Stronger with age?

[floridaorange]

Anyone here successfully gotten stronger in their 40's, 50's than they were in their 30's, 40's? Please share your journey.

I am determined to get stronger as I age, of course within reason. I know I'll taper offer likely in my late 40's, but I am stronger now than I as in the 20's, when I used to work out 2 hours a day.

[M_Six]

I guess it depends on how you define stronger. My upper body strength certainly is not what it was in my 20s and 30s. But I was out cycling the other day and I passed a spot where I remember sitting and recovering my breath and resting my legs on one of my first rides. It was only 2 miles from home. Now I ride 20 miles at a shot with no major issues. Often for 6 or 8 days in a row. So my legs are stronger and my stamina is way better than it was 6 years ago when I started riding.

[XutvJet]

I'll be 49 in May. I'm a crack over 6' 1" and weigh around 175lbs. I play competitive volleyball about 6-7 hours a week with a number of 20 and 30 somethings who the majority are either are currently playing college VB or were former college players. It's very high level and the expectations are high and if you can't perform, you aren't invited to play. I didn't take this sport seriously until my early 30s and I had to work really hard on strength and mechanics in order to work my way into the group which took 5 years. I'm by far the oldest player in the group by about 10 years and have no club or college VB experience.

I've learned that as you age, you need train for the sport you're playing and that diet becomes very critical. I've found that the stretching and "Knees over toes" workouts have helped me immensely. I do very light lifting and most of time I'm just doing body weight exercises without any weights along with some pull-ups and bar hanging. I can't stand lifting weights and my goal isn't mass and all the calories that has to go with that. I mostly stick to eating within a 6 hour window, but I'm not militant about it. I got up to 185lb 3 years ago and started feeling pudgy and slow. I started eating within a 6 hour window and stopped eating big lunches. I've been 170-175lbs feel much better.

I'd like to work out more as I feel my age starting to catch up with me, but there's only so much time in a day, especially when you have kids, full time job, kid sports, etc.

[Oldgixxer]

Been lifting weights since I was 13,I'll be 54 this October. I was in my "lifting prime" so to speak in my mid 30's. I'm nowhere as strong as I was when I was younger,nor do I care to be. It took it's toll on my joints&tendons. I've torn quite a few from going all-out.

That being said,in my late 40s I re-evaluated my nutrition/training plan and approached it from a more mature,refined perspective. Was I able to still push heavy weight? Yeah. But I err on the side of caution since turning 50,because for me there's really no point. Been there,done that and have the scars to show for it.

When I see old friends/gym buddies from back in the day,they all say my physique looks better now then before so that makes up for my lack of strength/size compared to when I was a young buck
.
There still are some days when I wish I was able to go crazy heavy then I look outside the gym at my car in the handicapped parking spot and realize,yeah it'll never happen lol

I forgot to mention that our testosterone levels play a significant role regarding strength,recovery,lean mass etc so the older we get the lower our T levels get which will cap your gains at some point. Just my $0.001

[floridaorange]

I appreciate the realistic outlooks, thank you. You are absolutely right about the lower T playing the natural role it is going to inevitably play. I think I coasted in my 20's on all that T I had, whereas now I can produce it, I just have to work harder. Not to mention I don't have 2 hours every day to be in the gym, but I do have an hour.

[Oldgixxer]

Originally Posted by floridaorange

I appreciate the realistic outlooks, thank you. You are absolutely right about the lower T playing the natural role it is going to inevitably play. I think I coasted in my 20's on all that T I had, whereas now I can produce it, I just have to work harder. Not to mention I don't have 2 hours every day to be in the gym, but I do have an hour.

Just a thought,but you could have your levels checked if you have not already,and jump on the TRT bandwagon from your trusted endocrinologist(not those shady "longevity clinics" I see all over Fla)if you meet the criteria. Was the best move I ever made,has me feeling great

[floridaorange]

I hear ya. I wasn't really lifting heavy for about 6 months, now I'm getting back. Squatting over 300, deadlifting 350. Not alot of weight, but at 43 190lbs I'm on track. I don't feel like I need TRT. I've got great vascularity, sex drive, sleep well, mood is good. I know it's not cheating, but I do love the idea of seeing what I can do without medical assistance. Having said that, my brother in law has taken it for years and is a beast physically. He always says I should get on it...

Correct me if I'm wrong, but once you're on it, there's no real going back.

[beamlord]

Originally Posted by Oldgixxer

Been lifting weights since I was 13,I'll be 54 this October. I was in my "lifting prime" so to speak in my mid 30's. I'm nowhere as strong as I was when I was younger,nor do I care to be. It took it's toll on my joints&tendons. I've torn quite a few from going all-out.

