Help a "busted up" weightlifter

[Jayden716]

I would really appreciate some advice here. I am 37 years old and have been lifting weights for the past 20 years. I am 5'8" and have weighed as much as 216 pounds. At that time I could bench press 380 pounds. I have recently "lightened up" over the past year and am maintaining a current 185 pounds. I can still bench press 300 pounds and have arms still pushing 17 inches.

The problem is that now at almost 40 years old my priorities have changed. I no longer want to have the "bulked up" look hence my recent weight loss. I am really interested in having the strong athletic look (and most of all to be healthy).

My goal is to combine daily high rep push-ups and jogging (I love to jog) in an effort to achieve the strong athletic look. I was planning on combining the above two exercises and it is easier for me to focus on a couple of things than to try and do alot all at once.

I am having a terrible "mental block" though as I CANNOT convince myself to give up the weights.

What will it take to convince me to give up the weights?

Will the daily high rep pushups help to maintain my current upper body muscle?

Any feedback and or advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Hopeful]

You may want to do VRT's. Ask Greg Mangan (he has a blog here). VRT's mimick weight lifting but use no weights at all. Believe me VRT's are addicting. I'm nearly 50 and find VRT's to be a great addition to my routine. And being an X weightlifter, you may find them benefical.

Mike

aka Hopeful

[mts]

I'm 37 as well and I made my way over here from the weight world almost 2 years ago. While I think the high volume calesthetics are good (push-ups, body-weight squats, pull-ups, etc.) for achieving the look that you are looking for, I'm not sure their the best (most motivating) for someone coming fresh out of the weight game.

I think trying some of the exercises John and Wendy demonstrate in the exercises section of the site would be a great start. It will take a little while to get the hang of it and I admit that I scoffed at the idea of visualized resistance at first, but once you get your MIND to "get it", you most certainly will find it liberating.

[revwally]

Jayden,

Welcome to the forum. You will find a lot of useful information here.

I am a non-busted up weightlifter, who has integrated stuff from here into my workout. I never heard the phrase "busted up weightlifter" until I got here.

FOR ME, I find doing just 4 sets with the weights keeps my joy of weights -- but then I also do isometrics using an isosizer (John will be coming out with one shortly), cals, bodyweight stuff, and VRT work. All of these I learned about through this forum, John's books, or learned a lot more about through these sources.

For just moving away from weights I would tend to emphasize VRT and isos.

BTW, I am 52.

Wally

[John Peterson]

Hey Jayden,


After reading your post, I'm not sure that you are a "busted up weight lifter". The 'Busted Up weightlifter" is someone that is stiff, and often has pain in his joints(shoulders, elbows, hips, and knees) due to longterm cumulative injury. In fact, the vast majority of weight training injuries are cumulative and not acute. By that I mean that some of the injuries can take many years to develop and manifest themselves. But when they do, they are very serious.

True, there are a very few men that have the right bone structure for it that can perform heavy weight training for long periods of time with virtual immunity to injury but those individuals are very few. Bottom line: In your case, you may be best off taking Rev Wally's approach of blending the two approaches.

At any rate Jayden, you're obviously a very strong man and our methods can certainly help you accomplish the objective of a lithe, sculpted, and athletic physique.

---John Peterson

[bundaberg]

Hi, new to this site.

I agree with John, about what he calls busted up weightlifter syndrome.

Most people can lift weights without injury for a certain period of time, but when they try and approach a certain weight and then attempt to go past it, the injury that has built up over time starts to show.

It seems as if you haven't experienced this yet, I could be wrong though.

There was an author that wrote about it on a body-building website, he said whenever he got near a 500lb squat, he got injured. For some it will be higher, others lower.

[Jayden716]

I was away for a few days. I really approeciate the advice and I will attempt to "blend" different things into my routine. Thinking about purchasing the Power T's also. I will keep everyone posted and thanks again.

[revwally]

rubberbus,

and for 76 you look pretty good (even for 66:act-up:)

wally