Almost 40 and currently FRUSTRATED!

[jayboogie31]

Hello all, i've been doing the 5x5 Strong Lift program for about a year now, my bench started off at about 185 lbs. then in about 4 months or so(with missing a several days during the workout week here and there my bench max got all the way up to 270 lbs. which blew my mind! My goal is to max 300 lbs. and be able to bench 225 lbs. 20 times like the NFL combine guys.

Here is my dilemma, I work 9-5 sitting at a desk and then I workout after work, eat, watch a little tv till my food digests then go to sleep. I've noticed every time I get into a nice groove with my workout I get some stupid @#@$% annoying injury, I had to stop the squats completely cause of all the lower back pain, I was getting stronger able to squat about 230 lbs, then it felt like my lower back was going to snap in half. I switched to leg press but with 6 total plates I don't get the feeling my legs are getting an adequate leg workout with the leg press like I did my squats.

With the bench and curls(which I added), I get to maybe 210 or 215 lbs 5x5 and I'll get some nagging pain in my left frontal shoulder where I can't finish all the reps, and I also feel the same pain when I do planks for core workout.

I am getting frustrated to the point where i'm thinking it's just that i'm almost 40 and I have to accept the fact i'm just not young anymore and i'm going to have to deal with this. My question to you all is, should I just power thru it or am I doing real damage to my muscles, ligaments, bones, etc., and should just lighten my load and go for higher reps? I used to do two scoops of protein shake after every workout but kept getting pains in my side after a while so I scaled back a lot, so I feel like now i'm not getting big like I did last year when I looked like a guy who stayed in the gym.

My stats are 5'11 208 lbs, bit of a belly, nice looking arms(not as big as i'd like just yet), decent chest but the kind of build that looks great when I flex or after workout but feel like I can barely notice in regular clothes the next day or so. Any respectable advice or comments would be appreciated, thx Gents.

[Jeff987]

Inappropriate pain and injuries are definite signs to ease-up. I would not "power through it." You have one body. If you break it for good, you will regret it.

[cmoore]

Chances are your injuries are due to:
1. poor form
2.muscle imbalances and or limited range of motion
3.moving more weight than your weakest link can handle

Fix your technique. Be patient. Learn from your mistakes.

You're not old, most of the cells in your body right now are less than 10 years old.

[coachcalande]

Hello all, i've been doing the 5x5 Strong Lift program for about a year now, my bench started off at about 185 lbs. then in about 4 months or so(with missing a several days during the workout week here and there my bench max got all the way up to 270 lbs. which blew my mind! My goal is to max 300 lbs. and be able to bench 225 lbs. 20 times like the NFL combine guys.

Here is my dilemma, I work 9-5 sitting at a desk and then I workout after work, eat, watch a little tv till my food digests then go to sleep. I've noticed every time I get into a nice groove with my workout I get some stupid @#@$% annoying injury, I had to stop the squats completely cause of all the lower back pain, I was getting stronger able to squat about 230 lbs, then it felt like my lower back was going to snap in half. I switched to leg press but with 6 total plates I don't get the feeling my legs are getting an adequate leg workout with the leg press like I did my squats.

With the bench and curls(which I added), I get to maybe 210 or 215 lbs 5x5 and I'll get some nagging pain in my left frontal shoulder where I can't finish all the reps, and I also feel the same pain when I do planks for core workout.

I am getting frustrated to the point where i'm thinking it's just that i'm almost 40 and I have to accept the fact i'm just not young anymore and i'm going to have to deal with this. My question to you all is, should I just power thru it or am I doing real damage to my muscles, ligaments, bones, etc., and should just lighten my load and go for higher reps? I used to do two scoops of protein shake after every workout but kept getting pains in my side after a while so I scaled back a lot, so I feel like now i'm not getting big like I did last year when I looked like a guy who stayed in the gym.

My stats are 5'11 208 lbs, bit of a belly, nice looking arms(not as big as i'd like just yet), decent chest but the kind of build that looks great when I flex or after workout but feel like I can barely notice in regular clothes the next day or so. Any respectable advice or comments would be appreciated, thx Gents.

The few times in my life where I had pain- I chose to take it as a warning sign.

If your back is bothering you, then yes, avoid squats, deadlifts and overhead presses(seated dbs with back support are a good choice) .....until your back feels better.

Like anything, if you are training heavy, you may start to let your form suffer and open yourself up to more injury. Maybe instead of 5x5, use 10 as your upper guide number before you add weight, keep your sets closer to an average of 8-9 reps.

Might provide you with the size/strength AND LONGEVITY that you wish form.

At age 49, I will still pound out some doubles and triples on things, generally avoiding max singles...but most of my training reps are around 5-6 reps with 8 as my upper guide number. when my elbows or shoulders get sore...if they get sore...ill use 10 for upper guide. you can always make progress...just different rep ranges.

[bucsdodgers]

I would hit the gym at 530am and eat throughout the day. It works for me and it could work for you.

[wesleytimmons41]

I would also recommend training before work, great way to start the day.

