Reply With QuoteWelcome out of the shadows. Great name, by the way.
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New geezer, longtime lurker
I heard about SS reading an article called "Everything You Think You Know About Fitness Is Wrong" in Men's Health.
I've been an on-and-off cardio guy for a long time. For a longer time, I have not been very athletic, and have from boyhood struggled with my weight. I've gone through periods where I was fit - I ran a half-marathon when I was 48 - but even then, I just could not get down in weight.
Plus - I don't like to run. I'm slow. And I always feel like I've been beaten up after I get back. For years I scoffed at the "runner's high" - I had black toes, sore back, sore knees, just ... I lost a little weight, but it was chronic pain.
I finally have reached the conclusion that my body type is just not built for speed. I look the drawings from the old Justice League of America comics from the early 60s drawn by Mike Sekowsky: GIGANTIC chest, skinny arms, skinny legs. Like this:
... except not, you know. Muscular.
So I read the article and bought the book and started SS at age 52, and promptly overdid it.
I did pretty well for a while, but then took a hiatus for about six months - my job moves me around from time to time, and so we went through the move from where I started SS (Japan) to where I am now (Kuwait). As the new year came in, I resolved to get back on it.
One thing that's been really shocking to me is that it's true: If you lifted before, those pathways don't go away too quickly. I've been amazed at how quickly I've been able to get back up towards the numbers I had in Japan, without really doing anything special other than increasing the load every time I go to the gym.
I've also decided that for me, it's good to be a little conservative, and to not get aggressive. To really try to pay attention to technique, which I don't think I did as much earlier. That too has paid dividends.
Lastly, I'm going twice a week, and that seems to be working well for me with recovery. My job gets kind-of intense sometimes, so it's a good balance for me now,. again taking it a little conservatively.
So my numbers so far (I know they're nothing to write home about, but you gotta start someplace):
Age: 53
Weight: 234
Waist size: dropped an inch in the past eight weeks, and my suit jackets are loose across the midriff now.
February 7:
Sq: 95
OH: 65
BP: 65
DL: 115
March 14 (today):
SQ: 195
OH: 95
BP: 85
DL: 225
Lat Pulls: 85 (2x5, 1x10)
I have one simple goal: to do one pull-up. I've never been able to do one in my entire life. That's why the lat pulls - gotta work on the arms. They're weak.
Anyhow. So hello. Thanks for all the tips and chat since I started looking into this.
✓ Member
Welcome out of the shadows. Great name, by the way.
Member
Welcome. What is your height? I notice that your OHP numbers are greater than your bench. I've never run across that before. It probably doesn't mean anything. Good progress. Keep it up.
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Welcome to Geezerville, land of Strong Old Guys and Gals.
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Second that.Originally Posted by Bill Quick
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Welcome!
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And pretenders like me. Regardless, have a lot of committed people here - hope u find community helpful and encouraging.
Member
I'm 5'11. I was 6' before I was bald.
I actually could probably do more on the BP. And my OP technique is kind-of sucking right now. I'm not shoving forward strongly enough and am sort-of struggling to get stuff up there. Moment arms. I'm not moving forward until I can do all three sets with good form. And I think that's OK - stability and technique > week to week weight.
The name ... that's the name of my old power trio.
Thanks, all, for the welcome. Glad to be here.
Member
Wellcome, hope you stay with us, I can identify with that never ending fight to lose weight with running, since I started Strenght (2013) I never run. I dont lose weight but Im getting really strong, and I like it, hope you like it to.
Member
Welcome to the forum!
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