Did anyone gain muscle with exercise in their 40s?

[AliceMay55]

I seem to be losing a lot of muscle lately. My arms look quite flabby, my legs look flabby etc.

I never did weights before. Is it worth starting now or is it all downhill from here? I’m just below 45.

What a great thread
How heavy are the weights everyone is lifting?
currently working out at home with 3kg dumbbells

3kg for every exercise? Do you reach failure or get near it? If not, you're wasting your time. Sorry, not a downer, just wondering how you're using 3kg weights for your entire workout, and what you're basing it on?

I'm squatting 90kg and deadlifting 75kg. But it took me a number of years to build up to that!

You need to be adding weight pretty quickly in order to make an impact on your strength.

To be fair I’ve not be doing it long mainly using Apple fitness workouts where they are using heavier dumbbells but not anything massively heavy
Wondering what ones to purchase next without building up too quickly and injuring myself

@Inspirationpending

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/6202431?clickSR=slp:term:adjustable%20dumbbell:6:95:2

Find weights you can lift for the required number of repetitions plus 2 or 3. So if your workout says 'lift 12 times', pick a weight you can just about lift 14 times.

As a beginner you'd do well to pick a lot of reps as your goal, which means you're lifting a lighter weight than something that would exhaust you after 3 reps or something. It means less injury risk, and more time within each set of repetitions to practice and perfect your form. This will prep you and your muscles well for heavier lifting as you get more experienced.

Amazing thankyou @Watchkeys ☺️

I have those weights linked by @Watchkeys and they're good, use them as light/med/heavy but I need to increase now so might buy another set!

You won't bulk, it's not like you'll lift weights and wake up thinking fuck I've overshot and gained 10kg lean muscle overnight. It's hard to build that much!

@bonfirebash

Can you buy an extra set of plates rather than a new bunch of kit? That might be what you meant already, but just in case you were thinking of buying more than you need...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=1+inch+disc+weights&crid=2JVQ7DWP76F65&sprefix=1+inch+disc+weight%2Caps%2C85&ref=nb_sb_noss

About to turn 47 here, pretty much as fit and strong as I remember ever being, turned it round in the last year. Since Christmas I cycle 12 miles most days, I do go to the gym at work but not loads, but I do borderline stupid amounts of paddle sport because it makes me happy. Up to 6 times a week. It just gets better. Where did my anxiety go?

It's interesting that on most threads you get a variety of views, but this one is all 'YES! It's GREAT!', and nobody saying 'Yeah, tried that, it was rubbish.'

I'm thinking a full extra set only because - I do the peloton weights workouts which often change from medium to heavy and back and it's a pain switching them out
But I reckon the bars can hold extra plates too so I could have a few on one and keep the others as light/mediums to save swapping

I also have that Argos set @Watchkeys linked. It's a great little set and really good value.

I'm only getting back into it after a long break due to illness and it's depressing how much strength and stamina I've lost, but it'll come back. I'm 43 and really starting almost from scratch again. I'm currently doing some Peloton strength classes and have a set of 3kg dumbells (not used much, mainly for things like front or lateral raises), 5kg and the Argos set which I currently have at 6kg. I expect to be able to increase these fairly quickly.

I also love kettlebells although (speaking as someone who used to teach kettlebell classes) I would recommend having a session with someone who really knows what they're doing before going it alone with kettlebells. You get incredible bang for your buck and they're super versatile but you can also do yourself a bit of damage with for example a swing or snatch if your form is poor. I do grab a kettlebell on occasion if I don't have a heavy enough dumbbell.

@evilharpy what weights are you planning to use when you increase? Adjustable or...?
I love Adrian strength classes so far!
Used to lift a lot but had spinal surgery and then fell out the exercise habit

Nuts, seeds and pulses. Try a few beans to see which work for you.
yes to weights at this age. Good time to start! Good luck!

