For many sports, the fundamentals aren’t all that different. In basketball, you wouldn’t tell a 14 year old to shoot a free throw any differently than you would a 45 year old. The mechanics are the same. When it comes to sprinting or long-distance running, the same tents apply. The older athletes may have more injuries to deal with, but what they do on the track is identical. Bodybuilding, on the other hand, is a sport which welcomes older athletes, but with a different set of rules for many things associated with training. The movements are the same, but the factors around them are going to vary.

Sagging testosterone levels

Every year of your life from age 18 on, your testosterone levels are going to drop. This may not affect you much at age 25 or 30, but as you move into your 50s and beyond, the lack of testosterone will make things in the gym, bedroom, and everywhere else a bit tougher.

Muscle maturity

After the age of 35 or so, many bodybuilders suddenly blossom with the best muscle shape and density of their life. This phenomenon is known as muscle maturity, and usually occurs after a decade or more of lifting. If you are a veteran of the weight room, you should begin to see signs of maturity not visible in your younger peers.

Longer recovery times

The younger you are, the faster you will recover from a tough workout. However, being older means you will be able to grow more – since we grow when we rest. Younger trainers may get away with 6 to 8 weight sessions per week, while older lifters may want to limit themselves to 4 sessions per week, with 4 to 5 cardiovascular exercise sessions in addition.

Cartilage concerns

Over time, every bodybuilder and powerlifter suffers from a reduction in cartilage in the knee and other joints in the body. This isn’t preventable, and has nothing to do with your lifting form. Rather, it just an inevitable part of aging – cartilage wears away. Many bodybuilders will give up heavier compound lifts as they age in an effort to prolong their cartilage health and put off surgery as long as possible. This is why you are much more likely to see a 25 year old under the squat rack than a 65 year old.

Slower metabolism

This can be either a curse or a blessing. For some bodybuilders, the metabolism follows them throughout their lives, preventing them from gaining muscle no matter how much food they eat. As you age, the metabolism is going to slow, which makes gaining muscle much easier. It also make getting leaner much tougher.

Health is wealth

When you’re 18 year old, you can probably eat everything in sight, train like a madman three days per week, go out dancing and drinking a few times per month, and still make sensational gains. Health, or the way things work on your insides, probably isn’t that much of a concern. As you age, this will change. The number of years you have on this planet, as well as the quality of these years, will become more important to you. Your diet and training will reflect this, removing those kamikaze elements and focusing upon longevity.

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