How many people started barbell training in their sixties

[carson]

Coldguy, Are you able to see a certified SS coach on occasion? Their guidance can be invaluable.

[coldguy]

I was 61, switched from ten years of jogging gymmachines stuff to pure barbell and SS LP.
It was like striking gold. Had at first problem with shoulder from a boost of frozen shoulder ca 10 years ago. Bought a Dave Draper gadget, put it on the bar and got me some kind of SSBar.
Later my London coach inspired me to construct a couple of straps that I put around the bar and hold in my hands so it sits on the right spot on the back for Backsquat. So now everything is ok. Im pleased with my strength, but I sure want more and I know I will get it.

I had that frozen shoulder thing about 12 years ago. When I was at work, I had to use my left hand to pick my right hand up to put it on the keyboard. Luckily some stretching fixed it but it took some time.

[coldguy]

Coldguy, Are you able to see a certified SS coach on occasion? Their guidance can be invaluable.

I would love to. The nearest one listed is about a hundred miles away. There are just too many logistical and monetary issues to consider it right now. My wife's health is pretty bad and she is afraid to have me gone for too long in case she falls or something, so as we don't have anyone else who can stay with her I am pretty tied down.
As far as the money I could push that but it would be pretty tough on the budget.

[carson]

Coldguy, I understand. Your devotion to the care of your wife is noted in heaven. I know you are committed to your wife to strength development. Here's a couple of ideas that might help. You may have thought of them already and if you have just take this as affirmation of your ideas. First, sometimes you can find some equipment at thrift shops and there are used athletic shops in various places. Maybe there are some things there. Second, I understand that online coaching is less expensive than face to face. Perhaps you can do some of that. The connections are on this website. I know that Dr. Sullivan does some online coaching. If you haven't already looked into those suggestions it may be helpful to you to do so.

[Richard Seaman]

I touched my first barbell at age 64 1/2, not quite 3 1/2 years ago. NLP went pretty smoothly. I posted a log of the entire time. You can find it by checking my profile, I think. Post novice has not been smooth. I've spend much more time clawing my way back to previous PRs than setting new PRs. However, I did hit a new deadlift PR last Friday, and am at my all time squat PR levels. Somewhat below all time PRs on press and bench at the moment. And I have moved my all time PRs on all my lifts up notably from the end of NLP. However, between illness, injury (not from lifting that I can tell), minor surgery, travel I've had plenty of setbacks. Even the most minor little thing seems to set me back.

[coldguy]

Read your log.
I'm impressed.

[misterponytail]

Does it count if I started at 57? (I'm about to turn 59.)

It was rough to start, as it was about a year and a half after two knee replacements. I can remember having difficulty with air squats and I had a hard time using the leg extension machine with one plate! I also had a lot of nagging issues like shoulder, elbow, low back, etc. I didn't hear about SS until about six months ago, so I was doing a bodybuilding-style workout before then. I was using 15-20 rep sets. This helped my joints, but didn't really improve my strength. I figured it was because I was older that I wasn't making the gainz I wanted. Switching to SS has really helped my strength improve! I recently hit a 225 bench, a 275 squat, and a 385 deadlift! For reference, I am 6' 5" and about 260. My wife has changed her training as well, and she is going to compete in a powerlifting competition in April! (She's 50, just a puppy as far as I'm concerned!) I'm actually starting to think about competing too!

Are we allowed to talk about BHRT on this forum?

[Mark E. Hurling]

Are we allowed to talk about BHRT on this forum?

I don't fit the OP's question, since I've lifted on and off since age 15. Longer, if you count slinging 75 lb. hay bales at age 12.

But to your question. The definitive answer should come a moderator, but as I understand it, the prohibition is specific to PED's used absent a legal scrip by a physician. Also speculations and assertions that some athletes are using PED's. I hadn't heard of BHRT until you posted it, so I looked it up. Since it's FDA approved, there should be no problem. Several people have discussed TRT and their use of it in the E&P swamp without any admonitions coming up.

But, as I began, addressing this to a mod might be good.

[Amy-in-PHX]

I am 60 and just started SS in January. Actually, I had started in December for 3 weeks but then got pneumonia and had to take 3 weeks off, and start over in January. So that's my main "trial."

I think this is a great thread, because a 40-year-old is still a baby, imo -- at least, I know that I was, physically, way different 20 years ago.

My progress on SS was pretty smooth for the first several weeks, but I feel like I've hit a wall lately. It took a few workouts to squat 3 sets of 5 squats at 88 lbs, then yesterday I tried to do 90 and after 2 ugly sets of 5 I went to 3 sets of 3 to finish. To have stalled less than 2 months in, with less than a 100-lb squat, is a bit discouraging. Deadlifts have been going better since I learned how to stop bruising up my shins. (I don't want to devote recovery resources to cleaning up giant bruises!)

BUT, I am still learning new things about technique, as I keep going back to the books and using the search feature in the "Articles" section of the website to search the name of one lift at a time. In the past week I've narrowed the grip for my back squat, to tighten up the upper back more and hold the bar without incurring elbow pain. Just last evening I found out I've been doing a "close-grip" bench (more triceps involvment), and I need to widen my hands out if I want to do a standard bench press and get more work to the pecs. So I second what Cheesepuff wrote -- especially for those who don't have access to coaching -- keep going back to the books and the articles. There's a lot of good stuff in there, and it doesn't all sink in at once. I find that focusing on one lift at a time, and picking out one or two technique things to improve on, helps me.

Re being embarrassed to post a video for coach review --- I'd say try not to be. I mentioned using washers tied onto a lightweight bar with nylon zip ties in a post, and one of the coaches responded something about doing whatever works. I don't think they're judg-y about improvising your equipment, when you need something under 45 lbs to work with!

[misterponytail]

To have stalled less than 2 months in, with less than a 100-lb squat, is a bit discouraging.

How's your protein intake? Getting good sleep?

Doug-in-Tucson