Am I too old to lift heavy?

[JoeyDoyle2]

Originally Posted by Arlecchino

I know a guy in his 60's with a 405 bench. I know another who at 64 was World Drug Free Powerlifting champ in the 198lbs. class with a 550 squat, 350 bench, and 550 dead. I could go on, but you get the idea.

very impressive to say the least

[Arlecchino]

Originally Posted by JoeyDoyle2

very impressive to say the least

Yep. Know another guy who competed in the world's (no bench shirt) who shoved 330 on his 66th birthday.

[JOHN GARGANI]

a lot of it has to do with past injuries: if you are lifting ANEW, and with no baggage ( old joint and tendonitis issues ), then you don't really know how far you will go up and certainly, you will find out if you stick to it....

working from past injuries is another story: they are a limiting factor, unfortunately and affect different people in different ways......

[supy]

Originally Posted by ...Kennedy

If you can bench 185 for 15 reps, some of us should be asking you for advice (like me).

Agreed
185 for 15 = awful dam close to 315 already in fact you might be able to get it now

[JoeyDoyle2]

Originally Posted by Arlecchino

Yep. Know another guy who competed in the world's (no bench shirt) who shoved 330 on his 66th birthday.

thats just awesome!

[supy]

In August witnessed a 56 yr old @ 165 pull a 575 deadlift i believe he set a state record with that(Illinois) in that same meet saw a 54 yr old heavyweight put up a 725 bench he just missed 750(obviously with a shirt) needless to say it was very impressive watching both of theese guys

[firefighter57]

im 58 and i am not too old to lift heavy.

i did lift something too heavy today though. i was a pall bearer for a fellow fireman that smoked like a freight train and didnt work out at the gym. he had a great wife and family but had little time for anything except for the couch . he was a helluva fireman but his heart gave out at 49.
even at his age we are both entry team firefighters but i could tell the by the quickness he was sucking down the btls of air we use a year ago but he was stubborn and wouldnt seek medical help. i lost a great freind today and it wasnt at a fire. he was cutting his grass.

i am also a first responder and i heard my pager while i was at the gym. i knew the address and i knew it was going to be bad....i hate my job....i hate it

he may have died (3) days ago even if he wasn't a nutty gym rat like me
but the cigaretes didnt help him
not going to his MD didnt help him
and his diet was a diet from hell...all he could eat and quickly
everytime i invited him to do something outside he wasnt in the mood....had to watch the damn sports channel

regardless......the next time i bust open the door or cut a hole in the roof....my best friend aint going to be there

i can deadlift 545 and he wasnt just a huge guy but that coffin felt like 1000lbs

your not too old to lift heavy...there needs to be more old guys and girls my age (58) at the gym..i aint afraid of dying ...been to close too many times...but i love living and love my family and love the gym

[firefighter57]

a typo my deadlift was455...ty have a great day

[victorn]

Originally Posted by rhino1964

I'm 45 and have been making some gains since I started lifting 7 months ago. I can do 185 on bench press for 15 reps.

Is it realistic to think I will ever be able to bench 315 for reps? Can strength really be developed at my age? Thanks in advance for your comments.

Yes you can, sir. I'm 45, too, and I can rep 315. More than that, I'm going to improve my results. Forget about your age.

[Firminator4]

I would say that you can still get stronger at your age. Better yet if you are new to lifting rather than if you have been at it for years like I have. After 20 yrs, I have to fight for every pound but if you are fairly new at it - your form should improve and if you don't have to work around old injuries - I'd say you are good to go heavy and should expect to get stronger.

Good Luck

[snoack]

Originally Posted by Nikonguy

DITTO

I hope the op isn't too old cuz I'm older than him and I plan on hitting 300 next summer.

I plan on hitting it by the end of this year, and I'm his age.

