Ever heard of "Old Man Strength"?

[BlackRat]

When I was in the NAVY there was about a 40 year old Master Cheif that was strong as an OX. I used to lift with him but was no where near as strong. Some of the guys used to say that Master Cheif Dingis had, "That old man strength". Well now that I am 6 months from 40, heavier weight seems to come easier for me than in the past. A 225 bench used to be in my dreams. Now I find myself pushing around 315 although only recently and at max 2 times with full range of motion.

I see heavier and heavier gains in about all my exercises. I only lift 4 times a week for about an hour a day so I am not realy a gym rat and I rarely use any type of supplement.

I guess this is more of a story than anything but has anyone else noticed this?

Oh well I am not going to complain seeing as I used to struggle with a 135lb bench!!!! :-)

Wade

[stayfit2008]

And just think they used to tell us we are losing a 1/2lb each year of muscle after age 4o,..haha!

[The_Warhammer]

It's called stubborn-ness. He's more stubborn to push the weights against gravity than gravity is in pulling them down. We should all be so stubborn. ;-)

[Marius_Ursus]

I'll second that. It's like Mama used to say.

"I'm older than you and meaner than you'll ever be."

[Karl_Hungus]

Yeah, at 37, I am much stronger than I was in my early 20's....even though I lifted just as hard then as I do now. But, I lift alot smarter now than I did then. In retrospect, my routines back then really sucked.

[Chipman]

The answer might be found in finding a working definition of brute strength, what is it, when do you get it, etc.

I base this on the fact I was listening to one of the World's strongest men contestants talk about not having gained his brute strength. From what I got it did not mean that you gain a lot of muscle you simply gain strength by doing the same repititous thing over and over(years) for an extended period of time.

Bottom line you might have gained your brute strength and just not used it until now.

Just a pet theory of mine.

[batteryrequired]

I think its just a matter of like what Karl said....just training smarter now. I am much stronger now than when I was in my 20's when I thought I knew it all. Plus the information out there is much better also. You all think that some protien shakes just really suck as far as taste goes....shoulda been around 20+ years ago! They REALLY sucked!!!

[Old-Time-Lifter]

Well, part of it would be myth, part of it would be years of training........

[bird72]

my father has 66 years old. i have 36 and lifting. my father has the strength
of a bull. he don't do exercises but work hard in a junker for years. rigth now
he had more strength than he was young. is he wanted he can break me in two pieces.

[EnigmaPower]

Strength is proportional to the cross sectional area of a muscle provided that the neuromuscular connection is the same. Older people have more efficient neuromuscular connections hence what is commonly called "old man strength."

[dbx]

One word: Mandelbaum

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcFSOnumgZA

[Mike_198]

I know what you mean. My unit did a 12 mile ruck march yesterday, I was faster than the twenty-something year old lieutenants. I keep waiting for the day when I can't hang anymore, but it hasn't happened yet.

[KeepItMoving]

I can put on bulk size better now than ever before in my life. To the extent my joints allow it, I am way stronger now than I was 20 years ago. I am still waiting for those big, thick old man hands to grow in; my grandfather had paws like a bear. But I think my old man ears and old man nose have started to ripen.

[batteryrequired]

I know what you mean. My unit did a 12 mile ruck march yesterday, I was faster than the twenty-something year old lieutenants. I keep waiting for the day when I can't hang anymore, but it hasn't happened yet.

Thats a tough run! Great job though and doesn't surprise me about some of these youngsters! I am like you too....waitin for the day where I have to do away with the heavy dumbbells

[BlackRat]

I can put on bulk size better now than ever before in my life. To the extent my joints allow it, I am way stronger now than I was 20 years ago. I am still waiting for those big, thick old man hands to grow in; my grandfather had paws like a bear. But I think my old man ears and old man nose have started to ripen.

LOL!!! yeah my dad has those monster hands at 72 and I have little puny ones for my size. I am in the boat of over powering what my joints will take now. My elbows really hurt during bench days but I can really push the weight around now compared to my 20's.

Mike_198

When I was in boot camp i had 2 company comanders that smoked like freight trains. both in their mid 40's and one with a beer belly. Both could run circles around the company during PT. Amazing!!!

Wade

[LastSet]

My father in law is 70 and works on a hay field all day long basically. He is at least twice as strong as me if not more so.

[Hitop]

I agree with the above posts. I am in general, much, much stronger than I was in my mid 20's....Maybe not for one single lift or rep, but as a whole. More endurance, more definition, more discipline, and cumulatively stronger.

All of that was made possible by maturity, checking the ego at the door, and increasing my knowledge of lifting.

Speaking of discipline, I hear squats calling for me....

[snoack]

I'm moving a lot more volume now then I did in my 20's. Stronger all the way around. I credit it to a combination of physical maturity, mental maturity...and...having been married for several years...a cessation of partying

[Baldiewonkanobi]

I don't believe it. I was strong a chit at 45, less at 55 and even less at 65. Compared to someone who just plays at working out I can still rip his arms off. Those antecdotal accounts of strong 70 year old men....bet my house they were stronger at 60 and doubly strong at 50. It goes downhill. Does not mean that they are not strong....just not as strong.

Old Man

[TheSovereign]

i am a young ****, but a variety of athletic coaches have proven testimonial to "old man strength." It does seem that men who were once in the military retain a certain body structure. I'm pretty sure its obvious that its harder to stay in or get in shape when you're older BUT if you have good fitness when you're younger you beat the curve so to speak.

I can think of several men over 40 that have that "twang" that cast iron grip of a handshake that let you know they're still a force to be reckoned with. I shutter to think of their physique when they were "in their prime" or if the supplemental technologies available now were available back then.

peace out

[B Campbell]

As a 42 yr old high school wrestling coach, I can tell you they all know about the "old man strength". I'm about 180, and our 160 pounder is an all american wrestler....he hates wrestling me because "he's the strongest guy I've ever wrestled with"....he's right! lol

[Bando]

I'm stronger now than in my 20's just because of diligence and an attention to form and diet.

I'm my HS wrestling coach's age now and nobody wanted to get on the mat with him. I also worked for a 55+ yr old mover who had a chest like a bull, the guy could carry the other end of a piece heavy furniture down flights of stairs that had me groaning and straining, he wouldn't even sweat or breathe heavy.