WEIGHT TRAINING ROUTINE FOR THE OLDER PERSON.

HI,
    READING AN ARTICAL RECENTLY,ON WHAT I SHOULD BE DOING AT 73 YRS,AND I CAN'T THINK HOW I CAN DO ONLY 20 MINS A WORKOUT,AND THIS WOULD HELP MAINTAIN WHAT I STILL HAVE.
AT PRESENT I DO A SPLIT WORKOUT FOUR TIMES A WEEK,AND IT TAKES ME 2 HOURS EACH TIME,I DON'T REST LONG BETWEEN SETS,AND DO 9 SETS PER BODY PART.
I FINISH WITH EXERCISE BIKE,5 MINS/ ABS/STRETCHING.
AM I INFACT DOING THE WRONG TYPE OF TRAINING AT MY AGE?
WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR ADVICE.
                                                   TONY HALEY

Anthony Haley


HI,
    READING AN ARTICAL RECENTLY,ON WHAT I SHOULD BE DOING AT 73 YRS,AND I CAN'T THINK HOW I CAN DO ONLY 20 MINS A WORKOUT,AND THIS WOULD HELP MAINTAIN WHAT I STILL HAVE.
AT PRESENT I DO A SPLIT WORKOUT FOUR TIMES A WEEK,AND IT TAKES ME 2 HOURS EACH TIME,I DON'T REST LONG BETWEEN SETS,AND DO 9 SETS PER BODY PART.
I FINISH WITH EXERCISE BIKE,5 MINS/ ABS/STRETCHING.
AM I INFACT DOING THE WRONG TYPE OF TRAINING AT MY AGE?
WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR ADVICE.
                                                   TONY HALEY

 
You are 73 years old!!?? I must be misunderstanding you surely?

 

if you can train 4 times a week 2 hours at a time at a fast pace then finish with cv and stretching at 73 years of age you dont want to be reading articals you shuuld be writing them

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Thank's for your replies,davemuscles,and scrim,
 but sadly it's true,73 is the right,age just creeps up on you,like the changing of your shape,from wedge to pear shape.
But I would still like an answer to my question.

Maybe as Diet is 80% of what you will achieve in development,so whatever training you do is o.k.

was the person who wrote the article a seventy-three year old experienced trainer?
if not, i suggest you ignore it.
also, what has your age got to do with the type of training you do?
i am only sixty three, and only trained for almost fifty years, but i do the same sort of thing that i did when i was in my twenties. i don`t see what age has to do with it. why do you?

The person that wrote the article,looks to be in his sixties,and runs one of these scientific gyms,not so far from me,and I will go, and speak to him,to get his views.
I no longer train at a gym,but in my own,well fitted out gym,so maybe because like you I train the same way I always have,I could be missing out,if I can train for such a short time,and get the same results,wouldn't you?
Even with supersets,for Biceps, and Triceps,I can't get through that part of my routine in 20mins!!!!!!!!!

Anthony Haley


The person that wrote the article,looks to be in his sixties,and runs one of these scientific gyms,not so far from me,and I will go, and speak to him,to get his views.
I no longer train at a gym,but in my own,well fitted out gym,so maybe because like you I train the same way I always have,I could be missing out,if I can train for such a short time,and get the same results,wouldn't you?
Even with supersets,for Biceps, and Triceps,I can't get through that part of my routine in 20mins!!!!!!!!!

indeed i would.
my routine(s) take between fourty minutes and an hour, depending( obviously) what i am doing.
i began to realise , about thirty-five years ago that more is not always better, so i stopped doing endless sets to exaustion, and concentrated on fewer sets at higher intensity,
which gave me far better results.
however, each to their own.
best of luck!

The trouble with all routines I've seen aimed at over 60s like me is that they aim to maintain muscle. I want to build more so I ignore them.

Hi Tony

Welcome to MT.

Give us some background please: How long have you been traing for?  What are your current goals?

I would have said that 2 hours is too long, and 20 mins too short.  However, if you're doing ok then who am I to tell you?!

But, if you are training for two hours, then it's important that your pre-, during and post-workout nutrition are optimal, or you're risking catabolising muscle.

James Collier
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I know just how age can strike when you're least expecting it. Only yesterday I can remember being 40, now I'm 61 !!  Crazy.  Seems to happen to everyone though.  Started training seriously 4 years ago after looking in the mirror and being seriously unimpressed. Lost loads of fat and gained more lean, then from 2007 onwards competed in four bodybuilding shows. You might be interested in reading my 2007 journal - the before and after photos are in message http://www.muscletalk.co.uk/fb.ashx?m=2382422 
 
My weekly routine is also a 4-day split, currently courtesy of Micky McKay (see www.fitness121.co.uk), but I have to say that without James Collier's nutrition & diet advice over the past 3 years my training would have been wasted - ask him to help (www.healthyaction.co.uk)!
 
