At what age do injuries start to pile up ?

[tlm]

I was doing a set of ten with 225 pounds. I topped out at 295 pounds so the 225 is heavy but not forehead-vein-bulging heavy.

I guy I used to work out with tore a tendon in his upper forearm/elbow from doing a dead lift. He was also in his later 40's when that happened and has never recovered - I think his hand is at less than 50% normal functionality today. He was doing around 500 pounds and said that the force he was exerting caused more damage than the initial injury. His and my incident have really scared me off from doing any heavy upper body stuff any more.

I sure hope you are scared of using heavy weights at an older age. You say a guy you used to workout with in his upper 40’s was doing deadlifts with 500 lbs.and got injured. Wow imagine that, sorry but that is just ignorance once that age you need to leave the ego at the door and use more moderate weights.

You can get just as good of a workout with a somewhat lighter weight by going slower on the reps. I’ve lifted since my 20’s and yes when I was younger me and my workout buddies would be lifting heavier weights than we should have. But by my 30’s I knew enough to not be going crazy with too heavy of weights.

Lifting weights is to help prevent injuries not cause them. I still use moderately heavy weights but not anywhere near max weights. There are many ways to lift safely and still get plenty strong without getting in the danger zone.

 

[movdqa]

I sure hope you are scared of using heavy weights at an older age. You say a guy you used to workout with in his upper 40’s was doing deadlifts with 500 lbs.and got injured. Wow imagine that, sorry but that is just ignorance once that age you need to leave the ego at the door and use more moderate weights.

You can get just as good of a workout with a somewhat lighter weight by going slower on the reps. I’ve lifted since my 20’s and yes when I was younger me and my workout buddies would be lifting heavier weights than we should have. But by my 30’s I knew enough to not be going crazy with too heavy of weights.

Lifting weights is to help prevent injuries not cause them. I still use moderately heavy weights but not anywhere near max weights. There are many ways to lift safely and still get plenty strong without getting in the danger zone.

My friend that did this stuff did competition, it that much different to recreational tennis players.

 

[socallefty]

We can grow and strengthen our muscles, and increase flexibility, but as far as I know, we cannot regrow our cartilage. Could fasting and autophagy generate new cartilage?

I guess you can do stem cell or hyaluronic acid injections to reinvigorate whatever cartilage you have left on aging joints. I did a HA gel shot on my knee last year at the age of 51 and it seemed to help.

In general when I am close to my ideal weight range and am strong in my lower limbs, I can play tennis every day on hard courts even though MRI on my knees shows a lot of cartilage lost due to arthritis. Whenever I put on some weight or don’t exercise enough to keep lower leg muscles strong, the knees get sore. I do change out my shoes often as my knees feel it when they get too soft.

 

[onehandbh]

I sure hope you are scared of using heavy weights at an older age. You say a guy you used to workout with in his upper 40’s was doing deadlifts with 500 lbs.and got injured. Wow imagine that, sorry but that is just ignorance once that age you need to leave the ego at the door and use more moderate weights.

You can get just as good of a workout with a somewhat lighter weight by going slower on the reps. I’ve lifted since my 20’s and yes when I was younger me and my workout buddies would be lifting heavier weights than we should have. But by my 30’s I knew enough to not be going crazy with too heavy of weights.

Lifting weights is to help prevent injuries not cause them. I still use moderately heavy weights but not anywhere near max weights. There are many ways to lift safely and still get plenty strong without getting in the danger zone.

Sometimes I try to lift a heavy weigh (heavy for me, but not actually that heavy), that I can only lift 2-3 reps. I do this after warming up. Doing this over time seems to help progress at the lighter weights for me.

 

[tlm]

Sometimes I try to lift a heavy weigh (heavy for me, but not actually that heavy), that I can only lift 2-3 reps. I do this after warming up. Doing this over time seems to help progress at the lighter weights for me.

