One of the biggest reasons older men give for not working out is that their bodies can’t withstand the weights and muscles stop growing after a certain age. There is no truth behind these claims. These are just petty ways of escaping working out.
If you look closely, some of the best bodybuilders of all times tend to be relatively older men. While these pro bodybuilders might not be over 50 years old, they most certainly are 35-45 years old and kicking ass on the biggest competitive bodybuilding stages.
The reason behind this is the muscle maturity. Our bodies and muscles come into their prime shape at a later stage. Muscle maturity is as much about your age as it is about the work you put into building your body.
Unlike other sporting endeavors which focus mostly on fast twitch motions, joint functionality, and explosive movements, bodybuilding is about putting your muscles through years of intense training until they break down and mature to a level that will show increased definition and deep striations.
Let’s kick off our list with Matt Manning. Matt transformed by dropping 40 pounds, which led to a $50,000 grand prize win. He participated in and won Bodybuilding.com’s annual 12-week fitness competition called the ‘$100,000 Transformation Challenge’.
Mark Sisson is one of the pioneers of the “paleo” movement, defined by the desire to eat and exercise like our ancestors before the advent of agriculture 10,000 years ago. The motto of his very successful fitness blog Mark’s Daily Apple is “primal living in a modern world.”
Dave Draper (nicknamed the “Blonde Bomber”) is an accomplished bodybuilder who used to train with Arnold Schwarzenegger. As you can see from the photo of Dave at 62 compared to 25 years old (on left), the density of his muscles has increased and he is leaner.
Just like wine, some people get better with age and this guy is a perfect example. Just look at the upper pecs and abs on this guy. The effortlessness with which he’s posing is truly commendable.
Chad Jackson was a competitive soccer player throughout his youth and into college. His transformation perfectly illustrates that you can take an athlete out of a sport but you can’t take the sport out of an athlete.
If you want to set a goal of how you want to look when you grow old, this should be it. Aging happens to everyone, whether we like it or not growing old is inevitable. This doesn’t mean our quality of life has to go down.
Actor Wang Deshun, 79, walked the runway during China Fashion Week in Beijing on Wednesday looking remarkably better than many of the younger models with whom he shared the stage. Wang looked confident as hell in the situation nonetheless.
When you feel confident, it shows. Fitness isn’t just about lifting weights and building muscles. The art of bodybuilding adds much more to your personality than it’s credited for. For most people working out gives them a boost in their confidence and a sense of accomplishment.
Make this guy wear a cape and he’ll look no less than Superman, or at least he’s ready to get on stage and give the younger guys an ass whooping. His physique is the perfect example of how important muscle maturity is in bodybuilding.
This man is a reminder that Crossfitters can be buff as well. For all the people who thought Crossfit is for young people as it places lots of stress on your joints, this man is here to prove you wrong. If you’re willing to do and achieve something, nothing can hold you back.
This man will give you some serious muscle and beard goals. These guys with all their muscles are making growing older even more challenging. As if the responsibilities which come with growing old weren’t enough.
This guy was 70 years old when he decided it wasn’t too late to get into shape. Meet Dr. Jeffrey Life – The Guy with the head of a 70-year-old and the body of a 20-year-old bodybuilder. Now, what’s your excuse?
This post was last modified on February 6, 2019 11:47 am
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I'm an exercise scientist and while I agree that Bodybuilders peak in there 40's I don't agree that men between 35 and 45 and older men. They are youth, it probably more peak for other sports now too like sprinting and tennis. A 35 year old man now is very hard to tell the difference between them a 25 year old man. People not just Athletes are younger now. Middle age doesn't even start until 53. And there are 2 Pro Bodybuilders competitors at last year's Olympia over 50.
I’m an exercise scientist and while I agree that Bodybuilders peak in there 40’s I don’t agree that men between 35 and 45 and older men. They are youth, it probably more peak for other sports now too like sprinting and tennis. A 35 year old man now is very hard to tell the difference between them a 25 year old man. People not just Athletes are younger now. Middle age doesn’t even start until 53. And there are 2 Pro Bodybuilders competitors at last year’s Olympia over 50.
Can you be more specific, your message came across pretty mixed. I mean Ernestine Sheppard started working out at 56, Charles Eugster began hitting the iron at age 87, 70 year old Sonny didn’t start working out until he was 44. I don't get what you are saying be more specific, oh yeah I forgot about Frank Zane who has been at it since 1977!!
Some of these are definitely enhanced. The doctor for sure is handing out steroids and Testosterone therapies as part of the practice. Maybe a better approach is to go for life extension with Metformin along with basic strength/conditioning. If really old and in poor shape, you may want to investigate low dose rapamycin. Add in some fasting a week every quarter, basically good nutrition and weight training and that is probably optimal.
Metformin Drops your testosterone leves and has many bad side effects. Why would you recommend that?
I agree wholeheartedly. I am not a moralist. I don't blame people for who they are only pretending what the are not. If a person holds himself out to be well muscled for his age, he ought to present the 'real' 'natural' man that he is made up of and not the artificial one.