I hadn't come to the forum when I started lifting about the beginning of December, so it never occurred to me to take a before picture. I did have one with my shirt off about 4 years ago and aside from hair style, a mustache and perhaps just a bit more of love handle / beer gut from years of slugging beer, the old picture was quite representative, always toned, emaciated and hollowed out. The first picture is without knowing how to lift weights but what some people would consider "fit" from my normal active lifestyle. The second was taken at the beginning of March 2008 after three full months of lifting, elimination of aerobic exercise (except walking) and changing diet. Perhaps the best title might be "Ectomorph starts to look more normal" ;-). No complaints there, I'm pretty happy with just being a little filled out for the first time in my 53 years.

Before coming to JSF, I had my diet all wrong so the second photo actually shows that I could have done much better. I kept too much of a layer of fat and probably had about half the gains I could have. Till I started taking the stickies seriously, I still had trouble spelling "complex carbs" ;-). I was also paranoid about any compounding exercise but finally realize that what people say here about that, is important (I'm doing pull-ups and chins now ;-)). Already seeing the differences but no pictures yet. I guess everyone has to have a little bit of a false start. I've since hooked up to the changes and I expect much better improvement by 6 months. I have a high BF% now but I'm erring on the side of caution because of so many years of losing weight when and where I least want it. I know the differences here aren't staggering but they are a major departure from the gaunt image I've lived with as me all my life.

People can talk about effective strength all they want but if you have a light body type that refuses to be strong, you can work and workout till you puke every day (which I did) and you'll always be weak without getting serious about lifting and bulking the muscles. When you don't have what seems like everyone elses genetic silver bullet for bulking, you have to be precise and eek each strength and bulk improvement intentionally. The before picture was at 48, the lifestyle was and always has been of very hard compounded work, i.e., I was "effectively strong" to do the activities I needed to do, and factually quite weak. All I ever did was lose weight and look like my head belonged on a bigger body ;-). I honestly thought it was impossible to have my body fill out.

I put this up because I found the media gallery helpful to me. I looked at Carguy's photo's today and started to realize that a little further down the road, I may be able to push this beyond just "normal", work as hard as he has and actually get some more useful bulk going. His transformation was inspiring because when you see someone your age doing it, you have no more excuses. Anyway here's my first three months and I'll probably go for a new photo at the end of this month, that will be five total months including the positive changes in workout I've made from information gleaned from JSF.

One last important point, I've never felt so good physically in my life.

Before Picture:
http://novinyl.com/images/48.jpg

After 3 months of bulking:
http://novinyl.com/images/53.jpg

I'd say you look better than just some 'normal guy'! The change is definitely noticeable and you have some good definition going on. You have a great foundation for further bulking or even some cutting if you want to go that direction (though it's far from necessary).

Also you look like a skinny Chuck Norris in your before pic.

Uh oh, you're makin' me feel like growing my mustache and bangs back... no matter, when I go in for a haircut, the woman who cuts my hair insists on shorter and shorter :(. She assures me she has the style thing covered!

I think reintroducing aerobic and endurance exercise may end up being all I need to cut but there may be some diet surprises there too, that's another learning curve. I love running and enjoy Kung Fu plus have a backlog of intense outdoor work to do, resuming these may cause my body to cut quite naturally given my new diet and workout paradigms! I haven't yet acquired a trust that I won't return to shedding muscle if I restart other activity. I've even limited the relentless trail clearing and farm maintenance I have to do just to get where I have. It's humorous how my transformative improvements have had a direct inverse effect on my property as I've taken such care to exercise only intentionally ;-).

I know the differences here aren't staggering but they are a major departure from the gaunt image I've lived with as me all my life.

Are you kidding? You look like a different person, not to mention that you look years younger in your after pic! Fantastic work! :tu:

HUGE difference--especially for just 3 months of bulking. You added a significant amount of muscle while keeping fat gains to a minimum. Good job!

Are you kidding? You look like a different person, not to mention that you look years younger in your after pic! Fantastic work! :tu:

When I first wandered into JSF, I was just googling what people were saying on Smith's and 3D machines and blundered in. I ended up reading an unrelated post where you responded to someone and that was the first time I put two and two together and realized there were quite a few people hooked up to physical improvement as important facet of personal improvement (I'll admit, I'm a "little" isolated in my life so I can be totally clueless about such ;-)). Long story short, I followed your progress pics link that day and remember being impressed that people under half my age were hooking up to something it took all these years for me to connect to.

