40+ & Gaining Muscle?

Training Over 35 Lifter
81

Okay. I’m 47 and I just started working out about seven weeks ago. I read tons of stuff before I decided to start a lifting routine and a lot of it was discouraging. Too bad. 10 years ago I was diagnosed with a cronic disease and they gave me 2 or so years to live. I didn’t accept that then and I’m alive and well 10 years later and bragging about it. I expect to be kicking butt for a long time yet and I intend on looking and feeling better with each new day.

So, after 7 weeks I’m still learning how to use the equipment and learning my way around the weight room. My diet was never really bad but I’ve started fine tuning it. I’ve never been athletic except for some heavy cycling about 15 years ago. I can tell that my muscles are firmer and they seem to have better definition. The kicker is that earlier this week I ran into an old friend at the grocery store. She didn’t recognize me at first. Then she said, “You’ve got muscle! Have you been working out?”

I won’t be mistaken for a “bodybuilder” any time soon, but if after only seven weeks of training others can tell that I’m doing something different, I’d say that it is completely possible to make a difference even if you’re a 47 year old novice!

BTW - T-Nation has been a GREAT source of info and inspiration!

82

Im 45 and have been lifting
on and off for almost 30 years.
I look better now than when I was 25.

Stronger, faster and I know for sure smarter.
The reason we get better is due to the experience we have accumulated over the years in the gym. Trial and error.
What we lose in testosterone levels is compensated by information and a new dedication that in my case just wasnt there in my 20s and early 30s.
I think the mind plays a powerful role and is the deciding factor between success and failure in most all
endeavors in life.
I like being 45 and look forward to becoming even better as time goes by.
That may be naive or it may be deemed
arrogant, yet I truly believe it to be the case.

83

[quote]throttle132 wrote:
Since I’m 44 this excerpt below from Draper’s daily column interests me. I have gained some muscle in my 40’s and am wondering how much longer it can continue. However, my strength gains are more remarkable (a relative term) than my muscle gains. Looking for comments from the the over 40 crowd on this subject.

"Q. As a man over 40, have I lost the ability to “grow”? I continue to
train, but the “packing it on” stage seems to have left me. I lift about
the same weight. In fact, a bit more, but the growth (size) doesn’t seem
to come.

A. Two truths should be revisited and underscored at this point: that’s
life and everyone is different. A third truth can be added: 40 to 50 are
still very good growth years.

“That’s life” tells us we do slow down in our muscular growth as we age.
Yet, if the basic training precepts are followed – workout consistency,
hard training, smart eating and plenty of rest and relaxation – muscular
size, shape and quality can be improved perceptibly into our 60s. “That
everyone is different” – genetics, health, training acumen, drive,
toughness and such – tells us some will flourish more than others. Some
will flounder.

Sufficient exercise will keep one in shape. Swell. Those who are suited to
progress as they age need to be aggressive with their training, while at
once retaining commonsense, care and attentiveness to overtraining and
system abuse.

Finesse, passion and creativity are three major qualities that determine
and assure a trainee’s continued distinct advancement. They separate the
ordinary from the special.

Certain muscles that have not been overtrained or training-saturated –
rear delts, forearms, lower lats, thighs – can surprise us and respond
especially well to specific exercises, and restore our confidence and
delight in training and growing.

Finally, the over-40 lifter must be careful not to be dominated or
intimidated by the over 40 rhetoric. It is specious, spurious and insidious
with tentacles reaching the subconscious that defeat him before he’s 41."
[/quote]

I think the reason you have stopped see results is a lower level of testosterone it’s natural. One way you can gain size is with lower reps and higher weight, I know it sounds simple but it’s true.
God bless

85

I agree with you. I’m just turned 35. When I got out of the service at age 22, I started lifting religously. I took a few things that I shouldn’t have over the next 5 or so years and made some great gains. I finally got burned out on the “gym scene” and settled down. Here recently I have picked up the iron again and I’m getting stronger. I work one bodypart a day until failure. I am taking animal stack before workouts and celltech after. I have realized one thing: With hard work, the right attitude, the right workout for your particular body, you can get just as strong as you were 10 years ago, all legal, with no problems. I have lost 20 pounds and now I’m at 260. My goal is 250. My upperbody is taking form again just like the old days. Life is good.
JW

86

Agree with ass buster.
Write down what your doing in the gym. In two weeks add 5 pounds to the weight using the same reps. You can actually see and chart your strength. If you eat right and take the right legal supplements you will see an upward trend.
Good post ass man.

87

Hey guys

I did it. I hit a life goal!

http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=668480&pageNo=1#760502

88

AWESOME job Iron John! A big congrats on beating your goal. Now set the bar higher and keep going.

