T Nation

Almost 53-Year-Old Wants Feedback

Rate My Physique Photos
#1


Please scroll down for larger and more current pics - these first two came out like crap and I cannot edit the images - only the text.

I am 5’9" tall and weigh 175 lbs. I had a hydrostatic body fat test last week and was 8.9%, which is what I was nine months ago, but I gained 5.0 lbs of lean mass and only 0.1 lbs fat, so I was happy with that result as I have a tough time gaining muscle.

I’ve really only been lifting since I was 47 years old. Prior to that, I only did body weight exercises (tons of pushups!) and I ran for about 15 years, also. When I started lifting, I tore both rotator cuffs (not at the same time) and had surgery on each shoulder which really delayed my progress. Now, as you can see I have trouble with the back biceps pose because I can’t quite rotate my shoulders back so that the peaks of my biceps show!!! Darn.

Now, I weight train 4 days per week and do cardio 4 days per week. At my age, I only train each body part every seven days - is that enough? My diet is ultra clean, and I take a lot of BCAA’s before and during workouts, and make myself a great recovery shake afterward.

My protein is usually about 175-225 grams per day and I’m eating about 3000 calories. I should eat more, I think, but I often can’t force down much more than I’m eating now.

What do you all think I need to work on most? The small pics above were taken last May when I was 5 lbs lighter, but the ones down below are current. Thanks in advance for your comments.

#2

Geez, those pictures came out small - that bites. Wish I could’ve seen those in Preview mode instead of just the text …

#3

Pretty good! I wouldn’t believe you’re 53 if I passed you on the street.

The pictures are small, as you noted. Hard to tell, but it looks like the traps might be lagging a little, but it’s hard to tell with the pictures.

Good job though, keep at it!

#4

Well, I am not into bodybuilding but I will say that you are doing a good job. However, what kind of exercises are you doing? If I were to raise a criticism, I would say that somehow the different body parts seem a little disjointed. Are you doing enough compound exercises? If you aren’t, they might be the ticket.

#5

Hmm - I don’t know what you mean by disjointed. I do squats and deadlifts every week and lots of weighted wide grip pull ups.

#6

Hmmmm - I think he means, that the chest, shoulders, and arms in general look more developed than the abs and legs, making it seem that you may do more iso on the upper body and not as much core-instensive things like squats. However, I think there’s just more fat there, since you don’t look skinny.

I don’t know if that makes sense or is right though, I’m a little schnookered since my furst post.

Happy Friday all!

#7

As a fellow 53-year old bodybuilder, I appreciate what you’ve accomplished. Bigger photos would be helpful. Your back shot looks really good, but I agree that you could use some more trap development. I also don’t see much definition in your legs, but it could be the photo. Your pecs look good, as do your biceps. Post some larger photos if you can, with better lighting. Keep up the good work!
Paul

P.S.- I have some photos here also, let me know what you think (under 52 year old rate my physique)

#8

Thanks for the feedback thus far - let me try one more time to post a current pic we took today which should better show my legs - I have been unable to edit the first (small) photos for some reason and I haven’t been able to upload an image on my previous replies - I will try one last time to see if the image upload works this time …

#9

I finally figured it out - you can edit your text in your posts but not your images. Here is another pic from today. I have tried to work hard on my traps, back and legs since the photos at the top which were taken 9 months ago.

#10

Here is my back - I can’t rotate my biceps up enough to see the peaks from the back due to the rotator cuff surgery on both shoulders. The pose makes the bi’s look real bad but size-wise I think they are in proportion. I am going to work at increasing my flexibility so that I can strike this pose better.

#11

You need more, lats, lower back, and traps to be balanced.

Unless you want to be big, in which case you need more of everything.

#12

You look great! Turning fifty recently, I think I see things from a seasoned and sensible point of view. From your pictures I see a guy who’s hitting the weights hard, heavy and regularly. You’re lean, but muscular. You’re lean AND muscular. If anyone on this site pretends that you’re not 1 in 100, then they’re either too young to know any better or too jealous to say what they know they see. YOU LOOK GREAT!

