Comments on Bodybuilding Over 50 – It Could Add Years to Your Life

December 31, 2008 Devon Richardson @ 10:41 pm Thank you for more encouragement, because I am retired Navy and I work out every morning and I love it. Can you send me more information. Thank you January 24, 2009 Steve Anderson @ 6:55 am You have got to be kidding. People over 50 can get adequate exercise working out once every six weeks – bull. Where in the world did you come up with that? I am 53 and work out with weights four days per week and perform cardio two days per week. I eat healthy and get plenty of rest. I am in better shape than many 35 year-olds. I assume this article was written on April Fools day because there is no sound basis for it. January 31, 2009 Pete Mears @ 11:06 pm Thats great news. Ihave been working out religeously for the last three years every two days. Im 55 and the training has given me a great physique. Strangly I had to miss a couple of days of training which gave me enormous gilt. Finally when i was able to get back to my gym, I was absolutely stunnedat the extra amount of weight that I could lift!!.Im back to my normal routine now because Im addicted, but I lift less weight on my workouts. Because of the guilt I feel If I miss acouple of days, how am I ever going to push my routines out to weekly training? PS; I dont know where I rate on the over 50s scale, but I bench 110 kilos x 10 starting at 80kilos x 10 and working up, is this normal? March 19, 2009 ironpetal @ 7:25 pm I too welcome this thread as I am 56 this year and I have been struggling with my diet and everything I used to train religiously for years in fact Ive been training on and off for the last 12 years. I need some encouragement to get back into it. April 1, 2009 Greg @ 7:39 pm I have never known a bodybuilder who only lifts every six weeks. Must be an April Fools joke. I turn 50 in a few months and enjoy lifting 3-4 days a week. I don’t lift as heavy as I did when I was younger but I sure don’t look or feel like my friends of the same age who ride the couch. Idon’t really ever intend to stop lifting. I saw one of the oldtime exercise show guys on TV, Jack LaLane I think, and he was still a hardbody in his 70′s. It can be done. April 10, 2009 Peter Jack @ 7:36 pm Most bodybuilders these days recommend the ’4-way split’ – dividing the workout into four sessions,one session per day, and a day’s rest on the fifth day. Older bodybuilders may split their schedule into five different sessions. This gives a rest of four to five days before repeating an exercise. A muscle needs between three and five days to recover after being exercised. May 10, 2009 Jon Patrick @ 11:13 pm Man, this is a great forum. I am 48 years old, and have just recently got back into the gym seriously over the last 6 weeks or so. I was a high school wrestler, and bodybuilder from age 18 to about 22. But life changes, as we all know, and my body went to puddy. But I did learn a lot as a young bodybuilder, and some things you do not forget. I am an advocate of high intensitytraining, as Mentzer was the big man when I was a young bodybuilder. I still find that I gain better when I rest less between sets and go to failure, AND not overtrain. I hope to learn from all of the people who post here. This is great. Jon Patrick @ 11:15 pm Steve Anderson. I agree. I’m guessing they may have meant a body part every six days. Jon Patrick @ 11:18 pm Okay, one more thing. Of course our metabolism changes. Does any over 50 bodybuilder out there have advice as far as aerobics / weight training ratios? I know that my waistline expands differently than a 30-year old. So I’m guessing more aerobics is okay for the over 50 bodybuilder. Suggestions?? May 15, 2009 Jim @ 2:00 pm I am 53 and I lift 4 plus days per week. I do cardio twice daily at over 80% max to keep my mitocondria levels high. I’m about 10% body fat at this time. What I hav noticed is Ihave to shed body fat over longer periods of time than I used to. June 7, 2009 Rudy Acosta @ 5:00 am I have been training forover fifty years and at age 66 I feel great. I work out 4 days a week and still hold a full time job as a middle school assistant principal. June 10, 2009 BC @ 9:20 pm I started going back to the gym this past December after a 25 year absence I am 53 now and it was definitely a good move on my part for it has given me more stamina and a stronger physical appearance. I go four times a week 30 minutes cardiovascular and 30 minutes weight training. I returned not to capture the past but not to lose the present as long as I can. I also changed my nutrition to go hand-in-hand with exercise and as we all know you really can’t do one without the other and make any headway. For any of you reading this who has passed the 50 year mark and want to try to hold on to your health and your active energy level this is the best thing you can possibly do for yourself. As I told my wife I want to be the most healthiest person to die of a heart attack. June 21, 2009 Richard Barton @ 9:27 pm I’m coming upto 62…….after a life of almost total inactivity and gluttony I decided in February this year to start taking care of myself. I now jerk weights every 2nd day and use a spring bar and have seen my previously skinny arms gain definition and thickness, and my abs have come on amazingly well. I also “ride” 5 Km on my exercise bike every day and haven’t felt as great as this for decades ! October 31, 2009 shaduk @ 10:51 am I am 57 years old thorugh out my life I always wanted to have a good physic, but due to pressure of managing family demands most of my quality time has been spent in to provide a quality life for my family. As the childrens have grown and moved on, I have more disposalable time in my hand, I have been doing aerobics regularly, now I want to build up muscles and six pack abs, any advise ?? Thanks November 30, 2009 k. lakshman @ 3:53 pm good i m 53 was a wrestler and a body builder then but now i regularly do the exercises with my son 20 yrs amazing but i think our shcduleis old now its so improved so i will follow the rest period and see the results i want to be the bodybuilder fit on my death. December 11, 2009 carl @ 8:14 am Anyone who lifts weights at this age I say “WOW” that great. I have done so on and off for years with an 11 year gape when I was 32. I slowed down and eventually stopped 2 years ago. After reading about you guys I now think its time to drag my sorry ass of the couch and begin that journey again. Its not only physically you gain its mentally as well. It is the fountain of youth. In the 2 years of no exercise I feel it’s knocked 5 years of life away. Cheers every one and ill see you at the gym. O and just for the record I hit 50 in Aug. December 17, 2009 Peter Mannion @ 11:35 am Good to hear from the 50+ fraternity. I am 57 and train on a 4 day split routine. Chest/Biceps,Shoulders/Triceps,Back/Calfs and Quads.3sets of 10 on most exercises. 4 exercises for Chest and Back,3 for Biceps and Triceps, 3 for calfs and 5 for Quads. (Goingheavy on Quads, upto 420kg for leg press.) Quads rae done on the last day of the split giving me a 3 days rest.Only came to the sport in my late forties after a rugby career ( still playing once a week ), but am now lifting heavier Diet is a fairly healthy mix including carbs and protein. I also take a protein drink and creatine. Anybody got any tips, they would be much appreciated. December 18, 2009 Steve @ 11:21 am Love the site; been active in weights, sports, power lifting and fitness since I was 16 years old. Now that I am 53 I still feel darn good about my weight, almost six pack abs and my fitness. Variety is the key and I may start incorporating swimming into the program. The key in my mind is to get into activities you enjoy and change it up throughout the year. REST is key and diet is also very important. Carpe diem

