Where are the over 35 guys?

Not much traffic here, huh?

Not in the over 35 category.

See.. the training for a 35 year old is the same as 28... same as 62.

I'm 31. The guy I train legs with is 40 and he kicks my butt. I saw this older Harley riding guy in my gym.. he's 62 and squats 315 lbs.

So I'm thinking that a forum for over 35 means little considering people train just as hard at 35+ as they do when they are 18.. maybe more.

And are there really any special considerations for 35+? I know at 35 I outta be stronger then I am currently at 31..

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

Point well taken.

I'm 33...will be 34 in February.

Only real difference is as you get older, recovery times increase. Of course, we might hope that as we age we gain wisdom, understanding, and perspective....hmmmmm

Also, warming up and injury prevention becomes more important, I am sad to say.

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ORIGINAL: mda1125

Not in the over 35 category.

See.. the training for a 35 year old is the same as 28... same as 62.

I'm 31. The guy I train legs with is 40 and he kicks my butt. I saw this older Harley riding guy in my gym.. he's 62 and squats 315 lbs.

So I'm thinking that a forum for over 35 means little considering people train just as hard at 35+ as they do when they are 18.. maybe more.

And are there really any special considerations for 35+? I know at 35 I outta be stronger then I am currently at 31..

This is definitely possible. At 42, I am quickly surpassing my previous max weights, and this without lifting for 10-15 yrs! Sadly the growth is taking much more time an intensity to stimulate.
If I only knew then what I know now! I would take focus and intensity back to my youth and kick some serious weights around.

BTW, since I'm in the "Over 35" category, what about Glucosamine and other supplements for joints and cartilage? I don't want to shorten my joint livespan too much.

I take glucosamine on a regular basis. I do notice that it really does help. I'm 31 and I'll continue to take that supplement for quite some time. It does work in my case. When I go off it, I can feel slight aches and pains creeping back.

Thanks for the post. Gives me hope when I get older that it's not over.

I know this guy in my gym that's 62. He's still squatting 315 lbs. That to me is amazing.

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

We've got a guy like that in my gym as well...62 and he's more shredded than the young 20-somethings...he's quite the joker too!

As for age, I'm 36, and well my journal speaks for itself....I do find that I need the recovery time...if I lift 2 days in a row, I had better rest on the 3rd...on the ambitious days that I've not rested and lifted 3 days in a row...i've paid dearly...tired, grumpy..no good...so ya "wiser" too

Well I have been lifting for about 20 years. I am now 49. I got serious(prepare for compition) about 5 years ago. I was in the best shape of my life. I now find that it does take more intensity and recoveryt to make any gains. Gains are very hard to come by and you loose them quicker. After 40 we start to loose muscle and easily gain bodyfat. After 45 it goes even faster. If you notice hard core lifters over 40, you can see the difference(no matter how hard they work). The guys you describe sounds like they have good genes. I am trying to get close to where I was a few years ago. I eat decently and take my own brand of supplements. Bottom line, it does get to be harder, but not impossible.

I'm happy to know what will happen as I reach mid to late 40's . I curious which supplements you find most useful? I would expect my body to respond differently as I age. For example, in your experience does protein supplementation become even more important or creatine? I have set a goal to focus on increasing my muscle mass as much as possible over the next two years. Then I plan to enter a competition just for the experience and culmination of my goal (maybe a little ego too! ).

Here is what I have learned.
1. Eat clean. Meaning healthy foods. i.e chicken breast, tuna, fish, potatoes, brown rice, oatmeal and lots of veggies. The body absorbs this better than any supplement. I ate a LOT of chicken breast when I was preparing for my contest....cluck cluck cluck.

2. Multi-vitimans. No matter how well you eat, you still need the 'extra' source of the micro nutrients that vitamins provide. Good quality over the counter ones will do.

3. Water, water, water, water, water.....did I say water?

4. I used Designer Protein.......it worked very well for me. Just a word about protein. As we get older, the body absorbs it more slowly. What it does not absorb, it stores as fat. My intake now is much less than what it use to be.

5. Personally, I do not use creatine. I have used it and it caused me to store water and therefore get that smooth look. I have good genes and can cut up quickly(lucky me), so creatine only worked against me. However, it does give you the 'power' to workout more intensely. That is because it replaces ATP in our muscles, etc.....

