Late 30s to early 40s - any difference?

Guys

I'm in my late 30s, and my question is do you guys notice any difference in your gains, health, injuries, body fat between late 30s and early 40s?

James Collier
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I think that's where I noticed bigger changes specially regarding bodyfat/Injuries, can't say I've noticed any regarding gains. The changes carry on I find but become more subtle/slow down, health/cardio wise I feel I've improved actaully as I've got older but then again I have concentrated on that as the years have progressed, only a small thing I know but I walk far far more to places I'd have normally drove ie shops/hospital etc etc.

It's hard to be humble when I'm so great...

If you even dream of beating me you'd better wake up and apologize...Muhammad Ali

Ony in that the belly is harder to remove and fat is easier to put on.....
 
I have been training on and off for 25 years and can't remember an injury then or now.
I have always payed attention to good form and training correctly. It has paid off.
 
Just started a new routine and diet so im interested to see if i can gain muscle like i used to as a younger lad.
 
RIK
 

I'm about to turn 43 this weekend and for me it's definitely harder to keep the fat off now than ever before and I also pick up injuries far more easily which take longer to recover from.
Gains in muscle aren't so important to me as I dabble in Powerlifting and I'm certainly stronger now than I've ever been.

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James


Guys

I'm in my late 30s, and my question is do you guys notice any difference in your gains, health, injuries, body fat between late 30s and early 40s?

Injuries take a bit longer to heal, but then if you fall into this age group you should have the sense and wisdom to know how to avoid them in the first place.

Can't say I have noticed any difference in gains.  They are as difficult as always!!

It is much easier to gain body fat if you are not careful. A few cheat meals seem to take their toll very quickly indeed.

Slight changes occur all the time, you only notice a sudden cumulative effect, this can happen anytime, it has no numeric value

As far as I know, forgiveness is for the benefit of the person doing the forgiving, not the one being forgiven

I didn,t start training until I was over 40 so for me the difference was that in my 30's i was thin and in my 40's I had muscles.

The good old middle age spread, I never used to put any fat on around my stomach and always had a visible six pack, once i hit 40 the fat started to accumulate a little and hide my once proud six pack. Just got to work that little bit harder to shift it.
I also find muscle injury a little more frequent, damaged a muscle in my arm early in the year and had to stop training for 3 months for it to fully recover, saying that, having a physical job delayed recovery so perhaps if I had a desk job recovery would have been a lot quicker.

You are in the future. Things are very "shiny" here.

I cant say I've noticed much difference, keeping the fat off doesnt seem harder. I dont know if injuries take longer to repair as I've learned to avoid things that cause injuries.

Cheers, folks.

Yes, even at this age (37) I notice a number of injuries.  I do have the wisdom not to get them, yet I didn't get them as a 20odd year old...

James Collier
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Within myself, the quickest gains i have made is weight, 2 years ago i was 13st 3lb, and now im in the region of 15st 5lb, but my stomach is less round..
Thats due to eating correctly, and totally cutting out all non essential foods, im quite suprised how easy its been..
all in all im now 42, and i definatly dont want another x amount of years to pass, doing sod all, because you know when you get to this age, you can never re capture them back..
 
and the infomation and members on m.t  have helped me 100%

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James


Cheers, folks.

Yes, even at this age (37) I notice a number of injuries.  I do have the wisdom not to get them, yet I didn't get them as a 20odd year old...

hmm, I'm not looking to increase strength, just maintain what I have and keep the fat off, so I spend a bit less time on strength training and more on cardio.
Presume you are aiming to keep gaining size and strength James so comparing my stuation to yours is not fair, it's easier not to get injuries when you are 'treading water' than when you are pushing for further improvements.

medusa_

James


Cheers, folks.

Yes, even at this age (37) I notice a number of injuries.  I do have the wisdom not to get them, yet I didn't get them as a 20odd year old...

hmm, I'm not looking to increase strength, just maintain what I have and keep the fat off, so I spend a bit less time on strength training and more on cardio.
Presume you are aiming to keep gaining size and strength James so comparing my stuation to yours is not fair, it's easier not to get injuries when you are 'treading water' than when you are pushing for further improvements.

Well yes, ideally I do want to gain more size.  However, currently, due to workload, I am merely 'treading water', yet I still seem to be getting more injuries!

