How does the mature man work out?

[GamePlan]

I've been wondering...as you get older (late 20s...and 30+), how do you use your work out time? Do men 30+ still lift weights a lot like younger guys or do you feel like the optimal use of your time is to just try and make sure you keep your bodyfat low?

I've been thinking that most women would probably prefer a lean guy (lean as in normal built, not skinny!) over a guy that has muscle, but a flabby stomach (sort of like most men would probably prefer a lean woman with moderate curves over a woman with curvy tits and ass, but who has 20+lbs too much on her)...

and that as a man of 30+ simply having a normal built with low body fat would make you a fairly hot commodity (I'm only 25 and have seen like half the guys I know go from lean to flabby, already).

Am I right about this assumption? Or am I jumping to conclusions? How do you make use of your workout time?


PS: Please dont move this post to the health&fitness forum, because there it wont make much sense!

 

[azanon]

Going against the Pook thread, I'd recommend you workout for a lean build that would result in a BMI in the 23-25 range. That's the high end of the recommended range, and its a healthier weight. Thrown in some cardio too.

"Health" should really become the name of the game from 30 on.

IMO, women don't go for the body builder types. My wife refers to them as meat-heads, and claims that they are the least attractive of all men to her. The body style women seem to go for the most are your Brad Pitt/David Beckham style bodies.

 

[GamePlan]

thx for the reply...yes I know that most women dont go for the bodybuilder type, however they usually do like some muscle.

But what I'm wondering is...for example I work out 4 times for 2 hours/week currently and am quite satisfied with my body. However, I'm only 25 so I haven't gained too many unnecessary pounds, yet. And I'm wondering if..once I turn 30+, etc. it might be a better idea for most guys to forget about lifting weights (unless they're skinny by nature) and use that time for playing sports/cardio to make sure they keep a flat somtach, instead of working out with weights.

Hope you get the idea? If you have only say 8 hours/week to work out (and I think everyones time to work out is kind of limited once you have a job, etc.), maybe at the age of 30+ that time is spent more efficiently if its used for playing sports/cardio to burn fat and keep a lean physique instead of working on muscle...as it might put you in the position of being one of the few men who still have a flat stomach at that age (which might be more important than any muscle whatsoever)

 

[Nelford]

If yo don't lift weights, how will you maintain the lean muscle mass you develop over the years? All that cardio will most likely eat up your hard earn muscles. My suggestion would be to do bodyweight exercises such as pull-ups, sit-ups, dips, and push-ups. Also, no woman wants a man with chicken legs so I would add some high rep dumbbell squats and standing calve raises. If you choose this way to exercise, you don't have to leave your house.

 

[Rounder]

Just because you lift weights doesn't mean you're going to bulk up and get huge. How much muscle you gain will be controlled by your diet. If you are burning calories and not taking in enough food, your body will not allow you to build too much muscle. You have to feed the body to bulk up.

Anyone who lifts weights for the first time will put on muscle and put it on fast, but there comes a point where your body simply requires more food so that it can afford to invest in the new muscle.

If you deprive your body of that extra food, you won't get huge, instead you should start to lean out - provided your diet is healthy fats and has a sensible amount of carbs and lots of lean protein.

Lifting weights with a good diet is very effective at losing weight - more so than cardio alone.

Your lifting sessions should be 3 to 4 times per week, about 30 to 45 minutes each. Quality over quantity. Make good use of your time, 2 exercises per body part or so. Squats, deadlifts, benchpress and bent over rows are the most important lifts. These have such an enormous effect on the entire body.

Don't spend too much time on arms - biceps, triceps, forearms - flat bench and an incline with dumbells will hit your tri's, bent over rows will build those bi's.

60% to 75% of your lifts should be big compound lifts involving lots of muscles. The rest can isolate certain muscles or small groups - shoulders, bi's, tri's, calves.

You don't need to spend 7 to 14 hours in the gym per week. 2 to 4 hours is plenty with the proper diet. Toss in some LISS cardio 3 to 5 times a week for 30 minutes a session and you'll really burn calories.

