I went on dates with two military chicks when I was a lieutenant (both were military cops, oddly enough). One was smoking hot, but she was a definite 304. (I just took her out because she was new on the installation and we knew each other from college. She definitely wasn’t my type.) The other was a plain-Jane church girl, but she decided that she preferred a pretty boy who was totally, comically wrong for her.
He was a really good dude and ridiculously attractive (no homo: it is what it is), but I don’t think he was very interested in her.
I use a mix of free weights and machines even now. Everyone is at a different point of their journey, and everyone has different issues, so I try to not be critical of what anyone else is doing to get stronger. A person using only machines with a couple of plates three days a week is still doing more than 80% of the population.
I prefer machines for most of my upper body work because I have wonky shoulder joints, so if my form isn’t nearly perfect for some lifts I run the risk of seriously injuring myself. If I get weight over my head and my humerus starts to pop out unexpectedly (which happens more often than you’d think even at relatively low weights) it becomes impossible to maintain proper form. I’m much safer being on a machine that allows me to safely release the load than with a bar that I have to maintain control over all the way to the floor.
I’ve never had a full separation at the GHJ, but that’s because I make a point of not getting into positions where I have to choose between dropping a bunch of iron on my head or ripping a major tendon. When I feel the joint start to slip I know to stop pushing.
Plus, there are some muscles you just can’t work using free weights. Hamstrings, for instance.
Read MoreSince my job requires so much travel, it’s all I can do to maintain. I set a PR of 355 in January 2024, and here I am a year later at essentially the same place.
My issue probably won’t be trying to get gains too fast, but being able to be consistent enough to get any at all.
In 2024 I was on the road frequently up until August, at which time I had a break that lasted until November. November was busy, but once my last mission ended I’ll be off until the second week of January. Then it’s balls-to-the-wall for at least six months, which means that my ability to follow my training routine will be significantly compromised. I’ve been thinking about ways to change up my training to compensate for the irregularity that’s coming my way.
When I’m not traveling I’m highly disciplined, but maintaining on the road is hard.
Read Morewww.youtube.com/watch?v=-GWDdVMtR38 @lurkerhasarisen Lurker, this guy will get you motivated to crack that 400 pound barrier. The second deadlift shown is 688 in pounds, and it and the squat were done at IPF worlds meets, which have strict day of meet drug testing and random out of meet testing for lifters, and the IPF is an organization that hates U.S. lifters and would like nothing more than to bust one for failing a drug test. From everything I've heard, this guy was never an enhanced lifter. I met him at a drug tested meet in St. Louis where he pulled 716 at 181, and it was hard to believe someone his size could be so strong.
What's remarkable to me is that the 688 deadlift preceded the 700 squat by 25 years, so he would have been in his early to mid 50s when he did the squat. Sure, he was 25 pounds or so heavier, but a 700 squat at any age or weight is pretty impressive to me, and certainly by someone under 200 pounds who is over 50.
Read More@lurkerhasarisen Just don't try to move up too fast and you'll likely do more than you think you can right not.
Strenthlevel.com allows you to factor in age. When you account for that, “elite” begins at 323 pounds for my weight class and age. (As you noted, that’s straight deadlifting, whereas I use a trap bar, which makes a big difference). I have no idea how much I can lift with a barbell… I’m sure it’s nowhere near 350.
If I had any sense I would be content where I am. Early in my journey I was doing around 250, and I viewed 300 as a probably-unattainable number. As I started to approach it, it became a goal. Once I made it I got the bug to do three plates (320 pounds). Nobody was more surprised than I was when it happened. Now that’s my final warmup weight before I push my max.
I may have a problem.
@lurkerhasarisen www.reddit.com/r/powerlifting/comments/uq6602/determine_your_relative_strength_using_real/?rdt=64175. I don't know how valid this is. A 402 deadlift (182.5 kg) at your age and weight is in the 73rd percentile of competitive lifters at that age and weight according to this. But note these are competitive deadlifts and not trap bar. At the gym I go to on my travels, they have a board listing their competitive lifters' meet lifts. At 148, as I recall the deadlifts were 515, 455, and two at 405, for men, and there was a female at 315 or 335. These aren't elite lifters, not even close, but aren't 60 either. Still, should give you motivation that 400 is very doable at your weight.
I do resistance training six days per week as it is. Mondays and Thursdays I do lower body lifts, Tuesdays and Fridays I do upper body lifts, and Wednesdays and Saturdays are for core strength. I alternate between strength / power and endurance / hypertrophy for upper and lower.
That way I never work a muscle within 72 hours of the last time I worked it.
Still… I’m 62, and my deadlift is approaching 2 1/2 times my body weight. There’s only so fast this thing can go before the wheels come off.
@lurkerhasarisen I don't think that's overly ambitious. My training has been going very well lately, and I've been thinking of setting some goals too and perhaps doing a meet again. I'm responding well to high volume workouts on the big 3. Usually 5-6 work sets of doubles or triples in the 80% of max range, sometimes going up to 8 work sets. I'll also throw in 4-5 sets of 3-5 in the 70-75% range after the 80% work sets, so these workouts are pretty high in volume but that's how I got the best results previously, and I'm recovering just fine. Once a month or so, I'll do doubles in the 85-90% range just to feel some heavier weight.
For the last few years, I'd been doing the big 3 lifts once per week, but I've recently added a second squat day and a second bench day and it seems to be helping. I think older lifters can develop work capacity beyond what has been traditionally believed and also hit decent numbers. I saw a youtube video this morning of a 71 year old who bench pressed 315, and his training program was, shall we say, less than optimal. I don't think a 400 deadlift is unrealistic for you at all. I wouldn't mention it to your doctor though, as most doctors are clueless in this area. On the other hand, a few years ago, my surgeon told me to go as heavy as I wanted to once I healed up.
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