Each session starts with a 5 min warmup and lasts about one hour - sometimes 70-75 mins. Each bodypart has 12-16 sets. Ths splits are back + triceps + abs, quads + calves + abs, chest + biceps +abs, delts + hams + calves. I don't always do abs as mine are a relatively strong area.  Just as an example, lat pulldowns are: warm-up 30kg x 20, 40kg x 15, worksets are 55kg x 12, 60kg x 10, then 2 sets of 65kg x 8.  Half the exercises are machine based, half are free weights (mainly dumbbells).
 
My bodyweight is currently 94kg, competition target weight 80kg (though I appreciate that may not interest you in the slightest!).  Estimated fat % is 16-17 offseason.
 
Oh, and cardio sessions offseason are a brisk walk for 45 mins 3 times weekly.

 

Hi James,
              I have been training for 58yrs,and still have the same drive,and enjoy the effort of trying to do an extra rep on the last set.
The only aim I now have is to stay healthy,and always be able to workout.
But being retired does bring the financial burden,and although I eat three meals a day,of all the right foods,apart from a few vitamins,and minerals,supplements are prohibitive.
My workouts are 2hours long,but this does include the cool down,(cycle,abs and stretching.)
On a four day split.
I take 2/3/or 4 exercises per body part. Back,chest,(2)arms,shoulders(3)legs(4)
And do super sets on chest, arms, and shoulders,
Legs 3sets x4 exercises,in half pyramid,pushing max reps on final set.
Calves 9sets.
I take Calcium after a workout.
Also I train at home alone,but have a comprehensive garage Gym.
              
So what do you think James?
                                             Regards Tony Haley

Hi Al,
       I think the muscle structure changes as you get older,and like the brain cells,you lose a little as time goes by.
So this would make it difficult to build.
                                                             T.H
 

You have a good head on your shoulders,so you will still be working out when you get to my age.

Hi Tony

That's a lot of years training - beats my 20!

Your split looks fine.

Where in the UK are you from?  What brings you to MuscleTalk?

James Collier
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Hi James,
              I have corresponded with you before,remember I live now in South Africa.
Born in Eastham,and grew up in Barking(Essex) then moved to Harlow,which was a New town then,and ran a part-time Gym for the Council.
At 27 I Emigrated to S.A.(As a Toolmaker)
 
You could tell me what I should be taking before,during,and after a workouts,to prevent Catabolism.
The reason I joined Muscle Talk is because it's the best way to keep in touch with what is going on in Bodybuilding.
                                              T.Haley

Hi Tony

It does ring bells, now you mention it - I do get loads of emails though.

Pre-workout I would simply have some whey in water (20g) with an oatcake.  During, just have plenty of water to drink.  Afterwards, have 20g whey with 20f dextrose in water.  Follow this up within 45 mins with a meal or snack.

James Collier
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Inspiring stuff indeed Anthony, i hope i am still hungry at your age.
Mark

    

Al


The trouble with all routines I've seen aimed at over 60s like me is that they aim to maintain muscle. I want to build more so I ignore them.

same here.
they treat us like geriatrics, the bloody fools.

Anthony Haley


Hi Al,
       I think the muscle structure changes as you get older,and like the brain cells,you lose a little as time goes by.
So this would make it difficult to build.
                                                             T.H
 

My brain still works resonably well at the moment. It's my body I want to build. Yes age does have an effect but as someone who has mostly trained naturally if I took steroids I would gain a lot of muscle. My short experiments with Superdrol and M1T showed that I respond to them very quickly particularly strength gains. Unfortunately I also responded with very high blood  pressure increases so I am forced to remain natural.
 
 

Thanks,for the feedback James,I will do what you suggested.
                                 Regards A,H

Well I seem to have found out why this gym only advocates that his members only do a 20mins workout,and the reason I suspect is that the work area is so very small,that it would be impossible for more than two people to work out at at a time.
So the members are mostly personally trained,and have a set time to arrive for training,or there would be no money made in the business.
So I will carry on as I have trained all these years,now that that bubble is burst of the 20mins workout.

Cool, let us know how you get on, Anthony.

James Collier
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Hi,
    I thought this tip,which I have used for many years,to aid progress,would help somebody out there.
As it's necessary to increase the resistance,to force the muscles to grow,and overcome the extra resistance.
I keep a small notebook with me when I train,in which I record the weight I used on an exercise,and the number of reps made.
As increasing the weight is at times difficult,I try,and force an extra rep,this can be on each set,as say with the Press machine, or only on the last set,as with the squat,or bench press.
So if I squat 10-8-6-4 then on the last set, I try an extra rep each time,until I reach six reps,and then I increase the weight right through the range.
On some exercises I don't use this method,as with say Barbell Curls,you would start to cheat,which defeats the object,as the exercise works better without the swing.
So you can make this type of exercise more difficult if done strictly,you will know when to increase the weight,as it get's easier.
Side Laterals is another that is better lighter weight,and good form,with a pause at the extended position.
              regards Tony Haley.