I noticed similar problems over 35 and had to make changes to my approach, i've had to limit how long i've gone heavy and take more breaks from training.

2 or 3 months heavy followed by 2 or 3 months with higher reps and listen to my body.

Ive had lower back trouble on and off over the last 10 years and its actually better now then ever, since I concentrate on improving it, or as I say attack my weakness. I have a twice a day 7 minute stretching routine for my lower back , and put more emphasis on core training , and make sure my form is as good as possible with exercises like squats and deadlifts.

I had a shoulder strain a couple of months ago when bench pressing , my normal 6 rep max went down to 4 , then i skipped bench for 1 week to see if a little more time would help, 2 weeks later could only do 3 reps and some pain. I put the weight down 30 lbs and was able to work back to where I was in about a month. Frustrating for sure , but unfortunately has to be done at times.

[Looton]

Tendons and ligaments build slower than muscle strength. Injury results. So...

Try using a light-weight & high-volume routine before beginning the required heavy compound movements;
https://www.t-nation.com/training/se...-pump-training
This will allow you to keep training as joints build strength that will allow heavy compound movements when you begin to actually train again.

Try that for some months then begin the heavy compounds by dialing-in your form with light weight at first. Mentzer style HIT will make you stronger with less volume and more rest days, this is known, but it may be why you're injuring yourself. You should stop that while you still can IMHO.

[jayboogie31]

Tendons and ligaments build slower than muscle strength. Injury results. So...

This will allow you to keep training as joints build strength that will allow heavy compound movements when you begin to actually train again.

Try that for some months then begin the heavy compounds by dialing-in your form with light weight at first. Mentzer style HIT will make you stronger with less volume and more rest days, this is known, but it may be why you're injuring yourself. You should stop that while you still can IMHO.

I'm going to try this.

I want to take the time to thank all of you who responded to my OP, I like all the advice and when consider and implement them all, except for the workout before work. I tried that before, i'm already not a morning person and I find I just don't have good workouts early am cause my body/energy level doesn't get going till about 11am for whatever reason.

I was really frustrated before reading all your comments guys so really I thank you all sincerely, i'm off today so about to hit the gym and try the high reps lower weight routine and see how that works out, I'll also switch from the standing overhead press to the sitting barbell press.

[jayboogie31]

Chances are your injuries are due to:
1. poor form
2.muscle imbalances and or limited range of motion
3.moving more weight than your weakest link can handle

Fix your technique. Be patient. Learn from your mistakes.

You're not old, most of the cells in your body right now are less than 10 years old.

Cmoore I think you are right about poor form, i've just never feel like i've been taught the right way, seems like everyone has a different opinion, I would appreciate your advice on form for bench press please if you don't mind. Also can you go more into what you mean by mucle imbalances? is that just being right handed and my left arm/shoulder is naturally weaker?

[LBWallace]

Chances are your injuries are due to:
1.poor form
2.muscle imbalances and or limited range of motion
3.moving more weight than your weakest link can handle

I turn 41 this month and just got those three facts straightened out about two years ago. Wish I would have learned them sooner. I also have accepted what my frame is actually built for. Not short changing myself, just being realistic about my goals helped tremendously.

[jayboogie31]

I turn 41 this month and just got those three facts straightened out about two years ago. Wish I would have learned them sooner. I also have accepted what my frame is actually built for. Not short changing myself, just being realistic about my goals helped tremendously.

LB I wonder about that too, i was a very skinny kid growing up and then I ate junk food so much in my early 20's to put on weight that I turned into the gross skinny fat dude? LOL, wish I had a clue back then but it is what it is. Now i'm still trying to loose the gut, (not as bad as it used to be) but I wonder is my frame just not stable enough to put on the kind of muscle I want to? I want the athletic but muscular look (I grew up on basketball and boxing), I would prefer to walk around at 215 lbs of muscle but as of now I just can't afford to maintain that kind of diet cause it's really expensive! So for now I am fine with my current weight, just under 210 lbs and the muscle is there but I want that look even on days when I didn't just workout, if that makes any sense.

[4Biz]

Certainly learn good form - lots of videos form guys who really know how to do it right

Don't kid yourself as we age things don't always work as well as they used to
Little pulls/strains happen but DO NOT power through them - that will increases the chances of a real injury that may last a long time

Just keep on doing it, I'm 51 and moving upward

[jayboogie31]

Certainly learn good form - lots of videos form guys who really know how to do it right

Don't kid yourself as we age things don't always work as well as they used to
Little pulls/strains happen but DO NOT power through them - that will increases the chances of a real injury that may last a long time

Just keep on doing it, I'm 51 and moving upward

I appreciate that 4 Biz, I was encouraged by your post!

[Tigerzen]

Poor form is at the heart of many injuries, our desire to keep increasing weights overrides our common sense sometimes. I've done it as I'm sure many of us have. Whenever I get edgy and overzealous about increasing weights I tell myself that if I get an injury that's at least a couple of weeks of restricted working out. When I try and push myself I'll do it by an extra rep or two, it's still progress and a lot safer than stacking on a weight that my body isn't ready for.