If warmed up and you don’t get too heavy you should be able to get away with that. Like I mentioned I still lift moderately heavy weights at times but its just not worth it to go heavier than you can handle. There is a big difference in using a weight that is a little heavy and you struggle to get to the numbered reps vs anything close to a maximum lift. Remember that the weight you use that is heavy for you is heavy enough to hurt you regardless of what some would consider heavy.

 

[tlm]

I guess you can do stem cell or hyaluronic acid injections to reinvigorate whatever cartilage you have left on aging joints. I did a HA gel shot on my knee last year at the age of 51 and it seemed to help.

In general when I am close to my ideal weight range and am strong in my lower limbs, I can play tennis every day on hard courts even though MRI on my knees shows a lot of cartilage lost due to arthritis. Whenever I put on some weight or don’t exercise enough to keep lower leg muscles strong, the knees get sore. I do change out my shoes often as my knees feel it when they get too soft.

This is very true. I’ve found that as long as I keep strong and do my leg workouts I can play 5 days a week without injuries.

 

[Injured Again]

We can grow and strengthen our muscles, and increase flexibility, but as far as I know, we cannot regrow our cartilage. Could fasting and autophagy generate new cartilage?

Although I do not currently have any joint paint, many of the people I know have or have had knee, shoulders, elbow, wrist injuries or pain. This has made me think about how I should manage the sports and activities I do, recovery, and reducing/minimizing impact.

Already stopped playing basketball many years ago. Added yoga again, and some stretching. Still go to the gym 1-2x a week. Having strength from the gym seems to help me retain my endurance and speed on the tennis court.

Cartilage is pretty much "use what you have and when it's gone, it's gone". I was talking about healing in terms of muscle damage from strenuous activity, and minor strains to tendons and ligaments.

Strength doesn't seem to have any significant relationship to explosive speed on the court for me. I can leg press at least twice what I could do when I was in my 20's, but at that time I could dunk a volleyball. Now, I can barely touch the bottom of the net with my fingers. What the strength does do is allow me to maintain a bit better balance, and stop and restart quicker, but everything else in between seems to be in slow motion.

 

[Injured Again]

I sure hope you are scared of using heavy weights at an older age. You say a guy you used to workout with in his upper 40’s was doing deadlifts with 500 lbs.and got injured. Wow imagine that, sorry but that is just ignorance once that age you need to leave the ego at the door and use more moderate weights.

You can get just as good of a workout with a somewhat lighter weight by going slower on the reps. I’ve lifted since my 20’s and yes when I was younger me and my workout buddies would be lifting heavier weights than we should have. But by my 30’s I knew enough to not be going crazy with too heavy of weights.

Lifting weights is to help prevent injuries not cause them. I still use moderately heavy weights but not anywhere near max weights. There are many ways to lift safely and still get plenty strong without getting in the danger zone.

The guy doing a 500 pound deadlift was a football player in college and a hulk of a dude but the nicest guy ever. I think at one point he was a semi serious bodybuilder and he told me he had deadlifted over 700 pounds when he was younger. So the 500 pounds was kind of the equivalent of me doing a bench press with 225. Heavy but not seriously heavy. So at what point does someone decide that heavy but not seriously heavy is too heavy?

 

[tlm]

The guy doing a 500 pound deadlift was a football player in college and a hulk of a dude but the nicest guy ever. I think at one point he was a semi serious bodybuilder and he told me he had deadlifted over 700 pounds when he was younger. So the 500 pounds was kind of the equivalent of me doing a bench press with 225. Heavy but not seriously heavy. So at what point does someone decide that heavy but not seriously heavy is too heavy?

Well how about when it’s enough weight to rip a tendon in your arm. This guy wasn’t a football player in his late 40’s and obviously he was using weight that was too heavy. I used to do bench presses with 305 lbs when I was in my 20’s at 175 lbs body weight but I wouldn’t even think of trying anything near that today.

