When did you hang up the hat?

[btails]

Just wondering what age everyone kind of through in the towel?

I dont mean walking away and never taking gear or working out again etc. I mean what age did you decide to tone things down and not go balls to the wall?

I always told myself at 35 I've got what I've got and I'll call it a day at that point.

 

[buck]

About age 52.

 

[memphismuscle]

I'll be 35 next year, going to try one more run at it for the masters and open and see what happens.

 

[Reload]

I'm 52.
Around 50 reality sunk in...after 2 shoulder surgeries, colon resection, discovery of a large sliding Hiatal Hernia
and repeated issues with my lower back (L5-S1 disc herniations). High BP, battle with a kidney stone and GERD were just the icing
on the cake that forced me to change my perspective and long term approach to both my mental & physical health.
Still a gym addict but I enjoy other hobbies that get me outdoors. Now it's daily TRT and a little GH. Regular Dr. checkups. Attention to my labs, BP, HR and general mood. I'm a dad so my kids/family life come 1st. Even my job as an RN takes a back seat.
The ego takes a hit at first but you gulp down the pride and soldier on!

 

[TheOtherOne55]

This will all be 100% individual based on your family life, your health and just your passion for this.

I'm about to turn 35 and health wise I'm great....but injuries have ruined the past 18 months or so and it sucks.
We'll ALL also go thru times where BBing and eating are in the top 3 things u care about....and other times where its number 18.
That's just how life is....the ebs and flows of our passions.

 

[SOUR DIESEL]

Just wondering what age everyone kind of through in the towel?

I dont mean walking away and never taking gear or working out again etc. I mean what age did you decide to tone things down and not go balls to the wall?

I always told myself at 35 I've got what I've got and I'll call it a day at that point.

^^^now wouldn't that be nice


..i don't think you ever get to "cash-out" with "what you'v got" in this game

..it's kinda like the "Hotel California"
"You can check-out any time you like,
But you can never leave!"
^^^at least not with "what you'v got"


IN MY EXPERIENCE; ..we'v only "got what we'v got" ..while we "do what we do"

when "what we do" to have "what we'v got" changes .....so does "what we'v got" .....eventually

..so i'm not sure if your question is
.."at what age do you give up & accept/settle for what you have?"
..or
.."at what age do you downsize?" ..for the sake of health ..or to pursue other aspects of life


^^^either way, it's a tough one .....life can become a series of concessions as we age

►some guesses:
..when it loses it's "zeal" for you?
..or when the benefits outweigh the costs?
..or when you find something else to take it's place at center stage?

^^^for me i think it's more like you re-invent yourself ..and find a new "ideal" image for yourself moving forward
..one that's a little less "taxing" ..but still VERY respectable ..& WELL above the norm


.

 

[Fit2Serve]

43 years old now and i "hung up my hat" around age 40. i realized after the injuries i have my imbalances would only get worse so i decided to down size and get into being fit and longevity. but instead i drank for 3 years straight lol i think i was depressed to see it go and i didnt wanna accept it
Finally came to grips with it and am at peace w it. i had a good run. loved looking freaky but not healthy to sustain as time goes on.
so now goal is to just look like a freak for MY AGE. its waaaaay more doable than getting a pro card lol so its fun.
i like not having any expectations on my physique nor strength. i have an upper and lower body split 2 days on 1 day off then 2 days on then off weekends then repeat. i train instinctively too. i like it alot.
-F

 

[carbs]

43 years old now and i "hung up my hat" around age 40. i realized after the injuries i have my imbalances would only get worse so i decided to down size and get into being fit and longevity. but instead i drank for 3 years straight lol i think i was depressed to see it go and i didnt wanna accept it
Finally came to grips with it and am at peace w it. i had a good run. loved looking freaky but not healthy to sustain as time goes on.
so now goal is to just look like a freak for MY AGE. its waaaaay more doable than getting a pro card lol so its fun.
i like not having any expectations on my physique nor strength. i have an upper and lower body split 2 days on 1 day off then 2 days on then off weekends then repeat. i train instinctively too. i like it alot.
-F

what about PEDs?

 

[goback2013]

i think frank sepe's has a heatlhy look that all can obtain.
i'm taller than him, but his look is maintainable with minimal ped use..
especially given my genetics and my physical, athletic base.

 

[b_cornelius]

I'll hang up the hat after I find one that I like, heh.

Really you'd be surprised about the reverse trend. With all the TRT going around, some people get their first taste at an older age. From there they may tread carefully into more gear, or some people go ape$#!t. That's what I always love, an old timer fresh on the juice, posing on his motorcycle, running his mouth before he makes his getaway.

 

[alfresco]

I will continue working out until I can’t but cannot duplicate the intensity of my youth.

People say I look better than I look better than 20 years ago so I guess that means something.

I just turned 67, on a mild TRT since
I was 50. Made a huge difference (Will
will post some current fotos when a catch my breath, don hold yours.)

3X full body workouts, less than an hour, a
a workoutNever been injured but then again never trained strictly for strength.

