What-a-ya-mean I'm not 38 anymore!?

[YoungOpa]

A funny thing happened about 30 years ago. It seems that about the time I reached the age of 38, the little guy inside my head liked it there -- so that's where he stayed, at 38. Last October, I realized that I've got to get this mind/body separation thing back together somehow, and that 38-year-old inside my head doesn't want to budge. I'm pretty sure it's got something to do with denial. I figured the next best alternative was to see what I could do to bring the "hardware" back into closer alignment with the "software". I don't remember how or why, but when I stumbled across the Starting Strength concept, I thought, "This is something I can do."

Nearly 68 at 5'11" and 192 pounds

Before I forget, I want to express my appreciation to my SS coach, Austin Baraki, MD, for taking the time to get me started on the right track, and for providing regular update sessions as my journey progresses.

10/31/15 -- Day 1: establishing a baseline under the coach's watchful eye…

Squat: 60 lbs
Press: 31 lbs
Deadlift: 85 lbs
Bench: 41 lbs

First snag already… left shoulder is going to be a problem, so the plan is to stick with the first three, skip bench pressing for now, and supplement upper body with lat pull-downs until the shoulder resolves.

I'm on my own at the local gym for the next few sessions with the emphasis on practicing correct form.

11/11/15 -- Progress assessment…

Squat: 3x5 @ 70
Press: 3x5 @ 46
Deadlift: 1x5 @ 115
(Squat is looking good; press and deadlift techniques get a tweak; time to get serious at the gym again.)

11/13/15 -- A somewhat rocky start…

Squat: 3x5 @ 80
Press: nada (arm position on the squat fires up that left shoulder) I did 4 sets of 10 lat pull-downs and called it a day.

11/15/15 -- Trying a different approach…

Press: 3x5 @ 45
Squat: 3x5 @ 85
Deadlift: 1x5 @ 115
(get the presses out of the way first; not pain-free, but better)

So, that's a preview of how the first couple of weeks went. Now the next task is to get my log up-to-date over the next few days, so bear with me while I get all my notes posted…

[peez]

Welcome, YoungOpa, from a not-so-YoungPapa! Looks like you are on the right track - and if I'm not mistaken, carson who keeps his log here is the same age as you - he has gotten impressively far and just keeps on going; hope you will, too!

[carson]

Welcome, YoungOpa. Keep on keeping on. I'm now 69 but who's counting. I'll follow along. It's the most satisfying thing I've done in years. My heart is young but my body seems almost as young.

[Farback]

Happy to see another Grandpa here. I'm just short of 60, and expecting grandkids 5 and 6 this summer.

[waistline warrior]

Welcome youngopa. Can't wait to be a grandpa.

[YoungOpa]

Thanks for all the good wishes... the encouragement is greatly appreciated.


Continuing on, weeks 3 through 6 went something like this…

11/17/15 -- Press: 3x5 @ 55 lbs; Squat: 3x5 @ 90 lbs; Deadlift: 1x5 @ 120 lbs; Lat pulls: 3x10 @ 90 lbs
(shoulder only bothers me on the press as the bar passes my nose in either direction, and when getting situated under the bar for squats)

11/19/15 -- Press: 3x5 @ 60 lbs; Squat: 3x5 @ 95 lbs; Deadlift: 1x5 @ 135 lbs; Lat pulls: 3x10 @ 95 lbs

11/22/15 -- Press: 3x5 @ 65 lbs; Squat: 3x5 @ 100 lbs; Deadlift: 1x5 @ 140 lbs; Lat pulls: 3x6 @ 105 lbs

11/25/15 -- Press: 3x5 @ 70 lbs; Squat: 3x5 @ 105 lbs; Deadlift: 1x5 @ 145 lbs; Lat pulls: 3x8 @ 105 lbs

11/27/15 -- Press: 3x5 @ 75 lbs; Squat: 3x5 @ 110 lbs; Deadlift: 1x5 @ 150 lbs; Lat pulls: 3x6 @ 110 lbs
(Shoulder really protests that part of the press where the bar passes my nose. I found myself cheating by preceding the start of each rep with a little knee bounce -- "push press" I think it's called… then "paying for it" as the bar passes my nose on the descent)

11/29/15 -- Press: 3x5 @ 65 lbs; Squat: 3x5 @ 115 lbs; Deadlift: 1x5 @ 155 lbs; Lat pulls: 3x6 @ 115 lbs
(Trying to keep working the shoulder, but reduce the intensity of the shoulder pain. Trouble is, even pressing just a broomstick handle makes me wince)

