Advice on training / bulking ( pics not for the squeamish :) )

tomjanecourtney
tomjanecourtney Posts: 97 Member
edited November 27 in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
62 yrs old and 16st 2lbs.
Started healthy eating at around 2000 cals and joined a gym, weight training 3 times a week.
Pic from July 2017 when I got down to 13st 10lbs. A loss of 36 lbs in 15 weeks. Felt pretty good.

E9089_A22-1940-473_B-9_E0_E-7402_C5_EB1_EE6.jpg

Now June 2018 and I’ve stabilised at 12st 7lbs. Been on MFP continuously averaging 2150 cals P50 F20 C30. Gym 3 times a week. Some muscle definition appearing.
Dropped to 1900 cals for a month but no change so upped to 2250 cals. Still no weight change.

3222_BF09-3101-4264-_B751-_CA6624_C49_F46.jpg

Both pics are relaxed, not tensing / posing ( specially the first one ;) )
Thinking of upping again to 2450 and intensifying my training.
What should I concentrate on?

Replies

  • jdog022
    jdog022 Posts: 693 Member
    edited June 2018
    just to clarify first. You want to bulk? And I. ask because the 1900 cal for a month confuses me
  • tomjanecourtney
    tomjanecourtney Posts: 97 Member
    I dropped to 1900 cals for a month as I thought I should lose another few lbs but nothing happened :( so I thought I would relax the diet. Upped to 2250 thinking of upping again to 2450. At this level I should be on a slow bulk I believe....
  • jdog022
    jdog022 Posts: 693 Member
    2450 still seems low for a male even at 62 years young but try it out and adjust in 2-3 weeks. I don't know about upping intensity. I'd focus on making sure your program has progressive overload and ample recovery / rest.
  • 100_PROOF_
    100_PROOF_ Posts: 1,168 Member
    Hello! Are you following a program?
  • tomjanecourtney
    tomjanecourtney Posts: 97 Member
    edited June 2018
    Don’t want to put too much fat on, so slowly slowly till I find the right balance. Thought I’d give it a couple of months at 2450 and see what happens.

    Mainly high rep weights 12 to 15 but picking 1 muscle group per session and doing high weight low reps 4 to 6. Seems to work for me so far. Could probably push myself harder though.
  • tomjanecourtney
    tomjanecourtney Posts: 97 Member
    Not following a specific program. I’ve identified 5 or 6 exercises for each body area and use 2 or 3 per session rotating them to keep workouts interesting/ challenging.
  • piperdown44
    piperdown44 Posts: 958 Member
    You are going to make a bit of gains with what you are doing but nothing like a proven program like quiksylver296 posted above.
    For us older natural lifters you need to hit each major body part at least 2x per week. A good solid program will do that and you'll be amazed at the results in 6-8 weeks.
  • jdog022
    jdog022 Posts: 693 Member
    tomjanecourtney wrote: »
    Not following a specific program. I’ve identified 5 or 6 exercises for each body area and use 2 or 3 per session rotating them to keep workouts interesting/ challenging.

    This is not a good idea. and structured programs still allow you to change the secondary lifts to keep things interesting.
  • jessef593
    jessef593 Posts: 2,272 Member
    tomjanecourtney wrote: »
    Don’t want to put too much fat on, so slowly slowly till I find the right balance. Thought I’d give it a couple of months at 2450 and see what happens.

    Mainly high rep weights 12 to 15 but picking 1 muscle group per session and doing high weight low reps 4 to 6. Seems to work for me so far. Could probably push myself harder though.

    Building muscle isn't about "pushing myself harder" of course it requires hard work and dedication.

    What truly cause muscle growth is consistency, frequency, and volume. Picking 2-3 random movements a day for whatever body part you're feeling that workout will work for a short time but eventually you'll be spinning your wheels.


    Take mine for example. It's a 26 week 5 days a week program. That alternates between bench, squat, and deadlift along with variations of all 3.

    This being an example
    Deadlifts 70% 1rm 4×3
    Bench press 80% 1rm 5x2
    Pecs 5x8
    Snatch grip deadlift 60% 1rm 5x4
    Triceps 5x6 (my bread and butter is lying down behind the head skull crushers)
  • tomjanecourtney
    tomjanecourtney Posts: 97 Member
    Took me ages to pluck up the courage to post pics...
    I appreciate all advice but it would have been nice to get some praise for my efforts so far, a 50lb loss.
    With some muscle definition?
    Maybe my progress is not as good as I think. Have I been looking at a rose tinted mirror?
    :(

    The problem with the structured programs I have looked at is that they are based round, as you say Bench, Squat and Deadlifts and dips

    Deadlifts except low weight hi reps are out as I have a lower back problem that Physio’s have more or less said I am stuck with.

    Squats are out same as above. I need a new knee, cartilage is gone and I’m too young for the op they say.

    Bench incline I do almost every session, either Barbell or Dumbells, sometimes both. I do several angles each session and push the weights or reps. A failed shoulder op makes Flat or Decline benching impossible. I use cable crossovers for lower pecs instead of flys and go for volume as my shoulder doesn’t like heavy weights.

