Views on bodybuilding in your thirties...

[monk08]

hey guys...
just wondering what's your view on bodybuilding in the thirties? or any bros here started in their thirties - can share your gains/ progresses??
I know it will take more efforts as compared with someone starting in the twenties but it is possible to build your body up, correct? just having some doubts due to injury.

recently, hit a nerve on my left shoulder so am resting as advise by doctor....hence giving me time to re-look at my progress....and if i'm progressing...
have been training in the gym for years since in my twenties just to keep fit...but not into bodybuilding...
i started to train seriously for the past 6 years when I was 33 ... keeping a clean diet with a cheat meal once a week and training hard regularly without missing a single training....even had a trainer to help me progress.
started my first cycle when i was 37 after 3 years without much progress in terms of growth/gains. (but the clean diet did lean me down)
Now, i'm 39 and had completed 3 cycles but i still dont think i'm gaining or progressing physically in terms of growth.
yes, i did gain lbs in terms of bodyweight but visually, i dont see much growth....dont quite get where all the weight gain goes to...
I know every single body is different but am wondering what gains (in general) should one be expecting if you train hard 5 days a week, having the same clean diet yearly for 6 years and with 3 cycles under your belt?
i'm realistic and am not looking for bodybuilders' type of gain but at least expecting some good muscle development and growth overall given the years of hard work and discipline....
having doubts on my goals (wondering if i should still continue pushing) hence asking for your advices from bros who started bodybuilding late or able to give some views.
thanks in advance..

[zedhed]

Bottom line is YES and much better then you think.
Look at most of the PLrs out there that are setting records. They are between 25 and 40.
The male body does not reach peak muscular maturity untill we are around 30ish.Take a look at the Masters in BBing. They are monsters!
So yes you will have to be a little more careful. Yes it may take a little longer to recover from (strenuous) workouts, but barring any special conditions that you may have there is not good reason not to Kill Dat Shit in the gym and body build to your hearts content. You will also have to be a little more careful with your diet if you wanna have that BBer look.
I just turned 54 and have never looked better then I do right now. Typically I am my own worst critic.
I have been stronger and I have been much less injured but we learn as we go.
Good luck and keep posting up bro. We are all here to help each other out as best we can.
Also there are several brothers on here that are well past 30 that compete in BBing.

[Encino_Mang]

Bottom line is YES and much better then you think.
Look at most of the PLrs out there that are setting records. They are between 25 and 40.
The male body does not reach peak muscular maturity untill we are around 30ish.Take a look at the Masters in BBing. They are monsters!
So yes you will have to be a little more careful. Yes it may take a little longer to recover from (strenuous) workouts, but barring any special conditions that you may have there is not good reason not to Kill Dat Shit in the gym and body build to your hearts content. You will also have to be a little more careful with your diet if you wanna have that BBer look.
I just turned 54 and have never looked better then I do right now. Typically I am my own worst critic.
I have been stronger and I have been much less injured but we learn as we go.
Good luck and keep posting up bro. We are all here to help each other out as best we can.
Also there are several brothers on here that are well past 30 that compete in BBing.

Totally agree......you need to know what your body can handle........I know what lifts I can still do that allow me to continue without getting hurt.......and I'm still trying to get a grasp on backing off the amount of weight and using "time-under-tension" to build muscle.

Lol @ "Kill Dat Shit"

[monk08]

Bottom line is YES and much better then you think.
Look at most of the PLrs out there that are setting records. They are between 25 and 40.
The male body does not reach peak muscular maturity untill we are around 30ish.Take a look at the Masters in BBing. They are monsters!
So yes you will have to be a little more careful. Yes it may take a little longer to recover from (strenuous) workouts, but barring any special conditions that you may have there is not good reason not to Kill Dat Shit in the gym and body build to your hearts content. You will also have to be a little more careful with your diet if you wanna have that BBer look.
I just turned 54 and have never looked better then I do right now. Typically I am my own worst critic.
I have been stronger and I have been much less injured but we learn as we go.
Good luck and keep posting up bro. We are all here to help each other out as best we can.
Also there are several brothers on here that are well past 30 that compete in BBing.

thanks zedhed!
Yes, i do understand the need to be careful with training, with avoiding injuries, with diet etc.
In fact, when i first decided to go for it 6 years...i am ready to put in the hard training, clean diet, even doing a few cycles and I gave myself a realistic 7 years to build a good built with muscle development overall in terms of size....not the bber look (dont think 7 years is enough to get BBer look) but bigger and more developed than when I started.
I am also my own worst critic and i have not had any injuries all these 6 years until now..
I personally dont think i have made any good gains after 6 years in terms of my goal...i meant i have read logs and forums where the gains achieved after 4-5 years are so much much better...making me question myself and my goal.
maybe it's the fact i'm asked not to train for 2 weeks to aid recovery for the shoulder injury hence feeling depressed and crappy....giving me time to look back the 6 years and wonder if i should continue 1 more year to try to achieve what i first set out to do....
thanks again for your advices!

[chrisotpherm]

Zed nailed it. As you get older you become wiser. What I know now would have saved me injury alow with produced better results overall. At 32 I've learned my capabilities and weaknesses and melted it together to produce proper gains and wanted results. When your younger you just don't think like you would as when your older in which causes you to risk more and do stupid stuff. Being older and wiser causes you to slow down, research and overall become smarter on how to get where your going in a safe and healthy way. Don't let your injuries or age deter you but be grateful that you are wiser on how to become a beast the right way than the wrong way.

[zedhed]

Def do the cycles bro. It seems to me that as I age I tend to actually get better results out of the cycle that I do. Also being leaner helps immensely with cycles.

[monk08]

Zed nailed it. As you get older you become wiser. What I know now would have saved me injury alow with produced better results overall. At 32 I've learned my capabilities and weaknesses and melted it together to produce proper gains and wanted results. When your younger you just don't think like you would as when your older in which causes you to risk more and do stupid stuff. Being older and wiser causes you to slow down, research and overall become smarter on how to get where your going in a safe and healthy way. Don't let your injuries or age deter you but be grateful that you are wiser on how to become a beast the right way than the wrong way.

thanks chrisotpherm!
yes, i do admit that you get wiser as you get older... as this is the first "injury" i had in the last 6 years since i started training very seriously.
this injury is not even an injury which i got during training but it's those "you wake up one day and you pulled a nerve" injury...
maybe i'm just a little depressed not able to train for 2 weeks (as i never missed a training these 6 years) and hence thinking whether the results i had so far jusified the 6 years of hard work...
Thanks for your advices!

[monk08]

Def do the cycles bro. It seems to me that as I age I tend to actually get better results out of the cycle that I do. Also being leaner helps immensely with cycles.

yes, i will continue with a couple more bulking cycles and see how it goes...
being leaner definitely helps...i always try to lean down before starting a cycle....
thanks again and appreciate it, bro!

[zedhed]

May wanna consider blast and cruise. IMO at our age its easier then bulking and cutting.

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[Ironguruera]

I basically started working out again at 30. Took 8 yrs off before that.
I'm 34 now and in the best shape of my life.
Injury wise as we get older we learn how to listen to our body and not do shit that hurts us in the gym.

Many factors apply. Gym intensity, exercises used, order of exercises.

Above all is diet. A trainer is good but a diet planner is far better money spent!!