Can You Become A Bodybuilder In Your 60s?

Yes, you can! Adding muscle and increasing bone mass is still possible at this age. Compound exercises such as deadlifts, squats, and pull-ups are great for building strength, and will also help maintain increased bone density. Protecting against injuries is essential for anyone over 60, as the risk of injury pain or an accident is much higher.  

Can you Become a Bodybuilder in Old Age with the Proper Diet, Nutrition & Exercise?

Look no one is going to start working out for a couple months and look like Arnold Schwarzenegger in a few months. The same is true for 20 year olds that is true for 60 year olds. However, with proper diet and nutrition you can see significant changes in your health.

Older adults may find it harder to gain muscle mass due to natural changes in their bodies, and how you can still achieve your fitness goals even if you are in your 50s, 60s, and beyond.

Yes, it is possible to become a bodybuilder in your 60s. It starts with completing workout programs that are tailored for older adults, and will focus on great workouts that will help to build muscle. This can include five exercises that are designed to target the whole body, such as squats, deadlifts, and chest presses.

A diet plan should also be included which can provide the right nutrition needed for muscle building. Training frequency should also be increased in order to gain muscle mass faster as well as following a diet program specific for building muscle. Lifting weights is important too so you should create a 60 lifting plan with your roadmap including my notes and advice on how to go about it.  

Increasing Muscle Mass as an Older Adult

You can become a bodybuilder in your 60s by rebuilding your muscle mass, gaining muscle mass and increasing muscle mass. Daily fitness is key to success in this endeavor, with hours of lifting weights being the focus. Age related muscle loss can be counteracted with a proper fitness routine. Fitness routines should be tailored to allow even older adults to participate and still gain the benefits that come from exercise. A health regimen should also include stretching and other activities like cardio, which will help maintain a healthy balance between lifting hours and muscle growth.  

As we age, our bodies undergo many natural changes, such as age related muscle loss. This is known as sarcopenia and involves the loss of type II fast twitch muscle fibers, which are responsible for power and quick movements. It can be difficult to rebuild our muscles when we are in our 60s but it is possible to increase older bodybuilders’ muscle mass by engaging in regular strength training and taking part in activities that challenge the twitch muscle fibers. Furthermore, cardiovascular health should also be taken into consideration when beginning our muscles rebuilding journey; activities like running or cycling help to stimulate blood flow and bring nutrients to damaged skeletal tissues.

Is it Harder to Gain Muscle Mass in Old Age, than Youth:

Yes, absolutely. But at the end of the day, everything is relative and you should be looking to achieve your fitness and health goals at any age! Building strength is very possible at any age. Even if you’re not able to lift as heavy as a 20-something bodybuilder, you can still benefit from strength training sessions and reach your goals.

Shown that workout programs that target specific body parts can help build more muscle and a stronger body than traditional gym workouts. Splits workouts are particularly effective for targeting individual muscles, allowing them to be stimulated more easily and fully developed. The key to success is consistency with weight lifting and including rich meals that help muscles recover faster in your diet plan. Studies have also shown that sports science works for people of all ages when it comes to building lean mass.  

It is possible to become a bodybuilder in your 60s. It just requires a little more dedication and focus on the right exercises. Gaining muscle mass in your 60s is no easy task, but it's not impossible either. With the right daily routine and exercises, you can lift as much weight as an older adult as you did in your 20s. Start by putting 5 pounds of weights on each exercise and gradually increase it over time. Your focal point should be to challenge your bodys abilities, so you’re constantly pushing yourself to do better each session. In a nutshell, if you’re patient and consistent with your workouts for at least three months, then you will see results in about a year or so.  

Bodybuilding in your 60s is possible, but it’s important to understand the basics of muscle building benefits and training. It’s important to focus on one muscle group at a time and do exercises that target that muscle group. It’s also important to have high rep sets with 15-20+ reps. You should also make sure to add more sets and high rep finishers for each set thus increasing the total number of reps. Lastly, you should keep up with progressive resistance training by lifting progressively heavier weights as your muscles get used to the same weight. This will ensure your muscles don’t plateau and grow stronger as you age. Keep in mind that it's important to keep your muscles working by working all of the major muscle groups such as your chest, back, legs and toes for maximum benefit.

Should You Start Strength training and Bodybuilding in your 60s?

With help from resistance exercises and fitness professionals, it is possible to build muscle no matter what age you are. Yes, if you have never worked out before and you are older. You should go ahead and start today. Just make sure you are not exceeding your personal limits.

Working with professional personal trainers can help to identify the right exercises like push ups, weights and works your body with just the use of your own body weight. A recent study at Birmingham University showed that those over 60 who were set on a routine of body weight exercises such as push ups, sit ups and squats had increased strength and mobility. It goes to show that working your body can keep you fit and healthy no matter what age you are.

It is possible to promote healthier and longer life with proper nutrition, exercise, and muscle building. Degenerative muscle loss can be reversed, and with the right combination of exercise and nutrition, you can keep growing muscle even at an older age. Proper nutrition is considered the best remedy for this, as it provides your body with essential nutrients that are necessary for muscle growth. Exercise such as weight-lifting will also help to prevent injuries while building up strength and improving mobility. A long building process is still necessary however; it takes time to build up strength and gain muscle mass.

How do I get started?

There is a handful of weightifting and fitness equipment that we highly recommend to start with while on your bodybuilding journey:

  1. Start with the Squat Rack. It's a great base and piece of equipment to do all types of exercises. The Garage Series Squat Rack With Pullup Bar is a great place to start. It has all of the key essentials to begin the bodybuilding journey.
  2. Get a bench. You will need a bench to do various exercises, such as bench press and get your chest, triceps and shoulders a killer workout. This bench is a great option: Flat/Incline/Decline Bench. You can do incline, flat, or decline exercises.
  3. Buy a great multi-purpose barbell. The 20kg Wonder Barbell is one of our most popular. It's clean, sleek, and frankly looks kick butt on the rack. You'll get some great lifts in with this barbell.
  4. For weights and plates, you have two choices. You can go with the traditional metal plates. Or, you can really change up your workout with bumper plates and do powerlifting and other functional fitness types of lifting. Our bumper plates are very durable and are meant to be thrown around. The metal plates are great too, but more for traditional style lifting.
  5. Supplement your workouts with dumbbells, of course. It's always important to add dumbbells to your workout. And, yes, we have dumbbells too.
  6. Last but not least, have you tried to use kettelbells? Wow, talk about a killer workout. We strongly encourage kettlebells to work all muscle groups. Our Prime kettlebells have a great grip, and the weight is shifted to the bottom for a better pendulum and swinging motion.
  7. Gym Packages: Or, if you are still not clear of what to buy to get started, check out the all-in gym packages that we offer.  
  8. Now, what are you waiting for? Go get started and go lift something heavy today! Everyone wants to be a bodybuilder, but not everyone wants to put in the work and lift heavy. Which person are you?

2 comments


  • Carlos Cardona

    How about loosing belly fat, low testosterone or better said low energy levels, should protein powered and other supplements be taken?


  • Ronald Wyncott

    Kettlebells are great and the ADJUSTABLE-WEIGHT-KETTLEBELL AWK® is the best weight loading and multi-use kettlebell in the marketplace today. See it on You-Tube or E-Bay!!!


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