[Dutchman]

Originally Posted by Foster

Your body slowly declines from 20s to 60 and then after 60 it becomes a much sharper decline. It varies from person to person but there is no way you can be as fit at 60 as you could have been at 20. However, your body can be stronger and in better shape as you get older if your lvl of fitness when you're younger wasn't exceptional. It takes years to reach your genetic potential so someone in their 20s who is just starting might not reach their potential unless they train perfectly well into their 30s. Your body will decline in your 60s but that's no reason not to stay in shape. The older you keep exercising, the longer your quality of life will be higher than people who just sit around and think their life is older. EEmain, you're an inspiration to us all.

In general that's a true and accurate statement. However, as someone who never took any illegal drugs (for strength and fitness purposes....ahem!), who has seen a huge change in over the counter supplementation available, likewise in training methods, improvements in equipment and facilities that make lifting/cardio more doable and at a higher level than ever before.....after all that not inconsequential evolution in the art, I firmly believe that outside of the few "pros" of the old days for many of us "old farts" we did indeed improve over our earlier "best" efforts. Now do I have the speed and reactions of 21, heck no! But with all the resources available such as this site and the tons of advice contained therein, I am a smarter, more focused and purposeful lifter than ever before. Am I a candidate for a 500 lb BP....NO WAY! But can I dream about competing as a PL or BB on a high level statewide or even nationaly in my agegroup if I really want to? Yes. That good sir was not so readily available for the masses back when I started out with a broomstick and two paint cans filled with cement! What you know so readily....we had to learn and discover. Enjoy it for a lifetime!

[TimR]

Originally Posted by JimJames

While attending the Arnold Classic this past weekend I received a free book titled "Extreme Muscle Enhancement"... as I was reading through it, the author states that if you are past the age of 35 then you should give up trying to put on mass and concentrate on keeping what you have. Even drugs wouldn't help much.

As you can see, I am 35 and hope this isn't true. Does anyone have any other documented evidence that would dispel what this guy said?

Jim, apparently you did not read the book. I purchased the book also and after seeing your post (to be sure) I went through the book again, because what you said was not ringing any bells. The author of the book goes into great detail as to how much the older bodybuilder can expect to gain annually and gives extensive instruction on how to build muscle as one ages. Being an older body builder myself, I found this book to be quite inspiring to say the least. Are you sure you were talking about the same book?

[Taoseeker]

Originally Posted by JimJames

Taoseeker, can you tell me more about your cycle? I have used ph's for the last year and am getting ready to make the jump but would like to hear more results and how-to's. I will be reasrching the what's and how's but would like some imputs from someone like yourself.

Sorry it took so long to get back to you, I forgot about this thread. I did several cycles, some using Tren, Equipose, Deca, Enanthate, and Sustanon. Started with 500 mg Test and 400 Deca, worked up to 1 Gm+ of Test and 500+ Deca. Usually 8 week cycles.

I used Arimidex and Clomid after the cycle to kick off again. If I had it to do over, I would stay away from the Deca and do just straight Test. The Deca shuts you down hard and older BBers have a harder time recovering their natural Test production. I do think the cycles decreased my natural Test production prematurely. And, Arimidex shuts down your Estrogen level too far. I would use a milder Anti-E. Check your prostate (PSA), it will get elevated but not enough to cause alarm. I told my doctor what I was doing and he checked me for over with that in mind.

Older BBers that use large doses of Test are prone to BP elevation and water retention, so you have to watch out for that. Your HDL will go to hell. With those disclaimers, steroids do the same thing for a 60 year old that they do for a 20 year old; increase metabolism and anabolic processes. Your fat/muscle ration will change for the better and you can get big.

I have not seen any research, but I think this would work for an 80 year old also. Test builds muscle; much more with resistance work. So, no matter how old you are it will work. The sides would probably just get more troublesome. Check my profile and E-mail me if you have any other questions.

[Foster]

Originally Posted by EEmain

Did I miss something here?

Yeah, my ineptness. I meant dutchman. I typed it quick at work and I don't know how I typed the wrong name. Sorry about that. I'm sure you're an inspiration in your own right

[EEmain]

Originally Posted by Foster

Yeah, my ineptness. I meant dutchman. I typed it quick at work and I don't know how I typed the wrong name. Sorry about that. I'm sure you're an inspiration in your own right

[oldfart]

Originally Posted by JimJames

As you can see, I am 35 and hope this isn't true. Does anyone have any other documented evidence that would dispel what this guy said?

I did lift quite a bit in my 20's but took basically 10 years off before starting again at nearly 39. I am 42 now and if you saw me at 38 you would know for sure that this loser is DEAD WRONG!

[exnihilo]

Originally Posted by JimJames

While attending the Arnold Classic this past weekend I received a free book titled "Extreme Muscle Enhancement"... as I was reading through it, the author states that if you are past the age of 35 then you should give up trying to put on mass and concentrate on keeping what you have. Even drugs wouldn't help much.

As you can see, I am 35 and hope this isn't true. Does anyone have any other documented evidence that would dispel what this guy said?

Albert beckles competed in his last olympia at like 60 man...

[BigVrunga]

I'm going to turn 30 this year, and you know what ive got to say to time and 'getting older' and all that BS? BRING IT THE **** ON!!!!! Ill be in that freakin' squat rack till the week I leave this worthless planet.

[Zero Tolerance]

I think it's important to consider muscle memory here.. Maybe it Would be very difficult to build muscle after 35 or so if you've never trained before. Maybe at that point, if you've never trained before, you wouldn't gain very much. I'm going on 34 and it feels like, to me, that I can build muscle faster and easier than ever before. It seems strange.. But I was pretty big in my 20s so that's probably playing a major factor. I can probably gain a good amount of muscle to be bigger now than I was then - but had i never trained before and just started now... Know what I'm saying? Then again, everybody is different...

For example, "old fart" is pretty big guy. But my guess is that he was atleast close to this size when he was in his 20s. Laying off for 10 years and starting back up at 38 took hard work and muscle memory to catch back up to that kind of physical condition. Without ever training before, it might be impossible to get into his shape if training for the first time at 38...