14-year-old Tim out-pressed the 47-year-old me mid-2020. In response, I bought a
20kg kettlebell and started to train. I pressed about three times and only recently
(mid-Jan 2021) ramped up to six times a week. In the past eight months, the 20kg
felt hard enough and I never attempted the 24kg.
Toward the end of last year, my right shoulder suddenly hurt when lifting weight or
just the right arm. I then read "Shoulder Pain? The Solution & Prevention" by Dr. John
Kirsch, which I heard about years ago from Mr. Maxwell in a Joe Rogan podcast.
According to the book, my distress was caused by habitually sleeping on one side
and lack of stretching and strength training. This made perfect sense to me. I
couldn't sleep on my back because my jaw would relax and drop and I would snore
and wake myself up. I had to sleep on the sides and always preferred the right. It
had worked so far but time and pressure finally broke the camel's back.
So I had one more reason to train. Each morning, I would do three sets of bar-
hanging followed by three reps of military presses on each side. And the pain slowly
subsided. The prescription from the book worked and I was thankful.
Sat, after hauling water(we buy drinking water from a vending machine), I felt
like trying. I picked up the 24kg kettlebell and pressed it twice on each side!
It was unbelievable as I never thought I could challenge it.
As a result, I totally forgave myself for weighing 154.8lbs this morning, 2lbs
more than last week! On the other hand, half of my body weight has become 36kg
and that would be the new goal(which is, by the way, a StrongFirst Girya II press
standard). Let's strive.
[Just for inspiration and the record, 64-year-old Mark Rifkind barbell-pressed
225lbs and single-arm swung a 60kg kettlebell, after he popped a rib. He was
about my height or maybe shorter, weighed 176.6lbs, and had 14.5% body fat.]
