Training in your 40s

[Ncbjj77]

Hi everyone. New to the board. Looking to bounce ideas and get feedback from all the knowledge here. Brief history and goals…

I’m just about to turn 41. I’ve been a gym rat since I was 15. After I finished athletics in my early 20s, my competitive juices focused on strength training. I began supplementing around that time. From my late 20’s until around 35 I picked up jiu jitsu and MMA. During this period, my daily routine consisted of weight training in the mornings 5 days a week and MMA 6 nights a week. I’ve had four different surgeries and some nagging injuries since then. I haven’t trained MMA consistently in the past 6 years, and none in the past 2. I continued to lift heavy (around my injuries), but that too fell off after my last knee surgery a year and a half ago.

I’ve been back in the weight room or a month and a half. I’m taking it very slow and easy…listening to my body, so my routine hasn’t been a big consideration. I’m about to the point where I need to put some thought into it. Eventually, I’d like to get back into casual MMA training, but I don’t see that happening until I get my body and strength back. My 3-4 month goals are to get back my beast mode strength, get in better overall shape, get my eight pack back, and quite frankly fill the sleeves of my shirts again. I do plan on supplementing in the next couple of months.

I have the problem of wanting to do too much, but I do respond well to lots of training.
Should I do a simple M (back/bis), Wed (chest/shoulders/tris), F (legs) with T, Th, S for cardio and core.

Or should I go with something that I hit a muscle group twice in a week, but with different exercises?
M (bench presses),
T (bent over rows, upright rows, pulls),
W (low intensity cardio),
Thurs (shoulder raises, flies, tris),
Fri (squats)
S (low intensity cardio)
Sun off

.followed by
M (incline dumbells, chest flies
T (deads),
Wed (low intensity cardio, core),
Thurs (shoulder presses, tris)
Fri (lunges, leg curls, leg extensions)
Sat (low intensity cardio/core)

Apologies for the lengthy email. Thank you in advance for your help.

 

[Fitraver]

Welcome bro. Nobody can tell you what training is best for you. You figure that out yourself by trial and error. Everyone is different so what works for me may not work for you or someone else. If you think you over do it, then dial it back and see how that goes. The most important thing is that you’re feeding your body enough nutrition wise and with sleep.

How is your diet?

 

[fitstudboi]

Welcome to UGM!! this is a awesome
place man. i will like it here for sure …

well for me for example my body and gym activity have bee VERY high endurance all the time i have ever been on the gym…for example…the other day i worked out with a old training partner and he liked to do regular sets
like 12 to 15 and one set each weight… and decrease…where as i have always done high reps start out at 20 or 25…increase weight and go all the way down to 5 or 6… usually i do 2 sets of 25 for example all the way down to 2 sets of 5 or six or how ever many i can safely get …at that point i might be at my 10th set of that one exercise and i still have 4 other exercises to go…

so we trained…we lift descently heavy and some i couldntbdo as much because of shoulder injury …we did 6 different exercises…he was getting tired…i still felt like i could keep going…

the next day i expected to be sore…

nothing …day two othing…i didnt even get a pump…i know he thought it was a great work out…and for some it would be…but it didnt budge me…and this guy is swole and stronger and in better fit shape than me…

i was too embarrassed to tell him

i had a trainer at the gym…he would kick my ass in 30 minutes of their gym training program…k was 280 at the time all fat…but 10 minutes later…it was as if nothing happened

because before i got that fat i was extremely athletic and like u …did many athletic things…

so my point and advice is…

you have a high tollerance body it appears where you require more to budge as u also mentioned thats when you had your best results.

so you would need to hit the body parts twice a week or step up the amount of exercise per body part to point of fatigue without loosing propper form ofcourse u know that

so if u got the time and the go…for you i think twice a week per parts…

next as @Fitraver says rest and diet is every thing…

he gave me that advice as well and i took it…i found that i was working out everday and eating too little and barely getting a few hrs of sleep a night…then i saw that when i forced my self to take a couple days off…i actually dropped the weight and saw a pump and my composition showed change

like i gave my body time to ccatch up…

injury…i know all about it

its best to take it real slow and focus on slower concetrated reps and take a bit to increase…

for ecample for me i stay at a level for close a month and do various things on that level around the affected area to strengthen…then i slightly increase…its a slow process dealing with injuries…but it works and is well worth the wait

so your body has been conditioned to take alot and so it will take more for youbto show results

may you have great success with your training…solidly and carefully building supportive muscles around the affected area is key …with injuries i would advice that would be the first priority to get those injured areas in check…along with dealing with your other goals etc.

