Training days per week for 40+ year old. This article made me think about it.

[animal eater]

I won’t pass it off as my own or spread it around but I will definitely save it and look back on it in the future and use the lay out for myself. Thank you brother for taking the time to write it out

My pleasure. Let me know if and when you have any questions.

 

[Bigboomer5150]

I’ve been training since high school kinda lol but you have years of stupidity poor diet lack of sleep too much partying etc.. I dont think I realized how to properly eat or train until around 34-35… especially food and it’s a bummer because it does seem like a lot of wasted time beating your body for limited results, anyways I wish I knew now what I didn’t know 20 years ago or failed to learn and listen. But seeing some of these pros in there upper 40s is really inspiring for me to continue to push hard and know there’s still time to get huge because after all what else is there really…………………

 

[opietaylor]

I’ve been training since high school kinda lol but you have years of stupidity poor diet lack of sleep too much partying etc.. I dont think I realized how to properly eat or train until around 34-35… especially food and it’s a bummer because it does seem like a lot of wasted time beating your body for limited results, anyways I wish I knew now what I didn’t know 20 years ago or failed to learn and listen. But seeing some of these pros in there upper 40s is really inspiring for me to continue to push hard and know there’s still time to get huge because after all what else is there really…………………

you can apply that to literally everyone and everything. good stuff. i try and remind myself to not look back but look forward

 

[LATS]

I have always lifted every other day.. never suffered for it.. I needed the next day off..

 

[Hemoglobin]

I have always lifted every other day.. never suffered for it.. I needed the next day off..

Do you try and follow that as a general rule or does it change depending on which body part you are working on, etc?

 

[3BILLS]

When I was in my early 20’s my training partner was 40+ At the time I couldn’t figure out why he only wanted to train 4 days a week. Now I know

 

[method2madness]

Honestly, once you get 10+ years in, and not training totally retarded, diet and drugs will dictate your size mostly.

Now, you might optimize things, like the years I was a dad to an newborn and working nightshift, it would of taken a gram of tren for me to look the same as I do now. I was living off lean pockets and whey, sleep was a myth. Training wasn’t much different.

Couldn't disagree more. I've been training and bodybuilding consistently for the past thirty three years and my best gains have come in my early 30's through mid forties as I've tapered down my AAS usage and got creative and more scientific with diet, training and rest. THe drugs do matter as you age, but not nearly to the degree you think.

 

[goback2013]

I lift and run about 6x per week.
On days where I don't lift weights I'll do body weight exercises... I'm just addicted to the zone I get in about one hour into a exercise session. Sweat dripping and just feeling relaxed.. also feeling accomplished. Hitting goals when you'd rather just lay down is another high..
I'm just a dopamine junkie. Whether it's through exercise or threshold doses of various chems.
Exercise combined with a microdose is next level.

 

[goback2013]

Squats ?

I go as low as a quarter on each side.. but hammer out steady 30 rep sets.
Even very high rep body squats help keep some bit size.
Just doing leg presses I lost size. Adding back very low weight squats but much higher reps gives my legs and glutes more form.

 

[buck]

I lift and run about 6x per week.
On days where I don't lift weights I'll do body weight exercises... I'm just addicted to the zone I get in about one hour into a exercise session. Sweat dripping and just feeling relaxed.. also feeling accomplished. Hitting goals when you'd rather just lay down is another high..
I'm just a dopamine junkie. Whether it's through exercise or threshold doses of various chems.
Exercise combined with a microdose is next level.

I always liked training more then making progress. And loved feeling totally wiped out unable to barely move when i was done. So it was difficult to moderate how often i trained. Now trying to do what is healthy and productive means trying to hold back on most aspects. Which has been a challenge to get used to.

 

[Blacktail]

At almost 51 I’m doing 4 days a week with no set days. Another words if I’m not feeling it that day I will rest and see how tomorrow is. Not forcing things and doing higher reps has been working great for me.

 

[SDRaver]

I made "gains" so to speak. Last year after competing in my first NPC body building competition/show in nearly 20 years, last year. To the point of taking first place in the light heavy division at 48 yrs old.

I'm also fully aware that we were knee deep into the pandemic last year. So who really knows what level of competition would have showed up without all that going on. To be honest I was just pleased to be in a condition I had never been before. And be introduced on stage as that competition's "first ever purple heart recipient" competitor. So it was a personal victory regardless of the place but once again to be brutally honest I certainly wouldn't clog up the stage at higher level shows against people who are fiercely competitive in the sport.

I'm well aware of why those so to speak gains/improvements happened at that time.

I am in a unique position compared to the average person. For the fact that I've been retired since 2012 and and only have to be responsible for and support myself.

For one year straight I had someone doing my diet plans and training me training me 2 of the 4 days a week. I lived walking distance from the gym I trained at twice a week with my prep coach and only 2 miles from the other gym I trained at when I wasn't getting one on one training.

My schedule for that entire year was placed around that training and that competition. Nothing but respect for people who train for those events repeatedly year after year. I told myself I would never have that starving sensation ever again after graduating Ranger School in 1993. I obviously lied to myself.

My take away is from it were what you can do with yourself when you have the time and resources resources but also be brutally honest with realistic expectations.

Now at 49 the gains I'm chasing are quality of life gains. Ideal lipid levels. Ideal glucose levels and a beating heart that is taken care of amd giving the respect it deserves.

 

[MissyM]

I just finished 2 a day's lifting plus an hour cardio session for 15 weeks. Probably overkill but I'm in best shape of my life at 42.

 

[xpoc]

I just finished 2 a day's lifting plus an hour cardio session for 15 weeks. Probably overkill but I'm in best shape of my life at 42.

were you pushing sets to failure on your 2 a days? how many days per week? what did your typical volume look like each day? i am always interested to read about those who work outside the status quo. and even more so if they make gains.

