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Old Forum Why the topic of "training after 40" is significant

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Great topic, training and music are my major interests, and as I get older it's equally fulfilling to pursue both at home. That said, most of my gains have been made in the name of competition.
 
Training over forty one must have positive mind set or you set up for failure.When i turned forty i started to keep PR records for 40+ which helped me stay very motivated.Of course i still had my all time PR's but i didn't dwell on those.At 50+ i'm doing the same thing.I am jacked up in a couple areas but still am able to train.As Pavel said there is always some type of strength you can pursue.I like to think that if you took 100 random fifty plus year old men and test their strength and endurance i would easily be in the top 10% of the group.Do what you can and do it well the rest will take care of itself.
 
At 62 ,I have made progress without getting hurt "knock on wood"by following many of the principals in PTTP and DJ's Intevention.For heart health-swings-swings-swings.Every few months I go to a very good KB  trainer to check my form and strength. Going to the trainer makes me accountable
 
Yes, good discussion.  My Kajukenbo instructor (Stuart Rowe) told me 40 years ago "Be your own hero".  Works for me.  Got a 1/2 bodyweight dead hang pull-up a couple of weeks ago.  Like to work out by myself, always have.  I liked Bruce Lee, Benny Urquidez, Percy Cerutty back then.  Pavel today.
 
I started practicing (not working out) with kettlebells 3 years ago at age 46.  Since then my mantra has been "50 better than 40".  So far it's looking good, 35 lbs lighter, stronger than ever and spent last weekend in Houston.
 
Jim,

Great "rant". You are very correct, IMHO that there is a very large market outside elite and near elite. We are building a community of those folks here in Brisbane, and they love it. Regular folks who really enjoy the training and camaraderie it develops. I'm preparing for certification here in Oz in November, as are many others. Everyone I personally know who plans to cert will use that to reach out to a wide variety of elites and non-elites. I'll likely be targeting military and police/fire due to my background, while another guy is going to start working in aged care homes as part of a community health initiative. One lady who works in the beauty industry is going to run women only classes because so many of her clients want her to train them so they can have the results she's seen. My wife will add it to her health coaching arsenal for professionals in the medical industry she is in. She trains doctors and nurses, etc in nutrition as an aside to her day job in healthcare IT.

So you are right on the money the way I see it. Thanks for sharing.
 
At 55 I'm stronger now then I was at 45. even 35. I listen to my body more, and because of this I'm able to be stronger. Kettlebells are a huge part of it along with excellent instructors. My deadlifts and backsquats are deeper,and I really concentrate on form and breathing more so then when i was younger.  Pavel's teaching's have touched me in a way now that was missed in my early years and I always refer to PTTP and his other books as a source of continuing education that has humbled me and encourges me at the same time. I have learned to train smarter,be smarter,listen more, and humble myself more.  I find that this has set me on a journey of strength that I will travel for many years to come.
 
Jim, to me your story is as inspiring as any high-level athlete.  Way to go.  I think the market for effective training is huge.  Like Rob points out, so much good information, so many people doing very, very well, and yet so many more who are missing out.

I'm 39, and "getting over it" that I never won myself a trophy.  But in the scheme of things, the quality of life I have from consistent training makes it overwhelmingly worthwhile.  And I'm still improving at presses and running.
 
Thanks for the encouragement, folks.

One last thought. When you are training the non-elite client, especially one who has been doing conventional programming, be patient. It took me three years of messing with hard style training before the light went on. I had brought a lot of bad ideas with me, including those I learned at a well-known certification program.

The irony is that if I just would have listened to Dan John in his introduction to ETK (Do this!), I would have progressed much faster. Don't baby your clients, you have to tell them the truth, but also realize that some "re-education" may be necessary. When in doubt, tell them to do exactly what Pavel says. You really can't go wrong that way.

Jim
 
A great quote from Mike Mahler,

"Don't talk about what you use to be able to do.It is what you can do now that matters! The past is dead and the future is not here. However,the future is often great when you take care of the present."
 
"@Rob – I still love competition for the sense of urgency. I tend to complete any project much faster when I have a deadline. I only kind of care about winning–I want to perform better than I ever have, but I also like to see others set PRs and the bar for everyone move up."

@Russell: Agreed. Without that deadline/sense of urgency/fear of sucking, it's much easier to skip a workout just because "I don't feel like it."
 
Cool, important thread! (especially for us older folks :] )

I hit my 1st "naked" pistol at 46.  Hit my 1st OALPU at 44.

Goals going forward are SSST and SFG2.  I think I could have hit SSST when 44.  Was competing in TSC and got 125 snatches in 5 min.

Much smarter now (especially because I've been busted up a bit over the years).  "Easy Strength" and "Practice" vs workout makes huge sense.  Quality of movement and fanatical attention to technique rule the day for me.

Was not the most competitive athlete when younger against my peers, but much more competitive now.  Was great to go through recert for RKC in Feb 2012 at 46 years old with all those 20 somethings  :]
 
I know a wise saying, " A person's life starts from 40."

Another great saying, "Mind and body is one." 

"As you believe, so shall you live."
 
i have always done a lot of phys training varying from rugby, swimming, athletics etc with 14 years in The Army, put went up to 106kg from 83kg, after i left, though was always fit....... just fat though.

I discovered kettlebells and kickboxing when i was 39 and 3/4s lol, lost over 20kg, intially, let the weight creep up to 95kg, i feel comfortable heavier though this time it is mostly muscle.

45 this year and i had my first Interclub kickboxing match and have started Olifting  to mix in with the kbs and kbx :)

 

getting stronger all the time

 
 
If you think "training after 40" is significant wait until you are 70 ! KBs, DLs, Squats and Presses all are worth the "pain and effort" for strength, mobility and well-being. Start light and slow and work up quickly. Be consistent-4- times per week.
 
Brewster, welcome to StrongFirst - nice to see you here, sir.

-S-
 
So much respect for old guys getting after it.  Yesterday I saw my 62-year-old chiropractor friend outside whacking a tractor tire with a sledgehammer.

It was Carl Jung who first wrote about the second half of life being internally motivated.

If a group of individuals improve themselves, somebody will necessarily be the best at any given event.  Do we have only one winner?  It makes no sense.  Health and performance are not zero-sum games.
 
@Steve, that reminds me of a corny but wise mantra:

The past is history,

The future is a mystery,

Now is a gift,

That's why it's called the present.

Like Mike Myers says in Wayne's World, "Dude!  I just had a haiku!"
 
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