[Rooster Cogburn]

Gents,


I've been in and out of the gym for probably 3 serious times... as a teen... as a 20 year old... as a 30 year old... this will be my forth.

I always trained with a partner and was lucky to have some good ones.

Now, I am solo (actually my partner screwed up his knee a week into the membership and that's that... requires surgery) and if there has been one giant nemesis of mine... it's training heavy by my lonesome. It just unleashes every drop of estrogen ( I was gonna say my 'inner b*tch but I figured it would get starred out) in my body and I really struggle mentally and physically. Mentally as in- I can't train to failure and it makes me double-think all the time. Physically... well... that's obvious... I can't really train to failure, safely.

I am 8 weeks into a program that my recent training partner (who got hurt) set up...

Mon- Upper body (chest, shoulders, upper back, triceps)
Tue- Lower body (Legs, dead lifts, biceps, lower back)
Weds- off
Thur- Upper body
Frid- Lower body
Sat- off
Sun- off

In my 20s/30s, I always did the 'bro split' training. Apparently, things have changed and working each area of the body 2x a week is the deal now.

Working all my compound lifts (Squat, bench, dead lifts, pull ups, etc...) and then onto a few secondary, isolation exercises with each major muscle group.
I typically work 4 sets of compound exercises. Reps start @ 12, 10, 8, 6 . Secondary, Isolation exercises typically 2 or 3 sets depending. Those reps start at 15, 12, 10.

My BMI is 15- 20%
Age- 42
I am 6'
170lbs
Was always a 'hard gainer' earlier in life. Now it seems, weight/ muscle is going on easier and probably fat too.

Currently eating daily-
2500 calories
140- 150 grams of protein
I am not counting carbs or fat in daily totals... just eating what I always have which is not totally clean but not fast food based either.

Unless convinced otherwise by feedback or my body... I am going to continue this routine over the next 4 months and keep my body guessing with little changes in pace/ grips/TUT/ etc.

Things I have noticed since my 30's...
A.) I don't recover as fast
B.) I am not as hungry... I typically have to remind myself to eat. Used to be- I would be ravenous!
C.) I sleep horribly if I workout in the evening for whatever reason.

Anyway... what's YOUR workout routine and any critique or advice or blatant disrespect (haha!) is welcomed!

 

[Mybabysgotit]

ah...a fellow lifter....good to see. I've been training since I was about 12 (my dad brought home a small Weider set). I was hooked after I saw my first little bicep peak. I absolutely love and cherish that hour or so a day (or when I can) that I can get into "the zone" when I train.. I don't think I've ever taken more than a few weeks off in those 40 or so years.

I picked up Arnold's Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding when I first started (the really old one about 40 years ago) and never really deviated from that. I don't use bands, kettleballs or anything like that; I am the epitome of the old skool lifter.

I don't train arms or traps anymore because those are a dead giveaway and I'm not big on random people coming up and asking questions. I bought a cheap cage, an olympic weight set and some attachments (all very basic) and train on one half of the garage. I'm older now (almost 50) so don't train as hard as I once did but still go pretty hard. I don't have a routine but try and hit chest, shoulders, back and legs twice a week, however, it never works out like that; I usually get each once per week with one or two body parts twice per week.

Two pieces of advice I'll give you which helped me a lot: .

1. DON'T TRY TO MAKE YOUR BODY INTO SOMETHING THAT YOUR BODY TYPE ISN'T. You are an ectomorph like me, so train to maximize that look.
2. Have fun with it. When you're not having fun, it becomes a chore, when it becomes a chore, slow down.

Good luck

here's me at 48: not bad for an old fart

 

[ConanHub]

Great work and results @Mybabysgotit !

This barbarian is impressed!

 

[Mr.Married]

Damn I’m envious @Mybabysgotit !!!!

Im glad this topic got started as I’m in need of some advice. I’m also 48. I’ve been in good shape most of my life due to sports and manual work in my youth and Ironman triathlon later in life. Thats all behind me now and I became a little lazy. I’ve been back in the gym for a while now and cut some pounds but I need some real advice or tell me a program to buy that I can follow. I’m working out every day switching between lower body and upper body but I’m at times feeling weaker and not stronger.

Do supplements actually work??

 

[Ragnar Ragnasson]

Damn I’m envious!!!!

