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> Deadlift is more fun, hits the big muscles, and you can go even heavier. Since this is in the context of benefits for older people, Stuart McGill, a back exp
by gwd 2y ago
> Deadlift is more fun, hits the big muscles, and you can go even heavier.
Since this is in the context of benefits for older people, Stuart McGill, a back expert who has helped lots of power-lifters recover from major injuries, recommends against going for higher and higher PRs as you get older:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tM599A6wUAw&pp=ygUXaXMgZGVhZGxpZnRpbmcgd29ydGggaXQ%3D https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tM599A6wUAw&pp=ygUXaXMgZGVhZ...
(What's not clear to me after watching the video was if just doing moderately-heavy sets of 12 would introduce the same kind of risk he's talking about.)
ETA: The kind of injury he's talking about is decades-long cumulative bone and joint injury that only starts to be noticeable once you're 70. (Unless you're a wordl-class competitive athlete, in which case you notice a lot earlier.). Early in the video he talks about 50-year-old powerlifters coming to him, asking how they can continue to do PRs into their 60's. And he says, basically, do you want to do PRs through your 60's, or do you want to be able to get down on the ground and play with your grandkids when you're 85? Because I can help you do one or the other, but I can't help you do both.
One of the points he makes frequently in his videos is that while bones can get stronger, similar to muscles, the rest time they need to actually recover from being stressed is a lot longer; something like 7 days. And so if you're deadlifting PRs for years and years, with only 3-4 days between maxed-out sets, you're going to be accumulating micro-fractures in your vertebrae, which will eventually catch up with you.
Anyway, def worth the watch.
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- lottin 2y agoHere's some responses to Mr McGill's remarks, which I think are interesting. Drs. Baraki and Feigenbaum's (from Barbell Medicine) response: https://player.fm/series/barbell-medicine-podcast/episode-290-reaction-to-hubermans-back-pain-podcast-and-april-2024-research-review https://player.fm/series/barbell-medicine-podcast/episode-29... Jonathon Sullivan's response (author of The Barbell Prescription): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O491cW89Ky8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O491cW89Ky8
- gwd 2y agoFor other people following along -- the second link is a direct response to the video I posted by someone who seems to specifically work doing strength training with older people; definitely worth watching if you want an alternate view. The first link seems to be in response to a podcast by Andrew Huberman (sp?) about back pain, which also contains some comments about McGill in general; but nothing directly about what he says in the video I posted. People might find it interesting in its own right but not as directly relevant to the question of deadlifts in older people.
- spacemadness 2y agoI don’t think the general wisdom is to hit those PRs week after week when you move to advanced lifting anyway. As the weight increases that becomes far too taxing on the body (which is their point). You could do waves based training like 531 that moves forwards and backwards through a 3-4 week period, only hitting a heavy set that nears your max once in that period. Unless people are talking about pushing to their ultimate limits which still usually doesn’t involve hitting PRs every week. Hitting PRs every week is a linear progression thing that people newer to lifting experience since the body is actively creating muscle and neural pathways that were somewhat deficient previously. Correct me if I’m wrong!
- michaelrpeskin 2y agoYeah, in my 20's I was more aligned with the "Bulgarian method" of PR every day (on a different lift). In my 30's I focused on longer waves - a month of 8's, a month of 5's, a month of 3's and then heavy singles to a PR. Now in my 40's I keep a consistent practice of heavy-but-not crazy (focusing near always hitting a 70% or so) and then in the summer when I have all the happiness that the sun give you I start ramping up and try for heavy singles in September and if a PR is in the cards, I'll give it a try. But my goal now is to never injure myself because I know I won't come back as strong. Consistency, longevity, and keeping muscle mass is my #1 goal and I don't never let my ego jeopardize that.
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