Kit, Alan -

I really appreciate the comments and I will give the ideas very serious thought. To explain my thinking in what I have been doing, I learned the hard way about 10 years ago when I went on a lifting program that, as we age, our muscular strength will increase faster than the connective stuff, ligaments and tendons, can get ready to handle the increasing load. Back then I started out, made quick progress, and within a few months had tweaked shoulders and biceps such that I shut it down completely for at least six months to heal. When I resumed I went back to the beginning to build a strong foundation before starting to increase the weight. Then, I had some heart issues several years ago that really derailed things and resulted in my getting a pacemaker implanted in 2006. After that, I was really back to the very beginning.

When I got the bug to participate in highland games in the latter part of 2009 I literally started with the bar, doing multiple reps to start rebuilding my foundation. After the 2010 season I approached the offseason intending to both increase strength, but also to refocus on form to avoid a repeat of injury. Hence, my mantra: the weight is an illusion, form is everything. That notion has held me in good stead thus far because I've significantly increased my overall strength while managing to avoid injury.

In a sense, then, the high number of reps leading up to the heavier weights I have viewed as an injury avoidance measure and I think it has increased endurance as well. During my second offseason last year, my goal was to boost strength, not necessarily by going for max lifts but, if you think in terms of a pyramid, by broadening and thickening the lower two-thirds of my strength pyramid. My thinking was that I was in this for the long term and I took to heart Steve Elliott's observation that it took him about five years to build the requisite body strength for the games. Thus, I figured that last year was the second year of a five-year program. This offseason is the third year and, having built a solid foundation, I think, I'm ready to make a serious effort to hit the 1-2-3 plate goals that I mentioned in an earlier post. If I reach those goals, or even if I come close to them, I will be stronger than I have ever been in my entire life.

October has been my ramp up phase to set the stage for starting a push to increased loads beginning in November. I'm at the end of that phase now and headed into November. My intent is to follow your suggestions, cut the reps, go heavier earlier in the lift sequence, and see how it works and how it feels. In fact, I'll start this evening - it's overhead press day. I promise a full report.

Again, thanks for your comments. I'm always looking for new ideas on how to get better at this.