and workouts going according to plan.

One question I have as it relates to minimum effective dose. How do you determine when to drop a set from the 5x5 volume work? When you're not able to recover prior to the next intensity day? For the record, things are working fine now. I just don't want to be "that guy" with angry joints and tendons in the next few years.

[Mark Rippetoe]

How do you determine when to drop a set from the 5x5 volume work? When you're not able to recover prior to the next intensity day? For the record, things are working fine now.

When it becomes necessary, you will know.

[Jonathon Sullivan]

Sully and Baker have both said in their book that while volume is the enemy of old guys, intensity is essential to maintain strength.

Just to be absolutely clear, what we said was that Masters are volume-sensitive and intensity-dependent. We NEVER, EVER said that "volume is the enemy of old guys," much as Certain People would like to imply that we did, and for the most cynical and mercenary of purposes. The word "enemy" appears exactly one time in BBRx (in a discussion of fat, as in: it is NOT the enemy).

Volume, as we have said repeatedly, is an important stressor, and it is our position that, as such, it is to be used in Masters, but with great care. Masters are more sensitive to volume because, as all intelligent people will be aware, they're more sensitive to anything, and in general they do not need or tolerate as much volume stress in a well-designed program.

Those fucking motherfuckers (and they know who they are) took a robust, rational, empirical coaching principle and deliberately and mendaciously distorted it for commercial purposes. May their tiny useless dicks shrivel and necrose and auto-amputate. May they perish in flames. Let them be a portion for foxes.

What that sweet spot is just might be discovered through incremental trial and error with not too much in either direction of too intense or too little volume.

Just so. That is a critical function of what we in the business call "coaching."

[Soule]

Those fucking motherfuckers (and they know who they are) took a robust, rational, empirical coaching principle and deliberately and mendaciously distorted it for commercial purposes. May their tiny useless dicks shrivel and necrose and auto-amputate. May they perish in flames. Let them be a portion for foxes.

This must be the best quote I’ve ever read from a doctor.

[BustedBack]

I’m 38 coach.

[Mark Rippetoe]

And benching more than you're squatting. Just do the program.

[BustedBack]

That’s weird...I didn’t even type Just do the program. Meant to say I’d love to be able to do the program as written. But the back is the limiting factor.

[BustedBack]

Roger that. I’ll give it another go and try to gain a bit more weight as well.