Weight Lifting

[RJ]

Dropped in to the thread to ask a few questions.

As background, I'm 61, and have been on a healthy keto/IF program since September. I've lost about 24 lbs. I'm about 5'6", and currently 188 lbs. I used to lift/work out when I was younger and have a fairly defined muscle upper body (it's just hiding under the fat heh). As a kid I played soccer and ran, but can't run a lot due to weak ankles from turning them over so often. Ages ago, like when Dinosaurs walked the earth, I was a yellow belt in Judo, and have a few Karate classes. My BP is 130/72 and resting heart rate is 65.

I just bought a couple pairs of 32" shorts and a size L T shirt, which now fit just about, and going to replace all the XL clothes and size 34"/36"/38" stuff I have in the closet.

I've been doing a regular weight training+cardio regimen for several months now. My goal is 1) not injure myself 2) get stronger to handle routine life tasks as I get older 3) use my fitness program to help me lose weight and 4) (MAYBE) be fit enough to start BJJ next year. It's a personal goal of mine to attend ECQC, but not embarrass myself or end up in the Ortho ward.

A typical day at the gym for me is as follows. I go every other day, or every third day. I do 3 sets of 8 with the below:

I start with the Smith's machine, bar plus 60#. I then move to the bench press, and set the bar plus 50#. I do a barbell low pull up with 40#. I alternate low row and lat pull down, both at 70#. I then do a standard push up, taking 5 seconds down, 5 seconds up, to failure, which is about 15. I then finish with at least 20" on the elliptical machine, with my heart rate getting around 125 bpm.


Some questions?

Is there anything you would add, or subtract, in the above plan? I had worked with a personal trainer a few years ago, and took his program and kind of did some research to come up with the plan I am working now. His advice was do specific weight training, AND THEN do cardio to finish up.


How do you decide when to add weights to your sets? I can do 3x8 fairly routinely, and am adding a bit by bit each week. I started with 20# (10# on each side) on the Smiths, and focused on form first few weeks. Now I'm up to a 25#+5# on each side. It's an effort but doable. I'm just now sure how much weight (lbs? Percentage?) to go up each week?


Is there anything an older guy should know about weight training? I mean, I don't know what I don't know, so I'd kinda appreciate any references, or reliable sources of information on weight training for the older guy. There is a lot of material on YouTube but you never know who is got good info, or just spouting off rubbish for clicks.

TIA.

Rich

[BobM]

Dropped in to the thread to ask a few questions.

As background, I'm 61, and have been on a healthy keto/IF program since September. I've lost about 24 lbs. I'm about 5'6", and currently 188 lbs. I used to lift/work out when I was younger and have a fairly defined muscle upper body (it's just hiding under the fat heh). As a kid I played soccer and ran, but can't run a lot due to weak ankles from turning them over so often. Ages ago, like when Dinosaurs walked the earth, I was a yellow belt in Judo, and have a few Karate classes. My BP is 130/72 and resting heart rate is 65.

I just bought a couple pairs of 32" shorts and a size L T shirt, which now fit just about, and going to replace all the XL clothes and size 34"/36"/38" stuff I have in the closet.

I've been doing a regular weight training+cardio regimen for several months now. My goal is 1) not injure myself 2) get stronger to handle routine life tasks as I get older 3) use my fitness program to help me lose weight and 4) (MAYBE) be fit enough to start BJJ next year. It's a personal goal of mine to attend ECQC, but not embarrass myself or end up in the Ortho ward.

A typical day at the gym for me is as follows. I go every other day, or every third day. I do 3 sets of 8 with the below:

I start with the Smith's machine, bar plus 60#. I then move to the bench press, and set the bar plus 50#. I do a barbell low pull up with 40#. I alternate low row and lat pull down, both at 70#. I then do a standard push up, taking 5 seconds down, 5 seconds up, to failure, which is about 15. I then finish with at least 20" on the elliptical machine, with my heart rate getting around 125 bpm.


Some questions?

Is there anything you would add, or subtract, in the above plan? I had worked with a personal trainer a few years ago, and took his program and kind of did some research to come up with the plan I am working now. His advice was do specific weight training, AND THEN do cardio to finish up.


How do you decide when to add weights to your sets? I can do 3x8 fairly routinely, and am adding a bit by bit each week. I started with 20# (10# on each side) on the Smiths, and focused on form first few weeks. Now I'm up to a 25#+5# on each side. It's an effort but doable. I'm just now sure how much weight (lbs? Percentage?) to go up each week?


Is there anything an older guy should know about weight training? I mean, I don't know what I don't know, so I'd kinda appreciate any references, or reliable sources of information on weight training for the older guy. There is a lot of material on YouTube but you never know who is got good info, or just spouting off rubbish for clicks.

TIA.

