old guy - new here

[goodgrowin']

I spent my first 51 years avoiding anything athletic, obviously a very sedentary life. I began weight lifting for general health. But I am amazed at the wide range of benefits I have seen in only 2.5 months. Fat is disappearing and muscle is showing up. I feel about ten or twenty years younger. I have been reading this site for a while and I am impressed with the encouragement and help I find here.

I am 5'8", 150 lb (down from about 169 a year ago). I want to continue to add muscle, but do not have a well defined goal. At this time, I am just delighted to continue my new-guy rapid gains!

[Maki Riddington]

Congrats on stumbling into weight training. The rewards are for life. Welcome!

[Anthony]

Never too late to start!

[Veritas]

I wish I could get my father into wieght lifting. He's about 49 or 50 and very sedintary also. Now that he's retired, all he does is lounge around. I'm not sure how my mother would feel about him 'looking' younger. How does your wife feel about your new found glory?

[JD77]

Welcome to WBB! Congrats on getting into weight training.

[goodgrowin']

Thanks, everyone, for your kind welcomes.

Veritas, you asked how my wife likes the new me. I think I mentioned a "wide range of benefits." My wife thinks it's great.

[rookiebldr]

GG, I too started late getting into this iron game, however now after 3 years I couldn't think of stopping. It's definitely had it's highs and lows especially has I changed the short term goals but overall extremely rewarding. Keep at it, bro.

[ocbizlaw]

I'm an old guy too. 49. Started lifting at 37 until two years ago when an old back injury came up. Been back at it for six months. Unfortunately my weight ballooned to 255 in the meantime. Now down to 240. Bench 335 but I can only squat 315. Someday I'll figure that out. I think it's long femurs. I'm 6-1 and the only way I can get to parallel on squat is very wide stance. Same with deadlift, sumo style. Deadlift is also 315. Oh well. One problem I have is that my outerquads are almost always sore. Good news is no knee problems so with wide stance parallel or below is no problem. I could squat a lot more if I only went down a quarter of the way like everyone else in my gym. Good to be here.

Bob