Bodybuilding for Women, the Middle-Aged, and the Elderly

     Hey Guys!

     In this post I want to address bodybuilding concerns with women, the middle-aged, and the elderly. Bodybuilding is not just for 20 year old males -- it is a healthy activity for men and women of all ages.

     The main concern of some women in regards to bodybuilding is that they believe they will become bulky and less feminine. But it is very difficult for women to reach that stage.

     I'm not saying that it is not possible, but it is improbable for 2 reasons. (1) Women do not have the same proportion of upper-body mass as men, and (2) women lack testosterone, which gives men the advantage in promoting muscle growth.

     Women who lift weights tend to look more feminine. They end up with a nice, toned look, and have the right womanly proportions. They maintain their figure and womanly physique. People tend to find these women more attractive than those who do not lift weights.

     Getting on to the middle-aged and the elderly. The fact that many middle-aged and elderly people have not worked out before, and therefore cannot reach their potential, tends to become an excuse for them not to lift.

     And it is true that they will not see their potential. The prime years for muscle building are between 20 and 30. But they can still get stronger, they can gain muscle, and they can raise their energy levels considerably.

     Bodybuilding does not become less important as you grow older -- it becomes more important. As you age your muscles begin to atrophy (lose muscle mass). This will lead to fat accumulation, lowered vitality, and poor posture over time.

     With bodybuilding you can reverse that. Even people in their 70s and 80s have been able to gain muscle and improve their health. So are you too old to be a bodybuilder? No. You are too old not to.

     Now bodybuilding is still essentially the same between men and women of all ages. Our physiology is relatively the same. The only differences are hormone levels and muscle proportion.

     Women, the middle-aged, and the elderly simply have to work harder to gain muscle than a 20 year old male. However, the exercises each group should perform are still the same. The parameters of bodybuilding are still the same. The difference is that these groups of people need more time to build muscle.

     Also, the older you are the more time you need for rest, and the more time you need to spend warming up. The older you are, the more likely you can be injured, and your recovery time is not the same as someone in his/her prime.

     With that in mind, it is important for middle-aged and elderly bodybuilders to be extra cautious when training.

     So that is it for this post. Feel free to share this link to someone to give them the reason they need to begin their bodybuilding journey. Also, be sure to check in this weekend for yet another exercise routine.

     Get Stronger!
          -Nas