Bench press thread redux

[Hey Adrien!]

I totally screwed by my trap muscles after whiting out during a dumbbell bench press. Literally thought I had a stroke. Basically had symptoms similar to post-concussion syndrome for about three months. Basically ended up being a bad case of whiplash.

After about 18 months of PT and building up stabilizer strength, I stick to 135 w/ a bar and no more than 55 on DBs. I still pull my traps every now and then, but it's soooooo much better. Rope pulls at the end of back and shoulder workouts have been amazing at helping building up strength and releasing tension. What's weird is that whenever I get sick, or often times when I feel stress, it radiates from where I injured my neck/traps.

Long story short, at 38 and at ~165 lbs, I have no interest of gaining any muscle in the upper body, just maintaining. Weights 3x week and yoga 2x (wife's side hustle is yoga teacher, so she's my teacher).

 

[RuffRuff]

The more you read about aging at its best (Attia) the more it focuses on maintaining muscle mass for a variety of reasons.

I’m not built for bench as 6’4” with long arms but my bench is about where it’s been since my 20s at 4-5 reps of 225. Have found that cardio is much harder to maintain with age than strength. Where I once did a 5k in under 21 minutes a good 3 mile run for me these days is around 8.5 minutes a mile.

 

[knicksin7]

After a year of taking I feel as good as I can remember. I don't have any side effects. It does get old injecting yourself twice a week, I alternate from shoulder to back side. I added a pic so you can see results. This is with strict diet (weekends I'll drink and go off diet a little) and intense focused workouts.
View attachment 109443

Damn, you are sub 10% BF

 

[sledog]

I had sholder replace surgery. Just cleared PT, and got clearance to lift weights (at the Y). re bench press: just lifting the bar (45lbs?) to get feel / balance. So far so good. Otherwise, low wt, many reps to start.

 

[Demo Square]

Hey Guys,

IMO, the whole bench press issue for men is just an extension of competitive "d**k measuring & the luck of body shape. Can be fun, if you can do it. But most basketball players' bodies are long & lean (6'5"+) - not exactly the types of bodies meant for high rep bench presses or pull-ups, Ha.

I'm 75 now - occasional curls each week is about it. But I swim at least a mile everyday. For overall health, especially for seniors (like above 45), I cannot recommend more highly what swimming will do for your life. Just choose a stroke that doesn't hurt your old injuries. I love the backstroke & am good at it. Can do it stress-free all day w/o ever losing my breath. Try it.

Swimming. One very healthy activity you can do for life - & feel great!

Father Demo

 

[dennismenace]

I'm 77. Use an incline press weight machine. Used to use 130 lbs 3 sets and 10-12 reps.
Now using 90 lbs with same sets and reps. Three times a week with cardio and some other weight machines. Have some issues but see cardiologist every 6 mos. Just keeping things tuned up. Ortho doc told me to use the thumbs up grips vs lateral to avoid agitation to shoulder. Avoid having replacement surgery. It's a little raggedy but otherwise OK. Started working out again when I was in my mid 40's and other lifestyle changes. Grateful it has become a way of life. Very good topic. If I become ill or slack off I really feel it so that's a good thing.

 

[Demo Square]

BTW Friends,

As we age, & as former athletes with injuries & scars, we all have to go to physical rehab many times.

What really has worked best for me was switching from the rehab gym, to the rehab pool.

Water therapy is very challenging, effective, & most of all WEIGHTLESS. So you don't feel your old injuries while doing challenging weight work in the pool. And water just makes your spirit & mood elevate.

I loved playing hoops - so much that, after Div I college & a long Euro pro career, I played in the better local leagues here til I was almost 56, despite so many knee operations. Swimming kept me very fit since I got into it religiously at 35. Now 75, I'm about to undergo my 12th knee operation. It's a replacement of my first replacement 20 years ago. Third replacement overall.

It'll mean about 5 weeks for the scars to heal before I can get back in the pool for strong water therapy & rehab plus my daily swims. I will get antsy waiting - but I will get better because of the water. Before that, I'll receive in-home therapy. Check it out the water guys!

The Aging Father Demo

 

[JMick]

The more you read about aging at its best (Attia) the more it focuses on maintaining muscle mass for a variety of reasons.

I’m not built for bench as 6’4” with long arms but my bench is about where it’s been since my 20s at 4-5 reps of 225. Have found that cardio is much harder to maintain with age than strength. Where I once did a 5k in under 21 minutes a good 3 mile run for me these days is around 8.5 minutes a mile.

Losing muscle mass when you get older can be really bad if you plan to live a long life. The nice thing is that if you put in the work before the drop-off happens, you can maintain (or severely limit the natural decline) with very little work. Just one lifting session per week can stave off muscle loss for many years.

 

[RuffRuff]

Losing muscle mass when you get older can be really bad if you plan to live a long life. The nice thing is that if you put in the work before the drop-off happens, you can maintain (or severely limit the natural decline) with very little work. Just one lifting session per week can stave off muscle loss for many years.

Agree - muscle/strength is pretty easy to maintain with consistency. Take a couple weeks off running and I feel like you lose 20% of your VO2 max.

 

[NC_Uconn_Fan]

Love bench press, but I no longer go heavy. I rarely go over 185 these days. My best was 245 when I was 30. Now 47. I weigh 160lb.

 

[superjohn]

I'm 60 and I also ask myself why I still work out with heavy weights. But I've been lifting since I was 18 so it's hard to stop. I had a herniated disk between C6 and C7 12 years ago that made my tricep and chest on the left side atrophy. Took me years to get those muscles to even 80% of the right side. My right arm is about 1" bigger than my left and doctors say those muscles on the left will never come back to being equal to the right. It's hard to bench now because of that so I use dumbbells most of the time but still like to bench once in a while to see where I am at.

I keep promising myself that at some point I'm going to do other exercises and not lift heavy weights. But I might be that 70 year old guy at the gym tossing weights around while the guys in their early 20s are looking at me like, "What is that old guy doing?" Because when I was in my early 20s that is what I was saying. Actually at 60 the kids are probably saying that about me now!

I'm stronger now than when I was 30 and younger, actually a lot stronger. I weigh more, eat better/more, and I'm more consistent and focused. I thought my peak would've been around 40. I weighed the same then as I do now but I'm a little stronger at 45. Endurance and ability to play sports are nothing like what they were when I was younger, I don't play any sports anymore or run anymore and don't miss it at all. I don't think you lose too much strength if you eat well, lift heavy, and you're consistent. It's much easier to maintain than being a competitive athlete and it's essential for bone density, tendon strength, and overall health.

Don't stop.

 

[superjohn]

I wanted to bench 315 in my 40s because I hadn’t done it since college. Got it, and I don’t think I’ve gotten under a bar since. Dumbells only and rarely flat. Strictly incline. On good days I’m tempted to see how high I can go - on most days it feels like someone’s holding a lighter to my left shoulder and I take it easy.

I'm at 295 lbs for 6 reps touch and go as my top set but I haven't switched to regular pressing for too long. The most I ever repped reverse grip was 315 for 7 reps touch and go. I want to get 315 for 8 reps regular benching in the next few months as a rep pr. I've never done an actual program in my life. I'm just doing 6 reps with 135, 2 reps 185, 2 reps 225, 2 reps 255, 2 reps 275. No rest for any of that and then like a 3 or 4 minute rest before my top set of 6 reps. Then I do it all over again with a close grip.