can I still gain muscle at the age of 38

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Replies

  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
    Age has little bearing on building muscle it comes down to your own God given genetics.

    While it's all in the stars and it certainly helps if you have a good physique to start with. No way can you gain or carry anywhere near as much mass at 38 that you could when you where younger.

    You don't gain nearly as quickly, and need to put more work in, but there are a decent amount of people that didn't start lifting until in their dotage (which is apparently > 38 yrs old) and manage to put on a lot of muscle. Certainly enough that if you didn't ask them when they started lifting you'd think it was in their teens/twenties.

    Is it as much as if they'd have started at 20? Who knows. Never seen a study on the subject.
  • NextPage
    NextPage Posts: 609 Member
    Ernestine Shepherd didn't start working out until she was in her 50's. Now she's in her 70's. Girl, didn't let age stop her. BTW, I'm building muscle at 47, Ernestine and other women like her are my inspiration.


    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/27/ernestine-shepherd-bodybuilder_n_5037892.html

    Thank you so much for posting this - now these women are also my inspiration!
  • Greyspectre
    Greyspectre Posts: 5 Member
    Men who are older then you have competed in Olympic Gymnastics. You can still be very fit and very health at your age.
  • macchiatto
    macchiatto Posts: 2,890 Member
    I'm 38 and just starting NROLFW and have every intention of gaining muscle. :) (I'd better; I have very little! ;))
  • martinel2099
    martinel2099 Posts: 899 Member
    Yes. My friend's dad started when he was your age and 30 years later he looks amazing. I honestly think he looks late 40's early 50's and I know he's in his mid 60's.
  • I_need_moar_musclez
    I_need_moar_musclez Posts: 499 Member
    Yes. My friend's dad started when he was your age and 30 years later he looks amazing. I honestly think he looks late 40's early 50's and I know he's in his mid 60's.

    This gives me hope. Thanks for posting this.
  • TiberiusClaudis
    TiberiusClaudis Posts: 423 Member
    Yes. I'm 48...and I'm in better shape than when I was 38, 28 or 18. I was in great shape in my teens and 20s.
  • raindawg
    raindawg Posts: 348 Member
    Well I hope so because I'm trying to at 47.
  • marvybells
    marvybells Posts: 1,984 Member
    No. Life is over at 38 and you should take up some more suitable activity for an old person like darts or poker.

    Steady. You can put your back out throwing darts. Remember to warm up before playing darts if you're over 35.

    jeepers, sounds risky. think i will stick to playing cards...
  • kelly_e_montana
    kelly_e_montana Posts: 1,999 Member
    yes...41 year old lady beast-in-training here. :flowerforyou:

    Just did my first Crossfit competition last week, came in 2nd in my division (no age categories in this one). Person who beat me was about my age. The people we beat were in their 20s. Doing first powerlifting comp in August!
  • midas1022
    midas1022 Posts: 151
    I am in my 40s and have lifted all of my life and can give you a really good perspective. As you hit around 38 your testosterone levels are going to start to noticeably drop. You won't recover as quickly as you did before. You have more responsibilitys now your time is more limited. You start to ache more and your sleep will not be as good. NOW the good part. You are a lot smarter. Working hard and working smart are two different things. When your young you can do anything and eat anything and get results. Your older now and smarter now. I wasted years eating and lifting the wrong way. I was ignorant. Now I am older and a lot smarter. I plan my workouts out to get maximum results. I eat the correct way and know why. I don't chase fitness stories and keep changing things up because of the latest and greatest new thing. Work on yourself. Your body has most likely taken years of abuse. Give it time to recover and you will see great results. Working out will make you look younger. Everything works better when you get over the initial hump. Yes you can get great results but work smarter.
  • jesiann2014
    jesiann2014 Posts: 521 Member
    I'm 40. My 20's and 30's were all about cardio. Sweat, Sweat, Sweat, heart rate up, up , up! I have NEVER looked better than i do TODAY as I type this reply. Began weights about 5 months ago. If I had known then what i know now...
  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
    I am in my 40s and have lifted all of my life and can give you a really good perspective. As you hit around 38 your testosterone levels are going to start to noticeably drop. You won't recover as quickly as you did before. You have more responsibilitys now your time is more limited. You start to ache more and your sleep will not be as good. NOW the good part. You are a lot smarter. Working hard and working smart are two different things. When your young you can do anything and eat anything and get results. Your older now and smarter now. I wasted years eating and lifting the wrong way. I was ignorant. Now I am older and a lot smarter. I plan my workouts out to get maximum results. I eat the correct way and know why. I don't chase fitness stories and keep changing things up because of the latest and greatest new thing. Work on yourself. Your body has most likely taken years of abuse. Give it time to recover and you will see great results. Working out will make you look younger. Everything works better when you get over the initial hump. Yes you can get great results but work smarter.
    I have heard people say this happens at 25, at 30, at 35 now the magic number for every man on the planet is 38 are you sure it isn't 39?
  • healthygreek
    healthygreek Posts: 2,137 Member
    Age has little bearing on building muscle it comes down to your own God given genetics.

