yes and no,,,what you can handle heavy do what you cant adjust...example i can do all kinds of delt work pain free for the most part'and my right delt is SO SO,,,lateral raise either are smooth and nice or feel like my shoulder is gonna po..15/20/25's are easy and reps 15 like nothing i pick up 30's and it feels like 50's
Yes, we all do what we can do. I don't bench with a bar anymore. Every time I think I can go back reality hits me in the face after a work out or two. Recently a power lifter has me convinced I can bench again if I keep my elbows tightly packed to my sides. I'm tempted but no.
So many things we shouldn't be doing as we age. Will there be exceptions to the rule? Of course there will. There is always going to be a three lift specialist that can do a power lifting half squat with 500 pounds plus that is 65 years old. Below are some things we should be wary of in lifting as you age. These are my opinions and not medical advice. It's my own empirical knowledge and yes call it bro science if you want. Some of it applies just to me. See a doctor for his opinion. I'm not a doc.
Barbell squat: As we age the space between vertebra can crush nerves. Pushing into the bar is compressing your spine. This stenosis can put you in a world of hurt. You can also accelerate the hip joint wear. I believe Clarence Bass, Grimek, Paul Anderson, and Ferrigno all had hip joint operations.
Leg Press: I think it's a safe exercise for the most part but when using crushing weights with partial range it's grinding your knees to dust. Will it affect all? Of course not.
Hack squats: Many think these are safe but again if you use a partial movement one can compress the spine in a perfect storm of pushing the shoulders into the pads and your strongest muscles the hip jamming the spine.
Bench press: So many have ruined shoulders and elbow from the bar bench. It might take benching in your 20's, 30's and 40's but it appears few escape damage from this lift. It's an unnatural movement. By it's very nature of lying on a narrow bench it articulates the delts and pecs in an unnatural movement. It also through time makes for very inflexible shoulder joints priming a tear.
Press behind the neck: I have done these for around 40 years plus but had to stop recently because they hurt. I read an interesting article that said the press behind the neck doesn't cause delt problems. It does reveals inflexible shoulders that will lead to a tear. In other word it doesn't cause delt problems. It reveals a problem.Don't know what to believe with this but the author's reasoning struck a chord with me.
Extreme range of motion doing calf work: We have all been advised through decades of magazines to use the maximum range of motion for the best results. I think using an extreme range under load puts the tendon in it's weakest stretched position to come out of.
Stiff leg deadlift: For the most part I always used this lift when I had back pain. It stretches the bicep femoris or hamstrings. Often that's the culprit with lower back pain. Also the lower back gets stretched. As you age with the cushions between vertebra become compressed and now you're bending under a load squeezing them in one direction. I still always include this lift but I use a slow cadence and slow negative. I also limit the sets.
Preacher bench curls: I know a few that have detached their bicep doing them. Never jerk from the stretched position. It might be wise not to go to failure with this.
Deadlifts: Using the alternate hand grip puts the supinated hand in peril of a ripped bicep. While not common it's a risk. Better to use a double hands over with a hook grip. One thing that young men can get away with but it's insanity for older is the rip the bar off the ground method. Jerking the weight off the floor to get that momentum is putting a crazy amount of force on the body. I believe an older man should gradually apply pressure till the bar is off the ground. You might lift less but it will be safer.
I think the best advice is if the exercise hurts don't do it.