January 15, 2010

Ray @ 9:20 pm Somewhat off here, but has anyone tried getting Gym membership covered under their employers FSA (flexible spending acct). 56 and started working out for first time in my life, so far feels great but the belly fat not leaving easily.

January 29, 2010

Steve Williams @ 8:07 am Hi.love the comments. Returned to the Gym 15months ago. Turned 52 last week, lift weights three days per week and cardio three mornings. Did my first masters comp last October and do not plan to stop there. training. Back playing cricket also after 6 years retirement. Bowling faster now than when 40. The Gym rules…God Bless..

Steve Williams @ 10:38 am @Rev. James Miller: Good stuff Rev James.Nice to see another brother in the gym. When I go to India for ministry I always try to stay in a hotel with a gym. Spiritual and Physical exercise. Can’t go wrong.

May 25, 2010

Jim Brizendine @ 5:21 pm Great to see all the posts. I am 52 and have been lifting steadily since I was 24 years old. I still carry the same intensity into my workouts and I train 6 days a week.I build my routines around Squats(Mondays)Chest/Back;bench/bent over rows(Tuesday)2 hours of cardio:bike-60 minutes,upper body ergometer-30minutes,elliptical-30 minutes(Wednesday)Deadlifts/front squats(Thursday)Power Cleans/shoulders-bi’s/tri’s(Friday)2 hours of cardio-same as above(Saturday) I am 6’5 and have knocked 25lbs off since October 09′. I am the lightest I have been in 20 years weighing in now at 245# and feeling pretty good “for my age”–we hear that alot now,but I have a pretty good balance going “mind-body-spirit” with spirit being the priority Rev!!

