give this old man some advice

[E_Barnes]

I will be 50 this year and am just starting to lift for a change. What one key piece of advice can you give me as I am starting. I am not a spring chicken however I am confident that I am healthy enough to lift. I asked my doctor and he said I was healthy to try it. So any advice given will be taken.

[5kgLifter]

Start slow and progress gradually, never be in an extreme hurry to exceed a current weight load.

[IronWill]

Take it slow, you'll need to condition tendons and so forth before attempting to lift heavy weights.

[glwanabe]

echo the other statments. Stick with a simple program, of fewer rather than more lifts.

[Off Road]

1. Start with bodyweight movements like squats, push-ups, and chin-ups before you progress to lifting weights.

2. Get your diet figured out early so you don't waste time with unproductive eating habits.

3. Start a conditioning program right away, it will only help your lifting and recovery.

4. Start with perhaps 2 days of full-body workouts and 2 days of conditioning per week.

[Chillen]

Originally Posted by E_Barnes

I will be 50 this year and am just starting to lift for a change. What one key piece of advice can you give me as I am starting. I am not a spring chicken however I am confident that I am healthy enough to lift. I asked my doctor and he said I was healthy to try it. So any advice given will be taken.

I started training/dieting at about 44 years of age. Had man-boobies that I could literally throw over my shoulders, weighed over 200lbs (at 5 feet 7 inches), severe back pain, and went to see our family doctor.

She basically said: "Go un-fat yourself and your back pain will go away as there's not a thing medically wrong with you; get off your @ss and move".

She went on to tell me, to attack my training with vigor, forthright passion, proactive and reactionary smartness, and to educate the path in which I want to walk.

And, I did just that.

And, I went after....what...I personally wanted....not what others think I wanted...

I went out and purchased home equipment, because I didn't want to deal with the public in the gym, and wanted to deal with myself with no external interruptions or annoyances (other than my own).

After spending some time in study on diet and weight routines: I went directly to a weight routine and cardio.

I set up my diet and routine myself.

A matter of fact, I wasn't even a member of any forums for the first year and a half, within my first personal goal want: At the time it was a battle between me, my life variables, the iron, and this was how it was going to be: It was simply up to me.

Though I started slow and progressively worked this up (in the sense of the amount of reps/sets, frequency, volume, etc) and cardio sessions, to break-in the new stimulus to my body, I gave myself no pity due to my age, and gave additional rest--as my body told me I needed it (either in the gym in commencement of my routine or outside of the gym); I simply went after it.

So should you. Just be smart about it. Let it rip..

Since I had no medical or physical issues (other than the back pain, which was caused by being too fricken fat), the only so-called negativity was age. And, this is a constant. It is something I can not control---everything else in one degree or another, is in my control--when it comes to personal goal wants...and that is that.

Therefore, I went after what I wanted aggressively as if I was young, and only adjusted where bodily feedback suggested I do. I gave it all I have in the gym and OUT...........you have to. What you do out of the gym is.....JUST AS IMPORTANT, and most miss this critical point.

The above ^ is (a substantial synopsis, lol), but leads to today.

I am training 7 days a week now. I weight train 3 days (circuit style, low rep, high volume alternates) and cardio on weight training off days. My body holds up extremely well.

Several years have passed. The fitness and appearance of my body now at age 50 makes the body in which I had at age 44 look: Sickened, much older, and weak. And, though I may have dropped over 40+ of unwanted fat pounds at first (200+ to 152), and subsequently put on quality tissue since, I carry more muscle as compared to my former self at 44. A matter of pure fact, I look better than I did in my prime.

The point here is if you put in the time, the iron can reverse the adverse effects of aging, and the body will awaken within you before your very eyes.

You will have awaken a sleeping giant within you.

And you will not know you have it.....

Until you try.

And, remember:

When developing a a diet and fitness goal, one has to:

1. Take their current body composition and current level of fitness--as a whole into consideration

2. Take time to learn the applicable knowledge and techniques in the path in which you want to walk.

3. Consistently apply, adapt, and keep "perceptions optimal" to knowledge and techniques learned.

Of the three units listed, the 3rd is the most difficult, the most important, and the very one, that will fail most persons through suboptimal choice vs perception application: The mind can be a friend and/or foe, in either case you are in control of variances in the equation.

Peace and happiness to you.

Chillen

[Ryano]

Do not mask pain with pain relievers. Listen to your body and recognize injury if it happens.

[angie828]

Well you have made the decision to do this and that is often the hardest part. Go slow, do not be in too big of a hurry or you will fail. Set yourself up for success and learn as much as you can along the way. Everyone here on this site will help you and cheer you along.