Guys in your 50s and 60s, do you still lift weights to failure?

[cantdrv55]

I can’t do it anymore. Feels like my shoulders are going to pop out. Maybe I should be taking joint supplements? Should guys our age still be lifting like a 30 year old? Curious to know how you’re exercising.

[Jeff Higgins]

If you are lifting within your limits, you are not doing the damage necessary to grow and add strength. You can gain some strength, and a lot of conditioning that way however, so it depends upon your goals.

When I was younger I subscribe to Mike Mike Mentzer's methods. Lots of warm up and warm down sets, with one "money" set to both positive and negative failure. You have to actually damage muscle tissue to promote the compensation that results in growth. This does, however, require a reliable partner to spot you.

Just getting back into this now, I find myself using these newer kind of "hybrid" machines rather than free weights. I don't have a partner. These allow me to go to positive failure in that one "money set", but, unfortunately, not negative failure. We'll see how it goes. Probably not for everyone, though.

[VINMAN]

Yeah, I still do but, then again my failure point is much lower than it used to be. Lol

I don't do as much as I used to, I cut down the number of different movements, and just stick to a couple of semi basic ones. I change them up every now and then. I also do more reps with a little less weight, rather than heavy lbs/ low rep like I did when I was younger.

[jamesnmlaw]

Pain is just weakness leaving your body. Ha. Stretch a lot more before lifting. Lessen the load and increase the reps. Cardio and movement over muscle mass gain. See a good nutritionist. Try alternating lifting with yoga and water aerobics. Certainly won't be lifting like a 30 yr old, but we're not doing too much today like we did when we were 30.

[Skytrooper]

I certainly do !

[Black968]

I have changed my workouts completely including diet. Changed up reps from 8 to 12 range (40 seconds per set), so lighter weight for less strain on joints. Also, stopped using protein supplements as I have found from research that many may contain amphetamine and the dreaded S word. Steak and potatoes going forward.

[sugarwood]

Originally Posted by cantdrv55

I can’t do it anymore. Feels like my shoulders are going to pop out. Maybe I should be taking joint supplements? Should guys our age still be lifting like a 30 year old? Curious to know how you’re exercising.

You will destroy your joints trying to lift to failure like a 30 year old.

[hbueno]

I never lifted to failure (er, maybe in high school, I forget). Anyway, about a year ago I started going to the gym a few days a week to try to maintain or build a little more muscle mass. Generally, I do three sets of 15 repetitions on the various weight machines using a weight that makes me work hard for the last tew reps. Every few weeks I increase the weight by 5 pounds. So far, it's working well. Combined with cycling in the warmer months and using the stair climber, I think I'm OK physically.

[herr_oberst]

No. I've gotten hurt recently by pushing my exercise routine to failure, trying to up the game. Hell, I'm 63. My main exercise is medium to long distance cycling, I had been doing some strength work and I kept upping the amount. Now, I have rehab to get back to square 1. Realistically, trying to reduce the amount of crap-food I put in my pie-hole would go a lot farther towards my health and long term agility and ability than trying to increase muscle mass or strength through a weight routine.

The injury has made me cognizant of the age of my joints and the lack of speedy resiliency

[Rusty Heap]

I used to do Super-Sets to work di-opposed muscles, exhaust the Biceps, then kill the Triceps.

[Bill Douglas]

I just lift a couple of 5kg weights.

I've also got one of those Total Gym 1000 machines (Chuck Norris) to keep my surfboard paddling muscles tuned.

[juanbenae]

me and my gal are pretty thrilled if i can get a boner.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by juanbenae

me and my gal are pretty thrilled if i can get a boner.

Take a blue pill and set up the video cam!

[speeder]

I don't lift weights but I occasionally do push-ups to the point of failure. That's a lot safer than lifting at my age.

[Chocaholic]

Mostly just 12 oz curls here. But never to failure.

[Geronimo '74]

I never had any weight fail on me while lifting.

[asphaltgambler]

I'd used say, in the right company, I'm going to the rest room, need help with some heavy lifting.......

[gacook]

Originally Posted by hbueno

I never lifted to failure (er, maybe in high school, I forget). Anyway, about a year ago I started going to the gym a few days a week to try to maintain or build a little more muscle mass. Generally, I do three sets of 15 repetitions on the various weight machines using a weight that makes me work hard for the last tew reps. Every few weeks I increase the weight by 5 pounds. So far, it's working well. Combined with cycling in the warmer months and using the stair climber, I think I'm OK physically.

If you're trying to build strength, lift very heavy with very few reps (4-6), 4 sets.

If you're trying to build muscle mass, use moderate weight and moderate reps (8-12), 3 sets.


Let your body rest and heal. That's when the muscles actually develop--from the healing of the tears you're putting in them.

I'm not in my 50s-60s quite yet, so will refrain from answering the OPs question. Soon, though!

[ckissick]

At 64 I lift one weight - me. At the rock climbing gym. It's much more fun than any other kind of exercise involving lifting something. And I can do it outdoors in a beautiful mountain setting, not just a gym. I won't be able to climb like I did at 30, but I can still climb at a limit that is mostly safe. I highly recommend it, but you'll need a belay partner.

[Crowbob]

I used to. I stopped when it became ridiculously easy. Like one or two reps easy. And that was just with the bar and without no weights.

Sometimes you just get too good, eh?