When is a man in his physical prime?
- Thread starter LoneSage
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I have a need to be the greatest fighter in the world!
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I'm 35, and have never been stronger.
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Im going to say 25-28. You might feel stronger @ 30+, but your more likely to get injured. Ive played sports since I was a kid all the way up to varsity soccer in hh. I started going to the gym and working out with weights when I was 16. I still work out till this day and im 29 going on to 30, but as I get older stretching thoroughly is a must. I use to be able to start my workouts or play ball with out ever needing to stretch, now its a must. Ill either mess up my shoulder or pull a calf muscle or injure something else. This is the same reason why pro athletes usually retire around their mid 30s.
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Again, 35, and I don't need to stretch at all. Really am in better shape now more than I ever have been. So, your mileage may vary.
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lol, denial
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Your right. Mileage may vary. Ive put my body through hell. Maybe the reason why I have to be more cautious @ 29.
Alot of times though, younger guys in their mid 20s dont take being healthy as serious as when your in your 30s.
I never had to watch what I ate up until about 2 years ago when I went up to 225. Now im dieting, doing more cardio, and ive dropped to 190. When I was in my mid 20's I was partying every weekend, eating like shit and with just doing weights and very little cardio I was able to maintain a 205 10-12% bf physique.
Alot of times though, younger guys in their mid 20s dont take being healthy as serious as when your in your 30s.
I never had to watch what I ate up until about 2 years ago when I went up to 225. Now im dieting, doing more cardio, and ive dropped to 190. When I was in my mid 20's I was partying every weekend, eating like shit and with just doing weights and very little cardio I was able to maintain a 205 10-12% bf physique.
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I weigh 195 and just clocked in at 7.4% body fat. All my lifts (squat, bench and deadlift) are heavier now than when I was younger. I'm not sure what more I can do to prove it to you?
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right now
i'll post the same thing a year from now
i'll post the same thing a year from now
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Do you go to, or have you considered going to bodybuilding.com's forums? It is a great outlet for people like you, where everyone there is on the same agenda.
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You can gain strength all the way up into your mid 40s, no problem, as strength training is a gradual process. Specifically fitness, you don't automatically become less fit as you hit middle age, but you do become more prone to injury which is the real long term fitness killer. If you can avoid injury you can compete at the highest levels in most sports well into your mid, even late 30s.
Source:
Healthy friends. Certainly not me, my body is a bucket of shit.
Source:
Healthy friends. Certainly not me, my body is a bucket of shit.
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Few months back I was running 10k 3-4 times a week and feeling invincible, ive been a bit slack as of late so I'm looking to get back into it next week sometime. I don't buy bigger clothes, if things are getting tight it's time to panic and get back on the horse so to speak. Though I'm only 23 and I do have a tendancy to smoke and drink at occasions. Not sure how long I can keep this up...
caleb1883
Super Spy Agent
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I discussed this with a friend who has a masters in Exercise Physiology. Basically, your body functions like a machine, and just like a machine you only have so many cycles on the parts before they break down. Your body however, vs a machine, can heal itself. The older you get, the longer it takes for the body to repair itself and eventually it can't make repairs as fast you break it down.
Your own physical peak can come at different times based on several things. One, naturally when you completely develop. A great example of this is Mike Tyson and Muhammed Ali. Tyson physically was completely filled out by age 20, Muhammed Ali was much later than that.
That being said, a second factor is how much damage you put your body through. Generally speaking, the life of a quarterback that runs the ball and gets hit a lot is much less than a Dan Marino type who stays in the pocket and lets the line take all the hits. Most people in combat sports who build a career from taking tons of damage don't last long because subjecting your body to blow after blow with virtually no rest or time for the body to catch up means eventual injuries that your body won't be able to completely heal from.
I know with rock climbing and MMA, I want to keep doing them for a long time. That's why when I see a bunch of 18 year olds at the climbing gym going for hours a day, six days a week, jumping for holds and catching them with one hand I always tell them to slow down. I've seen plenty of climbers who pop tendons, break ankles, and rip rotator cuffs in their early 20's from overuse and they never get full range of motion back. And don't get me started on the horrible conditioning practices that go on in Mixed Martial Arts gyms.
Your own physical peak can come at different times based on several things. One, naturally when you completely develop. A great example of this is Mike Tyson and Muhammed Ali. Tyson physically was completely filled out by age 20, Muhammed Ali was much later than that.
That being said, a second factor is how much damage you put your body through. Generally speaking, the life of a quarterback that runs the ball and gets hit a lot is much less than a Dan Marino type who stays in the pocket and lets the line take all the hits. Most people in combat sports who build a career from taking tons of damage don't last long because subjecting your body to blow after blow with virtually no rest or time for the body to catch up means eventual injuries that your body won't be able to completely heal from.
I know with rock climbing and MMA, I want to keep doing them for a long time. That's why when I see a bunch of 18 year olds at the climbing gym going for hours a day, six days a week, jumping for holds and catching them with one hand I always tell them to slow down. I've seen plenty of climbers who pop tendons, break ankles, and rip rotator cuffs in their early 20's from overuse and they never get full range of motion back. And don't get me started on the horrible conditioning practices that go on in Mixed Martial Arts gyms.
Blue Steel
previously "bubu_X"
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I should probably exercise more.
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@LoneSage ...do you still feels this way?
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This thread is lol.
Take a look at the Olympics and that’s your answer. Skill (ie experience) can make up for declining athleticism in some cases so it’s a tough call.
There are plenty of sports though if you don’t make it to the Olympics by say 26 or so you’re done, that’s it.
Take a look at the Olympics and that’s your answer. Skill (ie experience) can make up for declining athleticism in some cases so it’s a tough call.
There are plenty of sports though if you don’t make it to the Olympics by say 26 or so you’re done, that’s it.
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That's not necessarily because you've gone past your prime though. It's just that by 26 if you haven't made it in your chosen sport it's because you weren't good enough and never will be.
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I meant more that if you miss the opportunity to go for a reason outside your control: for example when certain countries boycott Olympics. That realistically may have been 1 of the 2 times you could have made.
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A man is in his physical prime the moment before he dies in coitus.