Im glad this topic got started as I’m in need of some advice. I’m also 48. I’ve been in good shape most of my life due to sports and manual work in my youth and Ironman triathlon later in life. Thats all behind me now and I became a little lazy. I’ve been back in the gym for a while now and cut some pounds but I need some real advice or tell me a program to buy that I can follow. I’m working out every day switching between lower body and upper body but I’m at times feeling weaker and not stronger.

Do supplements actually work??

They have for me. Base vitamins shake overall once a day, extra protein when steady at the gym. The protein shakes are a given at least for me.

 

[Laurentium]

Just checking in here. I'm in my late 60s. So what are my goals?

I'm no longer interested in looking any particular way for other people. One of the fairly probable ways for me to die is to fall over, get a bad injury, spend a few weeks in bed (perhaps in a hospital), and never recover from that immobilisation. So I need a reserve of muscle tissue, and the strength (and speed) to "save" myself if I trip or lose my footing. A little reserve of fat is a good idea - I don't want to get really cut.

So my goal is to stop or slow down the rate at which age-related muscle loss occurs.

I use whey and creatine. I believe a lot of older people eat far too little protein. That contributes to muscle loss. But I'm not really weighing and measuring mine exactly.

I do resistance training about three times a week. I run about three times a week. And I play tennis twice a week. I walk a lot but I don't call that exercise. A lot of my gym work is strengthening areas where I get joint or tendon problems. Rotator cuffs (tennis), hamstrings and glutes (running) and so on. Plus bench, squat, and pulldown. (I can't chinup). My squat is now about half my body weight, partly because one of my knees is f-ed up.

The other thing I find really helpful is a good physio to consult with from time to time.

 

[Ragnar Ragnasson]

Goals for me, now 60 include/not all inclusive;
Range of motion, endurance, full flexibility where not liable to pull a muscle or keep problems, keep definition in upper body, discipline in nutrition.
Reduce changes of lower back problems by working core, but not over working core.

 

[heather42]

ah...a fellow lifter....good to see. I've been training since I was about 12 (my dad brought home a small Weider set). I was hooked after I saw my first little bicep peak. I absolutely love and cherish that hour or so a day (or when I can) that I can get into "the zone" when I train.. I don't think I've ever taken more than a few weeks off in those 40 or so years.

I picked up Arnold's Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding when I first started (the really old one about 40 years ago) and never really deviated from that. I don't use bands, kettleballs or anything like that; I am the epitome of the old skool lifter.

I don't train arms or traps anymore because those are a dead giveaway and I'm not big on random people coming up and asking questions. I bought a cheap cage, an olympic weight set and some attachments (all very basic) and train on one half of the garage. I'm older now (almost 50) so don't train as hard as I once did but still go pretty hard. I don't have a routine but try and hit chest, shoulders, back and legs twice a week, however, it never works out like that; I usually get each once per week with one or two body parts twice per week.

Two pieces of advice I'll give you which helped me a lot: .

1. DON'T TRY TO MAKE YOUR BODY INTO SOMETHING THAT YOUR BODY TYPE ISN'T. You are an ectomorph like me, so train to maximize that look.
2. Have fun with it. When you're not having fun, it becomes a chore, when it becomes a chore, slow down.

Good luck

here's me at 48: not bad for an old fart

I shouldn't look but I did. Yep. I'm impressed. Good job!

 

[BigDaddyNY]

This is my basic routine. I try to hit the gym 3 days a week, MWF. I do some other core work, cardio and "pre-hab" exercises on inbetween days. Right now I'm doing it as full body, but about every 8 weeks I will rearrange the exercises into an Upper/Lower split. I typically do 4x12 for sets/reps, but every 4 weeks I'll go heavier and drop to something like 4x8 or 4x6.

Full Body 1
Incline press
Decline Dumbbell Press
Single Arm Pec Deck Double arm last set
One Arm Lat Pull-In
Seated Scapular Retraction w/ cables
Reverse Pec Deck
Leg Extensions
Seated Leg Curl
Standing Calf Raises

Full Body 2
Squats/Leg Press
Seated Calf Raises
Wide Grip Pull Down
Seated Scapular Retraction w/ cables
Decline BP
OH Press
Upright Cable Rows
Seated Alternate DB Curls
Seated DB Wrist Curls
Cable Pushdowns

Full Body 3
Leg Press
Calf Raises
Glute Bridge Machine
Shrugs
Lateral Raises
Front Raises
Seated Alternate DB Hammer Curls
Skull Crushers

 

[Reluctant Texan]

...
Now, I am solo (actually my partner screwed up his knee a week into the membership and that's that... requires surgery) ...

