I'm 44. Is it time for me to give up heavy lifitng?

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  • da1128
    da1128 Posts: 212 Member
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    I was 50 when I won my first weightlifting title and went on to win it 4 times in succession. I was in the lead come year 5, but a heavy crystal dish fell out of a cupboard and landed on my right hand, breaking 3 fingers, so I had to withdraw from the competition.

    Lifting did wonders for my bone density and I was healthier at 50 than I was at 30.
  • ambervaldez79
    ambervaldez79 Posts: 210 Member
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    Strength training is imperative to stave off losing too much lean muscle and bone density as we age. It will help you way more than you think in about 20 years. Maybe it is your actual routine. Some people have more pain and joint issues than other people. I am 34 and I think a big reason for my joint issues today are from being too lazy when I was younger. If you don't use it, you lose it!

    Keep up the good work.
  • mrdexter1
    mrdexter1 Posts: 356 Member
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    cant say any more ..she s 75

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0MBTN4oFLg
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
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    I've just revamped my entire lower body workout to remedy knee pain, and now my elbow is giving me trouble after my upper body workouts . . . It's frustrating!

    So revamp your upper body workout. It's possibly a form thing. It's possibly the ligaments and tendons taking longer to adapt to the strength than muscle does. It's why rock climbers experience injury - their strength and ability improve more rapidly than their ligaments and tendons can handle which leads to finger and wrist injuries. Continue to lift heavy but let the body adapt slowly so don't increase the mass so quickly if you'd be noticing quick increases in strength gains.

    PS I'm 41 and learnt the hard way. :D
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
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    My joints and tendons are starting to wear and tear, and it seems like every time I fix one problem, another one crops up!

    I've just revamped my entire lower body workout to remedy knee pain, and now my elbow is giving me trouble after my upper body workouts . . . It's frustrating!

    I'm wondering if it's time for me to give up heavy lifting and focus more effort of something more "age appropriate," like pilates or yoga. (I already do some.)

    Anyone else out there over 40 and still lifting? Has anyone given it up?

    Need more info about current routine before a determination can be made......
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
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    Hell no, strength training becomes more important with age to retain muscle which would otherwise naturally start decreasing and to preserve bone density. Read Sara's story, she's 45 and amazing:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/903628-one-year-of-barbells-and-ice-cream-my-story-so-far-pics?hl=Year+barbells+ice+cream
  • krhn
    krhn Posts: 781 Member
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    Stop lifting heavy but moderate weight... It'll ease up on the joints!

    If its the joint areas eg. Knees, elbows etc. try incorporating more machine weights and not so much on dumb bells or barbells
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
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    Stop lifting heavy but moderate weight... It'll ease up on the joints!

    If its the joint areas eg. Knees, elbows etc. try incorporating more machine weights and not so much on dumb bells or barbells

    I wouldn't follow this advice, no disrespect to the poster above......
  • Immerito
    Immerito Posts: 105 Member
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    Stop lifting heavy but moderate weight... It'll ease up on the joints!

    If its the joint areas eg. Knees, elbows etc. try incorporating more machine weights and not so much on dumb bells or barbells

    Using machines will not help strengthen or improve the joints.

    OP, incorporate more body weight exercises into your routine, as your body allows.
  • BigGuy47
    BigGuy47 Posts: 1,768 Member
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    If the pain is persistent and the joints appear to be inflamed you you should see a Rheumatologist?
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    Stop lifting heavy but moderate weight... It'll ease up on the joints!

    If its the joint areas eg. Knees, elbows etc. try incorporating more machine weights and not so much on dumb bells or barbells

    That's pretty terrible advice. If you need to do a smaller volume of work, the efficiency of free weights are where it's at.
  • Mustang_Susie
    Mustang_Susie Posts: 7,045 Member
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    Stop lifting heavy but moderate weight... It'll ease up on the joints!

    If its the joint areas eg. Knees, elbows etc. try incorporating more machine weights and not so much on dumb bells or barbells

    That's pretty terrible advice. If you need to do a smaller volume of work, the efficiency of free weights are where it's at.

    Not arguing, just curious as to why.
    Thanks :smile:
    Edit: smaller volume of work meaning fewer reps, lighter weights, less often?
  • krhn
    krhn Posts: 781 Member
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    By using machines, you can limit the amount of stress imposed upon a certain joint... Using dumbbells you have to stabilise the weights as well, if the OP felt an instant problem for example on a machine she can drop the weight without harming the body whereas it can get complicated very easily using free weights.
  • jayche
    jayche Posts: 1,128 Member
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    CT Fletcher.
  • sixpackdream
    sixpackdream Posts: 55 Member
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    Are you stretching enough?

    I put a lot of stress on my joints through the sports I play and workouts I do. I weight 223 pounds and was starting to have knee problems, swollen knees, lots of pain, hobbling up the stairs, and all my friends said get surgery.

    I started stretching for the first time in my life and worked at stretching all of the muscles of the legs and found that this reduced pressure on the knees. It took about two weeks to notice a difference and about two months for my knees to be 100%. I asked other people to try this and they have had great success. I believe this is how Rafael Nadal just finished his rehabilitation for his knees.

    The beauty of this is you can stretch anywhere, any time. I stretch in the kitchen while I am waiting for certain things to cook,
    when I am waiting for the shower to warm up, or any time I am waiting for something around home.

    Remember I am 46, weigh 223 pounds, play high level sports, workout regularly doing Insanity or P90X, and my knees have gotten better. I know it's the stretching because if I stop for a few weeks, I can feel irritation in my knees starting to come back. I stretch all the muscle groups now.

    I hope you try!
  • ciaojude
    ciaojude Posts: 1 Member
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    I'm 65 with 2 artificial hips and 2 knees, and I do strength training rather than what I would call heavy lifting -- my trainer says I'm far stronger than other women my age. I focus on fitness with a variety of bench and leg press, lifts, ball and bench exercises involving 12-15 lb dumbbells, 50 lb dead weight, pull-ups and push-ups, boxing, a variety of gym machines and other exercises with lunges, balance and resistance band activities. It's cardio, lifting weights and other but I feel the variety is better for me than trying to concentrate on lifting more.
  • jc1961AA
    jc1961AA Posts: 283 Member
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    Bumping this for some of the links, thanks
    JC
  • shortchange1
    shortchange1 Posts: 146 Member
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    I'm 60 and have been weight-training all of my adult life. It's true, from my experience as a certified personal trainer, that very few people get out of their 30's without issues affecting their shoulders, knees, hips or lower back primaily to the majority of time being spent in a seated, foward flexed position.

    It's important to address the muscle imbalances before even thinking about "heavy" lifting (and yes, heavy lifting is relative). When a person tries compound heavy lifts with bad form caused by muscle imbalances they simply exacerbate the joint issues which results in pain.

    A few sessions with a competent personal trainer or a physical therapist if you already have pain issues can get you to a point where you can strength train with positive results.
  • Loftearmen
    Loftearmen Posts: 380
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    Powerlifters peak in their 40's. There was a man in his 70's at my last meet who benched 365lbs. There's no reason to stop training heavy, you just have to figure out how YOU have to do it to stay healthy.

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