At what age do you need to back off?

[malfeasance]

I will turn 60 in the year 2027.

LOL

I still train hard, but not as hard as I did even a few years ago. I do a lot less volume, and I avoid things like barbell bench, incline or decline press (guaranteed injury and weeks out of the gym).

The issue I am having is that things hurt. I have always found ways to work around the issues in the past, such as ditching flat bench barbell (my favorite when I was younger), but I am having more trouble lately.

Examples - leg press and knees. Ow. 8 plates on each side, and this is a working weight for about 15 reps. Don't laugh, I know a lot of you might laugh at that weight, but for me it is heavy, and that is an intense 15 reps. That gives my legs good stimulation, but the issue I am getting is that my knees hurt, like badly, for at least a day after.

Dumb bell bench (very slight incline, almost flat). 120s - again, don't laugh, but for me that for me is heavy enough to fail at around 9-10 reps. Today around rep 8 I felt a little something wrong in my upper pec/shoulder on rep 8, just a little something, but it hurt worse on rep 9, so I stopped. I then found all the rest of my chest exercises hurt even with warm up weights, so I went on to shoulders and triceps without working my chest further. It remains to be seen how it will feel later.

Triceps - I have been having a big issue with my elbow. It does not seem to matter what I do, except lower the weight down to where the muscle is not really getting a workout. I did that for months, thinking of it as rehab for my elbow, but as soon as I ever so slowly get up to a working weight again, where I can hit failure at around 15 reps, the pain reappears (although, oddly, after shorting my chest workout today, I was able to work my triceps on the cable pushdown with a working weight with no elbow pain, so a glimmer of hope here).

My point is that it is frustrating to hurt everywhere.

Is this just an age thing? Not having been this old before, it is hard for me to tell. Nobody else in my gym anywhere around my age is pushing the kind of weights I do - I had to buy the dumb bells because the gym's did not go high enough. I do not work out in a serious gym with bodybuilders and powerlifters, so I am not surrounded by strong folks, and to be honest I do not know what to expect at my age.

I have been on a cut and have my weight down to its lowest in years - 215, but I really do not think that is related.

Is it time to "maintain?" The truth is I cannot maintain with less weight. Maintaining would be where I am now, right?

Share your thoughts, especially if you are late fifties or 60s or already past that and have any advice.

 

[bob357sig]

55 here. Only thing I can contribute is that stopping, or throwing in the towel is the worse thing to do. Any family history of arthritis or autoimmune diseases? If so definitely get a checkup. I know now that I can’t do or lift what I could even 5 or 6 years ago, I tore my pec trying to prove that point. I take advantage of using anything that helps protect my joints, like elbow and knee sleeves, wrist wraps, exc. I don’t mind the idea of getting old, i just don’t want to be old and crippled or sick. Can’t stop time but while I’m here I want to do what I want, including PED’s.

 

[Sickxlost]

When is the last time you just took 2 weeks off to fully rest and repair?

You may need some time off and some massages. Not saying that is the fix all but after beating the hell out of myself for months and months I have to force myself to take a few days off in a row to recover. And man, do I feel much better walking in the gym that 3rd or 4th day

 

[Flathead Fred]

57 here, I know the feeling brother. My wife says to accept the new norm but I don’t like it so the modifications I’ve made are doing more isometric holds for the exercises that hurt.

I can no longer squat, hell body squats hurt and even the leg press machine aggravates my knees so now I use lighter weight, slow down, pause and hold at the angle right before aggravation and fight to hold for 39 seconds+. Now I’m doing this method with most exercises because most things hurt. It’s humbling and looks goofy as fuck and you’ll lose strength but maintain mass.

Being enhanced helps and I wouldn’t recommend this to a newby but as an old meathead this is part of the retreat but better than surrendering.

 

[malfeasance]

I tore my pec trying to prove that point.

Ugh, yeah, I guess that is my biggest concern. If I am injured at this age, I will probably never get back to even where I am now after the recovery time from surgery and whatever.

When is the last time you just took 2 weeks off to fully rest and repair?

You may need some time off and some massages. Not saying that is the fix all but after beating the hell out of myself for months and months I have to force myself to take a few days off in a row to recover. And man, do I feel much better walking in the gym that 3rd or 4th day

I take time off all the time due to work schedules, and, sure, my aches and pains diminish or even go away. But when I get back in the gym, as the weight goes up, they return. If I do not increase the resistance, I am sort of thinking what is the point?

57 here, I know the feeling brother. My wife says to accept the new norm but I don’t like it so the modifications I’ve made are doing more isometric holds for the exercises that hurt.

I can no longer squat, hell body squats hurt and even the leg press machine aggravates my knees so now I use lighter weight, slow down, pause and hold at the angle right before aggravation and fight to hold for 39 seconds+. Now I’m doing this method with most exercises because most things hurt. It’s humbling and looks goofy as fuck and you’ll lose strength but maintain mass.

Being enhanced helps and I wouldn’t recommend this to a newby but as an old meathead this is part of the retreat but better than surrendering.

Sorry to hear all of this.