    Dips are painful, tried varying angle but no joy.


    I hit every main body part at least twice a week, sometimes three times.
    I use different gyms and hence varying equipment.
    Regulars include -
    Incline press, Flat chest pullovers, cable flys and crossovers, angled and varied press ups
    Military press, rear delt flys, side/ front delt raises, Shrugs , Pull-ups, Lat pull downs close and wide grip, Rows
    Dumbbell and barbell curls incline and Sevens, tricep pushdowns, tricep dumbell raises, tricep cable.
    Ab and leg work when body allows.


    I have fallen into a bit of a comfort zone and not pushed myself hard enough. So for two sessions this week I’ve found I can increase weights on my incline presses by as much as 30% !!! Been slacking :) and 15% on military presses, barbell and dumbell.
    I will push myself harder and record my progress so I can see stagnation.
  • fiddletime
    fiddletime Posts: 1,868 Member
    I think most of the answers have been specific to weight lifting. I won’t address that and just say that I think you’re doing s fantastic job. At 63 I understand the knee, back and shoulder issues that affect us in our work outs. Thanks for the pics and keep up the good work. Your progress is very impressive!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    You should have posted in the success forum if you just wanted a pat on the back.

    Chose a programme and eat at maintenance, then you can decide of you want to bulk afterwards
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    As a 58 YO with chronic back and knee conditions (I can't deadlift at a weight that makes them worthwhile doing due to lumbar spine issues, I only squat as a stretch due to back plus knee injuries plus huge cycling commitments/interference) I would make the following observations....

    Bulking at your age when you aren't lean is a recipe for getting fat again. That's fine if your goal is just strength without regard to body composition. The 300lb power lifter in my gym really doesn't care that he has a big belly!
    Bulking with a routine that sounds random and inefficient is a recipe for getting fat again. Pushing harder isn't a substitute for training better, in should be in addition.

    Suggest you get a good PT to custom design a program for you that takes your injury restrictions into account.
    Suggest you eat at maintenance or a very small deficit - not a surplus.

    Good progress so far but it gets far harder the more highly trained you are, any old routine works for a while but will only get you so far.
  • tomjanecourtney
    tomjanecourtney Posts: 97 Member
    edited June 2018
    Sijomial you’ve probably got it spot on.
    I’m looking at 2500 cals initially, think that’s around my maintenance intake, for a month or so, see what happens.
    I’ve had a couple of PT’s in the early part of my training to ensure good form, well worth it. I will book another session with Mike Thurston (google him). I splashed out for a lesson with him last year 9 months ago ish and he helped me a lot, a stickler for good form. Had to reduce the weight but it increased the effectiveness of my workout hugely.
    He does online monitored training with an occasional one to one but can’t afford that on my meagre pension :) will definitely invest in another one to one session with him though.

    Tavistock “pat on the back” sounds condescending, similar tone to another reply of yours to one of my first posts last year where you stated “stupid and counterproductive”. I have posted on the Success forum but hopefully for some encouragement. We all need that now and again.
    Do me a favour scroll past my posts, life’s too short for that kind of abrupt negativity.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    tomjanecourtney wrote: »
    Sijomial you’ve probably got it spot on.
    I’m looking at 2500 cals initially, think that’s around my maintenance intake, for a month or so, see what happens.
    I’ve had a couple of PT’s in the early part of my training to ensure good form, well worth it. I will book another session with Mike Thurston (google him). I splashed out for a lesson with him last year 9 months ago ish and he helped me a lot, a stickler for good form. Had to reduce the weight but it increased the effectiveness of my workout hugely.
    He does online monitored training with an occasional one to one but can’t afford that on my meagre pension :) will definitely invest in another one to one session with him though.

    Tavistock “pat on the back” sounds condescending, similar tone to another reply of yours to one of my first posts last year where you stated “stupid and counterproductive”. I have posted on the Success forum but hopefully for some encouragement. We all need that now and again.
    Do me a favour scroll past my posts, life’s too short for that kind of abrupt negativity.

    I called working through injuries stupid and counter productive, not you... bit of a difference.
  • billkansas
    billkansas Posts: 267 Member
    Good job Tom. I agree with everyone that you do need to follow a good program. I'd encourage you to keep up the squat, deadlift, bench and overhead press and so my program suggestion is Starting Strength. It also has a forum with lots of info and even an "elderly" section that I read and post on from time to time for advice. Lots of very strong old guys that have been through all kinds of injuries and age related issues on there. This program and all of it's intermediate program off shoots made lifting enjoyable to me and not even a terrible time commitment (heavy compound exercises is like getting twice the workout in half the time).

    I'd say why not cut through the summer and then perhaps start a bulk in the fall. You seem to be on a roll so you might go a little further into the ripped zone?
  • jdog022
    jdog022 Posts: 693 Member
    I think you have done an amazing job but I hesitate to comment about that when people post pictures in this specific sub. But props for having the guts to do it and major props for the transformation so far.

    but with that said you can continue to make great progress on a solid lifting program. you will stall soon if not already on your own put together program
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