Elderly Thread of Awesome

[Meshuggah]

Definitely worth bragging about. Awesome Lifting RJP!

[Bill Anders]

I think this is worth bragging about.

Today I competed in the 2020 Phoenix Classic at Weights & Plates, Robert Santana's gym. I'm 59, 5'10", weighed out at 98.3kg (216lbs).

Set a 33 lb PR in squat with a final lift of 190kg/418lb. I uploaded to YouTube but the AC/DC playing in the background got it blocked. :-/

5 lb PR on the press @ 82kg/180.4lb. Forgot to video.

Just under 20 lb PR for deadlift with a pull of 236 kg/519 lb:

I'm gonna feel that deadlift tomorrow!

-RJP

-RJP

Well done, Rob! Seems like just over a year ago that you nailed that 500!

[Jr_Geezer]

Well done, Rob! Seems like just over a year ago that you nailed that 500!

Thanks, Bill.

Indeed, it was at last year's Phoenix Classic (Sept 2019) where I first hit the 500 lb mark. In both events it was Coach Santana's urging that got me to add a few more pounds to the bar. This year he wanted me to go a bit higher for my third squat attempt as well. If you watch the squat video, watch his face at the end. You can almost hear him say "I told him he could do more!". I really wish I had listened to him, because I certainly had a few more pounds in me.

[Jr_Geezer]

Definitely worth bragging about. Awesome Lifting RJP!

Thanks, shug. I know you're quite the deadlift aficionado (How are you and your sons' lifts going?), so that means a lot to me.

[Jr_Geezer]

Brag-worthy indeed. Especially considering your injury history. Well done!

Thanks, David.

Yeah, a couple times after a tear or a tweak I've promised myself that I'll never try to lift heavy again. But then I start to miss the feeling of that weight in the hands or on the back and I find myself plodding away again. I'm not sure what my next goal will be, as I don't think I can go much further than this. Santana says he thinks I have a 440-450 squat in me. I dunno. Would be an interesting way to mark my 60th next May. I'm kind of interested in entering a USAPL meet here in Arizona because the AZ Raw Masters 3A record in the -105kg class is only 346lb for the squat and 423.5 lbs for the deadlift (interestingly enough, both records are held by men named Robert, which is my name as well) and it might be fun to shatter those records. Nothing on their calendar for 2021 yet, though.

[Alexander Dargatz]

I think this is worth bragging about.

(...)
Set a 33 lb PR in squat
(...)
5 lb PR on the press
(...)
Just under 20 lb PR for deadlift

-RJP

That is awesome, congratulations!
Please tell me you've been lifting for years and that were not newbie gains!
How in hell did you manage a 33lb squat PR?! And 20lb deadlift?

[Jr_Geezer]

That is awesome, congratulations!
Please tell me you've been lifting for years and that were not newbie gains!
How in hell did you manage a 33lb squat PR?! And 20lb deadlift?

Thanks.

According to my log book, I started my SS journey on Nov 6, 2014, before that having no idea what to do in the gym. I weighed 185 lbs, squat was 260 lbs, bench 140 lbs, press 100 lbs and deadlift 270 lbs. I've been doing variations of the HLM programs outlined in Barbell Rx for the last three years or so. Interrupted now and then of course by life, injuries, and pandemics.

I don't know where the PR numbers came from, how exactly that works. Santana gave me some pointers on peaking for the meet, basically upping the intensity while reducing volume the month before. Must have worked. :-) But, yeah, that's why I didn't believe him when he suggested that I go higher for my third attempt, as I was going for 33 lbs above my best effort already. Didn't seem possible, especially as my second attempt (407 lbs) felt kind of heavy. I took his advice for the deadlift, though, and that worked out well.

[Bill Anders]

If you watch the squat video, watch his face at the end. You can almost hear him say "I told him he could do more!". I really wish I had listened to him, because I certainly had a few more pounds in me.

Priceless!

Well done. Now aim for those state records next year!

[Alexander Dargatz]

Thanks.

According to my log book, I started my SS journey on Nov 6, 2014, before that having no idea what to do in the gym. I weighed 185 lbs, squat was 260 lbs, bench 140 lbs, press 100 lbs and deadlift 270 lbs. I've been doing variations of the HLM programs outlined in Barbell Rx for the last three years or so. Interrupted now and then of course by life, injuries, and pandemics.

I don't know where the PR numbers came from, how exactly that works. Santana gave me some pointers on peaking for the meet, basically upping the intensity while reducing volume the month before. Must have worked. :-) But, yeah, that's why I didn't believe him when he suggested that I go higher for my third attempt, as I was going for 33 lbs above my best effort already. Didn't seem possible, especially as my second attempt (407 lbs) felt kind of heavy. I took his advice for the deadlift, though, and that worked out well.

Thank you for the reply. That's really motivational for me. I wish you injury-free training to crush the state records next year.

[BrooklynJerry]

Great to hear. Congratulations