Hail to the Dinosaurs!
As you grow older, it's always necessary
to make adjustments in your training. Not
training is NOT an option.
For most of us, that means longer and more
intelligent warm-ups, paying much more
attention to diet and nutrition, making
sure we get enough rest and sleep, reducing
the total amount (volume) of our training,
and using some sort of cycling system so we
don't go heavy too often.
Some adjustments involve exercises -- or
changes in your exercises. For example:
1. Replace squats with front squats -- which
may be easier on your lower back and hips.
And they may be MUCH easier on your shoulders.
Note: You can perform front squats Olympic
lifter style, or bodybuilder style with crossed
hands -- or attach short straps to the bar and
hold onto the straps. The important thing is
to perform the exercise with your torso in a
vertical posiition and your elbows high.
Note: Wear OL shoes with a heel to do front
squats.
2. Replace powerlifting style squats with high
bar style Olympic squats. Again, these may be
easier on your lower back and hips - and on
your shoulders.
Note: If you switch from parallel squats to
full squats, go light at first -- you'll need
time to develop the flexibility to go all the
way up and down.
Note: Once again -- wear OL shoes!
3. Replace squats with Trap Bar deadlifts.
Easier on knees, and for some, easier on the
lower back.
Note: I like the original Trap Bar designed by
Al Gerard. My buddy John Wood sells them -- for
info, go here:
http://www.trapbartraining.com/
Further note: Many older lifters do really well
with partial Trap Bar deadlifts, using sturdy blocks
to position the bar. One of our readers, Dr. Jim
Dauer, does partial Trap Bar deadlifts with close
to 1,000 pounds -- and he's over 60 years old!
4. Switch from weighted squats to bodyweight
squats. Easier on your lower back.
5. Switch from bent-over rowing to one arm
dumbbell rowing. Easier on your lower back.
6. Switch from bench press to dumbbell bench
press -- or dumbbell incline press. Easier on
your shoulders.
Note: Dumbbells are more forgiving than barbells.
Sometimes a slight twist of the wrists or change
of elbow position is all it takes to turn a
painful exercise into a great one. Dumbbells
allow you to make these minor adjustments.
Note: If it's too hard to wrestle the dumbbells
into position, do one arm dumbbell bench presses
or one arm dumbbell incline presses.
Note: Another option -- switch to pushups. There
are tons of effective pushup variations to choose
from. See Dinosaur Bodyweight Training for some
of my favorites:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
7. Switch from press behind neck to military
press or dumbbell press -- again, easier on
your shoulders.
8. Switch from one particular angle on an
incline bench to a different angle -- for
example, 45 degrees might irritate your
shoulders, but 60 degrees might feel great.
9. Switch from barbell curls to dumbbell curls.
Easier on the inner elbows.
10. Switch from dumbbell curls to dumbbell
hammer curls. Again, easier on the inner elbows.
11. Switch from curls of any sort to close grip
pull-downs to the chest -- something that John
Grimek did when he was older.
Note: Yes, even a superman like John Grimek had
to make adjustments as he got older.
12. Switch from dips to any pushup variation
of your choice -- or to close grip bench presses.
Easier on the shoulders.
13. Switch from bent-legged situps to hanging
knees to chest -- easier on the lower back and
hips.
14. Switch from military press to push press --
sometimes, the first few inches of the press
are tough for older lifters with shoulder
problems -- but they can do push presses just
fine.
15. Try log bar presses instead of using a
regular barbell.
Note: For info on the Log Bar, go here:
http://www.functionalhandstrength.com/log_bar.html
That should give you some food for thought!
Remember, NOT training is NOT an option. The
trick is, figuring out what to do to continue
training. Don't be afraid to make adjustments --
it's something we all need to do as we grow older.
As always, thanks for reading, and have a great
day. If you train today, make it a good one!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. For more information about productive, effective
training for older lifters, see Gray Hair and Black
Iron:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
P.S. 2. Several readers have asked me to cover shoulder
health in my new Dinosaur Military Press and Shoulder
Power Course. Don't worry, it's in there! (Just one
more reason to grab a copy of the little monster):
http://www.brookskubik.com/militarypress_course.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Everyone grows older, but
Dinos keep on training." -- Brooks Kubik