I already downsized due to age and health concerns intentionally. I was 251 three years ago. Now I am 215 (reversed the last two numbers, LOL). I even took 9 months off from the gym to help lower my bodyweight. Now, however, I am almost as strong as I was at 251, and I still get comments from normies even when dressed professionally ("wow, you must spend a lot of time in the gym" sort of comments).

But I feel like something is very qualitatively different than even 4-5 years ago, when things hurt sometimes, and I had to work around some things, but this is on a different level.

I still remember being in my 30s and loading up a barbell to bench press for 5 reps and feeling no pain at a weight that would cause me to fail on the 6th rep.

I get it, those days are gone, but I am just wondering if this is the new normal. Is it normal for others at this age? Like needing the cheap $7 reading glasses from the pharmacy section at Walmart to read the instructions on a bottle of Tylenol.

 

[Sickxlost]

Ugh, yeah, I guess that is my biggest concern. If I am injured at this age, I will probably never get back to even where I am now after the recovery time from surgery and whatever.



I take time off all the time due to work schedules, and, sure, my aches and pains diminish or even go away. But when I get back in the gym, as the weight goes up, they return. If I do not increase the resistance, I am sort of thinking what is the point?


Sorry to hear all of this.

I already downsized due to age and health concerns intentionally. I was 251 three years ago. Now I am 215 (reversed the last two numbers, LOL). I even took 9 months off from the gym to help lower my bodyweight. Now, however, I am almost as strong as I was at 251, and I still get comments from normies even when dressed professionally ("wow, you must spend a lot of time in the gym" sort of comments).

But I feel like something is very qualitatively different than even 4-5 years ago, when things hurt sometimes, and I had to work around some things, but this is on a different level.

I still remember being in my 30s and loading up a barbell to bench press for 5 reps and feeling no pain at a weight that would cause me to fail on the 6th rep.

I get it, those days are gone, but I am just wondering if this is the new normal. Is it normal for others at this age? Like needing the cheap $7 reading glasses from the pharmacy section at Walmart to read the instructions on a bottle of Tylenol.

Less weight more reps. I curb 45 lbs but I can get a crazy pump with 20lbs. Just slow and controlled make it burn. Going down in weight is not the end of the world

 

[narta]

Lower the weight, don't push hard, enjoy life more.

Yeah its frustrating getting old, but at some point you just need to move some weight and that's all it matters.

 

[Benf15harp]

Y O G A

 

[bob357sig]

Ugh, yeah, I guess that is my biggest concern. If I am injured at this age, I will probably never get back to even where I am now after the recovery time from surgery and whatever.



I take time off all the time due to work schedules, and, sure, my aches and pains diminish or even go away. But when I get back in the gym, as the weight goes up, they return. If I do not increase the resistance, I am sort of thinking what is the point?


Sorry to hear all of this.

I already downsized due to age and health concerns intentionally. I was 251 three years ago. Now I am 215 (reversed the last two numbers, LOL). I even took 9 months off from the gym to help lower my bodyweight. Now, however, I am almost as strong as I was at 251, and I still get comments from normies even when dressed professionally ("wow, you must spend a lot of time in the gym" sort of comments).

But I feel like something is very qualitatively different than even 4-5 years ago, when things hurt sometimes, and I had to work around some things, but this is on a different level.

I still remember being in my 30s and loading up a barbell to bench press for 5 reps and feeling no pain at a weight that would cause me to fail on the 6th rep.

I get it, those days are gone, but I am just wondering if this is the new normal. Is it normal for others at this age? Like needing the cheap $7 reading glasses from the pharmacy section at Walmart to read the instructions on a bottle of Tylenol.

Lol. Im wearing my $1.50 reading glasses from Dollar Tree to read this forum right now.

 

[BigDadd7]

Time for jazzercise with the ladies at the community center

 

[Bumpygooch]

I’ll be 52 in July. Probably the biggest/strongest I’ve been. There are some pics in pic thread. I’ve had spine surgery, I’ve had shoulder surgery(destroyed it benching), and it hasn’t really gotten in my way. Don’t touch barbells or dumbbells anymore. Straight plate loaded machines/smith and cable machines. Seems to me you’re doing way too much volume. Sounds counterintuitive, but, I’ve adopted the heavier load, less rep model and my joint pain has actually decreased. Get sleeves for elbows/knees, and spend up on them, I love the inzer velcro. Has alleviated most of my knee and elbow pain and contributes greatly to stability.

 

[buck]

Yes it is likley an age thing from my perspective. I am 65. with 52 years of working out with about 45+ of those years being focused on weight training.
I use the equipment that doesn't aggravate my joints. High intensity and heavy weights are in the past i tend to do more volume and train each muscle more often then years/decades ago. I find as time goes on things spiral down at a faster rate. It sucks but that is the way it is. I change all my variables to what works with what i have. For example I was leg pressing 900 pounds as a 17 year old, these days i can push the 8 plates you mentioned and it feels light as i used to do far more for decades. But my hips and lumbar are quite unhappy for some time. So now i squat using the machines as heavy as i can as that doesn't aggravate me. And use a horizontal leg press that is a little like a pendulum press. When the time comes that doesn't work i will change to something else. Cartilage will wear down the fastest in the areas we use it the most. And that changes things. Imagine a ball with a flat spot rolling around and the flat spot gets gigger over time. And once that happens things definitely hurt more and things will degrade even faster. Such is the life we choose for our selves.

