Working out in your 30s
Discussion
interesting quote:
"University of Oklahoma researchers compared people of different ages who followed the exact same program for eight weeks. They found that guys between 35 and 50 years old built just as much muscle as those between 18 and 22 years old."
https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a19532101/build...
I'm mid 30's exactly. I'm now 16 stone and 6ft2. I used to be much lighter, faster, fitter and i'm having difficulty in getting that fitness back. I'm a middle waist gainer so look more like a weeble by the day.
My understanding as others have pointed out, recovery times are longer as you get older, but in general it is possible to rip up if thats your thing at almost any age. I tend to find old muscly men unattractive (albeit i find all men unattractive) but you get the point.
"University of Oklahoma researchers compared people of different ages who followed the exact same program for eight weeks. They found that guys between 35 and 50 years old built just as much muscle as those between 18 and 22 years old."
https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a19532101/build...
I'm mid 30's exactly. I'm now 16 stone and 6ft2. I used to be much lighter, faster, fitter and i'm having difficulty in getting that fitness back. I'm a middle waist gainer so look more like a weeble by the day.
My understanding as others have pointed out, recovery times are longer as you get older, but in general it is possible to rip up if thats your thing at almost any age. I tend to find old muscly men unattractive (albeit i find all men unattractive) but you get the point.
I'm 74. I used to cycle a lot but 6 years ago was ordered not to by my physio.
I went to a gym, one run by the local council. I was amongst the oldest there but as I went 'off-peak' there were a few contemporaries around. We were outnumbered by the macho ones of course. I took a towel with me to wipe the machines after these left them, dripping in sweat and with stained seats.
I found the gym mostly enjoyable, and despite being of typical cycling build - massive thighs, oddly shaped calves and little elsewhere - I concentrated on the upper body for the first time in years. I lifted light weights and didn't really care about the looks I was getting from the ones who looked drugged up. I paid my fee.
Since lockdown, I've been doing exercises at home. Walking briskly (I'm banned from running as well) every morning for 45 mins, and seven days a fortnight, doing some stretching with sit-ups and light lifting with dumbbells. I'll not go back to the gym.
All I need is just enough floor space to lie down on my mat, and somewhere to place the dumbbells when doing something else. It’s warm, comfortable, and no mirror. There’s no smell of gym clothes that haven’t been washed for a week, no damp patches on the mat, no smell of farts, no women talking to each other when occupying four spaces, no struggle for parking, no rejection of passes because the system’s broken yet again, no queue at a specific item of equipment. No charges.
There’s a fair bit of gym equipment, some in pristine condition, advertised locally, but I assume that’s common. I was considering converting the garage into a gym, but the cost put me off, although when you consider how much I’ve saved, or rather not paid out, for gym fees (my wife came too) it would be a bit of a bargain.
I went to a gym, one run by the local council. I was amongst the oldest there but as I went 'off-peak' there were a few contemporaries around. We were outnumbered by the macho ones of course. I took a towel with me to wipe the machines after these left them, dripping in sweat and with stained seats.
I found the gym mostly enjoyable, and despite being of typical cycling build - massive thighs, oddly shaped calves and little elsewhere - I concentrated on the upper body for the first time in years. I lifted light weights and didn't really care about the looks I was getting from the ones who looked drugged up. I paid my fee.
Since lockdown, I've been doing exercises at home. Walking briskly (I'm banned from running as well) every morning for 45 mins, and seven days a fortnight, doing some stretching with sit-ups and light lifting with dumbbells. I'll not go back to the gym.
All I need is just enough floor space to lie down on my mat, and somewhere to place the dumbbells when doing something else. It’s warm, comfortable, and no mirror. There’s no smell of gym clothes that haven’t been washed for a week, no damp patches on the mat, no smell of farts, no women talking to each other when occupying four spaces, no struggle for parking, no rejection of passes because the system’s broken yet again, no queue at a specific item of equipment. No charges.
There’s a fair bit of gym equipment, some in pristine condition, advertised locally, but I assume that’s common. I was considering converting the garage into a gym, but the cost put me off, although when you consider how much I’ve saved, or rather not paid out, for gym fees (my wife came too) it would be a bit of a bargain.