Now that "years younger" thing... I don't really mind if that's politeness, it works for me ;-). Seriously though, frailty versus robustness is big part of age. It was pretty shocking to me that it's a controllable factor that people ignore. I watched my grandma wither away and die at 101 with absolutely nothing wrong with her except not having sufficient mobility making life not worth continuing.

My dad at 87 is plenty healthy just by lucky genetics, but his quality of life is reduced by frailty and he never gave a moments thought to holding onto muscle fibers. That decline in muscle fiber between 30 and 70 doesn't seem to be a sentence of age, seems to be a lot of "choice" involved. I'm realizing that now and I think it's a big factor in young vs old. When I started lifting this last December, my dad said to me, "you realize, if you start that, you're going to have to keep doing it for the rest of your life", I responded... "uh... yeah... that's the idea dad!". Had I known better, I would have said the same thing 30 years ago about his easy chair and TV, he'd still be riding dirt bikes with me if I had. ;-) My secret agenda in all this is that I'm raising my son and I need to be in good condition so that in another 4 years when I have the opportunity, I'll be physically up to experiencing every last desire I have and do that for many years to come. In essence, it's just what you intimated, to be "younger" next year than I was last year! There is little magic to that, simply hard work, sleep and diet.

I'll get off my soapbox but you caught the important point I think!! The cool thing is, most everybody on this forum is already investing in their future whether they know it or not. Thank you.

HUGE difference--especially for just 3 months of bulking. You added a significant amount of muscle while keeping fat gains to a minimum. Good job!

That means a lot coming from you.

I'm sure you must know this, but I noted your sig about "virtue". I hope you allow yourself the realization about just how much virtue there is in what you've done with the site and how much good it's doing for people. This site is one of those irrefutable good things.

When I first wandered into JSF, I was just googling what people were saying on Smith's and 3D machines and blundered in. I ended up reading an unrelated post where you responded to someone and that was the first time I put two and two together and realized there were quite a few people hooked up to physical improvement as important facet of personal improvement (I'll admit, I'm a "little" isolated in my life so I can be totally clueless about such ;-)). Long story short, I followed your progress pics link that day and remember being impressed that people under half my age were hooking up to something it took all these years for me to connect to.

Better late than never, as they say ;). But you're right: for me, this journey is as much about growing as a person and dealing with my emotions and moods as it is about transforming my physique. :nod:

Now that "years younger" thing... I don't really mind if that's politeness, it works for me ;-).

I wasn't trying to be polite when I said that you look younger. You really do. (Admittedly, the second picture is a little blurry, but I think it's good enough to be able to notice a difference.) I think the reason for this is that most men over the age of fifty just don't have that kind of physique. My dad, who is your age, certainly doesn't. He looks like you did in your first picture with more of a gut :lol:. Maybe it's also the lack of facial hair ;).

You look great Eagle Tree, good job !

Better late than never, as they say ;). But you're right: for me, this journey is as much about growing as a person and dealing with my emotions and moods as it is about transforming my physique. :nod:



I wasn't trying to be polite when I said that you look younger. You really do. (Admittedly, the second picture is a little blurry, but I think it's good enough to be able to notice a difference.) I think the reason for this is that most men over the age of fifty just don't have that kind of physique. My dad, who is your age, certainly doesn't. He looks like you did in your first picture with more of a gut :lol:. Maybe it's also the lack of facial hair ;).

You are right there, I can pray till I'm blue in the face, go spend massive bucks on counsellors and drop anti-depressants, but a hard workout leaves me centered. It's about the only thing that can in my experience.

Ok, you got me on the picture, but I guess now I'll always use that "blur filter" ;). I'm kidding, the blur has to do with bouncing across the floor and trying to get the right scowl before the timed picture snaps. I think I shook the cabinet I set the camera on... LOL.

As far as your dad and other folks my age, it's not easy. We've reached 30 years of a job where in one way or another, we've been stuck with a commute, often a desk, and the only lunch being Mickey D's and are expected to exercise on the weekends with golf and watch TV at night. I have very few friends that don't have a gut or worse. On top of that, we were raised with aerobics and at best light lifting being the only concept of healthy exercise. Get your dad an Olympic Bar next birthday and tell him it's because you want him around ;). Then teach him how to use it because I had no clue! You seem to!

I know about the facial hair, I think it had something to do with the holdover from that 90's "young country" look or maybe just laziness. The woman who cuts my hair refused to stand for it anymore.

Top notch progress Eagle Tree. :tucool: Seriously, that's 3 month physique contest winner like results for muscle gain.