I think that setting a goal for a competition is great...it gives you something to shoot for. I don't know how much you lift now, but I only took 6 months of total focus to prepare for my contest. I had always lifted, but used that time to really focus, diet, cardio, etc... It was well worth it. All bodybuilders have a little narcissism in them. That's the whole point.....right

That's the whole point.....right

Yes. To look good naked in front of the mirror.

I'm drinking my water right now.

I will keep those creatine comments in mind when I cycle off for a month. I'll have to see if I notice a smooth look for not.

Good info.. thanks.

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

Thanks dmatlock for the suggestions. I mentioned 2 years since I have never lifted for bodybuilding just sports related routines. Also, I need to locate a partner with similar goals so I can feel soreness throughout my body . Right now I work out with my wife and we are both into the routines. Problem is she no longer can keep up with my progress and I find myself needing spotters or just plain competition. I read about Mike Mentzer's HITT and adapted his ideas to my routines. I dropped the number of sets & reps, loaded the bar, and grunted my way through each and every rep (whew! Sob!). After four months I notice people are watching when I'm in the gym because I have made good progress in the last 45 days. Oh boy, I'm babbling but I'll add progress reports as I go. Thanks!

Excellent!!! Keep up the good work. Yes, a good partner is invaluable. I had one when I was training and it made a world of difference. He was bigger than me, but I am pretty strong, so we did not hold each other back. I don't have a partner now and it sucks...oh well. I keep a log now. Just remember to keep your form when lifting. That prevents injuries and also works the muscle that you are targeting and not other parts of your body. I see so many guys using incorrect form just to move heavy weights. The weight will come. Build the muscle without destroying the rest of your body.

At 31 you are hitting prime time for lifters. Have you ever competed?

Well I'm 42 and tried lots of supplements. Creatine caused very high blood pressure in me. My big supplement has always been a good vitamin-mineral. Just found a real good one all natural take it with your meals through out the day www.faithsvitamin.com. I do take L-arginine with ornithine usually an hour before work out. It helps your metabolic rate which gives me more energy to workout. I have probably been working out for 25yrs now, of course not always faithful but my knees are shot from heavy squats elbows hurt shoulders sometimes hurt it is not easy anymore. I just can't give it up though. I feel better working out.

vtech

my knees are shot from heavy squats

Sorry to hear that.

I am curious though.. I've asked a few people 32+ about heavy squats. They also tell me the knee stories. One guy said, you know.. you can get really big strong legs by doing squats at 315 lbs. There's no need to do squats at 405.

Seems like most of the guys I talk to had done the 405+ squats. And over time, that just took them out.

I'm wondering if I just keep the weight lower.. 275-315 lbs, if I can get decent sized legs and maybe avoid the super heavy stuff that takes its toll over time.

Especially on the joints.

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

I just came back from my annual physical yesterday. My doctor warned me that heavy lifting will contribute to arthritis in my later years. He suggested that I cut back on the weights and just maintain what I have. However, I feel like VTECH and love moving heavy weights.

I think that I am going to have to change my routine and do lighter weights, but more reps. I have had a bad shoulder before, that took over a year to heal and that was no fun.

Any older lifters out there, with what they have experienced? I know that the truth is that when you get past a certain age, you have to change or suffer the long term consequences.

Perspective: My experience is that my actions during our youth are impacting now in my 40's. I'm sure the same holds true for 60's, etc. Concerning knees - I'm lucky that I didn't beat my joints up in school sports or other activities. Now I actually feel better squating 315lbs than I did not exercising or using squats in my routines. Let's be honest aging sucks but we can help make the inevitable bearable by using our brains and paying attention to how our bodies feel. Also I find that genetics play a big part in how my body changes and reacts to exercise. For me, arthritis and knee pains runs in my family. I am combating this by taking Glucosamine, losing body fat, and exercising smartly. I have now fallen in love with building a body that will carry me into my golden age with less maintenance, prescriptions, and discomfort.

You make several excellent points here. Like you, I've paid for the sins of my youth: knees gone from hockey, shoulder shot from thirty plus years of competitive baseball. I met forty as a smoker and someone who liked to eat a lot of everything.