If you're starting out, it's definitely possible to improve but like for like you won't experience improvements in anything like you would have in your 20s. If you're an elite athlete at the top of your game, everything is going to go one way and it's not good. For everyone else, well, I'm 49 and my ability to play tennis is improving and fitness/strength in general is either improving or maintaining. It's about longevity now and avoiding injury. Last week I managed to play about 5 hours of tennis (mix of singles and doubles). I guess having a goal and a plan help (haven't they always!).
RJWR said:
interesting quote:
"University of Oklahoma researchers compared people of different ages who followed the exact same program for eight weeks. They found that guys between 35 and 50 years old built just as much muscle as those between 18 and 22 years old."
https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a19532101/build...
I'm mid 30's exactly. I'm now 16 stone and 6ft2. I used to be much lighter, faster, fitter and i'm having difficulty in getting that fitness back. I'm a middle waist gainer so look more like a weeble by the day.
My understanding as others have pointed out, recovery times are longer as you get older, but in general it is possible to rip up if thats your thing at almost any age. I tend to find old muscly men unattractive (albeit i find all men unattractive) but you get the point.
What's unattractive about a older guy carrying muscle?"University of Oklahoma researchers compared people of different ages who followed the exact same program for eight weeks. They found that guys between 35 and 50 years old built just as much muscle as those between 18 and 22 years old."
https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a19532101/build...
I'm mid 30's exactly. I'm now 16 stone and 6ft2. I used to be much lighter, faster, fitter and i'm having difficulty in getting that fitness back. I'm a middle waist gainer so look more like a weeble by the day.
My understanding as others have pointed out, recovery times are longer as you get older, but in general it is possible to rip up if thats your thing at almost any age. I tend to find old muscly men unattractive (albeit i find all men unattractive) but you get the point.
markcoznottz said:
RJWR said:
mcelliott said:
What's unattractive about a older guy carrying muscle?
Everything. The statement of finding older guys unattractive is different to not fancying Lawson, as it is broader and not on an individual level. It also carries the sense of the old person doing something wrong by looking after his/her body.
Good on them for not pigging out.
Just to make it crystal, while you probably would find me unattractive, it would not be beause I carry muscle. My comments are nothing to do with hurt feelings.
Personally your peak is between 30 and 40. Im gaining muscle faster than my 20s, when I play sport im just as fast but I have the awareness that only comes with experience. I'm faster than nearly any guy in his teens to late 20s I play against. I play bball and shall be the fittest and fastest person on that court when competitive resumes.
I do however have to watch my lower back. I deadlifted wrong in my early 20s wrong and injured it. Never been the same tbh. As time goes on I suppose I can say I can feel it more.
I do however have to watch my lower back. I deadlifted wrong in my early 20s wrong and injured it. Never been the same tbh. As time goes on I suppose I can say I can feel it more.
crofty1984 said:
36 now. Spent a lot of my 30's working out what the f
k happened to my metabolism. Still haven't got an answer.
I realised it was simply because I just wasn't moving around as much. When I look back at my 20s to mid-30s when I wasn't skateboarding and rollerblading, I was going clubbing way into the night. Then I got a bit bored of clubbing and got too busy to skate every other night for 3-4 hours. Despite taking up rock climbing (once a week, maybe twice if I had the time!) and still doing martial arts (twice a week), the movement wasn't enough to balance out my eating.k happened to my metabolism. Still haven't got an answer.
Some interesting replies here, so thanks for sharing.
I've done some further reading since, and apparently the drop in testosterone isn't all that significant. So the comments and articles I see floating about in Men's Health magazines shouldn't be taken too seriously.
And if you are telling us that know that you are not training as you think you should, why are you surprised if you are not achieving it?If it were easy as clicking my fingers, then I'd have the physique of an olympic swimmer.
Unfortunately, the reality is somewhat different, and I just don't have the appetite to consistently consume a surplus of calories.
Still, my diet is very healthy, and my gym routine is consistent. Even if I rarely go harder than eight tenths, I tell myself a bad workout is better than no workout.