#13

[quote]MarkMedinnus wrote:
You look great! Turning fifty recently, I think I see things from a seasoned and sensible point of view. From your pictures I see a guy who’s hitting the weights hard, heavy and regularly. You’re lean, but muscular. You’re lean AND muscular. If anyone on this site pretends that you’re not 1 in 100, then they’re either too young to know any better or too jealous to say what they know they see. YOU LOOK GREAT![/quote]

Thanks, Mark! I really appreciate the encouraging feedback. It ain’t easy when ya get older. I wish I’d of had this drive when I was 20 years younger, but better later than never!

#14

Looking amazing!! Congrats on the results of all of your hard work!

#15

[quote]shanek wrote:
MarkMedinnus wrote:
You look great! Turning fifty recently, I think I see things from a seasoned and sensible point of view. From your pictures I see a guy who’s hitting the weights hard, heavy and regularly. You’re lean, but muscular. You’re lean AND muscular. If anyone on this site pretends that you’re not 1 in 100, then they’re either too young to know any better or too jealous to say what they know they see. YOU LOOK GREAT!

Thanks, Mark! I really appreciate the encouraging feedback. It ain’t easy when ya get older. I wish I’d of had this drive when I was 20 years younger, but better later than never!

[/quote]

Hey, you bet! I also wonder what I might have lifted or looked like years ago if I’d worked out then with the dedication I do now. But I can’t complain. I lift hard, heavy & often, making sure my exercise selection is balanced and with a reliance on the money lifts - squats and deadlifts. I like cleans and overhead presses, too. I’ve gotten in to chins lately.

When I think back on the kinds of stuff I did as a youngster, what a waste of time: every angle of bench along with a variety of curls. I remember having some shoulder and elbow pain back then. But now I concentrate on a balanced use of compound basics and have had no pain at all. Right now my goal is to deadlift 405 lbs. Eric Cressey once said he could take any uninjured 50 year old and work him up to a 400 DL. I’ve got 25 lbs to go. Blessings, Mark

#16

Lookin pretty good

#17

You’re looking great Shanek.

You mentioned that you work each body part one day a week and asked for feedback on doing that. Personally, I think everyone responds differently to various routines…I’m not convinced age plays as much of a role in this as does your level of development, metabolism, and what you believe works. The mind is a powerful tool; if you believe something strongly enough, you can make it happen.

I am sixty-three years old. I don?t design my routine around my age. My joints are in good shape with the exception of basal joint arthritis in both hands. That?s not likely a result of lifting so much as just genetics. My workout style is to do exercise in a reasonable way. For example, if I decide to lay off the gym for a couple of weeks, I dial the weight back quite a bit when I first return and thusly experience very little excessive soreness. This one, I learned the hard way.

So, the bottom line is that if working each body part one day a week gives you the results you?re looking for, then it?s a good move. If not, or if you stop feeling like your getting what you want from this, change it up. Another thing I learned from experience is that it?s a great idea to change your routine at least as often as every eight weeks. Otherwise, you?re likely getting stale and you won?t see the results you want.

Prime

#18

solid

#19

[quote]entheogens wrote:
Well, I am not into bodybuilding but I will say that you are doing a good job. However, what kind of exercises are you doing? If I were to raise a criticism, I would say that somehow the different body parts seem a little disjointed. Are you doing enough compound exercises? If you aren’t, they might be the ticket.[/quote]

Just out of curiosity, why are you hanging around on the ‘Rate my Physique’ forum of a bodybuilding website, if you’re not into bodybuilding?

#20

[quote]Weasel42 wrote:
entheogens wrote:
Well, I am not into bodybuilding but I will say that you are doing a good job. However, what kind of exercises are you doing? If I were to raise a criticism, I would say that somehow the different body parts seem a little disjointed. Are you doing enough compound exercises? If you aren’t, they might be the ticket.

Just out of curiosity, why are you hanging around on the ‘Rate my Physique’ forum of a bodybuilding website, if you’re not into bodybuilding?[/quote]

Boy, Weasel42, I wondered the same thing but didn’t want to ask …