T Nation

Help Me Train Dad

Bodybuilding
#1

Ok t-men and t-vixens I need some help training my Dad.

A little background

He is 51 years old. He weighs 254 and is 6’2. He isnt that fat but he has a nice beer gut. He is an undercover police officer. He is currently in the process of getting HRT (took me two months to convince him). His blood profile sucks. He is very active in farming and still very strong.

He wants to workout 3 days a week plus three days of cardio. I would like to get him to the point where he can workout with me using a westside for skinny bastards template but know he will need some type of beginer program. He used to bodybuild , as did my mom,and was pretty big back in his hayday as a vice cop. I just found this part out today.

He eats pretty clean except for when doing undercover work. He only drinks while doing undercover work and sometimes when farming. He is going to retire next year (possibly) so all the drinkg will be done.

This is where I am stuck. There is so much conflicting info that I cant really design a program for him. Call it paralysis by analysis if you will, but I cant figure it out.

Help please.

#2

Hi there im 44, just returned to lifting and lost 65pounds since may first.What worked for me was a circut three times a week.Start from largest muscle groups to smallest one set each and repeat 3 times.Not to heavy,12 reps or so.Start with machiens,This had a good fat burning effect,I toned a bit and built a little strength.

Most important at this age I did not hurt myself.I have a bunch of 20year old powerlifting trophies and believe me I think freeweight multi joint heavy weights are the best in the long run but for those of us who have not lifted in a long time it is very important to avoid injury.

After a coupe of months I started to switch to free weights one exercise at a time,bye now its all free stuff and I went to a push pull split a couple of weeks back.Ease him in slow and he should do fine.

Good luck to you and your dad.

#3

Hey Keaster
I am 48; I have been lifting most of my life. The biggest mistake I see people make is to take too much on and not enjoying their work out. I know there are a lot of over 50 lifters that lift like they are in their 20?s or 30?s but I or most ,older lifters won?t do that… I would get your father to develop a habit of working out and enjoying it. Once you do that all things are possible. Hope that helps
PB

#4

Thanks people. I really appreciate the input.