July 25, 2010

SAXENA RAJENDRA @ 7:53 am HI! I AM 58 YEARS OF AGE AND WORKING OUT ALL THE SIX DAYS OF THE WEEK AND IN THIS AGE I GOT MR. INDIA-2010 AWARD. NOW GOING TO PARTICIPATING IN MR. ASIA BODY BUILDING CHAMPIONSHIP IN THE MONTH OF SEPT. 2010 AT SINGAPORE AND MR. UNIVERSE IN THE MONTH OF NOV. 2010 AT ITALY. I CAN SAY THAT AGE IS NO BAR FOR BODY BUILDING. I DO CARDIO 45 MINUTES DAILY AND 45 MINUTES WORK OUT. I AM STILL WITHOUT STEROIDS, NATURAL BODY WITH 80 KG. WT. YOU CAN SEE ME ON ‘YOUTUBE’ BY SEARCHING ‘rksaxena’

August 17, 2010

@ 3:25 pm My dad is 53 and he’s just started to get in shape. He’s not doing anything too strenuous and he’s not going over the top but he hasn’t looked this good since he was in his thirties. Nothing wrong with older people getting in shape.

August 29, 2010

Graddad56 @ 7:25 pm I’ll soon be 57 years old and began working out at the gym a year ago. The changes in my weight and body proportions are incredible. No one believes I’m as old as I am. I’m hooked and feel great. And, I look better than I ever have my entire life.

August 30, 2010

Richard @ 10:22 pm I’m 52 and now bench 375 and weigh 230 lbs. I’ve found that fewer but more intense workouts really work. I do 3, intense, 20 minute workouts per week. Sometimes only 2 per week if I’m sore at all. I do 30 to 60 minutes of Cardio most of the rest of the days of the week. When I was younger I used to waste so much time. I would work pretty hard for hours, 4 or 5 days per week. I saw gains but not like today. Now I’m in and out in 20 minutes. It is said that you make your gains during the recover phase and i have found that to be true. You can’t just sit around and recover though. You have to do a really intense workout first. I emphasize intense! But it’s not that off putting because you know going in that its only going to be 20 minutes.

September 1, 2010

Mark @ 1:21 pm Well.. One of the biggest keys in transformation is the mind. 1. Stop thinking old.. I am age 51 and even the saying of the age is foriegn; not because I am in denial, I simply don’t think, act, or feel, that age. (No guys I’m not talking about jet black dye job, mortgaging the house for a red corvette, and and trying to learn hip hop) Simply focus on vibrant carpe diem. 2. I used to be a professional traininer, and as well am a 3rd degree black belt (big deal right?) My point is the weight baring exercises are HUGE, not only for bone density, muscle tone, and BMI, but release of testosterone..and…the bonus is POSTURE! SUPPORT THE FRAME.. My wife is one of those crazy marathon runners, but fortunately I preach Rest Recovery and balance.. So I have gone to some of these marathons, and guys in their 50s and 60s running across the finish line look like GOLLUM from Lord of the Rings..Can you say ATROPHY ?? MIXED SALAD FELLAS..Cardio, weight training, and STRETCHING. GOTTASTRETCH!! 3. SUPPLEMENTATION. Some guys will say …”Well is you just eat right” REALLY?…REALLY? Bottom line is that when you work out you are creating a NUTRITIONAL DEFECIT. Supply and Demand. You can’t ramp up your demand if you do not ramp up the NUTRITIONAL NEED.. I didn’t say EAT or FOOD intake..I said NUTRITIONAL NEED. I.E. Supplementation Here are some basics my wife and I use. Multi Vitamins (NOT ONE A DAY OR CENTRUM.. They collect those things at the bottom of porta potties.. They don’t assimulate into the body due to the coating. Go to a health food store.!) FLAXSEED CAPSULES/FISH OIL CAPSULES Tribulus and an Aromataze blocker as well as DHEA. Why? (Your testosterone dives into the basement at this age..this is a natural testosterone support) I drink a LOT of Green Tea…Hot or over Ice it doesn’t matter. It has TONS of anti oxidents, L-theanine which supports the amygdila in the brain for stress and anxiety, as will as helps the body burn fat naturally. WATER….eh

questions, based upon what workes for me. Just one word of caution…you have to stretch/warm-up well, ease into intense workouts, eat appropriately, and get a check-up before you start the journey.

John Storrs @ 6:16 pm

I’m 57yrs old and I recently started working out again after a 20yr hiatus and I’m amazed at how quickly my body has responded. I don’t know if “muscle memory” has given me an advantage, but I’m sure that anyone can benefit from weight training at any age.