PRIMO CYCLE LOG!

[MamaLifts]

He's not entirely wrong about the heavy weights and future issues. At 42 I have to pick my spots now when I go heavy as pretty much every joint in my body is jacked up from years of heavy lifting. Especially on gear, you can make good gains by using lower weight but incorporating different types intensity e.g. drop sets, negatives, giant sets etc. Of course if you are just training for strength this won't be optimal but for muscle gains this can be a good change from a standard "heavy lifting" program.

You're right. I'm only 30 and already have some arthritis. I guess it's all about balance and learning to incorporate different styles. It's just that I've had a "go heavy or go home" mentality lately, wanting to build muscle and strength as well. Accepting that I can't for a bit was a tough pill to swallow. It was more of the Dr's comment saying I should go for the "toned" look that made me roll my eyes a little. He also mentioned this being why he loves his bowflex.. yada yada yada, haha.

 

[Savagesteve]

You're right. I'm only 30 and already have some arthritis. I guess it's all about balance and learning to incorporate different styles. It's just that I've had a "go heavy or go home" mentality lately, wanting to build muscle and strength as well. Accepting that I can't for a bit was a tough pill to swallow. It was more of the Dr's comment saying I should go for the "toned" look that made me roll my eyes a little. He also mentioned this being why he loves his bowflex.. yada yada yada, haha.

Bowflex? Toned? Did he mention his favorite exercise is kegels?

 

[MamaLifts]

I'm surprised he didn't suggest 'Hip hop abs" instead of heavy weights to cut down on arthritis. Toned? Geesh....

Lol! He was right about the arthritis. At the same time, lifting heavy also has many benefits. Keeping good form, adding weight at steady/smaller increments, and so on are good things to keep in mind. Apparently I didn't do a good job of that. In the end, I guess this is a good lesson for me.. even though I don't exactly like it, haha. Buuut.. it's all about perspective [emoji1318]

Still, don't tell me I need to go for the "toned" look, lol [emoji12]

 

[MamaLifts]

Bowflex? Toned? Did he mention his favorite exercise is kegels?

[emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

 

[MamaLifts]

The biggest change in getting older is not that you can't all of a sudden not lift heavy weight, it's that it takes longer to recover, longer to heal, and more easy to injure and re-injure.

BlueDress (who is almost 57!) and I both still train heavy for the most part like we did ten years ago, but we throttle way back when we get hurt. You have to or you will be taken out even longer.

Like @Professor Karman said, you can do different things to still achieve intensity and back off weight temporarily while you heal. Even when you're ininjured, some deliberate "deloads" are such helpful breaks for joints and ligament tissues to repair and catch up a little.

And now at our age - the gear gives you exceptional power but on the same old joints and connective tissues. You've got to preserve yourself for the long haul. For us, pushing ourselves regularly beyond our limits all our lives, it's much harder to back off. It's even worse when you're charged up like you are now.

Anyways, sorry about the bad news... but I'd refrain from taking a ton of painkillers/nsaids and simply trying to push through. Take care of yourself!

I didn't realize BD was 56! It sounds like you are both seasoned lifters. I have a lot to learn. It seems the setbacks can help by making you take a closer look at things. I will definitely pay better attention to the cues my body is giving & respect limits more. I tried to really watch it today & it was quite humbling. Want to preserve my body as much as I can. CMT (a neuropathy) runs in my family. My grandmother & mother both have it & I have traits/signs of it already. I'm hoping that lifting & having well developed muscles will help me with it in the long run. Just need to be smart about it!

Happy to say that I didn't take anything for pain today. I will tough it out from now on. Know it will pass soon [emoji1316]

Thanks for sharing, SC!

 

[MamaLifts]

Sidenote:

I've gone through two "au naturel" childbirths, so a pinched nerve should be a walk in the park [emoji12]

"Toughen up, Mama!"
-the badass me [emoji1320]

 

[Johnnyreb]

Sidenote:

I've gone through two "au naturel" childbirths, so a pinched nerve should be a walk in the park [emoji12]

"Toughen up, Mama!"
-the badass me [emoji1320]

That's right Mama, you certainly are a badass and as tough as nails

 

[Johnnyreb]

Bowflex? Toned? Did he mention his favorite exercise is kegels?

