Age and Training

Slightly more complicated than that Mike. Always wanted to grow muscle. Bought a Bullworker aged about 15 and remember thinking I'd have to change my wardrobe within a month - the power of advertising even then! At uni I did karate and went to the gym to help my karate. In those days there was no gym culture, you were a freak if you went to the gym, unless you came up with an excuse for going.

In 1980 I had my accident, didn't train again till 1984, trained 84 - 97, stopped training when I got my own gym (busman's holiday syndrome I guess). When I stopped training I'd just hit a 140 bench for the first time after 13 years solid training. Started back 2002, discovered Masters Bench Press via disabled lifting, and I've been competing since 2004. So since 1974 really (not counting the Bullworker years), with two five year breaks for very different reasons along the way.

Can't see myself stopping, it's part of what I do and who I am, think it would leave too big a gap in my life if I couldn't do it any more. That said, I sometimes have to drag myself into the gym, but drag myself in I do!

Times have changed - at my fist west mids divisionals (29 yrs ago) there were three 75kg lifters snatching over 120kg

Bullworker - I remember spending countless hours to be completely disappointed by the results too.

Yup - it worked for Muhammed Ali though

And they still are

Your aims are still great

I'd like to think that when im 40 i'll still be lifting and would switch to Masters Athletics.

I absolutely intend on training until the run up to my death. This is why I'm not greedy in the weights room.
Lifetime health for me.

Heavy weight Steve. Good luck with that. We need a vid too. Fair bit of weight loss there from your days as a lifting lump.

You do have to be careful about pictures posted online

You make a good point about coming back to it though Martin (& Steve). Sometimes life gets in the way, but it doesn't mean that that's the end of it. The weights will always be there. Comebacks are part of lifting.

Every weight class from 75kg up to SH and back down - I feel much healthier at a lighter bwt and it's much easier to keep up with our 5 year old.

Always interesting when people chase strength through weight gain as far as possible and realise it's not for them when they get there. It's like we come of age. lol We're a funny bunch.

i think guys like martin, steve and other older lifters of the game (will include mark felix to this!) are an inspiration to me, and I hope to follow their suit in the not too distant future when i am knocking similar age.

pagan and ben f too, they are pretty old.

Dont forget Boar.

He was in his twenties when Corrie was launched.

Strong this.

I can't see myself quitting, but I think it'll become more and more leisurely as time goes on.