 

[bigead]

54 here, I do not lift as heavy the last 2 years. I do add more volume. I feel it though elbows, hips

 

[Grey Spartan]

Increase your Test, add some deca, take 2 aspirin, and call me in the morning. lol. Sounds like your strong AF to me, but I can relate to always feeling pain. I take more time off and just deal with it.

 

[Bigoldguy]

61 here. I guess Im backwards compared to a lot of this. Ive gone lower volume but as intense as my old body will let me I give myself a lot more rest and Im starting to make decent gains again. I agree with most on avoiding things that hurt too much. Squats and deads are a thing of the past (thank you back and knees). Do what you can, as best you, for as long as you can...we cant outrun father time but we can try to stay ahead of the bastard as long as possible!

 

[fw190jd]

I will turn 60 in the year 2027.

LOL

I still train hard, but not as hard as I did even a few years ago. I do a lot less volume, and I avoid things like barbell bench, incline or decline press (guaranteed injury and weeks out of the gym).

The issue I am having is that things hurt. I have always found ways to work around the issues in the past, such as ditching flat bench barbell (my favorite when I was younger), but I am having more trouble lately.

Examples - leg press and knees. Ow. 8 plates on each side, and this is a working weight for about 15 reps. Don't laugh, I know a lot of you might laugh at that weight, but for me it is heavy, and that is an intense 15 reps. That gives my legs good stimulation, but the issue I am getting is that my knees hurt, like badly, for at least a day after.

Dumb bell bench (very slight incline, almost flat). 120s - again, don't laugh, but for me that for me is heavy enough to fail at around 9-10 reps. Today around rep 8 I felt a little something wrong in my upper pec/shoulder on rep 8, just a little something, but it hurt worse on rep 9, so I stopped. I then found all the rest of my chest exercises hurt even with warm up weights, so I went on to shoulders and triceps without working my chest further. It remains to be seen how it will feel later.

Triceps - I have been having a big issue with my elbow. It does not seem to matter what I do, except lower the weight down to where the muscle is not really getting a workout. I did that for months, thinking of it as rehab for my elbow, but as soon as I ever so slowly get up to a working weight again, where I can hit failure at around 15 reps, the pain reappears (although, oddly, after shorting my chest workout today, I was able to work my triceps on the cable pushdown with a working weight with no elbow pain, so a glimmer of hope here).

My point is that it is frustrating to hurt everywhere.

Is this just an age thing? Not having been this old before, it is hard for me to tell. Nobody else in my gym anywhere around my age is pushing the kind of weights I do - I had to buy the dumb bells because the gym's did not go high enough. I do not work out in a serious gym with bodybuilders and powerlifters, so I am not surrounded by strong folks, and to be honest I do not know what to expect at my age.

I have been on a cut and have my weight down to its lowest in years - 215, but I really do not think that is related.

Is it time to "maintain?" The truth is I cannot maintain with less weight. Maintaining would be where I am now, right?

Share your thoughts, especially if you are late fifties or 60s or already past that and have any advice.

63 here, I'm in the gym 5 days a week pushing for higher gains the muscles aren't the problems it's the joints, they wear out of of course everybody's different and some can go longer than others. Our joints ligaments and tendons we're never meant to do the things that we do in the gym on a regular basis the fact that we are even able to do it at the intensity and duration is just a testimony of how incredible the human body is. I'm new to this steroid forum but not new to Fitness. I used to run 6 to 10 MI 5 days a week and enjoyed it. I can't run a mile now without my knees not being able to tolerate it we're not even going to talk about the next day. I moved on to spending more time bodybuilding why not? It's fun I enjoy it very much. And I like the way my body responds and I feel like I've gained 10 years backwards or more I'm doing more in the gym now than I did when I was at 33. But I appreciate your thoughts nobody likes going backwards, but it's not really going backwards all things are relative.

 

[KapnKrunch]

what would Jack LaLane do?

 

[fw190jd]

That's a great point I love Jack LaLanne,he did steroids he could easily win Mr Universe, ..ha,ha

 

[Tbaz192]

Y O G A

I’m starting this once I get back into the gym. Hopefully soon, it’s been months.
Used to have to do Yoga with baseball.
It was honestly a game changers in keeping mobile and healthy
& im only 27.

 

[YatesIsBased]

If you're asking about backing off training or intensity, I'd say keep it up as long as it makes you happy and keep the intensity as high as you can tolerate without causing actual damage. But if you're referring to backing off the gear, idk. Great question. I'd be interested to hear everyone's thoughts on that too.

I'm 55 and recently thought it was all over due to a poor blood test result. Turned out my kidneys are ok, but it did cause me to reconsider my risk/reward stance and what my goals should be as I get older.

Like everything in life, you must keep a balance.

BTW - I took a month off the gym and PEDs prior to rechecking bloods. Upon good results i'm back on 500 test and 135 NPP, (with 20 Dbol PWO for two weeks just because it feels great!) LOL.