For all you middle-aged keyboard jockeys ready to grab a bar and start lifting, make sure you take the time to learn about proper form and stick to it while lif

For all you middle-aged keyboard jockeys ready to grab a bar and start lifting, make sure you take the time to learn about proper form and stick to it while lifting. Our bodies are generally shit by middle age, so you're probably already experiencing joint degeneration and bone spurs. You should still lift, but do it wisely. I just had shoulder surgery on Friday. The problem was more than likely caused by other things, but weightlifting made the issue obvious and forced me to fix it. Also, FWIW, don't neglect cardio. I know lifters will tell you that lifting gives your heart a workout, and it does, but from personal experience I felt a lot better as a whole when I was cardiovascularly in shape. Lifting, for me, helps with things like posture, back pain, self image and weight control. It does not, IME, increase average daytime energy level, help in the bedroom, or make climbing a few flights of stairs feel effortless. Look to cardio training for that. Edit: "For most, the plateau is a form of purgatory." I can't agree less. Sure, there are lots of folks who go to the gym and pursue literally endless gains until some form of injury comes along and derails them. Personally I find having some realistic goals to be a much better approach. I hit a 400 pound deadlift and decided that's enough. Why the hell would I want to lift more? I'll never use it, and those gains will just require even more maintenance.