How long have you been training?

medusa_

I've been a 'fitness fanatic' since my late teens, always admired women with athletic physiques, but didnt start using weights until my mid 20's.
I got some of those pastel plastic dumbells from the freemans catalougethen some metal weights and a bench from the argos catalouge. 
I needed a much bigger hit so I soon joined a proper gym and have been hitting the weights 3-4 x per week ever since (I'm now 43) 

I always presumed you were much younger.

www.fingerpistol.co.uk

hmm, I cant help thinking it's a bad thing if, on an internet forum, you seem much younger than you are 

First set foot in a gym at 13, so from first to last 25 years, nut really started at 16, 22 years.

But allowing for two periods, one when I was travelling 3 years, second when I was ill 3 years, 16 years of regular training.

MT All Round Member of the Year

2011

regular since 1977.stopped squating and training legs 10 years ago though.

41. Have been training with no more than a couple of months off for 24 years. I've done various endurance sports on and off so my emphasis has changed. My shoulders are giving me grief now. My elbows aren't much better. So I think heavy(ish) weights are out now.

Size

I have trained for 27 years about. It is a major part of my life. I never competed just done it for health and vanity reasons.
I remember using liver tablets and yogurt for my protien intake. Then later on some really harsh protien powders. There was one called 'The Beast' and it was terrible on your guts. My GF of the time nearly through me out I smelt so much.

Training has help me stay sane through difficult periods of my life dont think I would ever completely stop unless I was injured.

Hi James,
                I have Just taken a self portrait,which was very difficult,with a camera on tripod,and then running around, and posing,no mirrors to help.
After many attempts I have a picture that will do,but I now have no Idea how to get it in as my profile picture.
Would you please explain this for me.
                                                   Thanks Tony Haley.
 

Now age 42.
First stepped into a gym age 18 after being turned down by the Fire Service for having too small a chest!!!!!!
Ruined it all by joining the Air Force where the only training was at the bar unfortuneately!!!!
Anyway now a civvy again and been back in the gym proper for the past 7 yrs on off , but only recently tried to move on a level with gear.
Enjoying it more now than I ever have and am now able to advise the 'young uns' when they come in and expect to bench press 100kg in their first session!

Here is a link to my guide on posting photos online

http://www.muscletalk.co.uk/tm.aspx?m=3767099

Eveything you need to know from hosting it at ImageShack to posting in on MT is there.

Awesome pic, but Tony you're not doing yourself many favours posting up tips on preventing the gag reflex and then a picture of a guy touching his toes - Ak

Thanks for posting, Chris

Look forward to the pics, Anthony

James Collier
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There's a good bit of muscle density there, Anthony, and great shape too.

James Collier
Sign the petition to stop VAT on sports drinks

Thanks James for the kind words.
  I wish I could send you some of our hot weather,as it's too much for us right now,and makes training very difficult.
              All the best Ant.Haley

Anthony Haley
 
  I wish I could send you some of our hot weather,as it's too much for us right now,and makes training very difficult. 

OK Tony, I'll swap you your hot weather for our snow. Deal?
 
Great pic. I've said it in an earlier post, but I'll say it again - you're an inspiration. I hope that I can maintain my enthusiasm for as long as you have.
 
 

Thank's Arfie,
                     my wife get's a bit suspicious if I take a picture posing,she thinks,oh hell here we go again,entering a "Mr Zimmer Frame" comp maybe.
                        Tony H

I've only just started to train 'seriously' with weights but have run, walked, climbed etc for the past 20+ years.  Started going to the gym about 5 years ago and did a few weights just to build some strength to hold my motorbike upright or pick it up when I dropped it!!  Love the results you can get.. yeah I'm vain even at my advanced age ![:D


Lakeslass

I've been "training" for just over a year...done a load of physical stuff over the years, this that and the other...only started with weights a year ago, picked stuff up myself from mags and the net, over the last few months decided to really go for it in the weights department and just love it...I love feeling strong (well ya know, for me)...fit, learning all about it, being inpsired by others on here to keep going...I'm not vain but I love the way this is making me feel on the inside.....and I love seeing the changes in my bod...I just lurrrrrrrrv it.......

