Originally Posted by
andyP
Thank you all for your help. Unfortunately the nearest SS coach is a 2h boat trip followed by a 2 h plane trip away and some waiting in between. Doable, but I am not gonna drag her along.
My conclusion so far is this:
Ideally she should train heavy deadlifts, but then she must perform the Valsalva maneuver. I read in the "The Barbell Prescription" that this is safe but I am not willing to bet her life on that. BTW I forgot to mention the important fact that she had an aneurism 3 years ago. Sorry about that.
I think the Starting Strength approach to weight training is the best for almost anyone, maybe except for my mother. It could have worked but then she would have needed continous very high quality coaching.
Actually as much as you will hate to hear this; I think Super-Slow training might work for her. It was designed for elderly women. It is safer since it uses machines. I understand that the quality of Super-Slow training is inferior to heavy barbell training. It is less functional since it uses machines and do no train fast twitch muscles which is what elderly need the most.
Anyway I think I will work with the physio and aim low. First we must find which muscles are very weak and strengthen these. The goal will be to maintain and to a small degree increase strength.