Rich

I highly recommend a copy of the Barbell Prescription, one of the authors is an Andy Baker I think, the others name escapes me at the moment. It’s from the Starting Strength people. I worked up to a single deadlift at 400, 275 on the squat, and a single bench press at 225 at the age of 53 and 180 lbs a couple years ago. I’m working back up now from some injuries but I hope to be able to get back to a double body weight deadlift.

[Crawls]

I highly recommend a copy of the Barbell Prescription, one of the authors is an Andy Baker I think, the others name escapes me at the moment. It’s from the Starting Strength people. I worked up to a single deadlift at 400, 275 on the squat, and a single bench press at 225 at the age of 53 and 180 lbs a couple years ago. I’m working back up now from some injuries but I hope to be able to get back to a double body weight deadlift.

I wholeheartedly agree with this!

After dropping weight in this years Weight Loss Challenge, I decided I needed to get stronger. I initially started down a path geared toward developing strength for cycling, but found the theory and advice in that program questionable. I started looking for other programs and found Starting Strength. I read Rippetoe's Book and digested a ton of YouTube and Podcast content from Starting Strength, Barbell Logic and Jonathon Sullivan (the other author of Barbell Prescription). The Starting Strength program and it's goals made a lot of sense to me and I decided I had much more to gain from getting stronger in general than just working to develop my cycling strength.

I'm a 6'-1" 47 year old guy, with a FUBAR left shoulder (service related disability) and worn out knees from years of competitive sports. The SS program has been a challenge. I struggle with my shoulder and the cyclist in me is aghast with any weight gain, but I'm loving this program. I just finished my 5th week of a Novice Linear Progression and so far my squat is up 90 lbs; deadlifts up 85 lbs; Press up 40 lbs and bench up 40lbs. My bodyweight is up 11 pounds (about half muscle, half fat according to my fancy scale.)

I lifted a ton in HS, college and in the military until I blew out my shoulder, but looking back at it all I never really had a decent program and never really knew what to do. Given the time and effort I invested in weight rooms, I was never really very strong, cause I never really had a solid plan. This program simplifies and focus things. I know exactly what I'm going to do each time I head to my little basement weight room. It answers all those little questions that RJJ has about when to add weight; how much to add; even address some of the challenges of being an older lifter.

[45dotACP]

I've been doing a regular weight training+cardio regimen for several months now. My goal is 1) not injure myself 2) get stronger to handle routine life tasks as I get older 3) use my fitness program to help me lose weight and 4) (MAYBE) be fit enough to start BJJ next year. It's a personal goal of mine to attend ECQC, but not embarrass myself or end up in the Ortho ward.

As one of those guys who thought he could get "fit enough" to start BJJ I found that was mostly a lie.

I was running a nearly 7 minute mile and thought my cardio was great until a 130lb teenager had me wheezing and almost dead. It is it's very own type of exercise that can best be trained for by doing it.

That said, for my partners who train who are in their 60s, they do train a bit differently. For instance, don't be rolling with the guy who thinks it's EBI every time he gets on the training mat. That guy is a spaz who injures dudes.

Perhaps some of the better exercises would be the ones BJJ guys use for warmups like burpees, mountain climbers, pushups etc.

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[Cory]

I have minimal exposure to BJJ.

During Cecil's class I was absolutely gassed. I will seriously put out every ounce of strength I can, and I will never give in or let up. Ever. BUT. When the roll/round/spar is over I am absolutely spent. To the point of near muscle failure.

Grappling cardio is different. I used to run 5k 3 times a week. I'm not in that shape now, but I familiar with how that type of cardio feels. Grappling is different... it's sustained flexing. Being on bottom and pushing to make space required an enourmous amount of strength to push a heavier guy like Les off me. And then I had to sustain it to keep him off. It's like benching heavy and pushing through... for the entire roll. I don't think anything will help prepare for that physically. Nothing but experience will improve it.

I was left with the impression that, for pride's sake, I need to do it far more often, or never again. I hope to make it more often. My current cardio is definitely lacking.

[TheNewbie]

Starting Strength is great for new lifters, and I would believe the same applies to older lifters. Their forum is good, and they have tons of articles. Rippitoe is an acquired taste for some, but he offers effective programming for the general population.


Andy Baker is a starting strength coach, I like his stuff as well. I did one of his deadlift programs and I saw positive results.

[TheNewbie]

As one of those guys who thought he could get "fit enough" to start BJJ I found that was mostly a lie.

I was running a nearly 7 minute mile and thought my cardio was great until a 130lb teenager had me wheezing and almost dead. It is it's very own type of exercise that can best be trained for by doing it.

That said, for my partners who train who are in their 60s, they do train a bit differently. For instance, don't be rolling with the guy who thinks it's EBI every time he gets on the training mat. That guy is a spaz who injures dudes.