Do you have numbers on how your core lifts progressed during this time? I'm guessing they went from a little, to a whole lot more. ;)

As far as your dad and other folks my age, it's not easy. We've reached 30 years of a job where in one way or another, we've been stuck with a commute, often a desk, and the only lunch being Mickey D's and are expected to exercise on the weekends with golf and watch TV at night. I have very few friends that don't have a gut or worse. On top of that, we were raised with aerobics and at best light lifting being the only concept of healthy exercise. Get your dad an Olympic Bar next birthday and tell him it's because you want him around ;). Then teach him how to use it because I had no clue! You seem to!

You're right on about my dad. He's always done a lot of cardio but no weights, but I got him started in October and he really seems to like it. He's also gained some fat since last year, though, because his eating habits are pretty bad. He's trying to get a handle on that by eating smaller, more frequent meals, but he's still pretty clueless about proper nutrition and portion sizes (he'll eat a cup of nuts in one sitting while watching TV in the evening because "they're healthy after all").

You're right on about my dad. He's always done a lot of cardio but no weights, but I got him started in October and he really seems to like it. He's also gained some fat since last year, though, because his eating habits are pretty bad. He's trying to get a handle on that by eating smaller, more frequent meals, but he's still pretty clueless about proper nutrition and portion sizes (he'll eat a cup of nuts in one sitting while watching TV in the evening because "they're healthy after all").

Hey, just remember the influence you have. There is almost nothing like your kids badgering to bug you into total submission!! It goes both ways, my son (a pretty amazing 15 YO) is getting a lot of "advice" on diet and workout! ;) He actually completed his first complete structured resistance workout yesterday... under my "helpful" guidance. He appreciates it a lot though. I bet your dad does too!

Just wanted to congratulate you Eagle, This is extremly good work and dedication, May I ask how you manage to put on size and limit the fat deposites of a surplus in calories?, Im looking to add size myself yet maintain as much definition as possible. Again wonderful inspiration to all.

To Ki0sk... Thanks for the encouragement!

To Goonie

I didn't start out scientifically but my military press I recall 75 just because I was using an old concrete set on a one inch bar for those, that was everything I had for that bar. I was up 105 about the time I took that picture and finally 110 about 4 weeks ago. That clearly is not all "progress" per se but figuring out how to lift, having the equipment set up e.g. my free spotter. For the first month, I didn't even have enough plates to add weight in any logical fashion, so I ran static because the jumps on my first olympic set were too much (hence using the old 1 inch bar that I had laid around the shed for years, now thankfully given away). I also found somewhere in January that for a shoulder press, I could push a lot more weight by shifting to a position directly above my head once I'd cleared my forehead (I do chest press from in front rather than behind). It's like a couple of inches back in bar position changed my "strength" (that change in technique made it feel like the bar got really light when it hits that point, quite dramatic). This invalidated my original starting points.

Squats were the same. There I went from "untrained" to "novice" range at lightspeed, too short to consider tangible strength gains. I'm well over my body weight there at 185 (Edit, just checked and this should have been 165, calf raises were 185, had to correct that or I'll never be able to put up a journal and improve, comments apply just a lower percentage, it didn't double ;)) bar and plates which would mean I doubled strength in my thighs, I doubt the validity of that. I used a starting weight of 95 at first because I just didn't have enough upper body strength to handle the weight my legs needed, and still get the weights back to the bench rack without out a spotter. I was lifting paranoid. Once I got the free-spotter (plus going crazy and buying numerous extra plates and an additional olympic bar), I found I could add weights in absurd quantities each week suggesting I'd started way light. Curiously, it "felt" like I was lifting heavy and that I was hitting "failure", but it was psychological and having a spotting system corrected the psychology. Again not so much progress as equipment and figuring things out.

I expect realistic percentage strength gains now with everything dialed in and by my keeping a clipboard handy for each setup. I'm clearly not going to find such "improvements" ever again ;).

When I just came back after a 7 day layoff followed by a cold (I think 4 or 5 days additional off, pretty much napping), I took a pretty shocking hit. I setup for 110 yet couldn't get a rep, barely pushed a single military press at 95 and had to drop to 90 to actually do the reps, then on the 3rd progressively dropped two 10s off to work it and two additional sets. I'm still getting over the cold so that may be a factor. I lost 5 pounds during the layoff and cold. Could have been muscle, though I've been told it had to be water weight. This "strength drop" is also reflecting that my new routine starting after the layoff has shoulders in with Chest / Triceps. I'd done my BPs prior to moving to shoulder presses. The combination of cold and routine change may have been too much. I'm anxious to move into the second week on this to see what happens. I'm going to work shoulders first this time.

