Starr Protocol for the Elderly

[Joe Fogler]

Friday night I hurt my left adductor during the third rep of my last set of squats. Today (Sunday) there is lots of swelling, some bruising and soreness. I iced the muscle but probably not often enough, took anti-inflammatory's (ibuprofen, anti-inflammatory supplements and ibuprofen). I did not wrap my thigh until Saturday night. I plan on starting the Starr Protocol on Tuesday or Wednesday although the thought of 25 rep squat sets does not sound enticing.

Age 51
weight 220
max squat 275x5.

Have any other 'mature' lifters used the Starr Protocol? If so, would you recommend any changes to the protocol because of 'age adjusted recovery' issues? My primary objective is a full recovery, a fast recovery would be nice but not necessary.

[Oldman]

I have done the Starr protocol three times, each time for groin/adductor pulls that happened while squatting. I'm 54 years old, and weigh 215 at 5'8" (on a good day). I did not really change anything about the protocol, but was mostly only able to do the lifts on my regular 3x/week schedule. Also, I kept doing the other lifts that were unaffected by the injury. So, I would squat using the Starr approach, then do my BP, OHP, or DL as normal. I am just now getting near my squat PR from my last adductor injury. This time around, I have also narrowed my stance a little bit, as a preventative.

[Joe Fogler]

Thanks for the response. I guess if you were able to maintain your other lifts, recovery should not be an issue.

I have been using a narrow stance because my hip flexors have been sore. I dedicated a couple of workout to TUBOW and was able to widen my stance a bit. I guess I will go back to the narrow stance.

[pkelly54]

I have done the Starr protocol twice. Once for a torn quad, and once for a torn up shoulder. For the quad I waited one week to let the swelling go down and started with the bar only doing 25 reps. For the shoulder, at first, I could not bench with the bar only. I check with a doc to make sure it was not tendons. It took about a month to bench with the bar only. I did the Starr protocol working up slowly. I think the small muscles may take longer. I am about 90 percent. And making progress. I am 61. Good luck with your recovery.

[Oldman]

Thanks for the response. I guess if you were able to maintain your other lifts, recovery should not be an issue.

I have been using a narrow stance because my hip flexors have been sore. I dedicated a couple of workout to TUBOW and was able to widen my stance a bit. I guess I will go back to the narrow stance.

One of the times, the injury was bad enough that I could not do my deadlifts, at least not for several weeks. That time, I just stuck with the presses and the bench. Then, as the adductors healed, I started back at the DLs. The 25 rep sets are grueling, especially as the weight goes up. I will say that they also toughen you up, mentally and physically. I can't imagine how some guys do 20 rep sets at high weights.

The narrow stance has helped my squat, I think, but now that I am at higher weights it is a bit tougher: I have to focus on both keeping my knees out and driving my ass up out of the hole. I am also doing front squats on my recovery day, which I think is strengthening my adductors (and quads).

[Joe Fogler]

I am dreading sets of 25. I like sets of 5. I was using 5/3/1 and really did not like the sets of 10 for assistance and high rep AMRAP. I was planning to return to TM at the end of the current cycle.

There are several lifters in this forum that have put up some huge weights at high reps. They get my utmost respect.

[Joe Fogler]

I completed day 3. I am increasing by 5 lbs instead of the 10 lbs described on the wiki. The early reps on the first set are the worst, I need at least 5 reps to get to the bottom of my squat. My adductor feels much better afterward (although it looks pretty ugly, the bruise extends below my knee).

[Oldman]

I completed day 3. I am increasing by 5 lbs instead of the 10 lbs described on the wiki. The early reps on the first set are the worst, I need at least 5 reps to get to the bottom of my squat. My adductor feels much better afterward (although it looks pretty ugly, the bruise extends below my knee).

This was exactly how I did it, with 5 lbs jumps. I kept it going a long time for 3 sets of 25, and then as the weight got heavier I started to reduce the reps as the protocol calls for. Each time I went through it, I got a little stronger, a little tougher, and was able to push through and past my squat PR (until my next groin pull, that is).

[Marlin]

I completed day 3. I am increasing by 5 lbs instead of the 10 lbs described on the wiki. The early reps on the first set are the worst, I need at least 5 reps to get to the bottom of my squat. My adductor feels much better afterward (although it looks pretty ugly, the bruise extends below my knee).

Good job. Just stay with it. In two or three weeks, you will be doing sets of 25 which you did not think possible. This will also help you later when you move to intermediate training and heavy rep-outs. You will be surprised how many reps you have left in you when your brain is telling you that you are finished.

[Joe Fogler]

Thanks for the input and encouragement.

Marlin - how long did only squat before adding the other lifts?