Diet is key though - without a good diet all that time can be a wasted effort.

 

[Hooligan Harry]

You are at your strongest when you are in your thirties.

Women who say they dont like muscle on a man are outright bull****ter's. I have been the chubby guy to skinny guy back to the meathead. Trust me, a bit of muscle on your frame and you get more attention. In my experience it has and anyone who has gone through the transition will tell you the same thing.

I have a mate who is the proverbial monster. Shy and reserved but the size of king kong. He looks like a domineering guy just because of the size of him. He gets more tail then anyone I have ever seen in my life.

I think people spend all this time learning about "pea ****ing" and how to dress well and why its important to show dominance. A well built body does all that without even trying.

Trust me, the only girls who dont like the beefy guys are the girls who cant get them

 

[Scaramouche]

Hello Gameplan,
No not mature Old!.....but travelling well,I am not in a hurry. I am not far off your hypothetical guy being 5foot 11inches and 161 pounds and yes I have a six pack...until two years ago I ran alternate days up one or other of the mountains behind my home (about 5 miles) really regret that now as hip pain has forced me to stop running....If you must run up Mountains don't run down them!!!!!.....not hard to stay fit I have a home gym and do a little over an hour every day.....dance maybe 10 hours a week,walk maybe 5 hours a week,canoe,Indoor rock climb,bush walk(Hunt)....eat what I like take zinc tablets....but let you into a little secret I do it for me,not any dumb arsed Sheilah.....Women in general don't give a Rats toss about guys Physiques as long as they haven't got a Beer belly,in fact the bulked up Male is seen as narcissistic,even those who like me couldn't spell it....I had an acquaintance in a Wheel Chair,he shagged more Birds than ever I have......Charm and being able to dance well are far more important....all women equate good dancing with elegance and sophistication,most women who can't dance would like too....Problem with lots of you guys is it seems you are trying to woo someone of your own sex....No,No,No I do realise you are not Horses Hoofs,but the problem is that you just haven't realised,Men and Women have different values....

 

[GamePlan]

thx for the input guys. What I was really trying to say is this: If I look around me it's a bit like this:

In high school most guys were "lean" (Im in Europe, maybe its differen in the US?).

Now I'm in college, 25 and like half the guys, I see who I was with in high school have got a flabby stomach now. They would not look very good without a shirt on anymore.

If I look in the age range of 30+ (let alone 40+), I can hardly see any menwho do not have a flabby stomach and would still look good with a shirt off. I live in a..say upper-middle class area, so maybe that has something to do with it (people work all day long, but not in a way where they have to use their bodies), but I think this is probably true for all socio-economic classes...Metabolism slows down some, plus people work a lot of time and when they get home they mostly relax (thus burn a lot less calories, too). So most people pack on some body fat year by year, it accumulates and in their 30's you can barely find anyone with a low bodyfat level (I'm not saying everyone has gotten overweight, but most will have a flabby stomach).

And those who are (unless they're physically active) are usually skinny guys/ectomorphs.

If you ask a woman about what looks they like in a guy (yeah dont take what they say for granted, etc.) they'll say "as long as he doesn't have a beer belly it's fine". It seems that a flabby stomach is a similar turn-off to women as is a flabby ass to us guys. Of course, I'd prefer that lean supermodel with c-cups and a great ass, but if I had to choose between a woman with c-cups, ass and 15lbs of excessive body fat on her, I'd probably prefer to have sex with the lean woman with average curves. I hope the analogy was somewhat clear?

So, unless you're the "skinny" type, I'm wondering if your workout time is spent a lot more efficiently just playing sports/burning fat/keeping a low bodyfat level (if youre goal is attracting women).

Personally, I'll probably cut down some on the weight lifting and probably focus more on playing sports in the future (I'm tall and not the skinny body type).

How many men at 30+ (or 40+) around you do you know that still have a low body fat and would look good without a shirt on?