It is almost impossible for a vegan to get adequate protein to build muscles. Non meat/dairy proteins are not nearly as bioavailable to the body. You might technically be eating 40g of plant based proteins but you body can not access it. It’s worth being aware of that fact.

Just the argos set with more plates on. I probably won't buy a second set but I do have a kettlebell in every size from 6kg to 16kg so I can always grab one of those if I need something different rather than faffing with taking plates on and off.

I like Adrian too! Also love Ben. I did one of Callie's last night for the first time and it was ok but not my favourite.

That's not a fact at all. It's hard for a vegan to get bigger muscles than a meat eater, but it's not hard to grow muscle. It's only really going to affect people at competition level, and vegans lifting at an amateur level will see muscle growth if they apply progressive overload to their lifting, and eat plenty of plant protein.

It's not true that your body 'can't access it' either. It can partially access it, so it's better to eat it than not.

It's not 'almost impossible', and that's terrible advice on a thread for people who might be just starting out on their lifting career. Vegans who take care of their diet can make huge progress and get very strong, very sculpted, and very defined. The fact that they are unlikely to get quite as big as body building/weight lifting competition winners is neither here nor there.

Yes- it can Partially access it. However, most people are not aware that plant protein has less bioavailability. They think that they are getting the full whack so to speak. I disagree with the notion of it only being applicable to competition lifters. As we age the proportion of our diet that needs to be protein gets bigger and bigger because our bodies become more and more inefficient at using it.

@BigButtons

You can disagree all you like, it makes no difference to what the human body can or cannot do. What are you basing your strongly held opinion on? Have you done a lot of lifting with a lot of vegans? Have you got some decent studies you can share links to?

It is almost impossible for a vegan to get adequate protein to build muscles

This isn't true. Most vegans who do not currently lift can make significant progress in muscle growth by eating plenty of plant protein and lifting regularly applying progressive overload. You are arguing about the degree to which they can grow muscle. Most people who lift are not aiming to be the biggest person in the world. They just want some noticeable muscle growth and to be as big as they can.

Saying it's 'almost impossible... to build muscles' is hugely discouraging.

Vegans, you can build muscles, I've had vegan clients (and a vegan friend) who have done this and made a substantial difference to their bodies. There are plenty of examples on the internet. This is nonsense too:

However, most people are not aware that plant protein has less bioavailability

Speaking of 'most people's awareness' suggests a lot of experience in the field. Again, what is the basis for this 'knowledge' of what 'most people' know?

I teach BodyPump and I have a regular in her 80s who started with exercise in her 60s. She looks absolutely amazing. Defined muscles, in great shape, walks with a spring in her step.
Bodypump by the way is not a bad place where to start with weights, especially if you don't have much experience yet.

Have ordered those weights
thanks for the recommendation
Being delivered later today so will feedback
been looking for ways to increase the weights I use but without breaking the bank
I do a mix of cardio and resistance sessions at home with an app and then gym once or twice a week to use free weights there
Just starting really but can RDL and squat 20kg and also bench press that but use a mix of 6 and 8kg dumbbells for lunges, Russian twists etc etc
trying to get on track with my diet but definitely feel fitter and stronger than I ever have
Which given the dreaded peri menopause symptoms is a miracle
Helps me so much mentally too

@Hobnobswantshernameback

You can put 1l, 2l, 5l bottles of water in a backpack, on your front or back (or both), can save you a bit of dough on buying extra weights.

Just a thought.

The older you get the more protein you need to eat to sustain your muscle mass, so up your protein and lift as heavy as you can and you'll definitely see results.

Now There's a good tip
these weight seem to offer decent value
tragically excited by a new set of weights 😂😂😂

After exercising most of my life, I've recently got back into weights and swimming after doing not being a gym member since the first lockdown. I've been walking daily throughout but it's just not enough. I feel so much better now I'm back in the gym and swimming 3 or 4 times a week. My body's toned up so much faster than I'd hoped too.