Lol!

 

[Crystal234]

Sidenote:

I've gone through two "au naturel" childbirths, so a pinched nerve should be a walk in the park [emoji12]

"Toughen up, Mama!"
-the badass me [emoji1320]

Nice!! [emoji117][emoji133][emoji1]

 

[johntt44]

Sidenote:

I've gone through two "au naturel" childbirths, so a pinched nerve should be a walk in the park [emoji12]

"Toughen up, Mama!"
-the badass me [emoji1320]

Oh c'mon! As a man, I can't compete with that unless I get a kidney stone! I did dislocate my hip once.

 

[MamaLifts]

That's right Mama, you certainly are a badass and as tough as nails

[emoji23][emoji8]

 

[Johnnyreb]

View attachment 70482
[emoji23][emoji8]

[emoji23][emoji8]

 

[MamaLifts]

That you certainly are [emoji23][emoji8]

[emoji1306]

 

[Johnnyreb]

[emoji1306]

[emoji123]

 

[MamaLifts]

Oh c'mon! As a man, I can't compete with that unless I get a kidney stone! I did dislocate my hip once.

The tougher of the species was entrusted with the task of childbearing!

I totally just pictured a life alert commercial, hehehe [emoji23][emoji6]

 

[Masters Power]

Oh man, 6 wks [emoji27] Does it still bother you? I had an X-ray on mine about a year ago & was told it's arthritis [emoji57] I take glucosamine/chondroitin and that helps the discomfort. Another thing my dr said today.. the heavy weights may have their benefits now, but that we're all going to wind up with more arthritis in the future. Then he preached a little more about lighter weight and higher reps for the "toned" look... [emoji849][emoji849][emoji849] I vomited lol

The doctor is right but screw him. I'm 50 and two months removed from my fifth weight training related surgery (my second bicep tendon surgery). The surgeon told me my shoulder looks bad from an arthritis perspective from heavy benching for the past 30+ years but that I handle it well.

Close grip benched 300 this past weekend getting back in the swing of things from the surgery. I say do what you love to do and deal with the injuries as they come.

Since you have the pinched nerve now you need to take it easy for a few weeks and let it heel up. Once it does get back to the quest for the triple digit bench. A few of us on here can probably help you in that quest if you post a video shot from several feet out in front of the bottom of the bench from one side or the other(edit out your face).

 

[Masters Power]

You're right. I'm only 30 and already have some arthritis. I guess it's all about balance and learning to incorporate different styles. It's just that I've had a "go heavy or go home" mentality lately, wanting to build muscle and strength as well. Accepting that I can't for a bit was a tough pill to swallow. It was more of the Dr's comment saying I should go for the "toned" look that made me roll my eyes a little. He also mentioned this being why he loves his bowflex.. yada yada yada, haha.

PS. The only thing bowflex has ever been proven to be good for is as a coat hanger!!

 

[johntt44]

View attachment 70485
The tougher of the species was entrusted with the task of childbearing!

I totally just pictured a life alert commercial, hehehe [emoji23][emoji6]

I actually dislocated it when I was 12. "I've fallen and I can't get up!"

 

[MamaLifts]

The doctor is right but screw him. I'm 50 and two months removed from my fifth weight training related surgery (my second bicep tendon surgery). The surgeon told me my shoulder looks bad from an arthritis perspective from heavy benching for the past 30+ years but that I handle it well.

Close grip benched 300 this past weekend getting back in the swing of things from the surgery. I say do what you love to do and deal with the injuries as they come.

Since you have the pinched nerve now you need to take it easy for a few weeks and let it heel up. Once it does get back to the quest for the triple digit bench. A few of us on here can probably help you in that quest if you post a video shot from several feet out in front of the bottom of the bench from one side or the other(edit out your face).

That's rough. Kudos for keeping at it. Hoping I can avoid the need for corrective surgeries.

Sounds like a great critiquing angle, hahaha. I've watched some good videos on bench form lately & will be more mindful when I go heavy again. Hopefully that'll be soon!

 

[MamaLifts]

I actually dislocated it when I was 12. "I've fallen and I can't get up!"

Ohh, awww.. How'd you manage that??