    Ehhhh I'd say age has quite a bit to do with building muscle but that said, you can def still build muscle at age 38.
    I'm age 60-not old and decrepid at all and building some nice muscles all over my arms and legs!
  • MysteriousMerlin
    MysteriousMerlin Posts: 2,270 Member
    Lol...I hope so, I just turned 37.
  • tedrickp
    tedrickp Posts: 1,229 Member
    Age has little bearing on building muscle it comes down to your own God given genetics.

    Ehhhh I'd say age has quite a bit to do with building muscle but that said, you can def still build muscle at age 38.
    I'm age 60-not old and decrepid at all and building some nice muscles all over my arms and legs!

    Oh don't get me wrong - I think any age can build muscle! I also applaud your efforts :drinker:

    I just wish I had been working out as hard as I am now when I was 18 hahaha.

    I made that comment because I thought that people naturally lost testosterone as they aged, but since I made that post I have read into it - and a couple things I came across have me wondering if testosterone loss might have more to with lifestyle choices than age.
  • p8liwag
    p8liwag Posts: 919 Member
    Geez I hope so .. I'm in my 30's and trying to tone and gain some muscle :-)
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    <
    45 yrs old.
  • Rabid_Hamster
    Rabid_Hamster Posts: 338 Member
    the age your testosterone levels drop will vary by genetic factors.. but the 25 is uncommon. 35-45 is common.
  • momma2azoo
    momma2azoo Posts: 50 Member
    Nope, you are ancient and over the hill and completely beyond hope!! :)

    Me, I'm only 37. You should see the awesome muscle I'm building from biking up hills on hard pack gravel roads and running. I'm just a wee spring chicken muscle building machine!!

    Seriously though, you can build muscle till the day you die. As you age you won't be able to build like you can when you are young. However, any muscle put into use and strained will respond by becoming stronger. Building muscle is just a well used, damaged muscle repairing its self. The body repairs its self till the end.
  • realbellamara
    realbellamara Posts: 6 Member
    That is such a silly question, I think.
    why would you feel as though 38 ,48 , 58 or any age for that matter is a hindrance to anything, it is only a number!!
  • radiosilents
    radiosilents Posts: 223 Member
    My gosh, I sure hope so! Let's ask my trainer at the gym, who is 48 and totally ripped and enters bodybuilding competitions. :)
  • pope66682
    pope66682 Posts: 249 Member
    Is this a serious question?
  • loriemn
    loriemn Posts: 292 Member
    Dude, I'm 38, have a black belt in kung fu, and can beat my teenage student athletes in a sprinting race up 11 flights of stairs. Also, I'm a woman, had a baby a year and a half ago, and am in the best goddamn shape of my life, with muscles like you wouldn't believe. Age is no excuse. It does get harder as you get older, but if you're willing to work you can achieve whatever you want.

    Also, if you start now, you'll be healthier and in better shape as you age. By the time you're old and decrepit, it's too late.
    you rock!!!!
  • devil_in_a_blue_dress
    devil_in_a_blue_dress Posts: 5,214 Member
    That ability is lost at 37.
  • SoLongAndThanksForAllTheFish
    SoLongAndThanksForAllTheFish Posts: 831 Member
    No way!, first I learn on MFP that when I gain 50lbs of strength in 5 weeks over several lifts while losing 10.4lbs that not any of it is muscle, now I find I cant ever build any muscle anyways since I''m over 38! :'(

    I'm sure glad my mind can lift weights, by process of elimination it must be the reason, right? I think this means you just need to continue telekenetic exercise once over 38 years.
  • JonnyQwest
    JonnyQwest Posts: 174 Member
    This guy started lifting at 44........now 71.
    So much for not being able to gain after a certain age
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKJaZDGVNWA
    That was AWESOME!!! Thanks for posting!
  • larrodarro
    larrodarro Posts: 2,512 Member
    I'm 53 and have only been lifting about 3 or 4 months. While the change is not dramatic, I can tell I'm getting bigger, firmer muscles. But I stay within the bounds my old bones dictate. Some days I do less than planned because of joint pain.
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
    Yes. No.
  • Onderwoman
    Onderwoman Posts: 130
    No way!, first I learn on MFP that when I gain 50lbs of strength in 5 weeks over several lifts while losing 10.4lbs that not any of it is muscle, now I find I cant ever build any muscle anyways since I''m over 38! :'(

    I'm sure glad my mind can lift weights, by process of elimination it must be the reason, right? I think this means you just need to continue telekenetic exercise once over 38 years.

    Your telekinetic powers are amazing!

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