Where is the inflection point for risk/benefit of more weight on the bar?

[Amy-in-PHX]

I always thought life was tough. But it just gets tougher, so you either lay down and die or get tougher yourself and take it back up to the line for another round.
Time will always win, but there's nothing to be gained in going down easy.

Pete

"Old age ain't no place for sissies." -- Bette Davis
Bette Davis Quotes (Author of This 'n That)

[Masher]

As contemplate a big reset following 2x inguinal hernia repair, I don’t know how to think about my goals, and what do do when I hit them. I had an ambitious 2018 masterplan, which went to crap within the first two weeks of January due to a major injury, and am trying to wrap my head around the ramifications.

I totally get the mindset that you should always be moving forward, and that once you stop putting more weight on the bar you’ve given up. And I’ve had that mindset myself.

But realistically, as a 52 year old guy (5’11”, 215#) do I really need to squat more than 405? And if I keep adding the weight, isn’t there some theoretical inflection point where the risk of injury (and therefore a setback) outweighs the additional strength I could gain should everything go well?

Hey BPJ, I feel you. I've been nothing but injured-slash-recovering from injury for the last 10 months or so . . . many resets and goal shifts along the way. Mostly because I realized my early goals were unrealistic and I didn't know my body that well after all.

I suppose the ultimate answer is "everybody's different" of course, especially when it comes to goals. I think many people succumb to the "more is better" approach and try to apply it almost everywhere in life when they should not. The easiest one in weighlifting is "more weight" but that is overly simplistic.

You bring up the notion of risk tolerance, and if that little voice in the back of your mind is saying "this is too risky" you should probably listen to it. And what is "more" anyway, really. Is 3x5 at 450 lbs "more" or less than 4x5 at 337 lbs.

Today I do some exercises that were impossible for me 1 year ago, but now they seem easy not at all risky. Since the "typical" profile is that the DL is the heaviest exercise, followed by the squat, if those two are inverted for you, then yes, maybe your squat is way too far ahead of the game and you are risking injury to your back, joints, connective tissue, whatever.

As for whether it is "necessary" to squat more than double your bodyweight? Absolutely not. There's a quote in SS about very few people even needing to do heavy deadlifts, period. I think it was in the context of heavy singles in your program, but in general us regular people want strength and health and are not competing. I would just suggest that you get used to readjusting your goals to reality, because there are infinite options beyond "put x weight on the bar."

[GammaFlat]

Hi, my name is John and I'm recovering from injuries (circle of people in folding chairs in unison: "Hi John"). I'm 56 and was squatting 330, pressing 160, deading 300-ish before my knee went wonky - horseplay with 14 YO son - meniscus tear -shit!.

Had knee surgery Dec 2017 - hernia surgery Nov 2017. Slowly coming back. My first real work set of squats after being off for several months was 225. Egads, I had no idea strength was lost so quickly. Knee is feeling better so I continue lifting on and off trying to take it slow.

Fast forward to a few days ago.. roll the shit out of my ankle (opposite of bad knee). This was a spectacular event. I was running down the basement stairs (56 year old folks ain't sposeda do that I'm told) - 3 steps at a time. Landed at the bottom on piece of hose (stiff cheap garden hose I was using as a siphon) and ankle went over. It was quite a learning experience. My kids learned lots of new words.

I've rolled my ankles before... I'd say the ankle is badly sprained but recovering well. Load bearing is okay, range of motion limited, plenty of swelling....Then the repaired knee goes nuts - probably because I'm walking funny. Squats cause accute pain. Shit! I will continue to make runs at the brick wall.

The good news is that the hernia surgery went great with no limitations noticed while lifting. I do think squatting caused the hernia problem and I won't try to claim my form was perfect... mighta been my fault.

Youth is wasted on the young I tell ya. ..and oh yeah, all you kids get off my lawn.

[Mark E. Hurling]

..and oh yeah, all you kids get off my lawn.

Nobody does it better than Walt.