Advice to 35(+) Lifters

Bigger Stronger Leaner Over 35 Lifter
21

[quote]soldog wrote:
rkirkw wrote:
Marlboroman,

You and I sound very similar for the last 30 years.
I turn 43 next month and other than push ups and 12 oz curls had not worked out regularly since college. I decided it was time to whip myself into shape this year.
I am 5’10" and have dropped from 207 lbs at 26% body fat to 175 lbs at around 12% body fat.
Trying to balance fat loss with muscle and weight gain has been difficult.
I have much more definition visible but my arms seem so small now with all the fat off.

I started off with higher reps and lower weight and am slowly sliding up on the weight and down on the reps.
I have gone from 0 chin-ups to a whopping 3 now but at least making progress :slight_smile:

I am not shooting for the Mr. Olympia look, more like a MMA fighter. If I can put 5 lbs of muscle on this year, I will be very happy.

Really trying to keep up with my 3 kids with a 3 yr old as the youngest.

Like you said, just gotta keep pluggin’ away at it.

Been there doing that! started weights for the first time in my life at 46 (on my birthday no less) Still learning how and working up in weights, but I’m progressing steadily.[/quote]

Understatement. Here’s a good role model for you. Soldog has made great progress since he started posting here. Very well thought out approach.

22

[quote]Yo Momma wrote:
Yo, marlboroman,

It’s NEVER too late to start lifting, unless you’re dead. So what if you sat on your ass for 40 years, you’re off it now. And stop comparing yourself to everyone else. That’s a formula for disaster. Consider the logs of the heavy lifters as inspiration, otherwise it can get depressing. Also, comparing what you can do at 55 to what you could do at 25, 35 or even 45 is also not necessary to gauge your present progress. We’re all working around injuries or handicaps of some sort, it’s all about adaptation.

Standard benchmarks are for competitive lifters. Unless you’re going to compete, measure your progress against you and yourself only. Maybe my standards are low, but hell, if I’m doing better than yesterday, it’s good.

Keep pluggin’ away.

[/quote]

yup. I started a year ago, having never so much as set foot in a gym before in my life. In fact, I’ve pretty much sat on my ass my entire life, except for a few years in the military in a combat platoon. Since then, my neck and back pain has disappeared, I’m MUCH healthier, and I look a LOT better (at least, according to my girlfriend!).

The only thing I compare myself against is myself, via my logbook. And I’m a pretty harsh critic of myself, so when I cheat, or don’t push myself as hard as I should have, I let myself know it. But I’m not going to beat myself up because I’m not deadlifting 500 lbs. When I started this a year ago, I was winded and wiped out after 5 Romanian DLs at 135. Today, I locked out 365 lbs. I’m not to 500 yet, but I think a 230 lb increase in 12 months isn’t too shabby.

It also helps to set goals. For example, I want to be squatting and DLing 400 1RM by New Year’s Eve 2009, and benching 300. Next year, I’ll shoot for 500 and 400. Then, who knows? The only thing I know is that as long as I do as much as I can do, and see improvement, I’m doing the right thing.

Maybe I’ll shoot for a 900lb squat and 1000lb DL for my 50th birthday. :slight_smile:

23

[quote]Yo Momma wrote:
Yo, marlboroman,

It’s NEVER too late to start lifting, unless you’re dead. So what if you sat on your ass for 40 years, you’re off it now. And stop comparing yourself to everyone else. That’s a formula for disaster. Consider the logs of the heavy lifters as inspiration, otherwise it can get depressing. Also, comparing what you can do at 55 to what you could do at 25, 35 or even 45 is also not necessary to gauge your present progress. We’re all working around injuries or handicaps of some sort, it’s all about adaptation.

Standard benchmarks are for competitive lifters. Unless you’re going to compete, measure your progress against you and yourself only. Maybe my standards are low, but hell, if I’m doing better than yesterday, it’s good.

Keep pluggin’ away.

very well said .

I hope my post didnt come off as whining . it’s only intent was to voice dis-satisfaction in past behaviour . I’m pretty damned proud of the gains that I have made , even if less notable than others. I’m stronger now than I was in my 20’s or 30’s .

and I HAVE competed in 3 PLing meets . thats how I measure progress .