There are many ways to use moderately heavy weight and get a great workout and keep your strength up. You can do super sets or tri sets or do a slow rep speed. When I got into weight training I checked out the guys that were into power lifting and the other guys that were into body building and I decided to go with body building and I’m glad I did. All those guys that were into power lifting now have injuries and their shoulders are shot.

 

[movdqa]

Well how about when it’s enough weight to rip a tendon in your arm. This guy wasn’t a football player in his late 40’s and obviously he was using weight that was too heavy. I used to do bench presses with 305 lbs when I was in my 20’s at 175 lbs body weight but I wouldn’t even think of trying anything near that today.

There are many ways to use moderately heavy weight and get a great workout and keep your strength up. You can do super sets or tri sets or do a slow rep speed. When I got into weight training I checked out the guys that were into power lifting and the other guys that were into body building and I decided to go with body building and I’m glad I did. All those guys that were into power lifting now have injuries and their shoulders are shot.

I haven't lifted anything heavier than 165 pounds in the past year due to limitations of my home gym. I don't really see the need to go over 200 pounds though I did more in the office gym prior to the pandemic.

 

[tlm]

I haven't lifted anything heavier than 165 pounds in the past year due to limitations of my home gym. I don't really see the need to go over 200 pounds though I did more in the office gym prior to the pandemic.

Most people don’t know that bodyweight movements are better than using barbells. Also you can add some weight to bodyweight movements like pushups, pull ups, and dips and this is an excellent way to keep strength up. I still lift weights for maintenance but do more CrossFit training now which I feel is better overall and better for tennis.

 

[movdqa]

Most people don’t know that bodyweight movements are better than using barbells. Also you can add some weight to bodyweight movements like pushups, pull ups, and dips and this is an excellent way to keep strength up. I still lift weights for maintenance but do more CrossFit training now which I feel is better overall and better for tennis.

I have a combo pullup/dip/roman chair station in my cart but I realistically don't have the space to install it.

I like doing deadlifts, squats and shoulder press with the barbell. Doing them gives me structure for weights. I do a lot of bodyweight stuff though those are usually classified under my Yoga exercises. There are also some abdominal exercises that are hard to match with bodyweight exercises; same with some core exercises. There are four core exercises that I do on machines at the gym. I've done them for forty years and two of them improve quality of life when stressed and the other two improve my tennis movement.

 

[tlm]

I have a combo pullup/dip/roman chair station in my cart but I realistically don't have the space to install it.

I like doing deadlifts, squats and shoulder press with the barbell. Doing them gives me structure for weights. I do a lot of bodyweight stuff though those are usually classified under my Yoga exercises. There are also some abdominal exercises that are hard to match with bodyweight exercises; same with some core exercises. There are four core exercises that I do on machines at the gym. I've done them for forty years and two of them improve quality of life when stressed and the other two improve my tennis movement.

Some machines are nice for isolating but nothing beats moving your body through space movements. I do still like some exercises with weights like dead lifts, squats, bench press, curls and lying tricep curls. I also do bent over rows and bent over shoulder raises. Many guy do way too much for the front of the shoulder and ignore the rear shoulder and this is known to cause injury over time.

 

[movdqa]

Some machines are nice for isolating but nothing beats moving your body through space movements. I do still like some exercises with weights like dead lifts, squats, bench press, curls and lying tricep curls. I also do bent over rows and bent over shoulder raises. Many guy do way too much for the front of the shoulder and ignore the rear shoulder and this is known to cause injury over time.

I do some of the other exercises with dumbbells. I do have a flat bench at home that's good for a few things.

 

[Injured Again]

Well how about when it’s enough weight to rip a tendon in your arm. This guy wasn’t a football player in his late 40’s and obviously he was using weight that was too heavy. I used to do bench presses with 305 lbs when I was in my 20’s at 175 lbs body weight but I wouldn’t even think of trying anything near that today.

