Can a 40+ man become a bodybuilder?

[SteveR40]

I'm your age and yes it is possible. It takes a s#%t load of discipline when you start out making the lifestyle change. Then it becomes a lifestyle. Keep pushing.

Here is a shot of before and after.

[oldschool5919]

i am 41 years old (42 in january), and i am 5'-11" and 245 pounds, and my bodyfat percentage is about 34%. I would like to lose bodyfat and gain muscle and become a bodybuilder and win some amateur contests. I want to stay natural. Here's a little bit about my background: When i was 25, i could do 125 pushups, i was 160 pounds, and i could do 15 pullups. I was in the best shape of my life. Over time, i got locked up and forced to take psyche meds that made me gain weight. I switched to a different medication and now my weight has stabilized. If i lost most of my bodyfat i wouldn't be an extremely muscular guy; my arms right now are fifteen and a half inches, but some of that is fat. This semester at my junior college i'm taking a weight training class, and i've been making gains. At one point, i was squatting with 95 pounds at the beginning of the semester, now i can squat 155 pounds.

What i want to know is: Can a guy my age become a bodybuilder? Am i too old to put on new muscle? I need some encouragement. Can you give me examples of people who started lifting at or after age 40?

me ,i am 59 and have been steadly making gains for the past 37 yrs. Drug and supps free,i see no limits.

[Ace Corona]

I'm your age and yes it is possible. It takes a s#%t load of disciple when you start out making the lifestyle change. Then it becomes a lifestyle. Keep pushing.

Here is a shot of before and after.

Thanks for the encouragement, Steve! I rep'd+ you, bro!

[Corbi]

This thread reeks of troll.

OP, you come to a bb'ing O35 site and ask a question that you must already know the answer to. Notsureifsrs!




Your gains will be directly proportional to how many aspects of your life that YOU can control.

Someone who can't govern their own actions isn't likely to succeed here, either.

Don't worry, I rep'd you bro.

[DocHoss]

Keep the discipline and stay the course and you'll get there. The time's gonna pass whether you do or don't, right?

Truer words were never said. A year from now you'll be 42 whether or not you work out. But I bet you'll be a much happier 42 if you do work out.

Thanks for sharing this warning, I rep'd+ you for it. As of today, no junk food any more!

I had oatmeal for breakfast mixed with a protein shake, and for lunch (after reading your post), I had tuna mixed with brown rice. I am making a commitment to stay away from junk food!

Good start, but don't give up if you slip up from time to time. Junk food can be hard to avoid; just do your best to minimize it. When I started lifting, my desire to get into better shape was so strong that I had no more interest in sweets or alcohol or junk food. I still eat very cleanly out of habit - I often find it hard to take in enough fat in my diet. I can have a spoon of ice cream and be completely satisfied, but not everyone can. Do your best to eat well - remember, the better your diet, the better your results.

OP, at 39 (last year), I was 200 lbs at 5'6" and probably 35% BF. In other words, I was round and out of shape. I had some fair underlying muscle so I could pass a military fitness test and could run a decent 1.5 mile, relative to the average population. I decided that I had to do better. Started running 3-4x week over the winter which proved to be a valuable conditioning period. In late March, I finally made a commitment to go to the gym and to eat better. I more or less gave up alcohol, soda, and most sweets and went to the gym 5-6x per week, averaging 60-75 minutes each time. In June, I started running to the gym (1 1/4 miles one way) and lifting for about 60 minutes. Over the summer, I lifted about 5x/week and averaged 15-20 miles of running each week with my one long run each week of about 6-8 miles. Then I injured my foot in August and focused exclusively on lifting.

Now, I'm 40, 162lbs, about 12.7% BF (maybe a bit under, haven't measured recently), and have put on considerable muscle. I went from having pants with a 36" waist being tight to wearing 30" waist pants (actual measured waist size is 31", used to be close to 38"). I still can't run, but I lift 5-6x/week and can now do 15+ pullups in one go when before I could barely manage one. I've cleaned up my diet but that's still a work in progress. My abs are slowly emerging, and I have veins showing on my arms that I have never seen before along with contours in my body that are brand new. I have had to WORK MY ASS OFF (literally and figuratively), but it has been worth all the effort I have expended and will expend in the future. I am aiming to earn a personal training certification next year and looking to enter some bodybuilding competitions by the end of next year if my training and diet continue as I plan.