That being said,in my late 40s I re-evaluated my nutrition/training plan and approached it from a more mature,refined perspective. Was I able to still push heavy weight? Yeah. But I err on the side of caution since turning 50,because for me there's really no point. Been there,done that and have the scars to show for it.

When I see old friends/gym buddies from back in the day,they all say my physique looks better now then before so that makes up for my lack of strength/size compared to when I was a young buck
.
There still are some days when I wish I was able to go crazy heavy then I look outside the gym at my car in the handicapped parking spot and realize,yeah it'll never happen lol

I forgot to mention that our testosterone levels play a significant role regarding strength,recovery,lean mass etc so the older we get the lower our T levels get which will cap your gains at some point. Just my $0.001

This looks like a post I could write, word by word. All exactly the same.
Just a few years behind ya, approaching 50.

[tranquility]

Is this like Underworld or Twilight or some other vampire flick....how does one get *stronger* w age? Shouldn't it generally be in someone's 20s and 30s, then it's all downhill from there, unless someone's a genetic freak-of-nature?

I'm not a gymrat at all but I find it fascinating that some of you guys lift crazy amounts. I mean, to look good and to be fit/healthy, for sure, but there's gotta be a certain limit, right? To go beyond that, what's the pt, especially to the pt of injury?! Are you guys trying out for Mr Universe? Some wt lifting contest? Auditioning to be the next Hulk?

[erickonphoenix]

at 57 yo I'm definitely not stronger but my endurance is better. Also, at least rock climbing I can usually work around a problem better than just brute forcing my way through it. Also, my right shoulder has a say in any impulse to brute force a move.

But, you can get stronger with age I think it's the attaching joints and ligaments that seem to go before the muscles do. Certainly I noticed that hitting around 45.

Oh, and a third note. I used to run 5 miles a day, then 3 then 3 miles three days a week. Now I have early stage arthritis setting into my feet. The doctor told me this may be due to micro fractures in my feet from so much running. So there's that.

[floridaorange]

Originally Posted by tranquility

Is this like Underworld or Twilight or some other vampire flick....how does one get *stronger* w age? Shouldn't it generally be in someone's 20s and 30s, then it's all downhill from there, unless someone's a genetic freak-of-nature?

I'm not a gymrat at all but I find it fascinating that some of you guys lift crazy amounts. I mean, to look good and to be fit/healthy, for sure, but there's gotta be a certain limit, right? To go beyond that, what's the pt, especially to the pt of injury?! Are you guys trying out for Mr Universe? Some wt lifting contest? Auditioning to be the next Hulk?

My mind is much stronger which allows me to lift more. As mentioned, I also have much better endurance and have dialed in my diet and supplements considerably better now. I feel a lot happier and calmer after I lift heavy, which helps me in many aspects of my life, and I might be slightly on the genetic freak side, but not by much. I don't think 43 is old anymore, but we'll see what I'm saying at 53 . Oh and challenging myself in the gym I find highly rewarding and fun. I know there are plenty of guys on here that are older and lift much much heavier.

[tranquility]

Originally Posted by floridaorange

My mind is much stronger which allows me to lift more. As mentioned, I also have much better endurance and have dialed in my diet and supplements considerably better now. I feel a lot happier and calmer after I lift heavy, which helps me in many aspects of my life, and I might be slightly on the genetic freak side, but not by much. I don't think 43 is old anymore, but we'll see what I'm saying at 53 . Oh and challenging myself in the gym I find highly rewarding and fun. I know there are plenty of guys on here that are older and lift much much heavier.

40s physically is still alright, I think the 50s is where one really feels the decline. Your younger self definitely could've lifted more....just that your brain failed to tell him to do so.

[floridaorange]

Yes, that's another way of saying what I just said. 20's I was training for the sport I played in college, lacrosse. I don't play a sport now, so weights are my sport. But I also enjoy functional training these days, like kettlebell/bodyweight. Funny that kind of training actually helps me lift heavier.

[zx10guy]

This is a timely thread. Being 52, it's been a struggle for me to let go of the notion that I'm no longer young. It's hard because I have the Asian thing going where I look way younger than I am. Many peg me to be in my early 40s to late 30s. That said, I've been training weights and still try to go heavy. I've messed myself up a couple of months ago when I was starting to increase my max weights with benching and shoulder pressing. Then I screwed up my right shoulder (labrum injury) and have been paying the price since. It's tough with these leverage exercises as I'm 6'5". Also, have a nagging lower back issue which prevents me from doing any squats. So I supplement with leg presses. Been also trying to gain weight. I'm currently tipping the scales at around 207.