Could it not be because your muscles are getting stronger, for example when you were younger you were using less weight so therefore you may have been able to get away with less than strict form.  But when your using more weights then any minor miscalculation in form causes injury.
To quote Dorian Yates, who said it was like when starting off I had a VW Golf and could thrash it around as much as I wanted to know and not come to any harm.  But behind the wheel of a formula 1 car and one tiny miscalculation and your staring death in the face.  Just a thought.
 

James


Cheers, folks.

Yes, even at this age (37) I notice a number of injuries.  I do have the wisdom not to get them, yet I didn't get them as a 20odd year old...

James

 I am merely 'treading water', yet I still seem to be getting more injuries!

perhaps certain types of movements, or the pressures created by certain exercises are at the root of the inuries.
Maybe just a phase with causes that are too complex and obscure to identify...I remember a time when I seemed to frequently have neck and back problems that I dont get anymore.
Some people see a relationship between stress/difficulties in your life and muscle pain, being stressed/overloaded generally may make you more vulnerable to injury.

I remember someone posting on MT about a physical therapist that he saw who took that kind of view...sorry I cant remember anything more specific. 

Maybe.

medusa - I know I am stressed and maybe I'm all tense physically which will affect my training.

Dhiran - I am stronger, but I train with lighter weights now, because I'm not giving it my all.

James Collier
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You need a massage James

A guy said to me a few years ago that when you reach 40 niggling injuries seem to appear overnight.....he was so right, I've had hardly any niggles throughout my thirties but now turned forty and have elbow and shoulder aches on a regular basis...taking MSM with glucosamine now which I'm hoping will help with a good warm up routine!

Yep I am 41 I seem to pick up injuries so easy.

My head writes cheques my body cannot cash.

I am just about to up my training and do some boxing fitness. I hope I stay injury free. More warm up time and liserning to my body.

For me James late 30's was the time I noticed a great deal of change. As you know I have had an extensive background as a competitive BBer and attained a high level of development as a result of this I have always noticed small changes in my physique, but from about 36/37 these changes became very marked: injuries came on thick and fast and I still have most and can't seem to shift them, as a result I now train with weights I used to train with when I was 15/16 although I was a strong 16 year old lol, for example bench is now anywhere from 120-160kg for reps depending on how my shoulders and elbows are at my peak I hit 235kg for 2. I have also found that fat accumulates much easier around lower ab and pec region which is erm great lol. I like you used to get few injuries and those I got I recovered from very quickly now my training is totally dictated by injuries and recovery time. I try not to think what I'll be like at 50 lol.

I'm 49, diabetic and going strong, yep I pick up a few injuries but I did when I was 39!  I think a good diet and sensible training help, at 39 I was still liable to rush headlong into things now i'm more likely to think about it, oh god I'm growing up!

At 40  (traing properly since 23)  I have found I make better gains now with the odd rest day thrown in..A big impact has been deadlifting for the first time !  Been Dl for 8 weeks now, solid strength gains and muscle im provements.  Overall since late 30's I have not noticed too much dif...happily a little more vascular...  As i can afford more protein (food and powders)  I think that has helped ..The down side is more work stress and more resposibilities...

james i know excalty what you mean , last 3yrs i have had to think more about stayin healthy and injury free more than all out mass attack lol, designing my program differently , ie  more cv , less grub, and supps that help with health and wellbeing , and running coures differently too , but am getting good results .. now just got to get conditioning right   

Far far harder to gain(natruly anyway)
Injuries are more frequant and last a lot longer(i train with this in mind now so it doesnt happen)
health is great and imo can only improve with training.
Body fat is harder to shift, shiftable yes but harder.
 
 

Those who cannot fly seek to clip the wings of others.

I'm 45 now. I've noticed since I started training 2 months ago I seem to be feeling weary with low energy a lot more. I do have 2 jobs with the fire service turning me out all over the day. I feel a lot better about myself though and a damn sight fitter. I'm eating better. Maybe I better look into diet/ suppliments a bit better. Above all I really enjoy pushing myself on the weights.

I can relate to a lot of stuff you guys are saying.
at 40 my strength is nothing like what it was mid 30's.
I have started doing more reps and less weight now to compensate for lack of strength.
Also at this age its the wear and tear of lifting heavy when younger that finaly catches up with you.
my physique is really good compared to most younger guys at the gym but they are lifting more.
age is bollox and i will never give up fighting it . NEVER!!!!

James, cannot comment training wise as I wasnt traning in my 30's,  but I do find the fat is coming a lot quicker and taking far more to shift. The other noticeable difference is that I seem to tire far more easily, which for me is more of a pain :(