Things to do before you’re 40, #97. Post embarrassing pictures of yourself on the internet, for complete strangers to make disparaging remarks.
Ok. I’m 40 next week. Been training seriously for about five years. Here are a few pics taken today. I’ve been visiting Australia for a few weeks, and some of the guys in the gym I’ve been using have made encouraging comments. So I’m bolder… Pics are B&W because I got sunburned today, and am embarrassed about that :-).
Present programme: a four-way split: horizontal push-pull; deadlift-based day; vertical push-pull; squat-based day.
I try to mix sessions of about 5x5 with sessions of 4x8, or thereabouts (varies by exercise). When I’m wanting to mix things up, it’ll get as far as 8x3. Usually try to train four times a week, but it varies a bit.
or thereabouts. I’ve long struggled to improve the squat.
Nutrition: try to eat good mix of meat and veggies; keep carbs fairly low; protein supplements. Fall off into eating fast food occasionally; a little beer, etc.
My own assessment: I’m another of those who’s never seen their abs. I’ve had a fat belly forever, even when I had little fat elsewhere. I think there’s more definition in my back than the picture does credit for. I think I will pay more attention to my diet, next.
Thanks all. I kind-of hoped for a rating between 4 and 5, so 4.9 as of now is a bit encouraging.
Now I wonder if the pics do me justice, and whether the forum shouldn’t be “rate my photography”. I could make excuses about the chest … injuries … but this certainly isn’t “rate my excuses”.
Critique is valuable, even when it hurts. So here’s hoping it’s motivational, too. Burning chest and legs … here I come.
Yeah, perhaps your photography is letting you down a bit.
5 years of “serious” training -maybe not as serious as you could be doing I suspect. It’s difficult when injuries keep recurring and at the 40 mark, it can be hard for some fella’s to lose the belly.
Still, you look like you’ve got a solid base from which to work and build and attend to those areas as commented on by the other guys - chest, legs or whatever you feel you’d like to improve.
Shoulders and arms look okay, back is okay… compared to guys who don’t train, you look ‘pretty athletic’. Most people would be happy with that at 40 -lol
Did you have injuries? five years of training I would think you would be at a higher level I was 38 with a big gut when I stated dieting and doing sit ups and push ups at home at 40 I was given a membership to gold’s gym.Just a little advise on the abs if I may.
Do not over work them they need their rest to and mix it up abs adapt fast so doing the same exercise will not benefit you.Do one exercise for upper,lower and mid three times a week no more and max time of no more then 15 your pushing it at 20 minutes you should be done with all ab work. It’s a good ideal to do abs on leg days.
They are already warmed up for balancing you when you do your squats to a degree as your calf’s are for balancing you to.Any why good luck and keep at it!