[halfbaked]

Hey Rhino:
I am 48 and currently lifting heavy. My bench has gone up 40 LBS in 2 months you can do it dude. Guess what, we work out at the same gym. I am in there in the evenings around 5:15 look us up. Today is heavy chest day, We are not doing bench right now we are doing floor presses. If you see an old dude and a very tall kid laying in the floor at the squat rack, it is me.
current lifts
dead lift 405
squat 365
bench flat 275
military press 185
skull crushers 110
This should give you an idea where I am at, I am looking to get stronger, Take care

[Old_Swole]

Originally Posted by halfbaked

Hey Rhino:
I am 48 and currently lifting heavy. My bench has gone up 40 LBS in 2 months you can do it dude. Guess what, we work out at the same gym. I am in there in the evenings around 5:15 look us up. Today is heavy chest day, We are not doing bench right now we are doing floor presses. If you see an old dude and a very tall kid laying in the floor at the squat rack, it is me.
current lifts
dead lift 405
squat 365
bench flat 275
military press 185
skull crushers 110
This should give you an idea where I am at, I am looking to get stronger, Take care

Your a brave guy to admit that you lay down in the squat rack around here.

[plmb1]

Originally Posted by JOHN GARGANI

working from past injuries is another story: they are a limiting factor, unfortunately and affect different people in different ways......

man...........thats the painful truth.

Sometimes I wish I would've waited a little later before I started lifting or atleast educated myself better when I was younger in how to lift without destroying my joints ect........

[sytennison]

Originally Posted by Old_Swole

Your a brave guy to admit that you lay down in the squat rack around here.

It's OK to lay down in the squat rack if you've earned the right to do it. Been there, done that.

[halfbaked]

Originally Posted by Old_Swole

Your a brave guy to admit that you lay down in the squat rack around here.

Thanks swole, Not brave more like ignorant. our squat racks have pins on the front of them that are the perfect height for floor presses. I am seeing more and more power lifters using it. I am at LA Fitness, the squat racks are usually open.

[ejthomp]

Originally Posted by halfbaked

.....I am at LA Fitness, the squat racks are usually open.....

LOL...

A couple weeks ago I worked out at a LA Fitness facility for the first time....place was packed, but squat racks were empty.

Nice scenery though....

[jdelarod]

When I started lifting again in my mid-30s after a long layoff I had a ton of problems with my shoulders.

Make certain you do your benchpresses powerlifter style, keeping your elbows tucked in.

Made all the difference in the world.

Now that I'm benching pain free Im closing in on 315.

If you can keep your shoulders healthy, you can do it!

[Iceman1800]

I'll be 46 in a couple of months so I would say yes you can.....

[Wayne Evans]

Well.....

I never considered your title question when I started lifting 4 years ago.
So, I came to this site to get educated.
I just knew that I wanted to get going and see what limits by body will reveal to me.

As my example....I was at 200# bench (200# 2 oz. if I include the clips on the bar)

So...'am I to old to lift heavy' doesn't compute....I do not see myself as 'old' and I think I'm only approaching the 'heavy' aspect as time rolls on.

Check out the profiles and do the reading and all will be revealed weedhopper.

Good luck on the quest....

[boathead]

there is plenty of anecdotal evidence that says yes...i started at age 41, and using bench as an example, started at 95 lbs for 10 reps. now i'm at 225 for 9 (can't seems to get that 10th rep), 255 for 5, and 280 for 1.

and there are plenty here that have outpaced me. good luck. work hard, and work smart.

[ProfBush]

I turn 60 next month and I have been lifting just under three years. I started doing the bench press a year ago and my 1 rep max was only 145. I have worked at it consistently and I am now up to 225. I am now starting a 7 week program (I've done it before) that usually adds 20-25 pounds to my bench press. I hope to be close to 315 by next year.

[jgreystoke]

Originally Posted by rhino1964

I'm 45 and have been making some gains since I started lifting 7 months ago. I can do 185 on bench press for 15 reps.

Is it realistic to think I will ever be able to bench 315 for reps? Can strength really be developed at my age? Thanks in advance for your comments.

Jeez Rhino you are only 45. Wish I was that young.....

Just train progressively, adding poundage whenever you get your scheduled reps in good form.

Never know where you might end up

[greatguns8]

Originally Posted by BBLou

My problem seems to be with my rotator in my right shoulder. It acts up every now and again. The only thing that helps me is avoiding anything that directly aggravates it. For a while, I had to revert to only doing Smith Mach bench presses at a pretty light weight until it started feeling better. At the same time I also worked trying to do more shoulder strengthing exercises (and I still do). Funny thing is that my shoulder problem seems to bother me more on chest/bench exercises rather than shoulder presses or shoulder work. Also, I've found that a spotter (or partner) has really helped me get back into heavier DB presses. I usually have him hand me the DB on my right side when I'm flat on the bench with my right arm extended out...

