How much of an issue in muscle development is age?

T

Traildoggie

Cathlete
I'm not looking for an excuse to not work out 'cause I'm "too old", but realistically, how big a factor is getting older? Should I be able to get as much muscle development at 60 that I did at 50? or 40? It seems a lot of older people who still work out seem to lose a lot of muscle mass. does muscle development drop off like cardiovascular capacity?
 
I'm not looking for an excuse to not work out 'cause I'm "too old", but realistically, how big a factor is getting older? Should I be able to get as much muscle development at 60 that I did at 50? or 40? It seems a lot of older people who still work out seem to lose a lot of muscle mass. does muscle development drop off like cardiovascular capacity?
 
I don't have a scientific answer for you. But thinking about it logically, I would say that the musculature you can build at age 30 as a female is way more than that which you can build at age 60.

For starters, after menopause, your body is busy replacing muscle tissue with fat due to declining estrogen levels. This process began back sometime in your late 30's and 40's anyway due to the natural aging process where women lose muscle mass yearly at a certain percentage rate.

Add to this the fact that as you age your body takes longer to repair itself and to recover from exercise and you probably metabolize proteins differently, certainly more slowly, and I should think you would have to work much harder to build and maintain muscle mass.

But, could you do it with concerted effort? I hope so and would give a tentative "maybe." But it certainly wouldn't be easy.

Clare
 
I don't have a scientific answer for you. But thinking about it logically, I would say that the musculature you can build at age 30 as a female is way more than that which you can build at age 60.

For starters, after menopause, your body is busy replacing muscle tissue with fat due to declining estrogen levels. This process began back sometime in your late 30's and 40's anyway due to the natural aging process where women lose muscle mass yearly at a certain percentage rate.

Add to this the fact that as you age your body takes longer to repair itself and to recover from exercise and you probably metabolize proteins differently, certainly more slowly, and I should think you would have to work much harder to build and maintain muscle mass.

But, could you do it with concerted effort? I hope so and would give a tentative "maybe." But it certainly wouldn't be easy.

Clare
 
I do think a 50 or 60 year old body that does work out with cardio and weights is going to look better than a sedentary 35 year old body.

I have no intention on giving up my fitness because I know although difficult, any effort I put into working out is time well spent.

I am 53 years old and holding....

Cheers!

Amy
 
I do think a 50 or 60 year old body that does work out with cardio and weights is going to look better than a sedentary 35 year old body.

I have no intention on giving up my fitness because I know although difficult, any effort I put into working out is time well spent.

I am 53 years old and holding....

Cheers!

Amy
 
Amy,

I agree with you except I'm almost 65 and I'm not giving up either.

Last week I spent 4 hours solid up on our roof shoveling snow before it caved in on us. Almost every 5 days out of the week I've spent shoveling 2 1/2-3 1/2 hours in my llama pens so they have a little room to roam and some around the house. If it wasn't for exercising 3 times a week, doing step aerobics, lifting weights, pilates, using my stabiltiy ball and bosu there is no way I could do what I do.

Sometimes being stubborn pays because as long as I can still do them I'm going to keep on doing them :D .

Darlene
 
Amy,

I agree with you except I'm almost 65 and I'm not giving up either.

Last week I spent 4 hours solid up on our roof shoveling snow before it caved in on us. Almost every 5 days out of the week I've spent shoveling 2 1/2-3 1/2 hours in my llama pens so they have a little room to roam and some around the house. If it wasn't for exercising 3 times a week, doing step aerobics, lifting weights, pilates, using my stabiltiy ball and bosu there is no way I could do what I do.

Sometimes being stubborn pays because as long as I can still do them I'm going to keep on doing them :D .

Darlene
 
"I do think a 50 or 60 year old body that does work out with cardio and weights is going to look better than a sedentary 35 year old body."

I agree, probably, it would depend upon the 35 year old body. However, my comments were made along the lines of "all things being equal". At least that was my understanding of the question.

So, "all things being equal" i.e. both 30 year old and 60 year old involved in serious cardio and lifting program, the 30 year old will develop muscle and build mass with greater ease.

We cannot stop the aging process, but a committed exercise regime certainly slows it down.