I'm forty-seven now and don't smoke anymore, eat healthy, and lift to keep healthy. I don't need to get any bigger, hell I'm six-two, 235, 49.5" chest, 18" bi/tri's. What I need is to maintain what I've got. This is something I'd like to see more discussion on, because I think there's lots of us out there who are getting smarter about the way we live, but not so concerned with that extra gram of fat we had at lunch because we know we'll move 4-5 tons of iron at the gym four times a week.

Comments?

I agree those of us over 35 need to speak up. The majority of the citizen population (if you believe the media) is over 30 which to me presents plenty of subjects ripe for Q&A and debate. At this time (call it my renaissance or mid-life crisis) I am interested in reshaping my physique because I feel better and the wife is quite happy too! Once in a great while I see information that relates to my/our point in life. For example, I read one article about lifting weights into your twilight years. . . . jeez! I not old and I refuse to fall into that stereotype (grrrrr!).

TWILIGHT YEARS MY ASS. I think it's a hoot when some twenty-something year old kid ooo's and aah's over the size of my arms in the locker room at the hockey rink, or when they try to bodycheck the old guy and end up on their cans. I don't think in terms of old: I don't see an old guy in the mirror, just a guy who was too dumb to figure out he wasn't immortal until very recently.

Ah.. now I have to enable post ratings in this forum. I'd give BigDog a nice 2 stars for that one.

I keep thinking.. when I say.. man I'm getting old at 31 or whatever.. the guy who's 62 in my gym is still squatting what I am and he's not flabby or fat. He's a tough old dude that looks bigger and stronger then most of the younger roid heads I see.

Gotta say.. it might be harder to gain muscle and such at an older age, but you can still kick some serious booty.

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

What I need is to maintain what I've got.

Well.. keep up the correct diet and eating the right amount of protein to support the muscle mass.. and your body won't have a need to burn it away.

You don't have to go in and break all your previous bench records just keep the weight up.. a decent number of sets and reps and the muscle won't need to get bigger but it will need to keep it's size to handle the weight.

As long as you continue to eat like a competitive bodybuilder, you will be feeding your body the necessary nutrients it needs to build and maintain muscle.

I think at 47, with 18" arms.. you already have done damn well.

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

Big Dog, I agree. While I would like to have more size, I am now looking to keep what I have. My main target is my heart(cardio). I take the 81 mg of buffered aspirin and drink a little red wine every now and then. I also do 30 minutes of cardio before I lift. The other thing I have found out crossing over 40(actually I am close to 50 now) is becoming less stressed. That in itself will add years to your life.

Yesterday I changed my routine to less weight and more reps. I went up to the 25 rep range. Yea the workout took a little bit longer, but I don't feel aching in my joints and did not have to sleep on a heating pad last night.[:-)] BUT, I did get a good pump though!

At my gym, there is a guy named Ray Stern. I think that he use to be a pro wrestler many years ago. I think that he is his 80's and is still moving around getting his lift on.

You might find this interesting then with regard to Ray Stern: http://www.thedestroyer.com/photom.htm. Same guy?

LOL!! Got to love the reaction when age is maligned! In a thread I just opened I mentioned a guy who won the Masters field then won the overall beating out younger guys! Now that's my role model!!

http://www.thedestroyer.com/images/hum24.jpg This Ray Stern...back then. Thanks for the sight.

ORIGINAL: mda1125

That's the whole point.....right

Yes. To look good naked in front of the mirror.

Oh, the unwanted images!!!!!

Paul

A friend helps you move, a true friend helps you move bodies.

Hey guys, I am 37 now and back in the gym religously. I am a whopping 270 lbs. Unfortunately, I do not have the height to back it up. I am 5'7". My mid section has been the hardest hit. I had shoulder surgery 2 years ago and it has been a slow recovery. I feel 100% again and now have to fix all of the lazyness and fat I gained while I was down.

I started with my diet and began working out 3 days a week, with in between cardio workouts. I have gained muscle mass, gained weight but I am slowly watching my fat melt away, not as much roundness anymore.

The more I rad and research, the more I learn about becoming huge. I would really like to be able to enter a contest some day.