AssBuster

89

Finally, the over-40 lifter must be careful not to be dominated or
intimidated by the over 40 rhetoric. It is specious, spurious and insidious
with tentacles reaching the subconscious that defeat him before he’s 41."

Hi, I have to laugh at the “over 40” thing. I’m 49, just on the threshold of my “golden event”. I started exercising 20 months ago, and started lifting about 16 months ago. Each month I hit a new high on bench pressing. Bicps & Tricps are improving & increasing, and I’ve introduced squats & dead lifts into the routines.

I don’t really know about slow down of muscle growth … all my clothes fit tighter in good ways; and I’m in the best shape of my life (having been a real slug) and look forward to more gains.

For me, the mind is driving the body …

Best to all —

90

I only recently began utilizing this site and it’s great to hear from guys my age with the right attitude and knowledge. I?ve been lifting/training for over 25 years now (I?m 41, married with twin 3 yr old boys and a business owner so I know how important it is to have motivation, desire and long term goals) and it’s rare, (or least it seems) that I?ll run into a group of guys with the right attitude on life and training. Very encouraging posts and some good pointers. Thanks

91

I went back to twice daily workouts about two weeks ago and will continue them for at least a couple more weeks. I believe they ramp up my metabolism which is needed this time of year where my outdoor GPP is less than the warm weather months.

Still gaining poundages on all my compound movements. Yeah man!

92

Great topic I,m 51 and a powerlifter.I have not competed in 13 years.My weight class is 181 and has been for 20 years.My last competition was the masters nationals in 93 and I won the submasters division.My total was 1380.I remarried and did not compete but trained on a regular basis since then.

I’m getting ready for the NASA Masters in june of 06.I will beat my total in the submasters as i feel i can go into the low 1400 range in the new year.Last month I did a triple with 525 in the squat and had 2 maybe 3 left in me.My deadlift is on par with my squat.

My becnh is 325 to 350.I continue to make gains and people in the gym say I look better now than I did 10 years ago.I train hard and intense and give glory to the good Lord!Attitude is everything and determination and consistency is all important.Positive attitude and great people to train around are a blessing.Thank you for letting me contribute.Train hard y’all. Jimmy T

93

[quote]Jimmy T wrote:
Great topic I,m 51 and a powerlifter.I have not competed in 13 years.My weight class is 181 and has been for 20 years.My last competition was the masters nationals in 93 and I won the submasters division.My total was 1380.I remarried and did not compete but trained on a regular basis since then.

I’m getting ready for the NASA Masters in june of 06.I will beat my total in the submasters as i feel i can go into the low 1400 range in the new year.Last month I did a triple with 525 in the squat and had 2 maybe 3 left in me.My deadlift is on par with my squat.

My becnh is 325 to 350.I continue to make gains and people in the gym say I look better now than I did 10 years ago.I train hard and intense and give glory to the good Lord!Attitude is everything and determination and consistency is all important.Positive attitude and great people to train around are a blessing.Thank you for letting me contribute.Train hard y’all. Jimmy T [/quote]

I agree – great topic!

I’m 47 and just began training for the first time in over 25 years just 4 months ago. I am at the weight I was at 20 (6’ 1" at 208 lbs). The combination of cardio and weights has done wonders for my metabolism and strength and endurance.

Jimmy T. I also appreciate you giving glory to God – may all praise be to Him!

SteveO

94

SteveO,it’s always a blessing when a fellow lifter replies and gives glory to God.At our age and the shape we are in,it is proof positive of his blessings.Sounds like your in great shape ,I was wondering if you might share some of your training methods.I’m always interested in other masters routines,diet,rest periods.As for me,I train bench twice a week.

Day 1 heavy and day 2 light.I squat once a week and deadlift once a week.Right now I cycled my weight down to 60% of my max.Over the next 8 weeks I will work up to 100% and try for a new PR.Thats in all three lifts.In the three lifts I stay in the 3 to 5 rep range.I work on set up ,form, speed of execution,breathing.

Hope we continue to talk in this forum,it hase been a pleasure talking with you.By the way I noticed your from NY,I grew up in Brooklyn.

95

[quote]steveo5801 wrote:
Jimmy T wrote:
Great topic I,m 51 and a powerlifter.I have not competed in 13 years.My weight class is 181 and has been for 20 years.My last competition was the masters nationals in 93 and I won the submasters division.My total was 1380.I remarried and did not compete but trained on a regular basis since then.

I’m getting ready for the NASA Masters in june of 06.I will beat my total in the submasters as i feel i can go into the low 1400 range in the new year.Last month I did a triple with 525 in the squat and had 2 maybe 3 left in me.My deadlift is on par with my squat.

