Too old to go to gym?

I am an Asian male in my mid-forties and have a small stature. I am only 5 foot tall and weigh 65kg.

I have never visited a gym before and never consciously done any fitness exercises. This has partly due to the act that I have a slight physical disability – my right side is weaker than my left, and my strength is about 40% of a normal person of my age/stature. As you can imagine, throughout most of my school life I was called all sorts of names such as shorty and weakling etc. I also suffered depression for a number of years after leaving school because of that.

I have now decided to start going to the gym to gain more muscle, strength and bulk up. In all honesty, do you think it is a bit late now to do this, considering my age? If you think I should go ahead with this idea, I haven’t got much of a clue of where to start off in terms of exercises, how much of each exercise I would need to do or how often. On top of that, I haven’t got much of a clue of what things to eat which would help me to gain strength and bulk up etc.

I have tried to look at various websites on the internet to gain that information, but there is so much information available I don’t know where to start!!

Would someone be kind enough to point me in the right direction and how to progress on my journey to get more muscle and eventually bulk up?

Thanks in advance for your response.

Hey man, welcome to Train With Me Online!

It's never too late to start exercising! I have a client that I've trained for about 6 years now. He's 86 years old and didn't start running until he was in his late thirties and didn't start lifting weights and strength training until he was well into his forties. And because he didn't start until later in life his joints are still in really good conditioning and he doesn't have any old injuries from his youth to worry about. So no.. it's not too late for YOU to get started!!

If you're just getting into a fitness routine for the first time I would keep things very simple. Stick to body weight exercises, cardio and stretching. I would suggest you choose 3-5 exercises and do them in a circuit format (one after another) for either a certain amount of time or specific number of sets.

Here is a beginner circuit that you can try out.

5 push-up plank burpees
10 air squats
5 push-ups
10 full sit-ups

Do this circuit as many times as you can in 15 minutes. You can find all of the exercises on the site. Take a little rest as possible between each exercise, spend a few minutes after you finish to stretch.

Let me know if you have any other questions!

Hi Ben

Many thanks for you reply. Could you please advice what foods I should eat which would help me get more fit, build more muscle, and bulk up while doing the excerises that you have kindly suggested.

Thanks in advance for you response.

Keep your food as simple as your training.

Stick to real foods. Try to eat 5 times a day and make sure all of your meals are well balanced and contain some protein, carbs and fats.

Your nutrient ratio should be approx. 30% protein, 30% fats, 40% carbs.

Your proteins - chicken, turkey, grass fed beef and bison, pork, salmon, tuna, trout, eggs

Your carbs - lots of leafy green and colourful vegetables!! and some whole grains, a bit of fruit and starches like yams, sweet potatoes

Your fats - olive oil, coconut oil, avocados, fish oil, seed oil, nuts, seeds

Don't worry so much about calories, just try to eat a full plate full of food at every meal and like I said above, try to eat 5 times a day. Make sure your plate consists of a palm full of protein, half a plate of veggies and maybe a half of an avocado or small bowl of mixed nuts.

Exercise is the only proven way to slow ageing process and keep your sex drive alive!!! Never too late to exercise,start today,the rewards are greater than you think!!! I'm an CPT and trust me you won't regret it! How did u stay away from exercise all your life anyhow?Good Luck

Hi Folks

Many thanks for your kind replies.

I have just a one two other points on which I need your valuable advice -

Ben - You gave an example of a man (your earlier post above)who started to train and exercise later in life, and you state that his joints are still in good working condition. So, are you trying to say that you shouldn't excercise at a younger age e.g. in your 20's or 30's in case joints get damaged?

I am asian and do not eat too much meat. How do I decide or find out which asian food/meals have the required amount of protein, fats, and carbs?

Finally, is it true that muscle growth happens at a faster age in younger people than in older people? If so, I suppose it would take me quite a while to develop my muscles and strength?

Thanks in advance for your response.

Hey!

No, I am not trying to say that you shouldn't exercise at a young age. Are you not watching the Olympics right now?? Some of the best athletes in the world are only 16 or 17 years old.

What I was trying to say is that if you haven't exercised at all before this year then you haven't put much wear and tear on your joints and you should be able to exercise for many years to come without having to worry about any nagging injuries from your past.

With your protein consumption.. 30% of your total daily caloric intake should be from protein, 40% should be from carbs and 30% from fats. If you eat fish, lean beef, eggs, pork and chicken you should easily be able to get enough protein throughout the day. Just make sure that all of your meals are well balanced and that you have a some protein, carbs and fats in every meal and snack that you eat.

And as far as muscle growth is concerned.. everybody is different. You can still increase muscle mass and strength in your forties, but you don't produce as much testosterone as you did when you were younger so it might take a bit longer. In your case... if you haven't exercised at all in the past, you will definitely see gains in strength and muscle mass in your first couple years if you train correctly and consistently!

Hi Ben

Many thanks for your advice.

Good Morning Ben

In one of your earlier replies above, you mentioned a beginner circuit. Is it ok if I use the machines in the gym such as treadmill and other weight lifting equipment apart from what you have mentioned? Or,do you think that would be too much for me as a beginner?

You also mentioned eating eggs. Is it best to have boiled eggs and is one egg a day ok?

Regarding the fish, I enjoy eating fish and chips, so would a battered fish be ok or should I cook it in some other type of form?

Finally, regarding eating pork. Is it ok if I eat the luncheon meat pork which can be found in tins and sold in supermarkets such as tescos and asda? If so, there was some research done a while ago, that a cancer causing antibiotic was found in lucheon pork!

Thanks in advance for your response.

Hi Folks

Would someone be kind enough to give advice on my query above.

Thanks in advance.