Hip replacement and bad shoulders

[ascb]

Sorry if you've been asked this a million times. My dad is 60 and out of shape, probably 50lbs overweight. Used to be into endurance sports(cycling) but wants to take up strength training. However, he had his hip replaced 3 years ago and had both rotator cuffs repaired 4 times and they were unable to reattach his left biceps tendon this last time. Ortho said if he tears either cuff again he will not have enough tendon left to repair it. What would you have him do if he came into your facility and wanted to train? He realizes nothing is without risk but all his pt told him to do for exercise was walk. My thought was start really light and maybe use a safety squat bar for squats and a Swiss bar for pressing but I really don't know. Thanks for your help.

[Mark Rippetoe]

How does he keep tearing his cuff tendons?

[ascb]

How does he keep tearing his cuff tendons?

Initial tear was caused by a fall...slipped on ice and tore both. Tore his right one again mountain biking. Tore the left one again on his motorcycle(lady backed into him in a parking lot). The other two tears didn't have a specific injury...just developed chronic shoulder pain(he does a ton of home renovation so he's working overhead a lot and carrying tile and tools around)and some weakness and the MRI showed retears.

[Mark Rippetoe]

He might need to use a swiss bar for the bench, but he can't for the press. I'd have him press and deadlift to start off, and then see what developed later.

[idlehands]

Not sure how his depth is these days but my pops is 69 , still squats about 200, benches similar and just last week pulled 295. He's replaced both hips and shoulders. Not sure what the shoulder surgery was but I know it's a fairly new type of replacement as he was waiting for it to be an approved surgery. Good luck.

[David Kirkham]

Follow Rip's advice. Start off light and go from there. I had a major heart attack 2 1/2 months ago and followed Rip's and Jordan's advice to start back at ZERO. Staring at an empty bar is a big speed bump in life--but I left my ego at the door and got back under the empty bar. But this time I got my three sons to join me--I didn't dare lift alone.

I pulled 275 last night. Squatted 215 and pressed 138. I'm still way off my PR's--but consider this, the doc told me to quit lifting! I can't imagine a life without the mental battle that goes on when you step under the bar. I have six doctor friends who told me to get a new cardiologist.

Ps. I just got back from the gym and played 5 games of racquetball with my 17 year old twins. I won 4 out of 5. I believe the bar is more powerful than Harry Potter's wand.