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Barbell Barbell over 50: Easier to do more than less

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WxHerk said:
W0W. Just think of what Dorian's pre-increase volume already was.

I don't care what he was taking: the man was voracious.

Most impressive to me is that he seems perfectly content that those days are behind him.
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It seems like the guys who win Mr Olympia do a better at hanging up their hats than the guys who try and try and try and never make it, and then finally it's been too long and their body and mental health is broken.
 
watchnerd said:
It seems like the guys who win Mr Olympia do a better at hanging up their hats than the guys who try and try and try and never make it, and then finally it's been too long and their body and mental health is broken.
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I was having an online conversation just the other day to the effect of it's a wonder the starvation dieting, dehydration, diuretics and other drugs don't kill more pros than they do.
 
Boris Bachmann said:
I was having an online conversation just the other day to the effect of it's a wonder the starvation dieting, dehydration, diuretics and other drugs don't kill more pros than they do.
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Here are Frank Zane's thoughts on the matter:

In the last two years, there have been a frightening number of deaths shaking the sport’s foundation. Former Mr. Olympia Shawn Rhoden and George Peterson both died before 2021 Mr. Olympia could take place. And as of this year, that trend continued. In March, steroid enthusiast Bostin Loyd died at 29, and Cedric McMillan passed away at 44.
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“I think they’re [bodybuilders today] getting bad advice from somebody and they’re overdoing it. Their blood pressure goes through the roof, and something happens. My motto has always been take your time and do a good job.

Let your bodybuilding career last over time and improve incrementally. Not all at once.

If you take a lot of drugs, you can get big real fast, but it’s not quality. It’s just piling muscle on without any kind of plan — bad idea,” Frank Zane said. “I agree, I think it’s dumb but they’re going to do what they’re going to do.
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fitnessvolt.com

Frank Zane Talks Bodybuilding Deaths and If Mike O'Hearn Is Natural: 'A Lot of People Don't Admit It' – Fitness Volt

Retired pro Frank Zane discussed Mike O'Hearn's lifetime claim of being natural and gave his thoughts on how steroids have changed the sport.
fitnessvolt.com fitnessvolt.com
 
Boris Bachmann said:
"steroid enthusiast"... What the heck?
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I guess it's because he was so open about it, an advocate, released his stack online, etc.

At just 21 years old, Loyd won the NPC Contra Costa, in Hollywood CA. Following the big victory, Loyd believes that he was the first notable and competitive bodybuilder to release his full steroid cycle to the public. The bodybuilder always held honesty in high regard during his career.

Despite receiving hate online for his controversial views about the sport he loves, Loyd always underlined that truth in bodybuilding is paramount to evolution. Part of the reason he divulged such information was to force athletes and fans to better understand why things like protein powder, supplements, and exercising would not be enough to achieve an elite bodybuilding physique.
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watchnerd said:
Over age 50, I've found a few things that seem to fly in the face of conventional wisdom.

Note, these might be particular to me, but here they are:

  • I do better now with 4 days a week of barbell training than 3 days a week. I need less warm up time, my mobility is better, I'm less stiff, and I get less sore.
  • My ability to recover from intensity isn't what it used to be, but volume isn't as much of a problem. So I respond better with dropping the intensity, but ramping up the volume. [Note: this is the opposite of what Rippetoe has said recently, but he doesn't look so healthy these days]
  • Because my intensity is less, my active recovery days can be more active. More cardio, less foam rolling
  • Lifting more frequently seems to keep my joints more lubed. I have hardly any crunches, pops, or crackles.
  • Neural drive on high skill / CNS demanding movements is better. I feel more 'primed' and able to do more practice before hitting CNS fatigue.
  • Sleep is better. I have a reason to be tired at the end of the day.
In contrast, if I barbell lift 3 days a week, everything is a bit harder and takes more effort.

And if I lift only 2 days, it's a downright chore.
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I just turned 50 a few weeks back. And I find myself gravitating more and more towards a high frequency, low intrasession volume, low fatigue scheduled practice.

My current training could be described as a glorified warm-up to a moderately heavy single ( a “sorta max” for the day in Dan John’s lingo), then use that as a gauge to calibrate the next five to ten reps at a lower weight, depending on how I feel.

Sometimes I will do five singles, sometimes I will do two sets of five or three sets of three and, on occasion, I will complete a set of ten. Or anything in between.