There are many ways to use moderately heavy weight and get a great workout and keep your strength up. You can do super sets or tri sets or do a slow rep speed. When I got into weight training I checked out the guys that were into power lifting and the other guys that were into body building and I decided to go with body building and I’m glad I did. All those guys that were into power lifting now have injuries and their shoulders are shot.

Well, you bring up the exact point that I started posting about. When or how are you supposed to know that something you've done all your life all of a sudden becomes "too heavy"? None of my major injuries was during a maximal effort lift or move. Am I supposed to give up now and never lift anything "heavy"? And how should I define "heavy"? Like I said, when I wrecked my pec, I was warmed up, I wasn't straining, and it let loose. How was I supposed to know that was too heavy?

 

[Turbo-87]

I sure hope you are scared of using heavy weights at an older age. You say a guy you used to workout with in his upper 40’s was doing deadlifts with 500 lbs.and got injured. Wow imagine that, sorry but that is just ignorance once that age you need to leave the ego at the door and use more moderate weights.

You can get just as good of a workout with a somewhat lighter weight by going slower on the reps. I’ve lifted since my 20’s and yes when I was younger me and my workout buddies would be lifting heavier weights than we should have. But by my 30’s I knew enough to not be going crazy with too heavy of weights.

Lifting weights is to help prevent injuries not cause them. I still use moderately heavy weights but not anywhere near max weights. There are many ways to lift safely and still get plenty strong without getting in the danger zone.

You are spot on with this. After 40, it is more of how your muscle feels throughout the motion rather than the weight you are using. Adding pauses in your reps with lighter weight helps a lot. You have to warm yourself up properly and not just hit the gym and go all out. Make the warmup separate from the workout, meaning don't use your first couple of sets as a warmup on each exercise. You are just wasting time. It's all about being smart and being in tune with mind and body. Men over 40 should be concentrating on the quality of the motion as this becomes key to recovering better and still getting the benefit of gaining size and strength. Honestly, it's a hard transition to make.

 

[Turbo-87]

Well, you bring up the exact point that I started posting about. When or how are you supposed to know that something you've done all your life all of a sudden becomes "too heavy"? None of my major injuries was during a maximal effort lift or move. Am I supposed to give up now and never lift anything "heavy"? And how should I define "heavy"? Like I said, when I wrecked my pec, I was warmed up, I wasn't straining, and it let loose. How was I supposed to know that was too heavy?

You have to listen to your body and look at your gains or lack thereof. Injuries can occur at any time for a variety of reasons. Look at how many athletes go down with injuries, especially in football with non-contact injuries. They train and train yet can go down with a seemingly harmless change in direction on the field and be out for the year. When you lift heavy, you are accepting the risk and wanting the reward. You can do the same exercise dozens of times with the same set/weight structure, but one wrong move can tweak something and leave you scratching your head wondering how it happened. Had I not healed enough from the last heavy workout on that body part? What the heck happened? Our bodies are amazing and confusing at the same time.

 

[Injured Again]

You have to listen to your body and look at your gains or lack thereof. Injuries can occur at any time for a variety of reasons. Look at how many athletes go down with injuries, especially in football with non-contact injuries. They train and train yet can go down with a seemingly harmless change in direction on the field and be out for the year. When you lift heavy, you are accepting the risk and wanting the reward. You can do the same exercise dozens of times with the same set/weight structure, but one wrong move can tweak something and leave you scratching your head wondering how it happened. Had I not healed enough from the last heavy workout on that body part? What the heck happened? Our bodies are amazing and confusing at the same time.

Yep, and nothing during my bench press nor during the on-court move out to my forehand did either my pec or ankle, respectively, give me any indication it was going to rupture. It just did.

And so there lies the issue. How hard should someone go at some athletic pursuit? If I somehow manage to get deep into a high level age group tournament, there's no way I'm not going 100%, but if I haven't gone 100% before, how will I be able to competently do it in competition?

