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View Full Version : Nearing 50 and need advice



pig
07-12-2013, 03:28 PM
Well here goes. I need some serious advice and guidance. I've posted on here a few times but mostly just lurk in the background and read. I've been working out off and on since high school and at times felt pretty good about how I looked, but over the last 4 years I've had two hip surgeries and i need shoulder surgery so I've let myself go and it's time for me to make some serious changes.
I've tried many different workout programs over the years with limited success and as I near 50 I know I can't pound away with heavy weights anymore as that seems to really impact my joints negatively, but for the first time in a ling time I'm lost as to what to do.
I still want to make changes while I have some time left because I am very unhappy with how I've let myself go over the past few years. I'm about 160lbs at 5'8", but I am the classic skinny-fat now due to so much inactivity over the last few years.
I am lost as to what workout regime I should incorporate at 50? Should I go for a 5 day a week program where I work each bodypart once per week, or would I be overtraining on a 5 day program? Or, should I try a push-pull-legs rotated over 4 days per week where the frequency for each bodypart is a little more than once per week? I've always tried to go and push balls to the wall but I don't know if that's the wisest decision at this point. I'm not really concerned about strength so much as I would like to get my bodyfat down from around 16% to maybe around 10% and gain some muscle in the process so at least I look like I workout again.
I am totally open to suggestions and would really appreciate any help.

Sandpig
07-12-2013, 04:39 PM
Dude, nice screen name.

I'm 48 and have been training on and off for over thirty years.

Whenever I come back from a long layoff, I always treat myself as a raw beginner and go 3 days/week. Doing full body each day at low intensity. Then progress rather quickly to 4 and then eventually 5 days.

mrky03
07-12-2013, 09:03 PM
Check out Steve Holman's 4x workout. He writes extensively about in IronMan magazine. It's a low weight high fatigue workout based on what the guys back in the 70's were doing. Might be just the ticket since you can't go heavy.

pig
07-13-2013, 05:44 AM
Thanks for the advice guys. I think I'm going to try the 4X routine and do a 3 way split 4 time per week, hopefully it's the right amount of volume and frequency for me. Sounds like the workouts are much easier on the joints, yet still allows for growth. Now it's time for me to get down to business.

masterschamp
07-13-2013, 11:29 AM
I can only tell you what works form me as everyone is different......I was introduced into this by John DeFendis so I have always incorporated high volume and heavy weights with rep ranges running anywhere from 20 -6 and usually at least 18-20 sets per bodypart....off season I train 4 days a week, each bodypart once a week....pre contest it is 4 days in a row followed by a day off, about 30 sets a bodypart and each bodypart twice in 8 days on an AM/PM double split......I try to go as heavy as I can, pyramiding up in weight to my top set for each exercise...always conscious of form....I have trained this way for nearly 30 years now and enjoyed a lot of success in my competitive career.....I am 57 yrs old and stil train exactly the same way.........I was planning on doing the Master's Nationals this week, but we had our 5th child !!!! on May 15th....so I will be doing the show next year...feel free to PM me if you have any other questions

Keith

Wing Chun
07-15-2013, 11:03 AM
I've been following an exercise routine culled from "Muscle and Fitness" back in the '70's. It' a 3 day a week or every other day full body workout. It's an excellent program and I usually get back to the gym for about 8 weeks to rev the body back up once a year. I'm 58 years old, 6 feet even, and 238lb. I'm thinking about trying out for several local contests in my area. I still can see the potential to build at least 40-50lb. of muscle by 60 years of age and look awesome when I step on that stage. If I don't do it now then... I just don't want to wake up and look in the mirror and say, "You are a sad sack of a old man, you could have but you were too lazy".

Hammerfit
07-15-2013, 11:50 AM
Like Keith said we are all different. So there is no one program suite for anyone.

Things to consider: Age has no bearing, just have to train smarter
Lift heavy as possible, as much time under tension as possible
As intense as possible
Rest
Eat
Repeat

masterschamp
07-18-2013, 10:24 AM
I tell everyone who is trying to start back one thing: "Take control of your life"

pig
07-20-2013, 06:12 AM
Thanks for all the replies! yes, it is time to "Take control of my life". I've been looking into the 4X training and am going to give it a whirl, hopefully it's just the ticket to get me in shape and put on a little size. It's somewhat depressing to have lost the last few years of training sporadically due to health issues and to now feel like I'm starting at square one, but I know for my own mental well being I have to make some radical changes health wise in order to live a fulfilling and complete life. Thanks again.

masterschamp
07-20-2013, 09:08 AM
Thanks for all the replies! yes, it is time to "Take control of my life". I've been looking into the 4X training and am going to give it a whirl, hopefully it's just the ticket to get me in shape and put on a little size. It's somewhat depressing to have lost the last few years of training sporadically due to health issues and to now feel like I'm starting at square one, but I know for my own mental well being I have to make some radical changes health wise in order to live a fulfilling and complete life. Thanks again.

your mind can take you body places it never thought it could go to