Rethinking the power lifting thing

[mjf]

I've had a couple beers and when I've had a couple beers I post more than I think.

@RodgerThat at 44, almost 45, with lower back pain, some sort of forearm/ bicep pain that prevents me from being able to do pull ups at my current weight of 198ish can I feasibly transition into powerlifting? I currently don't even do dead lifts because of the lower back pain.

I'm in a slight slump at the moment and looking for a change but not exactly sure what that change should be.

Appreciate any input. I probably won't check this post again until some time tomorrow.

 

[RodgerThat]

Is your pain completely undiagnosed (as in you don't know why you have pain there?) it's hard to say exactly without knowing the extent of your injury/pain, but it still is possible to make a transition. Maybe not directly to powerlifting but you could move towards a strength and mobility program building your body up in a different way then moving into the big 3 more aggressively

 

[mjf]

The pains are undiagnosed. Lower back pain has been hanging around about 6 months. Tried going to a chiropractor a couple times but everything was so tight she couldn't manipulate it and I gave up. I've been taking it easy, icing it, rolling on top of a tennis ball, and other things lately and it's starting to not hurt every second of the day. The pain is by no means unbearable, but certain things aggravate it like dead lifts and sometimes squats.

The pain in my forearm/bicep really makes pull ups unbearable. I can get about 3 and when I drop down off the bar, it's extremely painful.

I think starting light on deads and working up would work, but I get that weird feeling trying to do deads when an older lady at my gym deads the amount I'd be lifting to take it easy. Stupid ego.

 

[Docd187123]

Go see a professional and get diagnosed properly.

Pull-ups aren't needed to get stronger or for powerlifting. Chin-ups sometimes create less pain in the bicep/forearm area for me.

Deadlifts aren't necessary unless you plan on competing in powerlifting. There are plenty of variations you could do to substitute for deads. You can also tailor the workouts' intensity and volume to help work around the injuries. Maxing less frequently, lowering volume and intensity, etc will still help you progress while slightly reducing pain/risk of further injury.

 

[Casca]

Transitions r possible, but u soon will become frustrated and more injured if u don't heal conpletely first.

Find our whats wrong with u, and heal.

U don't have to jump in neck deep into powerlifting, once healed, incorporate a lift and a program that is suitable to ur experience.


The Green Machine

 

[Demondosage]

I look at it like this......

Compare the longevity of powerlifter versus bodybuilders. Because most powerlifters that I know are constantly fighting injuries, limping around, or have had to have hip, knee and shoulder surgeries and/or total replacements.

Then you have bodybuilders like Robby Robinson, Charles Glass, and Boyer Coe who are still training after all of these years. The choice isn't a hard one for me to make

 

[mjf]

I look at it like this......

Compare the longevity of powerlifter versus bodybuilders. Because most powerlifters that I know are constantly fighting injuries, limping around, or have had to have hip, knee and shoulder surgeries and/or total replacements.

Then you have bodybuilders like Robby Robinson, Charles Glass, and Boyer Coe who are still training after all of these years. The choice isn't a hard one for me to make

Given that, maybe I just need a change up of my routine to freshen it up. I fought lot of injuries when I first got serious about working out approx 3 years ago. I'm lucky now and only have the forearm/bicep pain that's from lifting. Back has been an on and off constant since I jumped off the top of a 10ft fence onto the concrete and my feet flew out from under me, landing me straight on my rear, not from lifting injury.

 

[RodgerThat]

Given that, maybe I just need a change up of my routine to freshen it up. I fought lot of injuries when I first got serious about working out approx 3 years ago. I'm lucky now and only have the forearm/bicep pain that's from lifting. Back has been an on and off constant since I jumped off the top of a 10ft fence onto the concrete and my feet flew out from under me, landing me straight on my rear, not from lifting injury.

That sounds to me like a mechanism that could entail a compression fracture in your back which could be the reason for prolonging pain. As for bicep/forarm have you looked into golfers or tennis elbow pressure cuffs cause if it's from overuse of lifting when starting in your 40s that's definitely a posibility as well. Get the pain looked at and start a mobility routine maybe check out some yoga classes (those will kick your ass so leave your ego at the door) then progress into building strength. Don't do exercises that directly cause you pain cause they are hindering you recovery and make sure to stretch. But a rumble roller and lacrosse ball and use daily as well

 

[mjf]

When it was my right arm that hurt, which was almost the same pain as I'm feeling in my left arm, wearing a neoprene compresion sleeve eliminated some of the pain. I wondered if that was helpul or hiding symptoms that I shouldn't be ignoring so I never started wearing it when this arm started hurting.

The back injury was over 20 years ago. It comes and goes though. I spent a month at work, 14 hour days, leaned over in an electrical enclosure, bending at the waist and in awkward positions and it aggrevated it to the point that the pain hasn't gone away. That was about 6 months ago. I've been trying to take it easy on lifts and bending that cause any discomfort in the lower back and I think it's getting better.

 

[Demondosage]

Given that, maybe I just need a change up of my routine to freshen it up. I fought lot of injuries when I first got serious about working out approx 3 years ago. I'm lucky now and only have the forearm/bicep pain that's from lifting. Back has been an on and off constant since I jumped off the top of a 10ft fence onto the concrete and my feet flew out from under me, landing me straight on my rear, not from lifting injury.

Agreed, a change of routine would be good but if it were myself I wouldn't totally dive into strictly powerlifting only. Ive been around a decent number of pro powerlifters and these guys spend 80% of the time rehabbing and rolling out over actually lifting. They're in constant pain and it just seems like a pig headed approach to continue moving forward. I have a great deal of respect for powerlifters, but big difference in taking care of the body and just throwing up #'s. I have found that as I age it's better to focus on tine under tension, higher reps and good form. Listen to your body, if deadlifting aggravates your back then do rack pulls or start with hyperextension, if squatting aggravates an injury then leg press or use a hack machine.

Bodybuilding is so individual that ibe learned there is no one size fits all protocol.

 

[gr8whitetrukker]

Agreed, a change of routine would be good but if it were myself I wouldn't totally dive into strictly powerlifting only. Ive been around a decent number of pro powerlifters and these guys spend 80% of the time rehabbing and rolling out over actually lifting. They're in constant pain and it just seems like a pig headed approach to continue moving forward. I have a great deal of respect for powerlifters, but big difference in taking care of the body and just throwing up #'s. I have found that as I age it's better to focus on tine under tension, higher reps and good form. Listen to your body, if deadlifting aggravates your back then do rack pulls or start with hyperextension, if squatting aggravates an injury then leg press or use a hack machine.

Bodybuilding is so individual that ibe learned there is no one size fits all protocol.

Excellent post