Competitive lifting??

I'd forgotten about it until just now, but I probably stuck with powerlifting as long as I did because I was also doing a form of yoga that includes suspended inversions, called yoga kurunta. The form uses a wall and special hanging hardware. You could spend up to half an hour hanging upside down with a padded rope around your hips and I was in the studio multiple days a week. Even when I was squatting and deadligting twice what I'm doing now, my back never bothered me.

I hear ya Molly, my lower back from doing squats bothers me. So now I don’t go over 200 Lbs, any more and my lower back aches. So I hang on our inversion rack, that helps.

Joint pain was why I stopped power lifting. It wasn't actually at the point of hurting, except in one of my shoulders, but the twinges were starting and one of my knees had developed a click. I backed off the weights on squats, bench, and deadlifts, and added different lifts and, gasp, a rotation.

I have a question. training for competitive liftings such as power-lifting, after a few years how are your knees? I see some and know of some who's knees are not doing so good. I have been lifting weights for about twenty five years. I never have gotten into Power lifting or competition. I do know that my shoulders bother me now. I've had both shoulders done, (rotator cuff surgery) because for me, I was lifting to much weight. for benching I do about my body weight perhaps a little bit more now.

Consider natural bodybuilding. It's a very healthy alternative to enhanced bodybuilding with categories for everyone of every age. I'm in my early 50s and compete. A couple national organizations are ocb and usbf

Some bodies are made for lifting heavy, which is fortunate for you. The only downside is that, unlike the less fortunate, eventually you run out of room for improvement.

I'm glad you're currently having what sounds like a ton of fun as well as personal satisfaction.

GGMM, yes we have had no issues finding someone to spot. It is kind of funny as my trainer is a very competent young lady, who is very fit herself, and she is always joking about the fact that I am pressing much more than she weighs. She does have two or three other clients who train at about the same time so we all look out for each other. Most of the machines I am using when not training with her also have stops on them so I make sure to set them accordingly. none of us could get over how quickly I have taken to lifting heavy though. I am currently deadlifting 375#, leg pressing 1150# and pressing 300#. Only time will tell I guess.

I spent a few years as a power lifter, but my sole competition was myself. I'm only chiming in to say that in gyms that cater to the powerlifting crowd, you can always find someone to spot you, so your trainer can keep to the same schedule and make sure your form stays impeccable.

Does anyone train for competitive liftings such as power-lifting or Strongman competitions? I have been stepping up my training adding a bunch more weight to build muscle and had the club manager and a few others at the gym ask IF I were training for an event. It has me intrigued and considering finding one close and entering. I am sure my trainer would love the idea as then I would NEED to work out with her a few more days a week as I never lift that heavy without someone there.