The only important thing is that I always try to make a deliberate point of ending each and every session fresh enough to be able to repeat it on the spot, if I was so inclined.
 
Boris Bachmann said:
I kinda figured. Heck of an epitaph.
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No kidding.

I don't know enough about bodybuilding tournaments and rankings, but it may also be related to if some has or hasn't earned their IFBB Pro card.

i.e. in bodybuilding circles are you not allowed to really call yourself a "bodybuilder" if you don't have a Pro card?

Because I've met oodles of meathead "steroid enthusiasts" who were big swole dudes, but who never entered a local competition, let alone won anything, because "I'm just gonna bulk more till I'm ready, bro".
 
Following the big victory, Loyd believes that he was the first notable and competitive bodybuilder to release his full steroid cycle to the public.
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Isn't possession of anabolic steroids actually illegal in the United States? Isn't such a declaration more or less an invitation to the police to raid your house?
 
TimothyGander said:
Isn't possession of anabolic steroids actually illegal in the United States? Isn't such a declaration more or less an invitation to the police to raid your house?
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It’s like admitting smoking marijuana on TV, I’m not sure anyone really cares any more. Certainly not enough to get a search warrant
 
I'm getting more and more bored when I have to go to the gym. I have moments when I feel like working out, but lately I haven't felt like barbell training. I also want to lose weight and knowing that my barbell strength may drop I mentally adjust that there is no point in putting in the effort just to maintain my current level. And I want to lose a lot of weight, which is about 20 kg. Maybe I should focus more on bodyweight and KB training. I'm tired of the barbells, and the heavy KBs hurt my arms more :) But I'll adjust the technique and warm up more.
 
WxHerk said:
Diet. The training modality or program is not nearly as important as what you are (and are not) eating.
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I know this and there is no dispute about it :) But if I train in a way that builds strength and induces muscle growth and I put in effort, and at the same time the strength decreases and the muscles get smaller, I find that for thoughtless. I don't know, I could be wrong, but I think with KB it's much easier to build strength and endurance and progress in those two things while burning fat at the same time. And like I said, lately I've gotten more and more tired of lifting weights. My mobility is very bad and I think I need to spend more time improving in this direction. My stamina is also bad. Ever since I was a kid, I noticed that I was better at races that ended quickly. Running sprint and swimming sprint. I was much better there than my classmates, who ran and swam more easily than me at longer distances. And we were on the same level in terms of how much we trained. I haven't trained more than them in the sprints of running or swimming. And at my age it's nice to have more stamina and mobility.
 
Dydo said:
I'm getting more and more bored when I have to go to the gym. I have moments when I feel like working out, but lately I haven't felt like barbell training. I also want to lose weight and knowing that my barbell strength may drop I mentally adjust that there is no point in putting in the effort just to maintain my current level. And I want to lose a lot of weight, which is about 20 kg. Maybe I should focus more on bodyweight and KB training. I'm tired of the barbells, and the heavy KBs hurt my arms more :) But I'll adjust the technique and warm up more.
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As we are discussing walking in another thread, don't forget to have some long, easy distance in your program as well. Perhaps you are lacking a restorative practice, or perhaps you're just plain lacking some time off from resistance training.

As to gaining and losing strength, it's perfectly natural for one's strength to increase and decrease, e.g., I haven't been deadlifting seriously since my competition about a month ago, and no doubt my deadlift 1RM is not up to what I pulled at the competition. Whatever you lose can be regained.

-S-
 
Steve Freides said:
As to gaining and losing strength, it's perfectly natural for one's strength to increase and decrease,

-S-
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Isn't this the truth....this whole game is like the "Little Dutch Boy" trying to plug 10 leaks with 11 fingers. When you change your focus, or even your eating, at least one of your numbers will drop. I've rucked/dieted 18 lbs away in the past couple months. I'm sure the next time I try to snatch the 32kg it will have somehow "gained" ~10kg....!!
 
WxHerk said:
Isn't this the truth....this whole game is like the "Little Dutch Boy" trying to plug 10 leaks with 11 fingers. When you change your focus, or even your eating, at least one of your numbers will drop. I've rucked/dieted 18 lbs away in the past couple months. I'm sure the next time I try to snatch the 32kg it will have somehow "gained" ~10kg....!!
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As I get older I tend to lean a bit more towards motor, a bit.
 
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