Thread: Age and BodyBuilding

Just wondering what peoples thoughts are on age and Bodybuilding?

I got the DVD called "Stand Tall" and one of the things that I noticed was that Lou Ferrigno stated that his condition in his 40's as a Body Builder was better than his previous years in his 20's

Although he is a Boxer, George Foreman won the world heavyweight title at 45 years of age and writes a chapter in his book about "Turning 40 is not a Death Sentance for Proffessional Athletes".

Clearly then being aged in your 40s is a time when you can well achieve your best results as a Body Builder. Yet in sports like AFL, 36 is considered to old and retirement age!

What I wondered is how many Body Builders are still going into their 60s and beyond? Has there been any studies done on health effects of Body Building either negative or positive into later years of life?

Originally Posted by Ben W

Just wondering what peoples thoughts are on age and Bodybuilding?

I got the DVD called "Stand Tall" and one of the things that I noticed was that Lou Ferrigno stated that his condition in his 40's as a Body Builder was better than his previous years in his 20's

Although he is a Boxer, George Foreman won the world heavyweight title at 45 years of age and writes a chapter in his book about "Turning 40 is not a Death Sentance for Proffessional Athletes".

Clearly then being aged in your 40s is a time when you can well achieve your best results as a Body Builder. Yet in sports like AFL, 36 is considered to old and retirement age!

What I wondered is how many Body Builders are still going into their 60s and beyond? Has there been any studies done on health effects of Body Building either negative or positive into later years of life?

A thread of obvious interest to me.....

Briefly; this guy was one of the first I read about and whose books I bought.

Clarence Bass:* Bodybuilding & Fitness Home Page

Stand tall is a great movie, one of my fav’s. Fitness is horses for courses. Just about all sports require different types of body’s and fitness (in general of course) I was stunned at the fitness training of the Super V8 and F1 drivers for example. So it’s important to find the right training method for your particular sport. I think BB is great because for me the training is relatively easy (In principle no plays to remember etc etc) and can be adjusted according to age and injury a lot of other sports can’t
And as we all know there are other things that can keep you going longer and it aint a little blue pill!

I think the thing with professional sports is that from a young age you are pounding your body day-in, day-out, and I think that's why by 36 you're ratshit. There's only so much the body can tolerate.

BB is a bit different. It's about short bursts of intense exercise and then rest and diet (and other things if your so inclined). I think this allows the body to have a much longer life than in other sports. Certainly at 35 I am in far better and stronger shape than 25. I hope by 45 I will be in even better shape still!

I think there is a point where your natural anabolic hormones peak and then start to drop off....unfortunately.

I have just turned 45 adn got in the ring for a full contact Muay Thai tag team fight about 6 months ago. As a bonus i won the fight too. So sometimes i think that older poeple have more discipline to train harder and more regular less ego too.
I am led to believe that a recent World champion MM fights was 42.
I think we use our heads better.

Pete

Originally Posted by Pete789

I have just turned 45 adn got in the ring for a full contact Muay Thai tag team fight about 6 months ago. As a bonus i won the fight too. So sometimes i think that older poeple have more discipline to train harder and more regular less ego too.
I am led to believe that a recent World champion MM fights was 42.
I think we use our heads better.

Pete

I think as you get older you realise it's about working smarter not harder.

I notice especially in males that when young and full of testosterone and think they've got something to prove to their mates. As you get older you realise you don't need to do that anymore.

Originally Posted by soriminah

I think as you get older you realise it's about working smarter not harder.

I notice especially in males that when young and full of testosterone and think they've got something to prove to their mates. As you get older you realise you don't need to do that anymore.

Yep, I think a lot of younger blokes see it as a competitive thing with their peer group, whereas older blokes see it as a competitive thing with themselves.

Serge Nubret is in his 60's and still looks amazing ill see if i can find some pics

Edit- hes actually 71 now
one pic is in his younger years the other is mid 60's. phenomenal

if age makes u better than i am all for it! i cant wait to be 25 one day...

Originally Posted by soriminah

I think as you get older you realise it's about working smarter not harder.

I notice especially in males that when young and full of testosterone and think they've got something to prove to their mates. As you get older you realise you don't need to do that anymore.

Very true. I am guilty of trying to lifting too heavy with poor form in the past.

Tonight a bunch of young skinny guys were laughing at how much I was bicep curling, they went straight up to the heavier set of dumbells beside the ones I was using and started throwing them back and forth. I could see they were talking about me too, but I couldn't care less - they think they can lift more, good for them. I just continued listening to my iPod and trained hard, and between sets I'd laughed internally, knowing their skinny little arms will never grow.

Damn that Serge pic on the left is amazing - 65 years old!

Nothing to do with BB but the difference between the school leavers/real early 20s and the mature age students is massive. The lecturers love the older ones. Even when we do stupid shit like turn the genitals around on the crash test dummies.

Originally Posted by simonthegreat

Edit- hes actually 71 now
one pic is in his younger years the other is mid 60's. phenomenal

Not taking anything away from this guy, he looks great. But i see alot of hormones have gone into that physic.

Very far from natural.

Originally Posted by C_T

Not taking anything away from this guy, he looks great. But i see alot of hormones have gone into that physic.

Very far from natural.

Thats the thing, sure he has used a lot of hormones but he is old and wise and looks good, not young and stupid pumping himself full of gear and not even looking like he lifts weights