[/quote]

24

well , I’ll be damned

there ARE others. good to hear from you all .

and plug we will

25

[quote]ecogenx wrote:
I find what I eat effects me more now the even 5 years ago. An example is if I have pancakes or waffles with syrup for breakfast I want to take a nap soon after and feel poorly. If I have eggs and fruit I feel great.[/quote]

Now that you mention it…i feel the same thing.

26

[quote]hel320 wrote:
FISCHER613 wrote:
PeteS wrote:
Aside from maybe a little more rehab/prehab stuff, just go after it and don’t make excuses.

Ditto.

Ditto, again. Don’t use your age as an excuse. [/quote]

Ditto too. I will add that I warm up more thoroughly now and firmly believe in unloading weeks.

27

By the way:

thanks for all the great advice, experiences and testimonies! Keep it up and let’s keep bringing each other up!

28

anyone have any experience with celebrex? i have developed arthritis in both knees and have been prescribed celebrex to help. i know that there were several bad side effects reported in the past, but that most of them were fabricated. i wouls like my knees to be pain free, but not at the cost of my overall health

29

I’ve never used Celebrex, or any other Cox-2 inhibitors. The risks of taking these inhibitors depend upon your own personal health risk factors for heart attack and stroke.

If you do have a family history, you may want to look into hyaluronic acid injections.

I use megadoses of glucosamine and chondroitin daily, and NSAIDs if the pain gets bad.

Good luck.

30

[quote]ecogenx wrote:
I find what I eat effects me more now the even 5 years ago. An example is if I have pancakes or waffles with syrup for breakfast I want to take a nap soon after and feel poorly. If I have eggs and fruit I feel great.[/quote]

x2

31

[quote]Yo Momma wrote:
I’ve never used Celebrex, or any other Cox-2 inhibitors. The risks of taking these inhibitors depend upon your own personal health risk factors for heart attack and stroke.

If you do have a family history, you may want to look into hyaluronic acid injections.

I use megadoses of glucosamine and chondroitin daily, and NSAIDs if the pain gets bad.

Good luck.[/quote]

Yo Momma, have you tried or had any luck with fish oils? Both my knees are f***ed but just 2-3 1000mg capsules a day and they feel 75% better. The glucosamine and chondroitin did nothing for me though…

32

[quote]poophead wrote:
Yo Momma wrote:
I’ve never used Celebrex, or any other Cox-2 inhibitors. The risks of taking these inhibitors depend upon your own personal health risk factors for heart attack and stroke.

If you do have a family history, you may want to look into hyaluronic acid injections.

I use megadoses of glucosamine and chondroitin daily, and NSAIDs if the pain gets bad.

Good luck.

Yo Momma, have you tried or had any luck with fish oils? Both my knees are f***ed but just 2-3 1000mg capsules a day and they feel 75% better. The glucosamine and chondroitin did nothing for me though…

[/quote]

I take 9 grams of fish oil a day, split up, 3 with each major meal.

I also take 3 grams of glucosamine, 2.5 grams of chondroitin, and 2.5 grams of MSM per day.

As you can see, I’m a megadoser with these supplements. I’ve had crepitus in my right knee, and I’ve gone about three years without pain following this regimen. I’m starting to get some exercise induced pain, due to cartilage wear, but I’ve never had visible inflammation.

I cannot give you a scientific conclusion as to whether or not the supplements had a direct effect on my knee, or I’m just damn lucky I haven’t ruined myself further.

33

My advice would be to take care of your back, (this probably overlaps into mobility stuff). I originally hurt mine in my 20’s. Turning 52 in a couple weeks, my back and I play ring around the rosey all the time.

Everything suffers when the back is pissed off. Keep it happy.

34

haven’t had any noticeable change in pain after taking 6 1000’s a day. i know that this is recommended by alot of guys on here. i must mention that i’m currently in the army having just returned from 15 months in iraq. i had an argument with a physicians assistant regarding vitamin E and and its many benefits. he basically told me that those claims were unfounded and since he out ranks me, it’s difficult to get your point across.