My Dad

[Jeff Munn]

Not sure if this is the right place to post this. My apologies if it isn't.

My dad is 72 years old. He has a history of being active and ran a marathon at around 50 years old, but has not done so much as a push-up in the last 20 years. He commented to me a few days ago that he notices he's getting weaker. He can't do a pull-up and maxes out at 7 push-ups. I told him about SS and how it's ideal for someone in his situation. He responded by telling me, "but isn't it better to be fit than to just get big?" I didn't even know where to start. He also told me he might get a bench, but would just bench press around 50lbs and "stay there" so he could "build endurance."

I've invited him to come to the gym with me this Monday, and he seems up for it. I'm going to give him my spiel and expose him to the lifts with an empty bar. I'm hoping he gets into it.

I can't get the guy to read an article, let alone the book. I might be able to get him to watch a few YouTube videos of Rippetoe working his magic, but other than that, I'm at a loss for how to express to him how important this is. I know he's a stubborn guy who is going to do what he's going to do, but if anyone here can offer any advice about how to help someone in their later years catch the barbell bug, I would greatly appreciate it.

Many thanks!

[Jonathon Sullivan]

Get him under the bar, be careful, go out of your way to be encouraging and make it enjoyable, start a 2-day LP with conservative jumps, and let him have the experience if he's willing.

We think the book is valuable (or we wouldn't have written it). But at the end of the day, people have to see. They have to be shown, not told.

And then he'll either catch the bug or he wont. A proverb about equines invited to partake of hydrogen hydroxide springs to mind.

Hope it takes. Fingers crossed for you both.

[Bill Puckett]

I wish you luck. I am 72 and have been lifting for about a year. For me the experience is/was transformative. I love the physical, emotional and mental benefits. I had pooh-poohed lifting as "not for me" for most of my life. Background as a runner, backpacker, cyclist. FWIW, if I have to choose today, I would go with lifting. Yes, it's that important. So...if it will help...tell your dad from another 72 year old to give the program a try for a few weeks before saying "not for me".

[Jeff Munn]

A proverb about equines invited to partake of hydrogen hydroxide springs to mind.

Hope it takes. Fingers crossed for you both.

Ah yes, the old "You can lead a horse to barbells, but you can't make him squat."

Thank you for the advice. I'm really trying to take the "attraction rather than promotion" approach. I also don't want it to feel like he's doing MY barbell thing. I want him to get excited and make it his own personal journey, not some thing his annoying son made him do. I know I have precisely .0001% control over whether he gets into it, so I'm doing what I can and letting go of the results.

I wish you luck. I am 72 and have been lifting for about a year. For me the experience is/was transformative. I love the physical, emotional and mental benefits. I had pooh-poohed lifting as "not for me" for most of my life. Background as a runner, backpacker, cyclist. FWIW, if I have to choose today, I would go with lifting. Yes, it's that important. So...if it will help...tell your dad from another 72 year old to give the program a try for a few weeks before saying "not for me".

In response to your "FWIW," it's worth A LOT to hear from anyone in your age range doing this program. Over the decades that I've been in and out of the gym, I've seen MAYBE one person my father's age doing barbell lifts. It's like they don't exist. Guys like you are one in a million, so if I can share your experience with him, I consider that golden. Many thanks!

[Cheesepuff]

Get him under the bar, be careful, go out of your way to be encouraging and make it enjoyable, start a 2-day LP with conservative jumps, and let him have the experience if he's willing.

We think the book is valuable (or we wouldn't have written it). But at the end of the day, people have to see. They have to be shown, not told.

And then he'll either catch the bug or he wont. A proverb about equines invited to partake of hydrogen hydroxide springs to mind.

Hope it takes. Fingers crossed for you both.

Yes this!!!

I'm 63 but was "living older" due to injuries. This has been a miracle for me.

Horses can be damn stubborn but do get thirsty. He may well be shocked by the notion of "increasing weight every time". That was my experience with someone of the same age as your dad.

Best of luck!

[Jeff Munn]

Glad it's been so great for you. I have yet to meet someone who has done this program (correctly) say it didn't help them immensely.

I'm planning to start very slow with him. He's currently stuck at 7 push ups. We'll be starting with an empty bar for technique. If he feels good enough to put some weight on, I'll go slow. For deadlifts we'll obviously need something, but luckily my gym has light bumper plates.

[Culican]

Go very slow at first. A few years ago an acquaintance of mine, who was 72 at the time, asked me to show him how to lift. I had him do three sets of five of squats and presses, both with the empty bar. He had no trouble doing these but the next day he told me that he was very sore. Then he said he decided it was not for him due to the soreness. I tried to explain that the soreness would not happen after he became used to the exercises, but to no avail.

[c17guy]

Best of luck in your endeavor. I was in the middle of The Barbell Rx when I talked my dad into going to the gym. He's very active for 70 but hasn't ever really trained. Has limited shoulder mobility from a reverse shoulder replacement last year so I wasn't able to figure out a way for him to press but his squats and deadlifts looked pretty good figured this was better than nothing. Set him up with the app, explained the process then traveled home. (I live many states away) He started going with a two day break between lifts and found he really liked it. Squats and presses were climbing steadily into the mid 100s.

Then about a month in he went to see his shoulder surgeon. I think the world of the surgeon. My dad and the surgeon's father have been friends since the 60s. The Dr was a high school state wrestling champion and looks like he would still win. I thought for sure he would pat my dad on the back and ask for a call when he broke two hundred pounds. Nope...got agitated when he found out what dad was up to. Told him he shouldn't lift any more than 125 lbs! Nevermind the fact that his DL was at 160 with zero pain. When I heard this on a later visit I said "he's wrong" and got the standard well he "is" a doctor. Dad called him and I got him to agree that the 125 was a made up number, the surgical hardware didn't support the weight the musculature did and that if dad used good form with no pain it would probably be ok "but don't go crazy and lift 250". Another made up number! Anyway, I think the damage is done. Dad still goes in but is essentially lifting in place and is super conservative adding weight to the bar. It burns me up, my dad had momentum to making a real difference over the next 15-20 years and now I don't know if I'll ever get that ball rolling again.

Keep your dad away from the experts.

[c17guy]

Sorry, squats and Deadlifts into the mid 100's. Don't know how to edit.

[Jeff Munn]

Keep your dad away from the experts.

I can't help but wonder how often these "experts" discourage others from making progress because they're embarrassed that they're weaker than a 72-year-old.