Onward to 2020: being a head case (sports)

Yes, I have two work projects to do, and yes, world events are FAR more important than this dribble. But here I go anyway:

I’ve always had sports goals and they’ve always been, well, average. And yes, I tend to get obsesses by one goal or another, be they power lifting, running, walking, swimming, etc. and frankly, I suck at every sport I try.
I am just getting back into dead lifting after years of neglect and, well, I looked at some of what older people are doing:

Good Lord. I did 240 last year and I’ll post today’s workout in just a bit.
Yes, I know what an outlier is; it is a concept that I teach. Intellectually, I understand that. These older people are like those who dead lifted 700-800 lbs as a 20-30 year old male (my best is 425); realistically, I can expect to perhaps reach 1/2 of what the best 60 year old males do.

And yes, some of the stuff I do is counter productive; my distance walking and running hurts my lifting and my lifting hurts my distance running and walking. There is no denying that.

But, well, I still have that emotional reaction: “if they can do that, why can’t I?”

But..there is another side to this. The percentage of people my age who have trouble with climbing the steps or even being able to do a single pull up is much, much greater than the percentage of people who can handle these big weights.

I think the idea is this: we have eyes in the front of our heads; we can see only those ahead of us. That is why I feel so bad after a 5K when it feels as if I’ve finished dead last..in fact I sometimes am “upper 1/3” but it doesn’t feel that way. I can see the river of people ahead of me, not those behind me.

Yes, I know: focus on myself, with my abilities, time to train, etc. That is all I can do. But man..it sure seems as if I should be moving bigger weights. I might be able to if my form improves and I am diligent.

Workout notes Low energy today; weight was 194.5 (197 with shoes and shorts and shirt)

rotator cuff
pull ups: got 5 sets of 10.surprised
bench: weak: 10 x 135, 1 x 185 (felt the shoulder)
incline press: 10 x 135
decline press: 8 x 165 (weak)
dead lifts (need to get shoes…did without shoes): 6 x 135, 3 x 185, 1 x 225 (missed 2 x), miss 240, 6 x 185, 6 x 205 (went all the way down)
shoulder press: 10 x 50, 10 x 45 dumbbell, 10 x 180 machine
rows: 3 sets of 10 x 110 machine
2:30 plank
head stand
3 mile walk untimed (felt good)
Also: 2 sets of warm up squats with 25 lb. plate; focused on keeping the knees out.

Author: oldgote

I enjoy politics, reading, science, running, walking, (racewalking and ultrawalking) hiking, swimming, yoga, weight lifting, cycling and reading. I also follow football (college and pro), basketball (men and women) and baseball (minor league and college) View all posts by oldgote