Hey James,
I've been training on and off for years, but never seriously as life tended to get in the way :(
2 years ago i had a few health scares and decided it was time to get fit and get a few muscles. Got a few muscles (very few!) but never really managed properly fit.
I am now 44 with 2 yrs regular training under my belt and working towards a proper six pack for the summer, which will be the first time ever lol

Hello, I'm in my 28th year of training now.. started when I was 17.... one thing that has changed a lot is my metabolism

Age 46: 
Bench PB: 160kg (16-11-2011)
BW: 100kg

12 years

Iam 46 and started training March 09 ,when i first started was a size 40 waist and had a bad diet but with a lot of info from dif sites have got my waist to a 33 inch ,the main thing was compound  lifts and the change in my eating .

Keeping your diet clean is 85% the battle to win long term as you give your body good clean foods and plenty water i shoot for 3 to 4 lts a day and in return you will strip all the results of a bad past diet as your body knows that this is the way its gonna be.

The 1st 3 months were the hardest as you dont see much change on the muscle front ect but stick with it and will come,cardio HIIT is needed and no snacking on foods in between meals but eating every 2/3 hours.

I started training when I was 13. I was over-weight (13.5st) and always had difficulty with participating as I liked in sports at school. The gym did the trick for me; I gained strength, speed and agility. After training for a year one of my school games teachers pulled me aside one day and accused me of cheating in some of the sports lessons. This gave me real motivation to aspire in the gym, along with great pride.

I trained hard until I was about 18/19 then stopped for no real reason. I suppose the clubbing and ....erm.... girls got more of my interest.

I started again when I was 28 for just over 4 years. I was doing extremely well, had put on a LOT of size (26.5st), then my older brother passed away. I completely lost my motivation and stopped training.

I have just started back this year. Have been easing myself back into it since about February and I am feeling on top of the world!

40 now...been training since I was 17!
I think you benefit more from your training at this age than when you're younger!
Can't imagine not lifting!!! 

 http://www.splicd.com/tsO26Pgm6qI/486/620

I started in Feb this year at 42, train Mon-Thurs and also started to do 2 hrs of Wing Chun and  1 hr of Kickboxing on a Saturday, don't know whats come over me

i started training when i was 16 in 1976 only time i have not trained was for a year but i have now started training again today , its almost a part of life nowadays even when i go on holiday i make sure there is a gym close by :)

i started training when i was 13

JPN


i started training when i was 13

10 years?

im 41, started training on my 39th Birthday after being made redundant thought it would be good to keep my mind and body busy been training 5 to 7 days ever since.

I started training about 30 years ago (I am 49 in January) during my rugby days, I went from 12 stone to 16.5 stone  broad but not perfect.  I stopped 13 years ago due to my divorce and depression.  I started back about 5 months ago with a mate from work and am starting to make good progression apart from getting my waste down from 40 ins  I am weighing about 17.5.  I wish to gain mass and lose my fat.  The biggest problem I have is financial, this controls what I can eat.  I am limited to a high percentage of my diet being protein drinks and tuna.  I need to know the perfect training program and diet that would suit me.  Finally, I train after work and my job is beer delivery, so it is very strenuous delivery upto 20 tonnes of beer a day.

usrpguk


I started training when I was 13. I was over-weight (13.5st) and always had difficulty with participating as I liked in sports at school. The gym did the trick for me; I gained strength, speed and agility. After training for a year one of my school games teachers pulled me aside one day and accused me of cheating in some of the sports lessons. This gave me real motivation to aspire in the gym, along with great pride.

I trained hard until I was about 18/19 then stopped for no real reason. I suppose the clubbing and ....erm.... girls got more of my interest.

I started again when I was 28 for just over 4 years. I was doing extremely well, had put on a LOT of size (26.5st), then my older brother passed away. I completely lost my motivation and stopped training.

I have just started back this year. Have been easing myself back into it since about February and I am feeling on top of the world!

Did you mean 16.5 st!?

MT All Round Member of the Year

2011

First joined gym in 2000. Irregular user and just dabbled until around 2004 when I decided I needed to lose tonnes of fat.
 
Then in Jan 2007 determined to enter a competition before I was too old - trained seriously with a PT for my first comp (Anglian) at the age of 58.  Now aged 62 and in my fifth training year (groan), intending to enter comp(s) this year despite impending hip replacement, lol.
 
Will never be good, I know, but have  improved so much and gained masses more confidence that it's all been really worthwhile (and thanks for your nutrition advice James).