12/3/15 -- Press: 3x5 @ 65 lbs; Squat: 3x5 @ 120 lbs; Deadlift: 1x5 @ 160 lbs; Lat pulls: 3x5 @ 120 lbs
(Tried a little wider grip on the press, but… no)

12/6/15 -- Press: 3x5 @ 70 lbs; Squat: 3x5 @ 125 lbs; Deadlift: 1x5 @ 165 lbs; Lat pulls: 3x5 @ 125 lbs
(Determined to work through this. The press doesn't seem to have been making it worse, it's just that twinge through a specific narrow arc of motion)

12/8/15 -- Press: 3x5 @ 75 lbs; Squat: 3x5 @ 130 lbs; Deadlift: 1x5 @ 175 lbs; Lat pulls: 3x5 @ 130 lbs

12/10/15 -- Press: 4x5 @ 75 lbs; Squat: 3x5 @ 135 lbs; Deadlift: 1x5 @ 180 lbs; Lat pulls: 0.00!
(Feeling perky today… despite the shoulder twinge, I managed a volume increase in presses. Still feeling "strong" after the single deadlift set, thought I'd just rip off a second set with an additional 5 pounds while I was there. As I'm lowering the bar on the first rep, I inexplicably found myself pulling up on the bar -- as if to set it down more gently, I guess, I don't know. That's when I felt an uncomfortable "pull" beginning at the top, inner part of the bicep, and radiating down into my side… oops! I got complacent and wasn't paying attention to my form -- stupid. The discomfort subsided quickly -- not much apparent damage -- but I took it as a warning shot. Note to self: just stick with the plan.)

12/14/15 -- Press: 3x5 @ 80 lbs; Squat: 3x5 @ 140 lbs; Deadlift: 1x5 @ 160 lbs; Lat pulls: 3x8 @ 100 lbs
(Cautiously confirming that no great damage was done at the previous session)

12/17/15 -- Press: 3x5 @ 80 lbs; Squat: 3x5 @ 145 lbs; Deadlift: 1x5 @ 165 lbs
(I'm beginning to suspect the shoulder is a hinderance to my press progression)

[Austin Baraki]

Welcome! Glad to see you on here.

[YoungOpa]

Here we go with weeks 7 through 14…

12/20/15 -- Press: 3x5 @ 85 lbs; Squat: 3x5 @ 150 lbs; Deadlift: 1x5 @ 175 lbs; Lat pulls: 3x5 @ 120 lbs

12/22/15 -- Press: 3x5 @ 85* lbs; Squat: 3x5 @ 155 lbs; Deadlift: 1x5 @ 180 lbs; Lat pulls: 3x6 @ 120 lbs
(* could barely manage completing the first set of presses at 90 lbs, so I dropped back to 85 to save face)

12/24/15 -- Press: 3x5 @ 85 lbs; Squat: 3x5 @ 165 lbs; Deadlift: 1x5 @ 185 lbs; Lat pulls: 3x5 @ 120 lbs
(It's Christmas Eve, press is stuck at 85, and that pinch in the shoulder isn't the present I'm looking for)

12/27/15 -- Press: *3x5 @ 85 lbs; Squat: 3x5 @ 170 lbs; Deadlift: 1x5 @ 195 lbs; Lat pulls: 3x5 @ 125 lbs
(* Tried pressing 90 again, but only got 4 reps on the first set; dropped back to 85 for an honest 3x5. Time to hear what the coach has to say about this 'cause I'm out of ideas. Coach says, try 5 sets of 3 next time.)

12/30/15 -- Press: 5x3 @ 90 lbs; Squat: 3x5 @ 175* lbs; Deadlift: 1x5 @ 205 lbs; Lat pulls: 3x5 @ 130 lbs
(Tried to squat 180, but got wobbly on the 3rd rep, so I dropped back to 175 for 3 sets of 5. Shoulder still protests on the presses, but got the volume with the switch to 5 sets of 3.)

1/1/16 -- Press: 5x3 @ 95 lbs; Squat: 3x5 @ 175 lbs; Deadlift: 1x5 @ 210 lbs; Lat pulls: 3x5 @ 135 lbs

1/4/16 -- Press: 3x5 @ 90 lbs; Squat: 3x5 @ 180 lbs; Deadlift: 1x5 @ 205 lbs
(Not quite feeling with it today -- it's that cold and flu season)

1/7/16 -- Press: 3x5 @ 90 lbs; Squat: 3x5 @ 170 lbs; Deadlift: 1x5 @ 195 lbs; Lat pulls: 3x10 @ 75 lbs
(Still a little under the weather, squat is wobbly, and I felt a little upper arm muscle pull again with last session's deadlift -- no time for heroics)

