| If you were physically active in your youth, | | | | widespread the capillary development, and the |
| it will be easier to start bodybuilding in | | | | better the circulation and transport of |
| midlife. Bodybuilders who may have stopped | | | | nutrients. A good blood supply dissipates |
| training for 10 years, return to it and | | | | injuries faster as well. |
| recover their former condition, often within | | | | |
| 6 months. Your body has a memory. You never | | | | When your muscles get sore from training, the |
| forget how to swim or ride a bicycle. | | | | best thing to do is stretching, along with |
| | | | light exercise and high reps. For example, if |
| Training is analogous to money. Each workout | | | | you get sore from a workout, do your next |
| is like a deposit in an interest bearing | | | | workout with light weights. That will keep |
| account. With steady training you accumulate | | | | the blood flowing to the sore muscles, which |
| a fortune in physical benefits and | | | | helps dissipate the soreness. For persistent |
| appearance. When you stop training, it's like | | | | pain, see your physician. |
| transferring your investment to a | | | | |
| safe-deposit box. It no longer accrues | | | | Looking Good at any Age |
| interest. Nevertheless, it is still there a | | | | |
| decade later. | | | | You must strive to look good regardless of |
| | | | age. The challenge for any bodybuilder is to |
| An older person just starting bodybuilding | | | | look good. You can turn limitations into |
| training, interested in competition, should | | | | advantages. Ten years ago I was stricken with |
| get some kind of evaluation of his or her | | | | diabetes mellitus, and I learned to use the |
| possibilities. Your previous activities, past | | | | high blood sugar to fuel my workouts. |
| injuries, and current condition must be | | | | Although my doctors diagnosed certain death, |
| considered in designing your workout. | | | | I was determined not only to live, but to |
| | | | improve myself. I learned a lot about the |
| Exercise done in poor form with heavy weights | | | | healing process and what it was like to start |
| can cause injury. Shoulders, elbows, neck, | | | | training from square one again. I became an |
| back and knees are vulnerable areas. | | | | authority on rehabilitation. |
| Experienced mature bodybuilders tend to | | | | |
| reduce their exercise poundages. Perhaps we | | | | Training is not one single thing. The |
| could use the same poundages we did 20 years | | | | combination of exercise, nutrition, |
| ago, but why take the risk when we can | | | | relaxation, visualization, and attitude |
| maintain and improve using lighter, safer | | | | followed to the best of your ability is the |
| poundages? The veteran lives on the interest | | | | key to success. Visualization means seeing |
| from his previous training investments. | | | | your body in your mind the way you want it |
| | | | look. Seeing this image on a regular basis |
| The midlife beginner must learn to listen to | | | | establishes a blueprint for your development. |
| his body and proceed with caution. Make haste | | | | What you see, is what you get. It's important |
| slowly. When things hurt, seek therapy: heat, | | | | to look at the pictures in bodybuilding |
| massage, ultrasound, etc. Warm up with light | | | | magazines. The pictures show what is |
| weights and also stretch after each exercise. | | | | possible. |
| If an area hurts after training, apply ice | | | | |
| for half an hour. | | | | When you get older, don't try to be a |
| | | | superman. How much weights you can lift |
| The key to aging and training is improving | | | | doesn't make a bit of difference. It's how it |
| the blood circulation. As you age, body cells | | | | feels to your muscles. Listen to your body |
| do die, perhaps mainly from lack of | | | | and proceed with caution. |
| nutrients. The more you train, the more | | | | |