My becnh is 325 to 350.I continue to make gains and people in the gym say I look better now than I did 10 years ago.I train hard and intense and give glory to the good Lord!Attitude is everything and determination and consistency is all important.Positive attitude and great people to train around are a blessing.Thank you for letting me contribute.Train hard y’all. Jimmy T

I agree – great topic!

I’m 47 and just began training for the first time in over 25 years just 4 months ago. I am at the weight I was at 20 (6’ 1" at 208 lbs). The combination of cardio and weights has done wonders for my metabolism and strength and endurance.

Jimmy T. I also appreciate you giving glory to God – may all praise be to Him!

SteveO[/quote]Amen Brothers, Praise the Lord. Still going strong at 44, just switched to PL about a year ago

96

hey boys, this whole thread convinced me to register. what a hoot! the thing i see here is the attitude; it goes well beyond “never say die”—it says something like, “the older i get, the more i’m gonna blow it outta the water!!!” what a bunch of tough-guys. right on!!

if i might add, here’s what i’ve found:
i’m 44 now, just turned. broke my back when i was 19. but my girlfriend walks on it now, so i’m maintaining that. been lifting since i was 16 and arnold & franco were my models. never REALLY got ‘anywhere’ with the lifting because my goal was so mixed and undefined, and the info available was such B.S. i’m gonna skip ahead and spare you all my years of crap/ research/ experimenting/ soreness/ injury bla-bla-bla.

a couple days ago i read Waterbury’s “10x3 for fat loss.”(hypertrophy AND strength) then i found streetbull’s “copland training parts 1 & 2.”(never be tossed around by a drunk again) Poliquin wrote a great one called “achieving structural balance”(which is really about ‘how to become a badass pummeler on or off the ice.’)

anyways, these are the things that work. i’ve got so many tricks in my bag i can’t type them all, but for purposes of this thread, i have to say, SIMPLE, COMPOUND, STANDING, HEAVY, LOW REP, UGLY ,MEAN, AND NASTY. that’s what’s fun for me. no more “beach” bullsh*t, PLEASE. get a NECK. harden up your PAWS. keep it short and sweet, and then keep doing it 'til you’re 97 years old.

one thing i will suggest for all you guys and gals is to do the handstand against the wall till you die. blood to the brain will do wonders for us all if we get it on a regular, ongoing basis. it’s the one thing i HAVE to do till i’m old, it’s a ‘MASTER’ excercise. it tips the guts out of the pelvic bowl, it connects the shoulder girdle right down to the VERTEBRAE, it triggers all the hormonal release you could ask for. it empties out the lungs. it doesn’t come in a can, and you’ll still be able to get it 40 years from now. it has no expiration date, and you don’t have to even THINK about sets and reps. it’s portable, it’s frikkin’ better than ice fishing and beer!!! vegetarians can do it. it WILL change the way you walk into a room. nobody even has to know you do it, and nobody you know will be ABLE to do it when we’re all REALLY old.

i suppose i have more to rail about, but it’s my day off and my dogs would rather be in the woods. where, you CAN do the handstand, by the way.
keep crankin’ you old farts. your posts are great to read!!!

97

[quote]spitbull wrote:
hey boys, this whole thread convinced me to register. what a hoot! the thing i see here is the attitude; it goes well beyond “never say die”—it says something like, “the older i get, the more i’m gonna blow it outta the water!!!” what a bunch of tough-guys. right on!!

if i might add, here’s what i’ve found:
i’m 44 now, just turned. broke my back when i was 19. but my girlfriend walks on it now, so i’m maintaining that. been lifting since i was 16 and arnold & franco were my models. never REALLY got ‘anywhere’ with the lifting because my goal was so mixed and undefined, and the info available was such B.S. i’m gonna skip ahead and spare you all my years of crap/ research/ experimenting/ soreness/ injury bla-bla-bla.

a couple days ago i read Waterbury’s “10x3 for fat loss.”(hypertrophy AND strength) then i found streetbull’s “copland training parts 1 & 2.”(never be tossed around by a drunk again) Poliquin wrote a great one called “achieving structural balance”(which is really about ‘how to become a badass pummeler on or off the ice.’)

anyways, these are the things that work. i’ve got so many tricks in my bag i can’t type them all, but for purposes of this thread, i have to say, SIMPLE, COMPOUND, STANDING, HEAVY, LOW REP, UGLY ,MEAN, AND NASTY. that’s what’s fun for me. no more “beach” bullsh*t, PLEASE. get a NECK. harden up your PAWS. keep it short and sweet, and then keep doing it 'til you’re 97 years old.