Diet is all most all meals are prepared from scratch at home. And I eat anything I want whenever I want. Just lucky I guess.

Never competed just want to look okay, retain my strength and health.

That is the short story.

 

[johnjuanb1]

Age 50 when my spinal issues caused nerve damage in my left leg leaving like a stick. 3 years later and I still can’t walk down stairs without standing sideways and going one step at a time. If I try to jog or run my leg will collapse. But I am so very grateful to be able to walk. When I was bed ridden it was awful! So, I’ll never compete again but I like looking ripped and freaky for an old guy.

 

[Fit2Serve]

what about PEDs?

after about 37 years old i couldnt handle the anxiety tren gave me.
then deca and npp started having same effect...
by time i reached 40 years old i only feel "good" on test. (and masteron and primo far as i can tell)
but if i am not gonna compete i dont see much point in using an PED's except test.
and maybe primo but i have said that and burn out on the inject it requires after like 2 weeks max.
pretty sure its just 300mg test a week for me. a blast will be 600mg with 400mg primo if i can ever keep a consistent inject schedule.

 

[cage99]

Mid-40’s here.. I’ll continue to use as long as I’m breathing. Made that decision on my first cycle many many years ago. I’m at peace with it even if it means I’ll be turned to ashes sooner than most. No regrats!!!

Cage

 

[brocksamson]

When it stops being fun

 

[Capin]

I realized at 25 the sport I loved powerlifting was going nowhere. I busted my ass along with some bones
, tendons and ligaments from 19 to 23 I competed in the 220lb class I was benching in the upper 500s squatting in the upper 800s and deadlifting in the lower 800s had planned on going to the nationals but realized I was killing myself for a fukkin plastic trophy at 61 I still lift and my biggest regret in life is that I didn't go to the nationals wtf?

 

[Alzadosghost]

What do you mean by hang it up? Steroids or training altogether? Whatever answer you give will change when your old lol and maybe I’m
Just a stubborn old bag of meat riding out the residual high of my youth.

 

[Pheedno]

Went light on gear and training around 35. Last time I competed was 11 years ago. Im about to be 42.
This past year I took time to only address injuries, hip and shoulder mobility problems and now walk and breathe better than I have in a long time. It's revitalized some passion and in the last couple months I raised my test dose to around 300/wk, tossed my log book and went old school back to the bricks for 2hr high volume workouts. Just having fun in the gym. It's been great and my legs are back up close to 27 from 24.5, arms up to 18 from 16.5 and waist down to 32 from 36. Muscle memory is exceptional. I've been downsized and soft for several years. Makes me want to think about doing a masters show next year with just TRT+

 

[b-boy]

Love lifting, and every since I was a child I wanted to look like a super hero, I love the way I look, and the best part is that it doesn't take hardly anything to keep what I have as long as I'm training hard and eating good. I made the decision to semi retire from competitive bodybuilding and now that I'm turning 50 next month I want to at least do a masters pro show next year in my new class 50+. The fact that I have never lost a masters class competition motivates me even more. Now to the original question, in 2018 I decided it was time to pump the breaks and find a more safe and healthier way to go about this and that was to drop dosages down considerably. Only time I will up the dosage now is if I'm going to compete (precontest). I stick to a max 500mg dose in the offseason (my first decision) and now I have changed that to a max of 250-300mg in the offseason, im currently running 125mg test E and 100mg of tren E per week (225 total dosage) my bloodwork and BP is good at this level. Precontest I will cut my past prep dosage in half and see how I do next year prepping at those levels. As long as I can train hard I don't worry about losing very much muscle at all, I built this with heavy slag iron mostly and iron will help me keep a large majority of it as long as I keep my hormones at a decent level I'm good

I will NEVER fully hang my hat up, I love my hat, I love my life, I'm healthy and happy

 

[Bio]

Love lifting, and every since I was a child I wanted to look like a super hero, I love the way I look, and the best part is that it doesn't take hardly anything to keep what I have as long as I'm training hard and eating good. I made the decision to semi retire from competitive bodybuilding and now that I'm turning 50 next month I want to at least do a masters pro show next year in my new class 50+. The fact that I have never lost a masters class competition motivates me even more. Now to the original question, in 2018 I decided it was time to pump the breaks and find a more safe and healthier way to go about this and that was to drop dosages down considerably. Only time I will up the dosage now is if I'm going to compete (precontest). I stick to a max 500mg dose in the offseason (my first decision) and now I have changed that to a max of 250-300mg in the offseason, im currently running 125mg test E and 100mg of tren E per week (225 total dosage) my bloodwork and BP is good at this level. Precontest I will cut my past prep dosage in half and see how I do next year prepping at those levels. As long as I can train hard I don't worry about losing very much muscle at all, I built this with heavy slag iron mostly and iron will help me keep a large majority of it as long as I keep my hormones at a decent level I'm good

I will NEVER fully hang my hat up, I love my hat, I love my life, I'm healthy and happy

Happy early birthday! Welcome to the 5th floor b!