MasterStrongman’s BodyBlog

Guys at the gym are always making fun of my age.  I am almost twice as old as some of the dudes with whom I train.  As I age, injuries take longer to heal and conditioning slips ever farther away.  Last night, I trained with Travis.  He is a good kid with fantastic potential.  But the most striking thing was that after a little bit of training my shirt was soaking wet although he didn’t break a sweat at all.  The difference between 20 years old and 40 years old? The amount of sweat soaking your training shirt.

But there are distinct advantages to aging.  This past September I went to St. Louis to compete in the Masters National Championship.  We were all over 40 and therefore immune to the nerves that come with competition.  You know what I am talking about; the pre-contest nervous energy that my friend Tom calls the "Yips".  In St. Louis, between the events the contestants, (well, most of them) just hung out and talked and got ready to compete.  The calmness was unusual, but very nice.  As we get older, nothing fazes us.

Also, as an over 40 athlete I really don’t care what people think of me. I am without the need to "psych" people out or to boast of past glories.  Being over 40 does not mean you are limited. In fact I feel liberated.  All of that crap that used to pull me down is gone.

When I train, I do what I want to do.  When I compete I give it my all without losing my cool.  As older athletes we are more contemplative, more settled, more experienced and more reserved.  What a powerful advantage in competition!  I love entering in the Open division.  Here is an example: as well-trained athletes, you guys can probably hold your own in a fight.  But what if you had to fight… your dad?  My Dad is 72 years old and I know that he would still kick my ass. You know why? Because old dudes have no fear or apprehension.  If I have to kill you, well, I don’t really want to do it but it just has to get done.  As you get older you develop the glassy, cold-blooded stare of a reptile.  It’s not that you don’t feel emotions anymore, you just don’t worry about the little details as much.  Details such as doubt.

My next contest is a qualifier for me in Rock Hill, SC in May.  It is going to be heavy and hard and there will be stiff competition without a doubt.  If I can keep these old bones from a’ creakin’ too loudly, maybe I can rock the house.  Make way for the old dudes squating the car.  

Next Post: Everything I learned about training from Elvis.

There was an old movie in the 70’s with Burt Reynolds and Jill Claybourn called Starting Over about a man going through a divorce and trying to find a life.  It is a very funny movie and in one scene, a character has a panic attack in a crowded department store or mall.  A crowd gathers around trying to help and the poor soul hyperventilates and someone shouts, "Does anyone have a Valium?"  At this point, every person in the crowd reaches into their purse or pocket to pull out there prescription bottle of Valium to offer up to the patient.

It seems that everywhere people are taking more and more drugs just to remain calm.  Lexipro, Wellbutrin, Paxil, Zoloft.  I do not know them all.  While my job became more stressful, my doctor suggested Lexipro and I took one and was sick to my stomach all day.  I was disappointed that it didn’t work. After all, all the cool kids are doing it.

But today was a stressful day and I was prescribed the remedy.  I hit the leg press machine with 20 forty-five pound plates, four 100 pound plates and one 148 pound Mexican National who works out at my gym.  I worked hard tonight and my mood improved dramatically, as it always does.  I was a sweating, stinky fool but I sure did get a better attitude.

Tonight’s workout was heavy and crazy: leg presses, heavy and crazy Romanian Deadlifts, some kettlebell work and some ab training. Upon returning home, I followed that treatment up with some medication (a glass of Pinot Grigio) and some dinner.  Time to hit the hay and start again tomorrow.

If I saw some guy having a panic attack in the mall, I won’t have anything in my pocket to give him for relief, but I would have some advice.  And I would have a little prayer, "There but for the grace of God and a leg press machine goes I."

I hurt my back, (popped my SI) while training for Nationals two years ago.  I was training the car deadlift with an 800 pound tire at which point I decided to get all badass about it and stood there at the top talking to my son.  (The only time I ever get hurt is when I do something stupid!)

Do you want to know what the worst part about that injury was? It wasn’t having to bow out of Nationals, which completely sucked.  It wasn’t the months of rehab.  It wasn’t the embarrassment of being so stupid as to get injured in the first place.

Tonight is squat/leg night, one of my favorite.  I am going to box squat with a safety bar and bands while I continue to rehab my shoulder.  I will also pay close attention to my form so that only pain I experience is the wonderful and fulfilling DOMS that comes with a great workout.

I will keep you guys posted!

No, the worst part was that it hurt like hell.  Sometimes when I getting ready to squat heavy or deadlift heavy, I can feel it in my back and it scares me.  As I learn and practice better form by being around dudes who know what they are doing, I am getting more confident but the fear is always there. Am I a wuss?

I think that the fear of pain is making me a better lifter and stronger.  I am paying attention to my form.  I am taking precautions better.  If every injury is caused by being stupid, maybe I am learning with each one and becoming less injury prone.  I certainly hope so.

I have always enjoyed lifting heavy, and I have always enjoyed the confidence of lifting and training.  When I was first introduced to the sport of Strongman several years ago, I really fell in love with it for two reasons: (1) the strength utilized is a functional strength.  In other words, instead of just picking up a bar like in power lifting, we would heave rocks and huge tires. It is real strenth (2) It is fun to watch and train. I used to say that I wanted to pick up a car by my 40th birthday, but now that is commonplace! Everyone knows a car is heavy and i am disappointed if I only get a few reps!

But the body ages and keeping all of the peices/parts connected gets harder.  My goal this year is to win the LW NAS Masters National Championship, but I want to learn how to balance all of the parts of my life; work/training/family. 

Another great thing about Strongman is that, unlike power lifting, there is a big conditioning component.  Speed and general physical fitness play a large part in the success of a strongman.  Because of that, diet plays a huge role.  I am eating cleanly and trying to maintain my weight as close to 230 as possible.  I am nursing a rotator cuff strain (I believe it was caused by sleeping on it wrong!!), but my weight is good.

 Goals:

1.  Win the Masters

2.  Be more disciplined on water intake

3.  Improve the quality and be more disciplined on meals 2 and 4 daily.

4. Sweat every day.  (get on the elliptical or the treadmill for some time even if no training)

I will try to post regularly!  any help will be appreiciated!

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