Now I guess athletically you wouldn’t call me a spring chicken anymore even though I’m only 36 and I’ve got many of the best years way ahead of me still. In fact in many ways because of the training I’m doing today I’m actually younger and stronger now than I was at age 18. I’m certainly in far, far better condition both from an athletic and endurance and cardiovascular standpoint as well as in body composition. I’m also stronger than I was at 18 and in some ways stronger than ever.
I also have perspective gains on balance and totality of training with inclusion of nutrition, restoration, strength, endurance, energy, sleep and all the other things that I didn’t have as a youngster. But here are examples of things you really should be shooting for as you age and here’s the point – don’t let yourself off the hook. I recently read again in Peter Ragnar’s book something that really makes sense and struck home to me. For instance what’s the difference biologically between a younger body and an older body? Nothing really except problems created by stress and nutrition. Now there is the issue of damage accumulated from physical stress besides that you don’t have a significant injury wrong with you there’s no reason even as the body ages you can’t radically gain health, strength and endurance.
So here are some things to think of and if you’re a youngster even more so to not let yourself off the hook on because these guys I’m about to reference are bad to the bone and continue to be as they age. Since I’ve already referenced him I’ll use again Peter Ragnar. Peter is ageless meaning he hit a place where you couldn’t pick out his age if you knew it and you’d never find it out, because he simply refuses to acknowledge age period. What a mindset! Peter has gained strength and he is well over 65 years old pulling partial deadlifts over 800lbs, doing 2,000lb leg presses and I’m talking about leg presses with some range not little 2” reps and multiple other feats of strength. Another thing that Peter accomplished that I think is just phenomenal is a wall chair, some people call it the electric chair, you sit with your back and butt against the wall in a parallel position and hold that in a static movement for time. He did this with 440lbs resistance sitting on his body in the form of a weighted vest and dumbbells and held it for five solid minutes. A man well above 65 who could accomplish a feat that very, very few younger people can do.
Performing feats at 70+ that no one can match.
Dennis Rogers – over 50 and still kicking butt in fact now bending some of the toughest wrenches: 12”, tougher than anyone’s ever or may ever bend. He may be better at this than he’s ever been.
John Brookfield – also 50 and maybe the most conditioned athlete on the planet. An incredible array of strength and conditioning feats as well as massive pure physical strength and incredible conditioning. Hour-long sessions with Battling Ropes, one mile semi-pulls, bend the red nail – what more is there to say?
I’m sure there are multiple other examples which I’m sure you could find. What’s the point to all of this?
1 – Don’t let yourself off the hook, young or old, big or small, whatever you desire, whatever you feel is necessary for you to accomplish you CAN accomplish.
2 – All of these guys have an incredible mind. Their mind does not allow their body to age. Their mind does not allow their body to deteriorate. That is more than important than just about anything physical you can do. The power of the brain is unstoppable. If you pursue things that with significant and powerful focus and dedication and focus that brain on it you can literally achieve incredible things at any age.
God bless,
Bud Jeffries
P.S. He ain’t old but he sure is strong. Be sure to join us live with Andrew Durniat tonight. Click here to sign up.
4 Comments
Great article. At 60 I love hearing these kinds of stories about the possibility to age not only gracefully but powerfully. I train with Kettlebells and bodyweight routines and I am in better shape than I was at 20. I am always looking for new opportunities to grow and expand my knowledge of fitness. I listened to your teleconference call with Andrew Dumiat last night and really enjoyed it. I am very happy to have guys like you and Logan Christopher out there bringing me great stuff to keep me learning. Thanks. Keep it up!
Thanks for your inspiring post. I just had two twenty and thirty something physical therapists tell me that at age 57 I should not think about lifting heavy weights anymore. I had a rotator cuff repair last December. They said no more overhead lifting for you. Why do you wish to lift heavy weights anyway? I have been lifting since I was 17. It’s kind of my hobby.
I may not do anymore overheads put I can do some heavy power cleans.I also prefer heavy belt squats (180 lbs) 20 reps, than having a heavy bar on my back. Please continue to send out inspiring stories about the over 50 crowd.What’s your take on protein supplements?
Paul Killpatrick
I could not agree with you more.
I am 54 and though I do have some joint pain when lifting heavy, I’m still making advancements regularly.
Unfortunately, because of work I have let myself go from time to time and have to start over again in the gym.
The past few years, however, I have not let a week go by with out doing something.
I see guys that are 60 or so, that have trouble just getting out of their car!!
That is not for me.
I notice others that get around quite well. The difference is muscle mass and it does not need to be a bunch.
I know an old man who is 90 this week that did bodydbuilding 70 years ago.
His pic looks like Steve Reeves.
He still does all the work around his four rental units and I mean all the carpentry, plumbing and even fixing the roof.
Sure, he has a more difficult time getting around than I, but not compared to any other guy that is even 20 year his younger.
I was my strongest in my early 40s. I could bench 335 for a couple reps and regularly used 85 lb dumb bells for curls.
I can not quite do that today, but close. My deadlift and squat, however, is bigger now than then.
The one difference is that I have difficulty with full range of motion.
Some old knee injuries; so I can only do a full squat with low weight, but partials are up in the 400 area.
Similar with dead lift. I have seven vertebrae fused together in my spine (NOT done medically) and it puts tremendous strain on my lower back.
But partials with five plates, each side, are a regular thing and I’ll even throw in some shrugging while I have it up.
Right now I am trying something different, against all my regular philosophy.
Since I am trimming down about 50 lbs, I switched to high reps of 5 sets of 15.
It is building up my endurance, I will admit that.
And the plan is to build up the weight, each week like always, and see how far I can get with that many reps.
Anyway, Just wanted to share that with you.
Aloha,
Rich
Hi Bud,
I’m checking out your website and learning new things and new ideas about keeping fit and strong.
I would like to read Peter’s book on Strength and Aging.
Talk to ya soon!
Evelyn