Last year was crap for gyms, but I tried a 5x5 style routine. I could lift a lot more weight compared to doing my usual ten reps, but it probably took me even further away from my goal of hypertrophy.
Here is part of my workout log; the weight doesn't include the bar, and the app doesn't include the rest of my exercises (ignore deadlift too).
Progress felt reasonable, but I didn't notice any change in the mirror (i.e. I still looked like a skinny sucked up marathon runner).
I'll be going back to the gym when they re-open next week, so I'm happy to listen to any advice people may have (beyond the obvious eat more and lift heavier!).
I've done some further reading since, and apparently the drop in testosterone isn't all that significant. So the comments and articles I see floating about in Men's Health magazines shouldn't be taken too seriously.
MC Bodge said:
SkinnyPete said:
I've been working out on and off since my early twenties, with limited success. I don't push myself hard enough, and I don't maintain a clean caloric surplus diet with enough protein.
What is it that you are aiming to do?And if you are telling us that know that you are not training as you think you should, why are you surprised if you are not achieving it?
Unfortunately, the reality is somewhat different, and I just don't have the appetite to consistently consume a surplus of calories.
Still, my diet is very healthy, and my gym routine is consistent. Even if I rarely go harder than eight tenths, I tell myself a bad workout is better than no workout.
Last year was crap for gyms, but I tried a 5x5 style routine. I could lift a lot more weight compared to doing my usual ten reps, but it probably took me even further away from my goal of hypertrophy.
Here is part of my workout log; the weight doesn't include the bar, and the app doesn't include the rest of my exercises (ignore deadlift too).
Progress felt reasonable, but I didn't notice any change in the mirror (i.e. I still looked like a skinny sucked up marathon runner).
I'll be going back to the gym when they re-open next week, so I'm happy to listen to any advice people may have (beyond the obvious eat more and lift heavier!).
I'm 40 minutes into a documentary on Netflix called 'The Game Changers' and its certainly got me thinking about the way diet can effect you.
So far, it is basically suggesting that a plant based diet is far better for you, protein from plant based foods is also better for you and eating tons of meat for your protein intake isn't good for you at all.
It has various athletes from sprinters to strongman that have made the change with proven results.
I'm watching it on the recommendation of a mate that has more or less moved to a (mostly) vegan diet and he genuinely reckons he feels all round better for it. Less tired, more focused, more stamina, improved skin quality, better sleep, better sex and so on!!
He went on to say that within 1 day back on a 'normal' regular diet he felt like ste, then back on the (mostly) vegan diet and immediately got the same excellent results as before.
Recommend you all watch it before you slaughter it.
ETA: Good old Arnie is on the documentary too, promoting it. Saying at 69 his cholesterol is at the lowest recorded levels in his life.
So far, it is basically suggesting that a plant based diet is far better for you, protein from plant based foods is also better for you and eating tons of meat for your protein intake isn't good for you at all.
It has various athletes from sprinters to strongman that have made the change with proven results.
I'm watching it on the recommendation of a mate that has more or less moved to a (mostly) vegan diet and he genuinely reckons he feels all round better for it. Less tired, more focused, more stamina, improved skin quality, better sleep, better sex and so on!!
He went on to say that within 1 day back on a 'normal' regular diet he felt like s
te, then back on the (mostly) vegan diet and immediately got the same excellent results as before.Recommend you all watch it before you slaughter it.
ETA: Good old Arnie is on the documentary too, promoting it. Saying at 69 his cholesterol is at the lowest recorded levels in his life.
Edited by Lincsls1 on Saturday 10th April 21:44
Lincsls1 said:
I'm 40 minutes into a documentary on Netflix called 'The Game Changers' and its certainly got me thinking about the way diet can effect you.
So far, it is basically suggesting that a plant based diet is far better for you, protein from plant based foods is also better for you and eating tons of meat for your protein intake isn't good for you at all.
It has various athletes from sprinters to strongman that have made the change with proven results.
I'm watching it on the recommendation of a mate that has more or less moved to a (mostly) vegan diet and he genuinely reckons he feels all round better for it. Less tired, more focused, more stamina, improved skin quality, better sleep, better sex and so on!!
