It seems what qualifies as “old” keeps getting younger and younger.
A guy no more than early 30s telling me how he’s doomed to a lifetime of low recovery and injuries. I told him that shits all mental.
See I came up reading more “old time” lifting sources (and some “crazy” modern ones), no mentions of rhabdo, overtraining, and whatnot, just advice, successes, and possibilities.
Anecdotes such as Bruce Randall’s ULTRA FAST losing of weight, a man pulling either 700 or 800lbs cold in street clothes upon walking into the gym having just jumped off the train he hobo’d his way across the country on, Jack LaLanne’s exploits, and the one that popped into mind talking to that guy yesterday:
The old man squatting with the NFL player.
See that guy in the gym yesterday was saying how he’s doing no lower body due to having strained either his abductors or adductors.
An insane squat story seems relevant.
An old time great (John Grimek) was hanging around inside the gym.
In walked a local NFL player, who being big and strong, yet wanting to lift with a partner asked if anyone would squat with him.
All and sundry replied no, except the old man now in his 70s.
The NFL player laughed but welcomed the old man thinking he’d squat him into the dirt.
The NFL player started off with low reps, but the old man took the first warmup set to 20, and suggested the football player match him.
A testosterone challenge, and thinking how many sets of 20 could an old man really do the next set was 20 reps for each.
NFL player during warmups: “Damn this is hard”.
Old Man: “Up the weight”.
315.
315 x 20 reps.
It’s hard but something I feel all can accomplish. “Natty”, “hardgainer”, “weakling”, or whatever, you can at some point hit 315×20. Hell I just did.
Back to the story: 315 on the bar. The NFL player either didn’t make the 20 or decided no more after one set here. The old man….5×20 at 315.
The NFL player asked him “How can you do that, I’d never be able to and I’m in my prime”
The old man’s reply “Squats are easy”.
Age is no limit. Sure building the base comes easier at earlier ages, but it can be done at anytime.
Just because you’re x years old doesn’t mean you can’t be robust, jacked and injury free. 70 year old men have outworked prime of their life NFL players. What can you do?
-J