 

[MBTJR1980]

Keep an open mind bro and give a lil bit of all styles a try to truly see which ones you get the most sore from. In the beginning everything works but as you go you will start playeauing and need to specialize your training and split to keep the gains coming. Never put yourself inside a box the best way to go about it is to learn as much as you can and then go to gym and start testing. Best of luck brother!

 

[Ncbjj77]

I always listen to my body. Well…sometimes I over do it. I’m just in a new phase of life, somewhat accepting my age and history…somewhat. Just wanted to see what others in similar situations are doing. With not going to the MMA gym any more, I just don’t have the resources to bounce ideas off of and compare. Thanks for your assistance.

 

[rnmuscle]

Dude, I have found and believe me bbing was life for me, I have found myself in a 5 year “off-season” or longer. Point: I could not accept that walking around at 260 in shape just could not last. So sounds like you kinda have a dilemma…maybe some mms, strength, body shape back…etc. Just like me…THIS Year! So , we have to pick a goal short term . mine is to be ok with 20 inch arms and not 22 plus like our boy @MBTJR1980. I’m 48. It doesn’t mean they won’t be 22 but I have to be able to accept what’s going on. I know age is a number but so is the size of my left ventricle. Its takes more to actually get less I’m finding with training and dieting and drugging. So! Find what you will do consistent. I base everything on leverage machines and such. Db inclines at the end so I cannot ever attempt 150 again. I really think for now one body part per week would be perfect. Then maybe you can add in biceps a second day, triceps a second day. If you love a exercise like reads then back on Monday and delts and deads on thursday. So back hit twice per week really. I like 2 x a week but instead of 2 full workouts ill do a 20 minute pump workout. So Monday legs, abs pump delts. Not easy …like a giant set of side, front , upright rows x 12 x 3 then smith behind neck presses 8 reps x 3 sets…etc. 20 minutes STOP. Just some ideas but the first phase maybe focus on just getting weights back to where they were. Then, keep that up and focus on conditioning. Phase three , now your back, through in sparring. Within a year your fully back most likely better than ever…but like myself many times…I’ve started with 2 workouts a day right after a injury or layoff. All it did was set me back. Especially if you have been “there” my mind takes me to 250 ripped in 6 months…LOL. Ill never give up but acceptance is ok. Good luck bro.

 

[Ncbjj77]

Fitraver….thanks for the reply. Diet is always fairly decent. It is always a direct reflection of energy expenditure for me. The more I work, the more I eat. Having not trained in a while, my caloric intake drops drastically. My body reflects that. I’m a natural ectomorph, so extra weight is not a problem. I’m a kind of “all in person”, so as training becomes part of my lifestyle my diet gets cleaner and cleaner. I rarely eat sugar, and since I’ve been back in the gym I’ve cut out alcohol as well. My body responds quickly to training and diet. One thing I’ve noticed with age though, is that my mid-section gets deeper. I may have a 6-8 pack, but I’m still deep. I want that lean side profile, and am hoping that a real tight diet and core focus helps.

 

[Ncbjj77]

mmuscle…great reply! You seem to understand just where I’m coming from. I like your idea of short workouts 2x a week. I’ll have to play with it. It’s so difficult to go in and take it easy. I’m trying to be a patient realist.

