Can Older Men Still Build Muscle?

Answer:

You can certainly expect muscle growth at 64. The amount you can achieve will depend on your natural levels of testosterone (which unfortunately decrease as you get older) and the type of training you do. To be frank, you most likely won't see the same results as a man in his twenties but you will definitely see results!

The type of exercise that will help you the most with muscle gain is basically what works for all trainers. Lift heavy weights to muscular failure in the rep range of 6 to 12 reps per set.

Utilize basic exercises that work the most amount of muscle mass, such as squats, deadlifts, bench press, barbell rows, etc. Eat lots of food and lots of protein. Follow these basic principles and you can't go wrong.

You may find that you need somewhat longer recuperation periods as you get older, especially when you're lifting heavier weights. Your metabolism is not as fast as it used to be and may need a little more time in between heavy workouts.

I would suggest training every other day with a split program that works half your body one day then the other half of your body the next session, e.g. back, chest, biceps, calves on Monday then shoulders, triceps, thighs and abs on Wednesday. Repeat Monday's parts on Friday and continue like that every other day.

This format should give you enough time for recovery and keep your muscle growth moving.

Here are four simple tips for gaining muscle mass at any age.