 

[MR. BMJ]

I made "gains" so to speak. Last year after competing in my first NPC body building competition/show in nearly 20 years, last year. To the point of taking first place in the light heavy division at 48 yrs old.

I'm also fully aware that we were knee deep into the pandemic last year. So who really knows what level of competition would have showed up without all that going on. To be honest I was just pleased to be in a condition I had never been before. And be introduced on stage as that competition's "first ever purple heart recipient" competitor. So it was a personal victory regardless of the place but once again to be brutally honest I certainly wouldn't clog up the stage at higher level shows against people who are fiercely competitive in the sport.

I'm well aware of why those so to speak gains/improvements happened at that time.

I am in a unique position compared to the average person. For the fact that I've been retired since 2012 and and only have to be responsible for and support myself.

For one year straight I had someone doing my diet plans and training me training me 2 of the 4 days a week. I lived walking distance from the gym I trained at twice a week with my prep coach and only 2 miles from the other gym I trained at when I wasn't getting one on one training.

My schedule for that entire year was placed around that training and that competition. Nothing but respect for people who train for those events repeatedly year after year. I told myself I would never have that starving sensation ever again after graduating Ranger School in 1993. I obviously lied to myself.

My take away is from it were what you can do with yourself when you have the time and resources resources but also be brutally honest with realistic expectations.

Now at 49 the gains I'm chasing are quality of life gains. Ideal lipid levels. Ideal glucose levels and a beating heart that is taken care of amd giving the respect it deserves.

Glad you made your way back to the boards brother! We all had a good time back in the day 15+ years ago on a few of them together

Glad you are here and alive from your military tours....major respect!

 

[VaginaBoob89]

Interesting topics and ideas here. Remember when stan efferding hit his world record total while still looking very much like a jacked shredded bodybuilder at 275? He was training only twice a week at that time... I think we collectively maybe overestimate the capacity of food and drugs for recovery while underestimating the impact of rest and just not being in the gym.

I remember when I olympic lifted there was a coach named David Woodhouse who's athletes trained only TWICE a week at about 90 minutes per session in order to reach a 300 sinclair score. For those not familiar with oly, this is like the barrier between intermediate and advanced; the bodybuilding analog would be like "first/second callout at nationals but not winning your class at nationals".

I guess we don't have any great examples of super low frequency bodybuilding training to draw from as examples, but I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of us, even if we're not over 40, are just training too much and could be bigger by training less.

 

[heavyhitter]

Interesting topics and ideas here. Remember when stan efferding hit his world record total while still looking very much like a jacked shredded bodybuilder at 275? He was training only twice a week at that time... I think we collectively maybe overestimate the capacity of food and drugs for recovery while underestimating the impact of rest and just not being in the gym.

I remember when I olympic lifted there was a coach named David Woodhouse who's athletes trained only TWICE a week at about 90 minutes per session in order to reach a 300 sinclair score. For those not familiar with oly, this is like the barrier between intermediate and advanced; the bodybuilding analog would be like "first/second callout at nationals but not winning your class at nationals".

I guess we don't have any great examples of super low frequency bodybuilding training to draw from as examples, but I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of us, even if we're not over 40, are just training too much and could be bigger by training less.

There’s a reason there’s no super low frequency bodybuilder examples. Because tou can’t achieve that level of muscularity with such low frequency. I think 3 days a week like a dc split is the lowest frequncy you can get and still make serious gains. Obviously you can make gains on a 1 or 2 day a week split, but you’ll never build a huge amount of muscle that way. Also, look at Ben pollack. Absolutely the strongest pro bodybuilder ever, and he looked damn good earning that card. Only pro bodybuilder with an all time world record powerlifting total

 

[Dugbet]

There’s a reason there’s no super low frequency bodybuilder examples. Because tou can’t achieve that level of muscularity with such low frequency. I think 3 days a week like a dc split is the lowest frequncy you can get and still make serious gains. Obviously you can make gains on a 1 or 2 day a week split, but you’ll never build a huge amount of muscle that way. Also, look at Ben pollack. Absolutely the strongest pro bodybuilder ever, and he looked damn good earning that card. Only pro bodybuilder with an all time world record powerlifting total

But the point about training more than necessary and not getting enough rest is still valid.

 

[heavyhitter]

But the point about training more than necessary and not getting enough rest is still valid.

Sure, but that’s super individual and also differs based on where you’re at development wise. If you’re prepping for a show 6-7 days of training isn’t uncommon. Whereas in the off-season I find 4 days a week to be optimal. And training for strength is totally different than training for size. And the example
Given about Stan….I’m pretty sure he was training around an injury before that contest and was using reduced frequency to try to maintain as much as possible without further injury

 

[Rot-Iron66]

At 55, and like many here, training since 1978 (so 43 years) I'm switching it down to 4-days right now. (From 5). (Biggest challenge is skipping a day (mentally).
Seeing if I can benefit from an extra rest day. I dont BB/train for the stage/platform, just a life-long gym-rat who enjoys it greatly.
I still push very hard in the gym, and my numbers are still up there with my all-time best lifts, which shows one can retain strength as we age. (I like to train for strength).
(I do 100 mg TRT only which I went on at age 50, being natty my whole life before that).
(Have done TRT+ with A-Var, or D-Bol over the last couple years (a couple of times), but did not like it (the feeling, the appetite killed, etc).

We go on 1-hour walks each day w/ the dog, very hilly/challenging path, so good for the heart, etc.
I consider "maintaining" at this point, kinda like "gaining". Fighting to hang on to what I have...