He went on to say that within 1 day back on a 'normal' regular diet he felt like ste, then back on the (mostly) vegan diet and immediately got the same excellent results as before.
Recommend you all watch it before you slaughter it.
ETA: Good old Arnie is on the documentary too, promoting it. Saying at 69 his cholesterol is at the lowest recorded levels in his life.
If its the one I'm thinking about, 1 of the athletes on it has since come out and said he not longer supports the doc. So far, it is basically suggesting that a plant based diet is far better for you, protein from plant based foods is also better for you and eating tons of meat for your protein intake isn't good for you at all.
It has various athletes from sprinters to strongman that have made the change with proven results.
I'm watching it on the recommendation of a mate that has more or less moved to a (mostly) vegan diet and he genuinely reckons he feels all round better for it. Less tired, more focused, more stamina, improved skin quality, better sleep, better sex and so on!!
He went on to say that within 1 day back on a 'normal' regular diet he felt like s
te, then back on the (mostly) vegan diet and immediately got the same excellent results as before.Recommend you all watch it before you slaughter it.
ETA: Good old Arnie is on the documentary too, promoting it. Saying at 69 his cholesterol is at the lowest recorded levels in his life.
Edited by Lincsls1 on Saturday 10th April 21:44
Interesting question. Here is my personal, purely anecdotal story.
Went to the Gym 5 days/wk in my 20s. Fit, and could starve off the ravages of a 90s clubbing lifestyle (not drugs, but beer, kebab etc).
Got married, kept up the booze, dropped the gym time. The weight piled on.
I have been running for a few years now. At 44, Im as fit as i have ever been- I try to run 10k 3 times a week . In March I ran over 100km, and try to run a marathon over 7 days at least twice in a month. Low blood pressure, resting heart rate in the 40s. I feel healthy.
BUT
I cannot reach my target weight. Its like my body has decided, since i turned 40 that this weight is my weight. No amount of chnage in diet seems to make a difference. I wish it would- I am just the wrong side of 100kg and being the other side would be a great psychological bonus for me. But I am between 100-102kg depending on diet.
Never below 100kg. So is it harder as you get older. Based on my experience, YES!!!!!!
Went to the Gym 5 days/wk in my 20s. Fit, and could starve off the ravages of a 90s clubbing lifestyle (not drugs, but beer, kebab etc).
Got married, kept up the booze, dropped the gym time. The weight piled on.
I have been running for a few years now. At 44, Im as fit as i have ever been- I try to run 10k 3 times a week . In March I ran over 100km, and try to run a marathon over 7 days at least twice in a month. Low blood pressure, resting heart rate in the 40s. I feel healthy.
BUT
I cannot reach my target weight. Its like my body has decided, since i turned 40 that this weight is my weight. No amount of chnage in diet seems to make a difference. I wish it would- I am just the wrong side of 100kg and being the other side would be a great psychological bonus for me. But I am between 100-102kg depending on diet.
Never below 100kg. So is it harder as you get older. Based on my experience, YES!!!!!!
SkinnyPete said:
I’ve been working out on and off since my early twenties, with limited success. I don’t push myself hard enough, and I don’t maintain a clean caloric surplus diet with enough protein.
Your first sentence says it all, imo.I don't think you want it enough; or if you do, you don't want to put the work in.
Sounds harsh, I know, but I'd be surprised if I'm wrong, based on what you've said.
SkinnyPete said:
I’d be interested in knowing from the more physically talented amongst you, what your experiences were as you got older.
Vanishingly few people are born with truly great genetics.Rather, the vast, vast majority of people who are, as you put it, "physically talented", have trained like hell, and nailed their nutrition to get where they are. Some have used PEDS, some haven't, but the baseline is that they've put the work in.
You haven't. That's pretty much it.
If you're now thinking "oh s
t, I'm in my 30's and not in the condition I want to be!" - don't think that. Get your head down and get into the condition you want to be in.
Or look for excuses.
Your call, dude.
Edited by TheJimi on Sunday 11th April 01:10
Gassing Station | Health Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff