but are you bigger and leaner now at 60 then ever before?
when this conversation comes up I think one big thing to consider is if you have the history.
a guy like you who has been doing this for 40 years and was at the top of his game prob in later 30s + is totally different then some guy who just started going to the gym at age 30...
you did it already at the time when your body could handle it.
now its just about keeping it up, which is HARD.
the guys who are in there 40s and only been in the gym 5-10 years pushing doses n trying to get bigger worry me.
When I competed in powerlifting I was about 16% BF and weighed anywhere from 275 - 300. I set records in the 275's and 308's and was ranked #2 in the 308's and #1 in the 275's. I had more of the shape of a refrigerator as my training was specific to strength in the 3 lifts. So I have stepped back and totally reshaped my physique in the last 10 years.
Now my shoulders are quite a bit more developed and I have have the V shape of a bodybuilder. I stay less that 8% BF year round. I got down to a low of 3.72% and am bulking back up now. I weight about 270. So I do look bigger because my shape is much different. I am not nearly as strong because strength is no longer my goal. But I am stronger than most anyone in most gyms.
I do agree time spent in the gym paying dues is important. Too may expect to walk in a gym and be a top BB isn a year. Most of out best pros, after many years of training were late in their 30's and early 40's when they hit tops. Ronnie Coleman right now is 52. He won the last Olympia at the age of 40 and his last competition in the Olympia was at 42. Jay Cutler is 42. Dexter Jackson, 47, Phil Heath, 37, Kai Greene, 41, and Branch Warren, 41. Take a look at pictures of Dave Draper now that he is 74 years old. Most 20 year olds would sell their nuts to look that good. I saw him 4 years ago when we traveled to California and he was simply amazing. What an inspiration to keep training hard. Same in powerlifting, Fred Hatfield was the 1st to squats over 1000 l bs at the age of 47.
For you guys who are in the 40's and just got started, its better lat than never. Yo may not ever look like Mr. Olympia, but you won't look like the rest who are your age either. This is called setting reasonable goals. The benefits of strength training at our age is irreplaceable. Changes in the skin, bone mass, immune system, endocrine system etc etc. Not to mention looking younger and having a better self esteem. The downsides is you can't push your self quite as hard and you have to pay more attention to your body. I have had 4 surgeries as a result of not listening, most when I was younger. I wake up hurting but look damn good once I move round and get the blood flowing into the aching muscles.
It my age it has become a lifestyle, something I can't imagine not ever doing. Just my goals change. I am done with competing, done with max strength, just love seeing what I can do with my body using weights.
Its better to start late than to have never started at all. Which is why I love seeing new people i the gyms.
You are right LK3, I can't stand people thinking that taking more of anything is going to substitute for the dedication and hard work it take to develop a great physique. I get asked all the time what supplement do you take, what steroids, etc etc. It doesn't matter. Watch me train, I put in 4 hard exercises before most get off their cell phone texting doing 1 set. Yet they are in the gym 3-4 hours and me only 1-1.5 hours. Most spend 2 hours doing biceps and then wonder why they don't grow. Squats? My knees hurt...damn, so do mine, in fact the friggin 10" scar I have on my right knee should have been enough to give me a lot of excuses.
Steroids we all spend way too much time trying to find the secret formula for growth. Most of the time more is always better. Yet our training sucks. Us older guys need to understand that we have more difficulties getting drugs out of our system. Therefore, we don't need as much and more only causes bigger side effects. Not too wise for older guys as these sides could lead to serious health issues. Spend more time seriously training that loading up with drugs or taking all the latest supplement scams on the market.
.gif "IP Gear")