Bottomline: Is it possible? Yes, it's possible, but it takes a considerable commitment, enormous amounts of hard work, and a mindset focused on what's important. There really isn't a mystery to looking good and feeling good physically, but the vast majority of people are not willing to put forth the effort to achieve it or to give up the nasty foods that prevent it. Good luck.

Fantastic achievement - kudos!

I'm your age and yes it is possible. It takes a s#%t load of disciple when you start out making the lifestyle change. Then it becomes a lifestyle. Keep pushing.

Here is a shot of before and after.

Awesome job- repped. I'm very, very impressed!

[tryintorebuild]

I'm your age and yes it is possible. It takes a s#%t load of disciple when you start out making the lifestyle change. Then it becomes a lifestyle. Keep pushing.

Here is a shot of before and after.

That's quite a transformation. How long of time between pics?

[SteveR40]

That's quite a transformation. How long of time between pics?

For these pics it was 2yrs. My transformation took 1 year.

[MarkS51]

I'm your age and yes it is possible. It takes a s#%t load of disciple when you start out making the lifestyle change. Then it becomes a lifestyle. Keep pushing.

Here is a shot of before and after.

Great job, Steve.

[Ace Corona]

Strong. IFBB pro coming up

Squatting 155 pounds might not seem like a lot to you, but everyone has to start somewhere. I just have more obstacles to overcome than someone who is in their 20's and has weight trained since they were 12 or 13. I might not be able to squat that much, but in the summer I could only squat 95 pounds, so I've come up a lot. Tomorrow I'm going to try to squat 165 and 175, I'm pretty sure I can do it, I can pop out 12 reps with 155 like it's nothing, I'm not struggling with the weight. I just didn't want to do too much too fast.

[Corbi]

Squatting 155 pounds might not seem like a lot to you, but everyone has to start somewhere. I just have more obstacles to overcome than someone who is in their 20's and has weight trained since they were 12 or 13.

Yes it's obvious you have a ton of obstacles to overcome....insert rolling eyes here. There are a lot of people here who have overcome massive obstacles and they aren't making any excuses. Maybe you should just shut up and lift?

[Ace Corona]

Yes it's obvious you have a ton of obstacles to overcome....insert rolling eyes here. There are a lot of people here who have overcome massive obstacles and they aren't making any excuses. Maybe you should just shut up and lift?

I was just defending myself against someone who was making a smart alec sarcastic comment.

[-=FLEX=-]

Just curious how you suddenly decided you want to be a competitive bodybuilder when clearly you've not done any research or done any bodybuilding before.

That's kind of like me saying I want to be a Chess Grandmaster even though I don't know how to play chess.

[Ace Corona]

Just curious how you suddenly decided you want to be a competitive bodybuilder when clearly you've not done any research or done any bodybuilding before.

That's kind of like me saying I want to be a Chess Grandmaster even though I don't know how to play chess.

I didn't say I didn't have any experience bodybuilding, I added two inches to my arms in a 3 month period of time when I was 25, and back then I could do ten sets of 50 pushups a day for six days a week. The most pushups I ever did in one set back then was 125. I was able to do 15 pullups back then, too. So I'm someone who was formerly into bodybuilding, but I want to get back into it.

[-=FLEX=-]

I didn't say I didn't have any experience bodybuilding, I added two inches to my arms in a 3 month period of time when I was 25, and back then I could do ten sets of 50 pushups a day for six days a week. The most pushups I ever did in one set back then was 125. I was able to do 15 pullups back then, too. So I'm someone who was formerly into bodybuilding, but I want to get back into it.

Doing pushups, pullups and bicep curls is not bodybuilding.

That's like me saying I played chess 20 years ago when really I played checkers.

[Corbi]

I was just defending myself against someone who was making a smart alec sarcastic comment.

Suck it up buttercup.

[thomashenry]

Uhhhh, I didn't say THAT. I meant specifically ice cream. I had 3 slices of pizza after my show and a few slices of pecan pie over thanksgiving. See, when you stay truly fit you can have whatever you want, just not in outrageous quantities all the time. I'll go days eating only my planned diet and if the mood strikes, have a little something when I'm not in show training. And my body just burns it up because the next day I'm back to 5 clean meals and two sessions at the gym. It's not an issue for me unless I start to cheat ALL THE TIME and then it's not cheating any more, it's becoming my diet.