Sorry for the random answer but that is sort of the case. I wasn't careful enough. If I were to advise someone starting out who's working alone, it would be to get the ducks in line first, plenty of plates, a spotting system so you can do realistic tests of strength prior to getting going, then of course write it down, funny how easy it is to forget last weeks weight if you don't. The other factor I'm not mentioning is that I initially did more dumbbell work than barbell just because imbalances were hideous for shoulders, biceps and triceps. The weight figures there bore no relation I can see to the barbell work.

Just wanted to congratulate you Eagle, This is extremly good work and dedication, May I ask how you manage to put on size and limit the fat deposites of a surplus in calories?, Im looking to add size myself yet maintain as much definition as possible. Again wonderful inspiration to all.

I was not that organized about it (like everything else when I started). I just ate as much as I could stuff of protein as often as I could, dropped virtually all my normal sources of carbs (that had been beer and quality frozen prepared entree's). I didn't limit fat because I chose meat cuts that were not optimum in that respect (tenderloin, new york, pork chops). Protein shakes (made with OJ and grapefruit juice or skim milk) about 4 times a day, cottage cheese, eggs. I lost a small beer gut that didn't show up in the before picture since there was so much time after that. That disappeared by the end of December. Beyond that, my diet was just not that well planned. You can see it's really not any sort of optimum diet. Does seem to work for my body type if all that saturated fat from the steaks doesn't get me! I'm using DietSleuth OSX to try to get my percentages right now.

I took off on lifting with a vengeance using a 4 day cycle which I had to back down on after that first month and continuously backed it off further since I was injuring myself. As I mentioned I cut out all aerobics and endurance work. I used long rests between sets because along with cutting out the endurance work, a book suggested that an ectomorph should keep their heart rate down when lifting for bulk. I was actually using 4 minutes early on and getting virtually full recovery between sets. That may be a mistake from what I've read here and now I do 120 seconds.

I'm betting it's my overactive metabolism combined with not going to a more rigid and theoretically better diet with additional carbs. I can lose weight eating as much as I want which has actually always been my problem (that is in lieu of drinking excessively or a steady barrage of treat type food, I can gain a gut that way of course).

I'm trying right now to increase complex carbs in hopes I'll get more bulk. I'd really rather gain the bulk and deal with a little fat later since bulking is so much more difficult than losing for me.

Excellent progress! :nod:

Nice work...great mindset and attitude too...wish it was something my father who is your same age would adopt. :tucool:

Nice work...great mindset and attitude too...wish it was something my father who is your same age would adopt. :tucool:

Drag him into the gym, he'll love it! It's about the age where feeling younger doesn't hurt. In fact it's at the age where if you don't work out, living starts hurting ;). Every time one of my friends starts talking about their back, I have the exact same answer now. Start lifting and hurt good instead of bad. It's pretty bizarre, at about 50, you start hurting yourself with everything you do, lifting took all that away in no time.

Hey Eagle Tree, I'm on vacation but I had to drop in and say how great you look. Keep up the good work. Your before pic looks better than mine and you are bulking up nicely. Let's keep showing the under-50 crowd that the over-50 crowd isn't going to file off slowly to the Early Bird specials at Bob Evans. Pump it up, my man!

Great Job Eagle!

Now you're also becoming a motivation for others.

I'm 42 (not a child either) and glad to see we can be, or get, into great shape at 40, 50, 60, 70, 80... (I've seen examples of older people), if we really want to. As you say, it's not the age, it's your mindset.

I agree your moustache gave you the Chuck Norris look. I guess shaving it is part of your change.

Keep up the good work!

Hey Eagle Tree, I'm on vacation but I had to drop in and say how great you look. Keep up the good work. Your before pic looks better than mine and you are bulking up nicely. Let's keep showing the under-50 crowd that the over-50 crowd isn't going to file off slowly to the Early Bird specials at Bob Evans. Pump it up, my man!

Carguy,

Thanks for the inspiration, your gallery was impressive.

When I first came to the forum, I noticed a post from a fellow about his 50 something parents wanting to lift and a response saying make sure to get the doctors release. A prudent response I guess, but I chuckled thinking about the picture of using the walker to get into the door of the clinic to get that release. Here I am feeling as if I belong more with the skateboarders in the parking lot! ;). 53 feels just fine now. 52 didn't. Sure wish I'd figured this out about 30 years ago.

Eagle Tree, very inspiring. Your gains are marked and I know you'll be looking ripped in no time (relatively speaking).


Keep it up :)