Maybe it's just a matter of accepting that if an older person chooses to engage in a physical activity at a high, intense level, that injuries will happen and they will become more frequent and more severe with increasing age.

 

[Turbo-87]

Yep, and nothing during my bench press nor during the on-court move out to my forehand did either my pec or ankle, respectively, give me any indication it was going to rupture. It just did.

And so there lies the issue. How hard should someone go at some athletic pursuit? If I somehow manage to get deep into a high level age group tournament, there's no way I'm not going 100%, but if I haven't gone 100% before, how will I be able to competently do it in competition?

Maybe it's just a matter of accepting that if an older person chooses to engage in a physical activity at a high, intense level, that injuries will happen and they will become more frequent and more severe with increasing age.

I'm just an amateur bodybuilder, but my opinion is this. If you are working out with heavy weight or using max effort, your body's tolerance for injury avoidance lessens. Using bench press as an example, if you had worked out hard earlier in the week or have done some exercises that stress the muscle differently, your involved muscles may not have recovered enough by the time your next bench press session begins. You may feel fine for a bit with your usual heavy weight, but the additional stress on an unrecovered or damaged muscle will be enough to cross the line from stress to injury. I can say that I have had very few lifting injuries but the few that I have had were a surprise, much like you had.

As you age, some things just become the new normal. You have to be aware of what your body is telling you. Older lifters need more rest and recovery and if you try to continue to be on the bleeding edge of performance, it will catch up in the form of injury due to not allowing recovery time while expecting max performance. We're all different.

 

[tlm]

Well, you bring up the exact point that I started posting about. When or how are you supposed to know that something you've done all your life all of a sudden becomes "too heavy"? None of my major injuries was during a maximal effort lift or move. Am I supposed to give up now and never lift anything "heavy"? And how should I define "heavy"? Like I said, when I wrecked my pec, I was warmed up, I wasn't straining, and it let loose. How was I supposed to know that was too heavy?

There is no way of knowing for sure. But once into older age you need to use common sense and reasoning. Just because an injury didn’t come during a maximum lift does not mean that those maximum lifts didn’t contribute to it. Have you ever tried super sets or tri sets? Or do reps slowly instead of snapping them off quickly? Some guys have tendons and ligaments made of steel and others don’t and unfortunately you don’t know if you have them or not until it’s too late.

You say you were benching with 225 and you said that’s not too heavy which I agree, but then you said you topped out at 295 and that is heavy but not vein popping heavy. Well you really need to think about what you are doing because 295 is definitely starting to get in the danger zone at your age.

Also when doing bench pressing the bar should only come down to 4-5” above your chest. You should not be letting the bar come down enough to touch your chest.

 

[srimes]

Bunch of nonsense spouted here. This little old lady started lifting at 65 and puts all yall ninnies to shame.

Detroit woman, 78, sets 19 world records for powerlifting

Nora Langdon shared how her desire to get into shape led to breaking records and inspiring others in the weightlifting world

thegrio.com

 

[movdqa]

Bunch of nonsense spouted here. This little old lady started lifting at 65 and puts all yall ninnies to shame.

Detroit woman, 78, sets 19 world records for powerlifting

Nora Langdon shared how her desire to get into shape led to breaking records and inspiring others in the weightlifting world

thegrio.com

There are lots of folks here that have world-class achievements in various areas and most here are accomplished at tennis though not to that degree. When we are talking about fitness, we are talking about strength-training to support tennis. Not strength-training as a means itself. That is the expectation is that you have sufficient strength, stamina, quickness, skills, footwork. And then the ability to execute on strategy and tactics.

 

[Connorsfan]

Concussions at 14 and 16.
Shattered fibula at 16.
Tib/fib compound at 21.
No real injuries since 2007.

We’re you training police dogs?

 

[LeeD]

We’re you training police dogs?

Little guy, 100 lbs., starting tight end and olb in JV football, raced a 250 Yamaha in AFM 250 Production Class.