 

[GamePlan]

@Scaramouche: So the dancing has helped with attracting women? I've been wondering if I should start to learn salsa dancing or something like that. I sort of stopped going to clubs for the most part almost a year ago (I had stomach problems and couldnt drink alcohol for a long while)...and if I'm honest I think the whole club scene thing isn't for me anymore. But salsa dancing or something might be fun and Ive been thinking it might probably be an easy way to get to know women. Of course its more like a random thought for now

 

[Drum&Bass]

You should strive for BIG muscles. Muscular development represents how healthy you have lived for many years. There is nothing more pathetic than seeing an older guy in his 30's get out muscled by some rookie kid with bad form or even worse a hot girl that takes her health seriously.

Your a man, all your life you should be getting bigger, faster, stronger, wealthier, smarter.

By your 30's you should be big, muscular and have low body fat like 10 -14 %!! no exceptions.

 

[Mr.Positive]

You are at your strongest when you are in your thirties.

Women who say they dont like muscle on a man are outright bull****ter's. I have been the chubby guy to skinny guy back to the meathead. Trust me, a bit of muscle on your frame and you get more attention. In my experience it has and anyone who has gone through the transition will tell you the same thing.

I have a mate who is the proverbial monster. Shy and reserved but the size of king kong. He looks like a domineering guy just because of the size of him. He gets more tail then anyone I have ever seen in my life.

I think people spend all this time learning about "pea ****ing" and how to dress well and why its important to show dominance. A well built body does all that without even trying.

Trust me, the only girls who dont like the beefy guys are the girls who cant get them

This post is the truth.

You are your strongest in your 30's. I know this to be true, because I'm 35 and I'm the strongest I've ever been in my life. In fact, I keep getting stronger.

Since incorporating heavy weight, low reps, and a good diet. I gained almost 20 lbs of muscle in one year. I went from 175 to 192. And I'm 35!!

Keep lifting, it will keep you young and healthy.

Don't let your age set your limitations. You only have limitations, when you set them for yourself.

 

[potato]

I’ve never gotten into weight lifting or going to the gym. Part of it is a bias I have, having seen muscle builder types (mostly football players) and their muscle turn to fat as they aged. The whole idea, “that if you bulk up then have to do something to maintain that added muscle for life” just didn’t appeal to me. Besides, it seemed to me that a leaner body was most desirable.

Growing up I swam competitively from at least 12 years old until I was almost 24. I also played other sports like tennis, basketball, and football, where I played as a receiver and as a defensive back. Quickness and agility where more important to me than building up my muscle. Nonetheless, just by participating in sports as I was growing up resulted in a significant muscle build up.

When I stopped swimming competitively I started gaining weight. It’s when I discovered that I needed to balance what I ate with what I did.

I’m almost 50 and when I take my clothes off, women still like what they see.

My exercise routine, if that is what it is, is rather simple and not at all rigidly practiced. Most mornings when I awake I’ll stretch and do a few exercises such as sit-ups (50-100), push-ups (15 or so), and pull-ups (10). For most local transportation needs I usually ride my bicycle and I often take walks through the nature areas near where I live. Ever so often I’ll play a game of pick-up basketball with whoever is there in the park. I also play tennis with whoever will play with me, though mostly I just end up playing against my daughter, who is actually quite good at it.

Early on, I never thought about it, that being physically fit attracts women or not. That is to say that I’ve always been athletic because I have fun engaging in athletic activities. That women might find me more attractive because of it is just an un-intentioned bonus.

I could be wrong on this but it seems to me that some women, if not all, tend to look at a man’s arms in much the way us guys look at women’s breasts. A man’s arms are a sign of his manliness just as a woman’s breasts are a sign of her womanliness. It has something to do with the fact that women prefer to be held by a strong man. Still, I think that most women are not all that impressed by bodybuilder types.

 

[GamePlan]

Everybody thinks this, but it seems that it's impossible for muscle to turn into fat (it's not technically possible really, just the way bone can't turn to fat). Ive never seen a bodybuilder who ended up being fat after his career (but then again I dont know any)..but I think it might have to do with the enormous amounts of food those guys are used to eating and then if they quit dont burn enough calories anymore. Also lose skin might be an issue (skin isnt that elastic at an older age anymore, and if you have huge bulk and then its gone..well you get the idea).

