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Old Forum When Your Sport is Life

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Jim Lauerman

Jim Lauerman

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First, I want to thank all of you for this forum. The wisdom and cooperative attitude here sure is refreshing, especially for a strength-oriented group.

I note that virtually everyone here is an active athlete or trainer of athletes. The perspective you bring is fascinating and I have learned much from it.

But my situation is a bit different. At 63 years of age my sport is living well itself, and I am therefore always "in season". Thanks to hardstyle kettlebell fumdamentals (ETK) I am stronger and better conditioned than I have ever been, even when I was in my 20's.  My challenge is to set realistic, goals and to avoid injury and overtraining, from which I recover slowly.

I was working on progressing on the ROP with a 20Kg bell a few weeks ago when I tweaked my left shoulder doing MP's and snatches. I decided to "retreat" to the Program Minimum (PM) to build up my shoulder stability.

The results have been amazing. I am now doing 24's on both the TGU's and swings. My shoulders feel great, and I am sleeping better than I have in years.

Other than the PM, all I am doing are some goblet squats and RKC planks in my warm up, and some loaded carries on my TGU days.  Oh, and Tim Anderson "resets" every day for joint mobility.

My brain tells me that I should go back to the ROP and progress on my MP's and snatches but I wonder if my body is telling me that with aging strong as my goal, and life as my "sport" I should just keep doing what I am doing. How much stronger do I need to be, especially at the risk of injury or burnout?

Sorry for the rambling, but I wonder if any of you would like to give some perspective on this situation?

Thanks -Jim

 
 
Its really your call. You know your body better than I do.

If you do decide ease into your presses and snatchs again just go easy. Slow and steady and any build ups slow and very gradually progressive.

Your fit and healthy and sound like your doin great, go easy and let things flow naturally.
 
Aaron,

I think you probably hit the nail on the head. I have a tendancy to try to progress too fast. One friend suggested that my motto in life is, "If it's worth doing, it's worth over-doing." Unfortunately, I think he was probably correct.

Thanks for reminding me that ETK is not a competitive sport. I just finished" Easy Strength" and " Intervention" so you'd think I had that figured out by now.

Jim

 
 
Jim, I think we all at some put have likely pushed to hard. The overeagerness to achieve the goal. Male ego can be a terrible thing at times.

Your fit and healthy and strong,  there is no battle but what we make for ourselves :)
 
Thank you Aaron and Pavel.

Pavel: Now I just have to have the sense to do what  you and Dan John say.

Jim
 
Jim, I think it sounds like what you're doing is working great for you.  And there's no reason why you can't continue doing the program minimum and go to heavier bells if you want to get stronger.  Pavel once threw out a challenge on the dd forum to take the program minimum all the way to the beast.  No reason it can't be done.  And yes, read and re-read easy strength and intervention.  Tons of wisdom to be found there.
 
Jim,

You've got 10 yrs on me but our situations are very similar otherwise. I think the advice above is excellent. I think one of the best things I've gotten from Pavel and Dan John is how to teach yourself not to overtrain. It's a constant battle for me but I really notice improvement when I don't over train. One thing I'd add, while its important not to go too heavy too soon, I think the fitness environment for people over 40 is arrayed to talk us out of going heavy or treat us like martians for it but not here so that's another thing IiLife about this forum.
 
No advice, just that what you're doing makes sense and you've found the right information.  Ditto on the quality of the forum.  Health > fitness > sport.
 
Thanks to you all. I think I'll just stick to the PM, progressing slowly on the time until I am doing 20 minutes of swings and 10 minutes of TGU's with the 24. Then I will drop back to 12 and 5 with the 28 or the 32. Throw in some goblet squats, planks, loaded carries and joint mobility work and I can milk this for  a long time.  All with a "Park Bench" approach.

Jason: Thanks for reminding me of that DD thread. I remember thinking how much sense that made to me at the time.

Jim
 
Jim, great post!  I know from where you speak. I am 58 have five children, two jobs, two dogs and a lot of mileage. Life is the great game and we are all athletes. This is what I tell my students and I believe it. I beat myself up in pursuit of fitness for many years with too many miles, too many sets, too much weight, poor form etc...Then I found Pavel and ETK. I fell in love with the kettlebell and the program minimum. I had rotator cuff surgery last dec 2011 from a surfing injury and it was slow steady progress with the PM that brought me back. I pretty much swing the 24 TGU the 24 snatch the 20  and vary my presses between 16 and 28 kg. this works for me and works well. Low volume more weight with pressing saves my shoulders. I do more swings and get ups than anything else. My practice session last approx. 25 to 35 min depending on the days volume. I will sat that Easy Strength is one of the best and most sensible books I have ever read. I am not doing it, but my 3 three sport children and the athletes that I work with at school all are! If you can get someone to buy in the only thing that happens is they get stronger!!Continue on your road my friend, I am sure you are a great example to many! Best wishes!
 
Being 51 and finally getting my hip replaced, 2 weeks today, I see a ton of nuggets here.  I cannot wait to get to be able to do PM with Goblet Squats.  Love the line, "I beat myself up in pursuit of fitness..."  That should be the motto for the major majority of our society.

Great insights here, guys!
 
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