I used to play competitive volleyball too. Played on a travel team for 6 years going around the country and Canada playing tournaments. Played USAV for a few years B, BB, A level and later Bronze when USAV changed the level designations. Was named regional MVP when I played B level. But all the years of playing did a number on my right shoulder and lower back. These are currently issues I've been dealing with that prevents me from playing volleyball again. I chose not to play because I know I'll forget about my injuries and end up going all out on the court making things worse.

A couple of years ago, I had a performance assessment done by bicycling specialist to do a fitting to my bicycle. He was astonished with the level of performance I was able to generate through the measurements he collected. Said I was performing at a level few people could do that are not at the competitive level. That felt good.

Other things I've been doing to keep active is dancing. May sound weird for some but it's a good workout if you dance at a high skill level.

[br438]

Stronger in my 30s, yes. 40s... not as nimble or fast, but strength was not an issue... until mid-forties. The last half of the 40s has been... not as fun. Time is doing it's thing. I am learning to fight back smarter for the long haul.

Is this AI crawling to ident age ranges for fourm members? man... ha. kind-of funny, kind-of not. I'm not sure I'll ever feel free from machinations online or consuming media. It is as it has always been... just better.

ok.. whew... back to strength stuff.

[tcphoto]

I'm not as strong as I was in my 30's but as I approach 60, I am still fit and my cardio fitness is still in the high range according to Mr. Apple Watch. No one can stop the aging process but you can certainly fight it and have a high quality of life.

[floridaorange]

For me my mental strength wasn't as strong in my 20's-30's so I'm kind of uncovering the will to really push the my limits now at 43. The responses have helped me realize this is what is going on. So am I stronger now all around, yes, but can I put on muscle as easily as I once did, no way.

zx10guy have you gotten to the bottom of what the lower back pain is? Bulging disc maybe? I had a year of that, turned into sciatica pain, all stemming from improperly deadlifting using the smith machine - which was a massive oversight, but taught me a lot. Now I can deadlift and squat no problem. Strong abs, proper hip hinging, and actually deadlifts and squats keep my lower back from hurting these days.

[zx10guy]

Originally Posted by floridaorange

For me my mental strength wasn't as strong in my 20's-30's so I'm kind of uncovering the will to really push the my limits now at 43. The responses have helped me realize this is what is going on. So am I stronger now all around, yes, but can I put on muscle as easily as I once did, no way.

zx10guy have you gotten to the bottom of what the lower back pain is? Bulging disc maybe? I had a year of that, turned into sciatica pain, all stemming from improperly deadlifting using the smith machine - which was a massive oversight, but taught me a lot. Now I can deadlift and squat no problem. Strong abs, proper hip hinging, and actually deadlifts and squats keep my lower back from hurting these days.

There hasn't been a single cause per say. It was weird as about two years ago it just started hurting and has never fully healed. I think it's a combination of things. One is due to my height. I just have a lot of surface area and I can have issues with my joints and such. The other is due to all the years of me abusing my body from all the volleyball tournaments I've played. The jumping up in the air and landing was a significant toll on my body. Even when I was younger, I would be wincing from pain periodically after playing some games. Add all that up and I have confirmed disc degeneration that has been commented on by the radiologist on a few of my cancer follow up CT scans.

One thing that sort of helps is that I have neglected doing abs as part of my workout for years. I've only recently started doing abs again. Once I get my abs where I need them to be for more core support, I'll start thinking about maybe doing lower back work.

[UncleWede]

56, 40-years in the gym. Never was as big as gixxer, but I did peak in pure physical strength around 30. Combination of the age range, no commitments outside of myself, and a gym close at hand, living at the beach. Even had some hair on top of my head then.

Now that I've raised a family, and one without the real support from the wife to stay physically fit or eat right, there is no way I'm anywhere near as strong, or fast, as I once was. Still play soccer on Fridays, still run (slower) thru my 5Ks, and soon to fix the right shoulder so I can get back to lifting in the gym.

Like some on here, I've been spending most of my time when I do make it to the gym simply in the corner, on a mat, working core. I think back decades ago, seeing that "old dude" only doing core, and now I'm him

[floridaorange]

Originally Posted by UncleWede

I think back decades ago, seeing that "old dude" only doing core, and now I'm him

I hear ya!

I think our bodies are far more capable than we give them credit for, just have to stay committed and have a strong enough "why" helps. Glucosamine and Glutamine are your friend.