one thing i will suggest for all you guys and gals is to do the handstand against the wall till you die. blood to the brain will do wonders for us all if we get it on a regular, ongoing basis. it’s the one thing i HAVE to do till i’m old, it’s a ‘MASTER’ excercise. it tips the guts out of the pelvic bowl, it connects the shoulder girdle right down to the VERTEBRAE, it triggers all the hormonal release you could ask for. it empties out the lungs. it doesn’t come in a can, and you’ll still be able to get it 40 years from now. it has no expiration date, and you don’t have to even THINK about sets and reps. it’s portable, it’s frikkin’ better than ice fishing and beer!!! vegetarians can do it. it WILL change the way you walk into a room. nobody even has to know you do it, and nobody you know will be ABLE to do it when we’re all REALLY old.

i suppose i have more to rail about, but it’s my day off and my dogs would rather be in the woods. where, you CAN do the handstand, by the way.
keep crankin’ you old farts. your posts are great to read!!!
[/quote]

Posts like these ought to keep this thread alive for quite some time. Bravo!

98

[quote]assbuster wrote:
I’m 47 nearly 48 and I have been told as recently as yesterday that I look like I’m 30. I train hard with weights 5 days a week. I don’t play the; I’m too old for that BS. I train as hard as or harder than anyone in the Gold?s Gym I belong too. I might be getting older but refuse to accept being old as a consequence.

What inspired me was 2 yrs ago while I was training at a different time than my usual I ran into an older guy who looked great. We started chatting. I had him pegged for maybe 55 or so only because of a few wrinkles and all grey. However he was built like a gladiator.

As our conversation went on he asked me how old I was. I proudly said," not bad for an old man of 45". He asked me how old I thought he was. I hate to answer that question. Well at least this time it wasn’t being asked by a woman. I said I don’t know maybe mid to possibly late 50s. He smiled a huge smile and said, “Thanks son, but I’m 76”. I was stunned to say the least. He told me he trains 5 days a week in the gym and plays on an over 70 softball league everyday as well. He told me that physical activity is the fountain of youth.

I have since internalized what he told me and I am inspired everyday because of him.

I feel better today than I did 25 years ago. I’ve cleaned up my eating and train hard when I go to the gym. My motto is train hard or stay home. I’m 5’ 9", 195 lbs. less than 10% body fat, my arms flexed and cold are 17 1/4", my chest is 48", my waist is 31", my thighs are 26". I bench over 350, squat over 400, curl over 150 on barbell curls. I am completely drug free. I only supplement with protein and creatine. Not too shabby for anyone, much less a guy gaining on 50.

So don’t let anyone tell you that you’re too old to train for size and strength.

I hope this helps you. Don’t let anyone steal your dreams.

Ass Buster[/quote]

Roger that!!!

99

[quote]grey wrote: I look better now than when I was 25. / The reason we get better is due to the experience we have accumulated over the years in the gym. Trial and error.
[/quote]

I couldn’t agree more. I’ll be 45 in a couple of weeks. I’ve been lifting for 20 plus years. I WISH I knew then what I know now - I train less and gain more. I’m more instinctive and less “follow a routine”. I know what works for me so I’m not trying to copy someone else. I’m just thrilled to be alive and to feeling good. I feel like I’m challenging ME and not competing with anyone else.

I started back up (seriously) about 5 months ago and was working out and having the time of my life. My knees used to hurt a bit so to mix things up I started doing front squats, just for giggles. Next thing I knew I was repping with wheels on each side - the #'s aren’t important :-))and my legs were growing!!

Loved it so much I started doing heavy deadlifts and bench work in the rack. My strength started coming back, my size on certain body parts was BETTER than before and before I knew it, I was within a few pounds of the MOST I’ve EVER weighed, without even trying. ( I credit eating more quality protein more regularly).

It has rekindled a flame of excitement and caused me to set growth and poundage goals that I never reached in my 20’s or 30’s.

Yes, I’m older and things do creek and groan, there’s no denying that - but I’m still as big a fan of bodybuilding as ever. The nutrition, the coaching, the equipment is all so much better now. Sure, I miss the boundless energy of my stay-up-all-night 20’s and the wrinkle free days of my 30’s but I love what the years of wisdom and training experience have added to my life!!

I love the rewards I’ve gained from my life of self discipline and commitment to my health, and the friends I’ve made along the way.

I’ve heard all the negative stats about declining hormone levels and such, etc., etc. I’m just gonna have as much fun as I can, as healthily as I can, and leave all those findings to the nitwits who keep warning us that “someday all that muscle is gonna turn to fat!” :slight_smile: Mass with Class!

100

Spitbull, WOW!! That was Amazing! I really like your writing style! I was TOTALLY with ya all the way until you said “it’s frikkin’ better than ice fishing and beer!!!” Then I had a tiny twinge of doubt . . . . .
BUT THEN . . . I was right back with ya! :slight_smile:
Omnivore in Bozeman, Montana!!! Fish ON!! <><