It's hard to think about physical longevity regarding training when you're in your 20's, 30's and even 40's. No one including myself thinks that some day you're be in your 50's and 60's with self inflicted damage. I know many bench specialists that can't bench anymore because of the damage they did to their shoulders and elbows. I think Bill Pearl said that after 55 he trained with the thought of not damaging his body with heavy lifts. When he was training at 65 he said he didn't care what was on the bar. He trained fast and hard saying many a training partner couldn't keep up with him when he was 65.
I still lift with what is relatively heavy for me. Many of my joints have problems from time to time. I look at so many volume trainers like Danny Padilla who say their joints are perfect and wonder if all this heavy lifting is healthy past a certain age? Then again Yates said in effect if you want to be the best you have to push it to the limit. If you do then you might pay the price for that. Playing it safe is a losing strategy.