First I want to echo the people telling rhino that 15 reps of 185 is strong already. More to rhino below.

Lou, your injury history sounds just like mine. My shoulder vexed my bench forever so I finally gave up on flat barbell bench: that's what hurts it and I've talked to a fair number of people who also think the bench is a shoulder buster. Incline dumbbell and military barbell presses don't seem to bother my shoulder.
Here's something they showed me in PT for my shoulder. I think if I had been doing this as PREhabilitation I wouldn't have needed it for rehabilitation. Check the 10th exercise, Reverse Throws, on this link.

http://www.bassett.org/sportsmedicine/rehabshoulder.cfm

I do 3 sets of 20 for each arm, first right, then left, and so on with no rest. Weight can be as little as 2-3 lb: I see people doing this with "rubber bands." Since I've been doing them--and stopped flat BB press--my shoulders have been fine and getting stronger.

Rhino, my best gains came after 40, when I finally gained some weight and broke plateaus in leg work by doing sets of 20. Age just requires some adjustments. It required me to get smarter (or so I like to think).

[ctgblue]

As long as you are properly warming up and work your way up to heavy weight, not at all
I just set new PR's this summer, 550 squat and 1510 leg press
You just need to listen to your body more closely, if you hear it say "back off" - LISTEN!

[Reality_Check]

Originally Posted by JOHN GARGANI

a lot of it has to do with past injuries....working from past injuries is another story: they are a limiting factor, unfortunately and affect different people in different ways......

Too true. I came close to tearing my left pec about 17 years ago (according to the physiotherapist I saw). It was about 2 years before I could bench again. It usually doesn't give me trouble though (other than to know theres a weakness there at the heavist weights). But recently my last 2 bench press workouts I increased my reps from 10 reps to 12 reps with 247 lb and now I've got a strained left pec to show for it. So now I've got to back off a bit. If only I hadn't injured it all those years ago (was my last set and rep and I'd died on the set but the spotter wouldn't let me drop the bar or help lift it and made me hold it trying to push up probably over a minute - it wasn't a particulary heavy weight either, less than 225). Mind you after the 2 year layout when I did recover I eventualy went on to more than double my strength to about 3 reps with 365 but its still one of my permanent "muscle issues/weaknesses" that along with my left bicep and right knee.

[SR800]

Heavy is always relative, you are always too old to lift weights that are beyond your ability to use proper form. I believe you should mix it up with periodization but always maintain good form with the basic compound lifts.

[drjoe]

Originally Posted by Arlecchino

I know a guy in his 60's with a 405 bench. I know another who at 64 was World Drug Free Powerlifting champ in the 198lbs. class with a 550 squat, 350 bench, and 550 dead. I could go on, but you get the idea.

You talking about Dick Austin from Maine? Sounds like his lifts and weight class. He's unbeliebable.

[BlondeAmazon]

Originally Posted by rhino1964

I'm 45 and have been making some gains since I started lifting 7 months ago. I can do 185 on bench press for 15 reps.

Is it realistic to think I will ever be able to bench 315 for reps? Can strength really be developed at my age? Thanks in advance for your comments.

My first question to this is -- Why? Why would you want to risk compromising your joints by lifting heavy? unless your preparing for a strength competition? Is your goal just to be stronger by benching over 300? Or is your goal lifelong health and fitness? To play with your grandbabies at age 70 and not feel winded or pain. Don't allow your muscles to write a check that your joints cant cash...

hell- If you want to look like you can lift a car but not necessarily lift that car- try 70 lb bench for sets of 25 on an incline.

But thats just me I suppose....

[boodog]

Originally Posted by rhino1964

I'm 45 and have been making some gains since I started lifting 7 months ago. I can do 185 on bench press for 15 reps.

Is it realistic to think I will ever be able to bench 315 for reps? Can strength really be developed at my age? Thanks in advance for your comments.

45 ain't old DIRT is old..I am lots older than you and still lifiting heavy...just get r done..