I am pretty new to lifting. Although I have done it over the past few years, it has been very half-assed. I am 40 and am told that some one 40 and above really can’t build muscle because of the decrease in hormone levels. This doesn’t seem like ti would be true so I would like some feedback on it. Also, what supplements are best for someone my age?
That is definitely NOT true.
I’m 47 and am 50% stronger than when I started this stuff a few years ago. I was 20-25 pounds more too - all muscle. I’d be much bigger and stronger by now if I had eaten properly.
Declines in strength don’t happen until much later and we have a 64 year-old bodybuilder here getting bigger and stronger for his next competition as I write.
The limitation is in one’s mind, if there is one at all.
Supplements: Meat. Meat. And meat. Chicken is a vegetable, but it does contain protein.
Listen to the Albino dude! He’s, like old, smart, AND strong.
He’s kind of a freak, but that’s why we love him. He fits right in with the rest of us misfit toys 
[quote]cleanserene wrote:
I am pretty new to lifting. Although I have done it over the past few years, it has been very half-assed. I am 40 and am told that some one 40 and above really can’t build muscle because of the decrease in hormone levels. This doesn’t seem like ti would be true so I would like some feedback on it. Also, what supplements are best for someone my age?[/quote]
Bunch of BS. You ain’t gonna put on muscle like an 18 year old but you can put it on. Best supplement is iron, lots of it, on a regular basis, and a good healthy diet.
There’s a 74 yr old man who benches in our gym every Sunday. He’ll hoist 315# on a routine basis.
Thanks guys
I started lifting for strength back in April. I had lifted before, but much like you, it was rather half-assed, in method, not effort. I have no idea how much mass I have put on, though definitely some. The strength gains (my main aim) have been great, though…and I am one of those who suffers from questionable hormone levels.
I have to agree with all those above. 40, 50, no matter. Strength and mass can be added. And if you are new to hitting it hard, you definitely have the potential to see noticeable gains rather quickly.
I picked up my first weight (in my life) 17 months ago. I’ll be 41 in April. Eat (a LOT), sleep (a LOT), lift (heavy), and don’t ignore those little warning pains…something I’ve really had to learn the hard way (I’m currently taking a month off of pressing movements because I was too pigheaded to back off when my right shoulder started nagging at me. Now the impingement’s so bad I can’t raise my arm above my head.)
I’m now a member of a powerlifting team, and training for my first meet. Once my shoulder’s better, I’m going to be working hard to get a 315 raw bench. I’m also aiming for a 500 deadlift and 400 squat. 17 months ago, I struggled to move little more than a bare bar. 40 is NOT too late, by a long shot.
Best supplements? Red meat. Fish. Eggs. Chicken. Cheese. Milk. Fresh veggies. Natural peanut butter. Lots and lots of all of them. Seriously…I’ve been a bit of a supplement whore, and I can tell you that most of them are wasted money. Things that I /do/ think help me: fish oil, protein, creatine, and thermogenics.
I also take melatonin, GABA, and 5-HTP to help me sleep, but I’ve got sleeping disorders. Tribulus terrestis also has a nice effect on me; I’m not sure how much it’s affecting my free testosterone, but the noticeable bedroom effects are enough to make me keep taking it.
Find a good, solid linear progression program (E.g., Bill Starr’s 5x5, the Stronglifts 3x5, and so on), watch a lot of videos to make sure you’re lifting with good form, ask for advice, be patient, eat, sleep, and put the work in and you’ll grow.
(by “be patient” I mean both: don’t expect results overnight, and: stick to the program for a while. I did the Stronglifts program for a year before switching to 5-3-1 for half a year, and am now following a conjugate method, which I intend to stay on for the foreseeable future).