Appropriateness of the barbell prescription

[Theseahawk]

Hello. My Dad turns 59 on Christmas day, which means I have to go through the usual tedium of buying two gifts for him. I am interested in getting him the barbell prescription book, but want to know if this will be appropriate for him as despite being "old", he doesn't seem to be slowing down that much.

Some background on him:

He has always been freakishly strong, having started weight training when he was 21 and continued to do ever since. He has always been a bit of a body part split kind of guy, using 8-12 reps and various bodybuilding techniques; despite doing everything "wrong" for strength training, he won several powerlifting competitions when he was younger, often totaling more that the winner of the next higher body weight division. If anyone is familiar with the old Command Field Gun completion of the Royal Tournament, that was stopped in 1999, he was the "heavy end" for Devonport command when he was in his mid 30s. He shattered his ankle when an error by a team mate meant the cannon fell on him, and this is the only thing he has had trouble with, occasionally- I think it is arthritic.

I'm not sure what is current lifts are, but my sister says she put his current numbers in this cool little strength index thing (Strength Index – Strongur), and he scored 80. I only scored 66. I remember my Dad, always being between 230 and 265 lbs (he is 5 foot 9.5) and measuring his arm circumference (in front of a mirror, the vain bugger) at 19 inches. At 59, he is still about 230 lbs and I swear his arms look bigger than mine (I'm 235 lb, 5 foot 11 and have 17.5 inch arms). I tried to fight him about 5 years ago after a fall out, and he, well, he just threw me across the other side of the pub). I know I've had to work very hard to get as strong as him, using the advice in SS and PP, only just recently matching his personal bests from when he was younger.

So anyway, sorry for so much details, I just wanted to describe him with relevant details so that people here could perhaps tell me if he will get anything out of this book. Maybe there is someone here who is similar to my Dad and has read the book?

Thanks,

Theseahawk

[Charlocity2]

Every lifter over 40 can get something out of the book. I'm 55, going on 56. It's a reference that I find myself going back to often.

[johnnys]

Maybe there is someone here who is similar to my Dad and has read the book?

I’m 54 and my score is in the 80s, if that helps compare. The best thing the book will do is help your dad understand why the old ways aren’t working so great anymore. It may be harder for him to see that than someone who started an LP doing 5s, but I imagine he’d get it.

[Paulbfast]

Strength index - fun to see. Mine is 77. Not because of the weight but I am sure because of my age.

[Theseahawk]

Every lifter over 40 can get something out of the book. I'm 55, going on 56. It's a reference that I find myself going back to often.

Thanks. If I get the book and he doesn't like it, I'll keep hold of it for me in just 5 years time- scary to think that in that short amount of time I'm going to have to start considering age related adjustments to my training. Although, I remember doing circuit training next to my old man when we both ended up on Naval career courses at the same place at the same time and embarrassingly were in the same compulsory phys classes; I was 21 and him 45 and he left me for dust. I was only 150 lb body weight then and assumed that because I was "fit" in terms of how good a middle to long distance runner I was I would out perform him in military style circuit training. I was very wrong, even his sprints at the "overload" after the circuits were faster. So you never know, my 40s might be okay.

[Theseahawk]

I’m 54 and my score is in the 80s, if that helps compare. The best thing the book will do is help your dad understand why the old ways aren’t working so great anymore. It may be harder for him to see that than someone who started an LP doing 5s, but I imagine he’d get it.

Thanks, yes this helps. I will get him the book and tell him how good structured training using 5s worked for me who didn't inherit his easy gain genetics and suggest that they might be appropriate for him now. I wonder how strong he would have once been if he had trained like I do now. Then again I wonder how strong I could have been now if I had trained like I do now from the start. Maybe the next generation can get it right- my 10 year old daughter might be baffled if I get her SS though!

[Theseahawk]

Yeah its quite cool. My friends and I have used it for a couple "fun" (but in actuality very serious) unsanctioned powerlifting meet. It was one open division which included males and females of all ages whose totals were then adjusted using the strength index to removing sex and age related biases, allowing everyone to be placed against each other. My sister couldn't convince my Dad to compete, though, even though the score of 80 she got for him would have had him place 1st- he said the same thing- that it was because of his age and says the 35 year old version of him wouldn't have lifted as much as some of the current 35 year olds, so he consider placing higher than them because of his age adjusted score would be hollow victory. I don't think that though, I think it just shows who has put consistent effort at any age and the higher place reflect who essentially put the most in.

[Dillon Spencer]

Thanks. If I get the book and he doesn't like it, I'll keep hold of it for me in just 5 years time- scary to think that in that short amount of time I'm going to have to start considering age related adjustments to my training. Although, I remember doing circuit training next to my old man when we both ended up on Naval career courses at the same place at the same time and embarrassingly were in the same compulsory phys classes; I was 21 and him 45 and he left me for dust. I was only 150 lb body weight then and assumed that because I was "fit" in terms of how good a middle to long distance runner I was I would out perform him in military style circuit training. I was very wrong, even his sprints at the "overload" after the circuits were faster. So you never know, my 40s might be okay.

I'm only 32, but bought the book both for my own reference and to help convince my dad to start barbell training. In reading through it, there are some intermediate programming ideas I could see myself implementing even now. Highly recommend!

[Jonathon Sullivan]

Abstain. Conflict of interest.

[Theseahawk]

Abstain. Conflict of interest.

No, I don't think it is, as I will be buying your book anyway as I'm convinced it will be valuable information irrespective of whether I give it to my Dad, or put it next to my SS and PP books on the shelf; I just wanted to know if someone like my Dad would be included in the target audience as he has trained throughout his adult life and still does.

From the comments above, it looks like there would be some relevant information for him and it might be worth while him adapting his training if he's going to stay on top of his game- I think the hardest bit will be convincing that his tried and tested methods (on him and a handful of other hard bastards that could handle being his training partner) might be better replaced with something that is tried and tested to work on the majority, whose hormone profiles he himself more than likely has now.

I'm actually thinking of getting a copy to my mother now as she has my sister's power rack, Olympic bar and plates in her garage. I've tried to convince her to get involved; she is 55 and a very lively character, always partying, but I can't convince her to begin a strength programme. She stumbled (drunk) on a curb in Benidorm and injured her knee and has some rehab to follow, although I think she doesn't bother with it. She uses it as an excuse for not being able to complete a squat all the way down and so won't start training. However, when she showed me her range of motion, I think it was how feeble her leg strength has become that stopped her completing it to depth. So I think the book may be much more appropriate for my Mam.