1/10/16 -- Press: 3x5 @ 90 lbs; Squat: 3x5 @ 155 lbs; Deadlift: 1x5 @ 200 lbs; Lat pulls: 3x8 @ 120 lbs
(Gotta fix my shaky squat form, get good depth and come out of the hole strong before adding more weight)

1/13/16 -- Press: 5x3 @ 95 lbs; Squat: 3x5 @ 160 lbs; Deadlift: 1x5 @ 205 lbs

1/15/16 -- Press: 3x5 @ 95 lbs; Squat: 3x5 @ 165 lbs; Deadlift: 1x5 @ 210 lbs
(Cautiously confirming that no great damage was done at the previous session)

1/17/16 -- Form check with the coach today, but the left shoulder is still hindering press progress
Press: 3x5 @ 90 lbs; Squat: 3x5 @ 170 lbs; Deadlift: 1x5 @ 215 lbs

1/21/16 -- Press: 3x5 @ 90 lbs; Squat: 3x5 @ 175 lbs; Deadlift: 1x5 @ 220 lbs

1/25/16 -- Press: 3x5 @ 90 lbs; Squat: 3x5 @ 180 lbs; Deadlift: 1x5 @ 225 lbs

1/28/16 -- Press: 3x5 @ 95 lbs; Squat: 3x5 @ 180 lbs; Deadlift: 1x5 @ 225 lbs

1/31/16 -- Press: 3x5 @ 90 lbs; Squat: 3x5 @ 185 lbs; Deadlift: 1x5 @ 230 lbs

2/3/16 -- Press: 3x5 @ 70 lbs; Squat: 3x5 @ 185 lbs; Deadlift: 1x5 @ 230 lbs
(Shoulder was evaluated this morning and my family practice doc is thinking impingement syndrome, but I'm not so sure. I'm not a doctor, but I had impingement in the other shoulder last year and the pain characteristics are different. I tried to press this afternoon anyway, but couldn't even finish the press warm-ups; today's a bummer. Can't really say the shoulder pain under load is getting any worse, it just hasn't gotten better like we expected it to in the first three months.)

2/4/16 -- Started physical therapy today (he's thinking impingement, too, but is surprised that I'm having little difficulty starting rows and seated presses at 100 pounds for 3 sets of 10).

2/8/16 -- Press: not even gonna try; Squat: 3x5 @ 190 lbs; 1x5 @ 235 lbs; Lat pulls: 3x5 @ 120 lbs
(Woo-hoo! Squatted my body weight.)

2/11/16 -- Squat: 3x5 @ 195 lbs; 1x5 @ 240 lbs; Lat pulls: 3x8 @ 120 lbs

2/23/16 -- Three weeks into physical therapy now and the shoulder seems no better or no worse. I brought a copy of the "Diagnosing Silly Bullshit" article by Austin Baraki (found it under the Article Resources).

2/26/16 -- Three days ago the physical therapist was still talking impingement syndrome, today he suspects it's arthritis. We both agreed that we're not getting anywhere.

3/1/16 -- Back at the gym after almost three weeks hiatus. Drop back a couple notches and go from there...
Squat: 3x5 @ 120 lbs; 1x5 @ 190 lbs; Lat pulls: 3x8 @ 100 lbs

3/2/16 -- Shoulder X-ray shows nothing unusual; no apparent bone spur. Will try a different physical therapist next week who did a good job on my knee rehab a year ago. We'll see if he is as good on shoulders.

3/3/16 -- Press: 3x5 @ 60 lbs; Squat: 3x5 @ 130 lbs; Deadlift: 1x5 @ 200 lbs; Lat pulls: 3x5 @ 120 lbs


So there is my first four months with Starting Strength, and now that my backlog is caught up, I can start posting in something closer to real time...

[YoungOpa]

I don't know if this shoulder problem is impingement, but there is a definite range of motion issue going on. On the press, especially when I'm bringing the bar down from lock-out, I can see my left elbow wanting to track out to the left as I go through the area where I feel a "catch" in the shoulder. Holding the squat bar is marginally painful at the low-bar position. When I push my elbows back, my left wrist will come forward, so the bar is no longer on the heel of my left hand. Like in figure 2-20 on page 25 of SSBBT, my right arm and wrist are positioned as in the photo on the right, and my left wrist is like the photo on the left.

[YoungOpa]

Today's worksets... (performed after warm-up recommendations outlined in the SS app)

Press: 3x5 @ 70 lbs

Squat: 3x5 @ 150 lbs

D/L: 1x5 @ 205 lbs

Lat PD: 3x5 @ 135 lbs

I'm starting with a different physical therapist tomorrow to see if he has any better luck fixing the shoulder "catch" that's hindering my press progression.