Question about beginners training

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A coworker recently started weight training, doing full body free weight workouts three times a week. He's a sedentary 55-years-old, works in an office; and prior to starting this program 6 weeks ago, has never lifted weights before.

His strength is increasing rapidly, however he is now experiencing pain. He says it's not DOMS but pain he feels in his bones, particularly his humeri.

It's been many years since I started training and I don't recall ever experiencing this type of discomfort, although I didn't start in my fifties either.

My question is did any of you experience bone pain like this when you first began training? If so, what did you do about it and how long did it last?

Thanks

 

[Burrr]

Cbs,
I'm 48 and just have days where everything seema to hurt. I think it is just bouts of inflammation, probably something diet or stress related setting it off.
I typically just go lighter for a few days until things quit hurting.
Hope you and your friend get it figured out.

 

[weighted chinup]

As somebody who actually snapped his humerus mid-shaft in training during a set of weighted dips, I can safely say I never experienced bone pain in training until it was too late. There are a couple scenarios that come close but I believe those are probably tendionsis symptoms or something similar and not bone related.

If he is certain it is bone related then at 55 I would consider the possibility of bones becoming brittle due to a combination of living a sedentary lifestyle and age(osteoporosis, vit d deficiency, etc). Not sure how common osteoporosis is in men who are 50+ but it might be the case considering he was sedentary. He should see a doc if he is concerned with this. Or buy some caltrate.

I'm going out on a limb and saying the likely explanation is much simpler though.

Sedentary person starts weight training and makes rapid strength gains and at 55 years old he doesn't have a young mans joints or bones and he will likely have to make adjustments to his training for junctions to get stiffer and stronger over time.

Frequent deloading might be indicated after several weeks even if he is able to make progress in a linear fashion. He needs to think pragmatically when it comes to longevity. Taking a week off when he feels like shit will be worth it even if it means losing a weeks worth of progress, which will likely be the case considering he is in the beginner stage.

But it's worth it and long term it will lead to better progress.

 

[Hotrods12]

I get pain all the time it didnt really start till I got closer to 40, I just usually deal with it know but before I took glucosamine and Msm

 

[Spooby]

Yep, I was thinking sedentary lifestyle + possibly brittle bones (maybe years of low testosterone levels?)

 

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As somebody who actually snapped his humerus mid-shaft in training during a set of weighted dips,

You, sir, are a savage. That had to hurt.

Sedentary person starts weight training and makes rapid strength gains and at 55 years old he doesn't have a young mans joints or bones and he will likely have to make adjustments to his training for junctions to get stiffer and stronger over time.

This is what I think too. His strength is increasing rapidly but his tendons, ligaments and bones aren't able to keep up. And when you add the age to a detrained individual, injury and pain seem likely.

Frequent deloading might be indicated after several weeks even if he is able to make progress in a linear fashion. He needs to think pragmatically when it comes to longevity. Taking a week off when he feels like shit will be worth it even if it means losing a weeks worth of progress, which will likely be the case considering he is in the beginner stage.

But it's worth it and long term it will lead to better progress.

I agree some adjustments are needed. What about switching to a one body part per week routine? Or even twice a week? Kind of spreading the volume out of a week rather than every other day. It might slow progression but it would give more time for recovery. He's currently doing full body three times a week.

I should add that he's not capable of lifting heavy weights, although they are heavy for him: BP - 85lbs, squat - 115, DL - 135, etc., and they're all up by 30-50% over his starting weights from 6 weeks ago.

 

[RodgerThat]

Bone spurs possibly. If he's talking to you about it maybe he should just go get some scans done if it's a real concern

 

[TS561]

My father has worked in an office for over 35 years. He isn't much of a milk drinker either. He started to have pain of a similar fashion as your friend. Dr. told him to supplement his Vitamin D and make more time for outdoor activities. If I remember correctly, he felt better in less than six months. Maybe sooner, I just can't remember. It has been several years ago now.

 

[weighted chinup]

That had to hurt.

Oh yeah.

Look at the displacement (with a splint on).

Guaranteed mal-union without surgery. Had an ORIF thankfully so I was only out for 5 and a half weeks. Pretty scary getting operated on when you only have 7 days to drop whatever drugs you're taking (tren and drol) but outside of an absurdly high BP after waking up from surgery I was ok.

This is what I think too. His strength is increasing rapidly but his tendons, ligaments and bones aren't able to keep up. And when you add the age to a detrained individual, injury and pain seem likely.

Yeah, I suspect since he isn't a young man maybe it's slower and there are other factors. I would recommend taking some OTC Caltrate if he feels his bones are brittle and if the problem persists then some x-rays should be taken. Just to rule out the possibility any bone related ailments. It's a pretty standard doctor visit so he shouldn't be apprehensive about it.

I agree some adjustments are needed. What about switching to a one body part per week routine? Or even twice a week? Kind of spreading the volume out of a week rather than every other day. It might slow progression but it would give more time for recovery. He's currently doing full body three times a week.

I'm not a fan of reducing frequency in beginner athletes, I don't think it's a good solution in this case. I actually think the added rest days he's getting compared to a single body-part program is beneficial. I don't believe 2x a week will cut it unfortunately, you would have to increase single session volume quite substantially to get an equivalent stimulus and I don't think 2x without the added work will be ideal, progress will just be too damn slow.