THIS is an important consideration... do not overdo it.

I also lift on my own, or did before the pandemic, and I err on the side of "less is more" at Age 40+.

Like adding 10 more lbs because you set some personal goal is worse than not meeting the goal if you hurt yourself.

To say it another way, lifting light weight is better than lifting NO weight, because you tore a muscle or a tendon and need surgery and months or rehab...

I have several friends that were much better athletes than me, but can't lift at all now because they hurt themselves overdoing it, post age 35.

Consider your long term health here and how you want to be at 50, 60, 70...

I take the same approach with cardio. I ran track and cross country in high school, and while I'd consider myself a better runner than Oprah, I've never run a marathon and she has.

But training for a 26 mile run, and running it is a TON of stress on the knees and ankles, especially on concrete. I can get a good cardio workout without ruining my joints, so I can keep jogging into my 50's, and hopefully further...

 

[Reluctant Texan]

I agree with the others on adding muscle & bulk being easier as I've gotten older.

I used to lift multiple times a week in college and after that. then started again in grad school.

I was still pretty slim though.

but after age 35, I bulked up relatively quickly, and was able to lift more easily, especially at exercises where having more "personal gravity" helped.

 

[uwe.blab]

Goals for me, now 60 include/not all inclusive;
Range of motion, endurance, full flexibility where not liable to pull a muscle or keep problems, keep definition in upper body, discipline in nutrition.
Reduce changes of lower back problems by working core, but not over working core.

what about yoga?

 

[Mr.Married]

what about yoga?

Beach Body 2 week Yoga Retreat is awesome. We used to do it all the time together. We definitely need to start that up again

 

[Reluctant Texan]

I did yoga a couple times and hated it, but I felt GREAT afterward.

I recommend it. but I'm not very flexible, and doing a lot of the stretches and what not was not fun for me. But I did feel better after...

 

[Mr.Married]

I did yoga a couple times and hated it, but I felt GREAT afterward.

I recommend it. but I'm not very flexible, and doing a lot of the stretches and what not was not fun for me. But I did feel better after...

Well it helps that the girl on the video has the most amazing azz. 😍

 

[Reluctant Texan]

Well it helps that the girl on the video has the most amazing azz. 😍

when I did it, it was a mix of middle aged people in the room, many of whom were overweighr, so..

 

[Ragnar Ragnasson]

what about yoga?

Maybe one day. Primarily free weights now.

 

[Rooster Cogburn]

Good stuff everyone!

Defenitely impressed with babystillgotit! Jeez... thats exactly what I am after... looks like I only got 10 years to go haha! (I hope his wife is holding down the fort if you know what I mean... otherwise he must be wading through the chicks at the beach like a combine through a wheat field.)

Supplement wise... seems like someone was asking... I keep it pretty basic-

A whey protein shake after lifting. (Isolate/ concentrate doesn't seem to matter.)
A good multi vitamin- daily
Krill oil- daily
2.5 grams of creatine- daily (5, typical maintenace dose, kills my stomach no matter how much water I drink.)

Try to get all/ most macros through normal food.

 

[Laurentium]

Goals for me, now 60 include/not all inclusive;
Range of motion, endurance, full flexibility where not liable to pull a muscle or keep problems, keep definition in upper body, discipline in nutrition.
Reduce changes of lower back problems by working core, but not over working core.

Yeah, my range of motion is terrible!

 

[ccpowerslave]

My workout routine now is garbage because despite surgery my knee is still shot. I can’t run really and I can’t jump rope which were my two favorite cardio exercises. I have a fan bike and a Concept 2 rower at home but it’s super boring.

Yesterday I walked down and up a steep hill, then 100 sit-ups, and some back lifts.

3 times a week I’m training boxing now but my movement is still really bad, not as bad as when I came back at the start of the year but still bad. I get pain and swelling in my bad knee.

Resistance I normally do either TRX or at home I have a barbell and dumbbells. I also do body weight stuff like dips, different push ups, pull ups, squats. I tried 5 lunges last week on TRX, so I’m starting to try and do more legs to see what happens to my knee.