Age Adjusted Standards

[ChuckBell]

Another thread is going on right now "Is there a point where enough is enough." It got me thinking about my fellow Geezers (not you youngsters or wannabe's either). Do any of you use Kilgore's Strength Standards as a reliable gauge?

I've looked at them from time to time. If you've read my Geezer Gas post, you know I haven't been lifting all that long, little over a year. And I've only been on SS for about 6 months (though now TM due to recovery problems). Anyway, at 60 yrs. old, 220 lbs., I show up as between Advanced and Elite in all but the PC. I can tell you, I don't feel advanced or elite, esp. reading some of your log entries.

So what do you others think of these Strength Standards? Useful or ignore altogether?

[Carlos Daniel]

I know a female senior powerlifter than blows those standards out of the water. Like BOOM, she beyond elite on pretty much all the lifts. She probably one of the strongest women in Brazil, she can bench 230 raw at the ripe age of 47 weighting what must be around 170-180 lbs tops. I've seen her squat 140kg, raw if I'm not mistaken.

So, you geezers have your work cut out for you.

[ChuckBell]

I know a female senior powerlifter than blows those standards out of the water. Like BOOM, she beyond elite on pretty much all the lifts. She probably one of the strongest women in Brazil, she can bench 230 raw at the ripe age of 47 weighting what must be around 170-180 lbs tops. I've seen her squat 140kg, raw if I'm not mistaken.

So, you geezers have your work cut out for you.

Get the Hell off my lawn Carlos!! ;-) Yes, I know there are a number of people on this list who blow those standards out of the water, let alone in the wider world. That's partly why I'm asking about them: useful or ignore?

[Carlos Daniel]

Get the Hell off my lawn Carlos!! ;-) Yes, I know there are a number of people on this list who blow those standards out of the water, let alone in the wider world. That's partly why I'm asking about them: useful or ignore?

I don't know, I'm 23. I just like messing with your coronaries.

The elite standards at least in the Open age category, are pretty daunting. The advanced are pretty much achievable.

[ChuckBell]

I guess what I'm thinking is that if I'm at Advanced and Elite in the Age Adjusted categories, then they can't be worth much. As you say, the Open age categories are challenging. I'm at or near Intermediate on those (except for PC).

[Mike Mantzouris]

I am 43 and been on a novice barbell progression for about 4.5 months. I am starting to stall solidly into the Intermediate phase for my age and weight. I am also starting to have recovery problems so I would say it's about right for me. The charts are maybe slightly on the low side but not much. For me.

[skipbeat]

Check out Oldster's log here. He's a geezer and he's strong as hell. (I think he front squatted 405?)

[Mark E. Hurling]

Get the Hell off my lawn Carlos!! ;-) Yes, I know there are a number of people on this list who blow those standards out of the water, let alone in the wider world. That's partly why I'm asking about them: useful or ignore?

Carlos delights in pulling the whiskers of his elders. I think he has daddy issues. To answer your question though Chuck, I've looked up raw and drug tested powerlifters in our age group. The numbers Kilgore puts up are good entry level thresholds and would take 1st in several meets I've seen. Keep in mind that he based them on unequipped PL'ers in the 60's with age adjustments. In addition, before I got here I followed the lifting principles of a guy named McRobert who is pretty close to what Rip recommends but with a few significant departures. One of his contributors named Dave Maurice had a standards chart (also age adjusted) that tracks very closely with Kilgore's. No surprise there, because he also used unequipped PL'ers as his research base.

So all in all, despite some really notable statistical outliers like Oldster, I think his charts are a good standard. Especially when you look at the rest of the population our age.

[Kyle Schuant]

useful or ignore?

Ignore. Unless you're entering lifting competitions, use yourself as the standard.

For example, four of my women clients have this week squatted 32.5kg, 45kg, 67.5kg and 72.5kg respectively. Which one is good? They're all good, because they're all lifting more than they did before. Progress is what's important. Progress is my standard.

[ChuckBell]

Thanks Mark. I was looking for your response and glad to have the confirmation via McRobert's work. Well then, that's encouraging. I shot off an email to Dr. Kilgore about this and got the following reply:

"The standards are fairly well supported by the literature and published lifting results. The age corrections are obtained using coefficients of correction published in the scientific literature. There are always exceptions to rules but if you are exceeding the advanced levels you are doing quite well."