Clare
 
"I do think a 50 or 60 year old body that does work out with cardio and weights is going to look better than a sedentary 35 year old body."

I agree, probably, it would depend upon the 35 year old body. However, my comments were made along the lines of "all things being equal". At least that was my understanding of the question.

So, "all things being equal" i.e. both 30 year old and 60 year old involved in serious cardio and lifting program, the 30 year old will develop muscle and build mass with greater ease.

We cannot stop the aging process, but a committed exercise regime certainly slows it down.

Clare
 
Go to the Open Forum and look at the "Morjorie Newlin" who died and did not start weight lifting till she was in her 70's and take a look at her photos....As they say a picture says a thousand words.

That women in her 70's look fantantics and she has muscle mass...never too old.

Therese;)
 
Go to the Open Forum and look at the "Morjorie Newlin" who died and did not start weight lifting till she was in her 70's and take a look at her photos....As they say a picture says a thousand words.

That women in her 70's look fantantics and she has muscle mass...never too old.

Therese;)
 
One thing about getting older is it's harder to get the fat off! It sticks like glue! much more work than when I was 30. but I'll be 60 next month and am adding in more weights in hope of building some more arm/shoulder muscle although I look respectable now. Like I said, this was not a question to get out of hard trainng. I just want to set some realistic, achievable goals.
I think I know who Marjorie Newlin is, I didn't know she died. she looked fantastic.
 
One thing about getting older is it's harder to get the fat off! It sticks like glue! much more work than when I was 30. but I'll be 60 next month and am adding in more weights in hope of building some more arm/shoulder muscle although I look respectable now. Like I said, this was not a question to get out of hard trainng. I just want to set some realistic, achievable goals.
I think I know who Marjorie Newlin is, I didn't know she died. she looked fantastic.
 
"Like I said, this was not a question to get out of hard training. "

Oh, absolutely, I never suspected otherwise! No, I was just responding to your post in a very theoretical manner. I am certainly no physiology researcher and just wrote what seemed logical to me.

But, my intent was never to disappoint you nor discourage you from your training and hard work! Instead let me say that you are in fact an inspiration! I really hope I am still lifting hard and trying to be my best at 60, as you are. More power to you!

Best,

Clare
 
"Like I said, this was not a question to get out of hard training. "

Oh, absolutely, I never suspected otherwise! No, I was just responding to your post in a very theoretical manner. I am certainly no physiology researcher and just wrote what seemed logical to me.

But, my intent was never to disappoint you nor discourage you from your training and hard work! Instead let me say that you are in fact an inspiration! I really hope I am still lifting hard and trying to be my best at 60, as you are. More power to you!

Best,

Clare
 
Hi Traildoggey! I'm 54 years old & I don't see myself stopping anytime soon. The only difference is is that you need to stretch more to work out all the "kinks" that start to develop from age & you need to "listen" to your body if it happens to need more recovery time.

I went 2 years ago to a fitness camp where the women were mostly young 20's to early 40's. They were completely flabbergasted when they discovered my age. Their mouths flew open & their eyes popped out! Jen told me I'm her inspiration. The women noticed that not only could I outrun them but certainly surpassed them in the weight room. I worked out side-by-side w/Jen Hendershott, who's a fitness competitor.

If Morjorie Newlin could do it at the age of 70 when she started & was still working out in the gym even though she had leukemia, then so can I & so can you! YAY for us "older" women!!!:7 WE ROCK! Kathy
 
Hi Traildoggey! I'm 54 years old & I don't see myself stopping anytime soon. The only difference is is that you need to stretch more to work out all the "kinks" that start to develop from age & you need to "listen" to your body if it happens to need more recovery time.

I went 2 years ago to a fitness camp where the women were mostly young 20's to early 40's. They were completely flabbergasted when they discovered my age. Their mouths flew open & their eyes popped out! Jen told me I'm her inspiration. The women noticed that not only could I outrun them but certainly surpassed them in the weight room. I worked out side-by-side w/Jen Hendershott, who's a fitness competitor.

If Morjorie Newlin could do it at the age of 70 when she started & was still working out in the gym even though she had leukemia, then so can I & so can you! YAY for us "older" women!!!:7 WE ROCK! Kathy
 
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