 

[rnmuscle]

Its one regular…then then second 4 days add in that 20 minute max. Its like a condition workout reps, less rest etc. But its still easy 12 sets. I’m a volume guy. So 20 the main one of the week and 12 the second. I have found pressure is off…sounds weird but you know…you’ve already killed chest…2nd one is pec deck- ss- dips then incline cables -ss- hammer incl. Fun

 

[MBTJR1980]

Awesome post once again my man and thanks for the mention! You are one of the coolest MF’s here man i love everything you post :+1:t2::facepunch:t2:

 

[rnmuscle]

Thanks. Its kinda sad…I think I’m more honest here than around 96% of people in person.besides a couple old bbing best buds. Others quit, no one died yet…well Curt Leffler I knew briefly when he smoked me…RIP. But non bbers and I use bber as being an artisan whether compete or not. I am/ was more(???) Entrenched in building the physique. Most people can understand a guitar player being into this settle or class and you can get a degree in it. We are artists…however we all face similar dilemmas. I don’t know if my masterpiece is past or maybe a 220 lb physique or 210b will look awesome…shredded etc. And training , eating it does get tough. You’re always right prepare food but then I don’t or its too hot and it might be bad, so then we have that…and I know people see me eat a dozen hard boiled eggs and they think your crazy or get jealous because u have determination. Very few are as serious as us. (A lot more here too at ugm) when a guy is fretting over training 2 x vs 1 time per week or can’t do what is needed that day and it pains him/her , that’s a bber.

 

[John]

Good talk brother I like what you said

 

[MBTJR1980]

Fuck yesss bro! You sound exactly like the lil voice in mind head that i wrestle with all day everyday whether i should cruise or blast longer, should i adjust my carbs and fats to gain or lower them slightly to start recomping, do i really need a high carb day or a cheat meal, should i prep more food or will my 5lbs of chicken, turkey, and burger last till Weds lmao! Its controlled insanity but i fkn love it and i live it because its life for me. I cannot be a “normal” person because normal is fkn boring! I want to be the biggest baddest strongest muthafucka in New England and it just so happens i might be

 

[rnmuscle]

You’d have to be in the short list, new / old England whatever:wink::facepunch:.

 

[MBTJR1980]

Lol you know it brotha

 

[Ncbjj77]

mmuscle….I share many of the same thoughts as you. Just weeks ago I had mentally committed myself to carrying less weight, being leaner, and pushing less weight. Buuuuut……being on this site talking and listening to people of the same mentality and getting ready to start my cycle has got me pumped and wanting to make another run at seeing how big I can get! We’ll see what the body allows. So glad I found this site.

 

[rnmuscle]

It would be better if I didn’t have any genetics or success in getting muscle…maybe. I mean to me a classic physique is a shredded Dennis Newman. So 250.

 

[SemperFi]

The King and the Pawn play on the same board. At the end of the game they both go back into the same box.

Dennis’ physique was outstanding.

 

[rnmuscle]

I love that …never heard it. I met him when we were both young he was a year older maybe and I think won the California before I competed. Then one year later 20 perfect placed pounds. The lineups back then at a junior national show was unreal. I hated Dean Caputos body but 260 plus ripped and I thought his waist was big, I look back and I’m not an idiot but most were doing way less drugs and starving diets and sometimes over training, still come in 250. I’m part of the problem too sometimes, when I read 30mg of Anavar felt good, I laugh because I forget the excellent gains I got on 3cc cypionaye, 10 Searle Anavar(25mg) and a syntex. 2902 anadrol. Ill do that daily and be very impressed with myself LoL. I guess that’s why I’m torn a lot, if I did stay at moderate dosages and did everything as serious as I did would I have gotten to the same development minus the 4 years of injuries, etc. I don’t know anyone who did it so I don’t know. I really don’t know anyone that did 15 years serious training and diet and cycles of 600 test, 50mg dbol(10 a day) and even inj winny 50mg every other or deca 400 week. That right there is over a gram a week and is a super small dose to me. I never listened to the always can take more but can’t take less. That’s why I joke and say hopefully some of my cycles were underdoseded or fake

 

[SemperFi]

Don’t be so hard on yourself. Leave that to us.