Perhaps some of the better exercises would be the ones BJJ guys use for warmups like burpees, mountain climbers, pushups etc.

Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

No question you would wipe the floor with me. Lol

Some 130 pound punk did so in a BJJ class. Was humbling.

[RJ]

As one of those guys who thought he could get "fit enough" to start BJJ I found that was mostly a lie.

I was running a nearly 7 minute mile and thought my cardio was great until a 130lb teenager had me wheezing and almost dead. It is it's very own type of exercise that can best be trained for by doing it.

That said, for my partners who train who are in their 60s, they do train a bit differently. For instance, don't be rolling with the guy who thinks it's EBI every time he gets on the training mat. That guy is a spaz who injures dudes.

Perhaps some of the better exercises would be the ones BJJ guys use for warmups like burpees, mountain climbers, pushups etc.

Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

Am I taking this the right way: so you are saying as long as I am reasonably fit, I can start BJJ, as long as I make sure I don't roll with innapropriate sparring partners? Basically I can go ahead "now"? That's good if so. I've identified a potential dojo in our new location, which I was going to make an appointment at some point next year. I might move that earlier if so.

Back to the weight training: thanks @BobM for the reference to Starting Strength. I watched one of their "how to start" videos from YT last night, very simple, clear advice. I liked it. I've been allocated a small cache of funds for our new place if I want to put a home gym in the garage, and there were several good suggestions for a rack / weights etc. Apparently where we are moving also has a fitness center so I'll be checking that out as well.

Thanks all for the great input! I appreciate it.

[45dotACP]

Am I taking this the right way: so you are saying as long as I am reasonably fit, I can start BJJ, as long as I make sure I don't roll with innapropriate sparring partners? Basically I can go ahead "now"? That's good if so. I've identified a potential dojo in our new location, which I was going to make an appointment at some point next year. I might move that earlier if so.

.

Ah, well I'll probably throw out the bat signal to @Cecil Burch but yes there is no reason not to start BJJ. Just make sure you talk over with the coach/instructor that you're new to it. I think Cecil has a stickied post about what to look for in a BJJ academy.

It is very likely that as a beginner, you won't begin sparring immediately, and if you do, it should only be in the sense that you'll be working a position with some degree of resistance, looking to accomplish some very specific micro goal, rather than you and your partner going on the warpath looking for the tap.

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[Doc_Glock]

[QUOTE=RJ;1158624
Is there anything an older guy should know about weight training?[/QUOTE]

I highly recommend Starting Strength as a book or the Stronglifts 5X5 program where you start with the bar and work on form while it is light and just add weight each workout til plateau. Weightlifting is very scientific and gratifying to engineer types who like the details. For start, at least a year I would just work your big lifts and get a strong as you possibly can. No one squats enough.

I started the weightlifting journey at 45 and can say it changed my life.

Do not get scared of cardio by Rippetoe. He is incredibly biased against it and he's totally wrong in this matter. Old guys need cardio, period. At least as much as strength. Without it you are just a strong fatass.

I highly recommend a copy of the Barbell Prescription, one of the authors is an Andy Baker

Concur that is good for more...seasoned.. lifters.

I wholeheartedly agree with this!

After dropping weight in this years Weight Loss Challenge, I decided I needed to get stronger. I initially started down a path geared toward developing strength for cycling, but found the theory and advice in that program questionable. I started looking for other programs and found Starting Strength. I read Rippetoe's Book and digested a ton of YouTube and Podcast content from Starting Strength, Barbell Logic and Jonathon Sullivan (the other author of Barbell Prescription). The Starting Strength program and it's goals made a lot of sense to me and I decided I had much more to gain from getting stronger in general than just working to develop my cycling strength.

Sport specific lifting programs are mostly bullshit IMO. Just get strong and do your sport.

As one of those guys who thought he could get "fit enough" to start BJJ I found that was mostly a lie.

Quoted for truth. I have never in my life been as gassed as a beginner BJJ guy who thought he was strong and in shape. It changed my opinion on cardio immediately. I have yet to go back after my very short few months, but I can't say I look forward to that feeling.

Am I taking this the right way: so you are saying as long as I am reasonably fit, I can start BJJ, as long as I make sure I don't roll with innapropriate sparring partners? Basically I can go ahead "now"? That's good if so. I've identified a potential dojo in our new location, which I was going to make an appointment at some point next year. I might move that earlier if so.

Yes go ahead but be very careful of the school. You really need protection starting out. But it will suck no matter what. I sort of like the systemic approach the Gracie program offers and I don't think they let you roll for six months or something. BJJ was probably the scariest thing I have ever tried in my life.

Home gyms are really easy to set up for under $1000. But you may have to put the 911 outside