Hail to the Dinosaurs!
One of our older (age 60 or so) Dinos
had a question.
He's been training for pretty much his
entire life, he's in good health, and
he's always been pretty strong. He's
still pretty strong -- for example,
he pulls 405 pounds for two sets of
five reps in the deadlift.
He asked if he can expect BIG GAINS
given his current strength level, his
forty-plus years of training and his
age.
The answer depends on what you mean by
BIG GAINS.
If you're talking about adding fifty
pounds of muscle and hundreds of pounds
to your squat, bench press, and deadlift
(and fifty or more pounds to your press),
then, no, it's not going to happen.
Not after forty or fifty years of training.
The younger guys -- especially the newbies
or the guys who are new to serious Dino-style
training -- can do it. But the veterans have
already made those kind of fast, flashy
gains. They did it when they were coming
up the ladder.
An older lifter with many years of lifting
experience can make good gains, but they'll
be slower.
But for an older lifter, slow but steady
progress is pretty impressive.
Why?
Because most people stop training in their
teens or twenties. If you keep on training,
you are doing way better than most -- and
by age 50 or 60 you'll be so far ahead of
the other guys your age that's not even a
close contest.
I mean, just look at the other guys.
You look down, see a heavy barbell, and lift
it.
They look down, see nothing but a big belly,
and waddle off to the dinner table for a
couple of Blimpo Burgers, a double order of
Triple Size Me Fries and some sort of death
by sugar cola drink.
If they're SKINNY older guys instead of FAT
older guys, then the difference is this:
You toss heavy iron around like it was made
out of feathers.
They'd struggle to lift the feathers.
That's a pretty big difference -- and it's a
pretty good reason to keep on training. Your
training is what got you where you are today
(light years ahead of your peers), and it's
what's going to keep you there.
In my book, the gains you make in your fifties
and sixties -- or beyond -- are the ones that
count the most.
So whatever your age, keep on lifting -- and
keep on staying strong!
As always, thanks for reading and have a great
day. if you train today, make it a good one!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. Here's the best book ever written about
serious strength training and muscle building
for older lifters:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
P.S. 2. Many older trainees like to combine
weight training and bodyweight training -- and
they love the bodyweight exercises and workouts
in Dinosaur Bodyweight Training:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
P.S. 3. My other books and courses are right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 4. Thought for the Day: "The best way to stay
ahead of Father Time is to outlift him." -- Brooks
Kubik