So it's more in the head, just as we learned that alcoholics are somebody who thinks about drinking or NOT drinking all the time, so too is the junk food addict. You know? A non-alcoholic might have a drink this weekend, maybe he won't. He doesn't know until the question arises because it's not an obsession with him. He doesn't have to tell himself he's NOT gonna drink or plan when he will and how much. If he does have one or two, no big deal and if he doesn't, it's all the same but he'll decide if and when the time comes and not give it another thought before or after. That's how you get with food after awhile once you discipline your mind about it.

Eat to live, not live to eat.

BTW, been a Friend of Bill's since 3/16/85.

Just reading your advice all of it good & helpful, gotta get back to a routine{in the Game} being a player is better than spectator anyday, and I also noticed your a friend of Bill`s, Would his last name be Wilson ? and does he have a friend Named Bob ? I also happened to notice 03/16/85----Which if it is what I am thinking it is outstanding, slightly jealous however your a bit more of an oldtimer than I am, 03/21/85 :}----But for the Grace of God there go I, God Bless my friend

[MarkS51]

Just reading your advice all of it good & helpful, gotta get back to a routine{in the Game} being a player is better than spectator anyday, and I also noticed your a friend of Bill`s, Would his last name be Wilson ? and does he have a friend Named Bob ? I also happened to notice 03/16/85----Which if it is what I am thinking it is outstanding, slightly jealous however your a bit more of an oldtimer than I am, 03/21/85 :}----But for the Grace of God there go I, God Bless my friend

Well, it sure is s*** ain't Bill Clinton! Although, right about now he's looking pretty stable and sane compared to what's coming out of DC these days.

Yep, Bill Wilson, Dr. Bob and the rest of Our Gang down at the churches, schoolrooms and meeting halls. So, 27 years ago I walked into a room five days before you and we were both aged 24 and now we meet here? Isn't that something. Going to a meeting tonight of about 50-75 guys, mostly dudes younger than we were and most 'em living in halfway houses down in West Palm Beach, FL. Got a real heart for working with them 'cause I see myself so long ago.

That and I love the hush that befalls the room when this venerated, grizzled Old Timer raises his 18" arm and puts their foolishness to shame in more ways than one. Just teasing, I chip in my 2� gently, with love and mostly I get that "There but for the Grace of God..." feeling, too. I sit with about three or four other guys among who I have the least seniority. We call ourselves "Murderers Row" to the young noobs, just for laughs!

Best Regards.

[thomashenry]

Well, it sure is s*** ain't Bill Clinton! Although, right about now he's looking pretty stable and sane compared to what's coming out of DC these days.

Yep, Bill Wilson, Dr. Bob and the rest of Our Gang down at the churches, schoolrooms and meeting halls. So, 27 years ago I walked into a room five days before you and we were both aged 24 and now we meet here? Isn't that something. Going to a meeting tonight of about 50-75 guys, mostly dudes younger than we were and most 'em living in halfway houses down in West Palm Beach, FL. Got a real heart for working with them 'cause I see myself so long ago.

That and I love the hush that befalls the room when this venerated, grizzled Old Timer raises his 18" arm and puts their foolishness to shame in more ways than one. Just teasing, I chip in my 2� gently, with love and mostly I get that "There but for the Grace of God..." feeling, too. I sit with about three or four other guys among who I have the least seniority. We call ourselves "Murderers Row" to the young noobs, just for laughs!

Best Regards.

Well Between you & I & Bill Clinton, one of us "is Constitutionally incapable of being honest with himself", I`ll give you & I the benefit of the Doubt !, been to many a Church Basement, and shared, mostly Listened, some I can relate to & thank God some I cant {Yets}, 27 Years and still one day at a time, damn Son were just different LOL

[Brackneyc]

Just curious how you suddenly decided you want to be a competitive bodybuilder when clearly you've not done any research or done any bodybuilding before.

That's kind of like me saying I want to be a Chess Grandmaster even though I don't know how to play chess.

Doing pushups, pullups and bicep curls is not bodybuilding.

That's like me saying I played chess 20 years ago when really I played checkers.

Oddly enough, I now want to play some chess. I do play, but I am better at BBing. IOW, I suck really bad at chess.