As for arms = tits, Ive thought about that analogy before but I think its a bit like this: Height/broad bone structure/muscle = tits/ass on a woman . So if you're a skinny person, staying "lean" (without building up some muscle) perhaps equals being a chick with no tits or ass whatsoever.

But if youre tall & not a skinny guy, staying lean might be the main thing to invest your time into (at least at a more mature age, where the majority of people does get fat). Who would you find more attractive: a woman who's perfectly lean with just a handful of tits...or...a woman with big tits, but an ass and stomach that's getting out of shape?

 

[search1ng]

hugh jackman. End of discussion.

 

[Duffdog]

I think people spend all this time learning about "pea ****ing" and how to dress well and why its important to show dominance. A well built body does all that without even trying.

Another awesome quote. I agree entirely. It feels good to just wear a normal dress shirt and have girls make comments like "You're in the military, huh?" Plus it feels good to know that you are physically intimidating to the other males.

 

[Rounder]

hugh jackman. End of discussion.

Drew Carey. Jack Black. Jimmy Kimmel. Kevin James.

All celebs that can/or could pull just as much and hot @$$ as Hugh Jackman.


Being in shape says that you care about yourself. Huge and muscular is not necessary but athetic and fit is definitely a plus.

Our time is valuable - so quality over quantity workouts are very important and getting a diet spot on is critical to getting the look you want. Some guys work out 2 hours a day and waste their time because their diet is crap. They could work out 30 minutes a day and with the right diet achieve better results.

 

[ElChoclo]

Weights are useful for retaining bone density and muscle mass. Whether they are aesthetically pleasing to some female cretin is irrelevant. Some women like muscle just like some men like breasts more than others. If the current fashion ever ends up being the sickly decrepit look, it won't be worthwhile pursuing that look just to meet women.

 

[Scaramouche]

Dear Gameplan,
Salsa....Yes good Idea.....Most dances come from Ballroom,primarily the Waltz,so why not try Ball Room as well.....Dance classes are great for finding lonely Ladies,particularly when you get a little skill....Six months would see you a pretty fair Dancer....Every City seems to have its own favourite Dance Themes,If yours is Salsa then go for it,once you get the basic moves it is easy but looks good.

 

[Jeffst1980]

There is very little risk that, by lifting weights, you will become freakishly huge enough to turn off women. The "bodybuilder" physique is an impossibility for most of us to naturally attain. Don't point to the covers of bodybuilder mags as proof that women don't like muscle.

30 is the prime time for heavy lifting IMO. Your physical strength is at its peak and you're likely to be as active and in nearly as good health as in your 20's, making cardio something less of a priority. Of course, you shouldn't abstain from cardio.


My body type is that of an ectomorph. If I didn't lift weights, I'd look like a distance runner--NOT a flattering physique. I experimented a few years ago with ceasing to lift weights altogether and instead spend the bulk of my workout time running and doing situps and pushups. The results for my body type were unimpressive; I looked a lot more cut when I was purely lifting. Lifting heavy is going to give you the quickest results.

I don't know that a few more pounds of muscle is going to have an appreciable impact on your game, but it WILL make things a bit easier for you on cold approaches if you have good social skills. The reason you hear so much about sketchy meatheads scaring girls is because they go in with no game whatsoever, believing that being alpha is enough. If you're a muscular guy with good social skills that doesn't try to PROVE anything, you're going to be treated with respect by most of the girls that you approach. Matador is likely to receive less s#it tests than Mystery, because his physical size gives him more value on first impression.

Of course, the first priority is to rid yourself of the beer gut. No secrets there, just self control.

 

[SharpGame]

I've always been pretty lean and I finally got sick of it. I started doing the workout I found here and I love it. I'm getting in the best shape of my life and it only takes an hour a week. The high intensity workout is tough, but eating a healthy high-protein, complex-carb, low GI diet (and cutting out caffeine and alcohol) is the really tough part. I don't think I would've had the discipline to do this when I was in my 20's.