I am 72 yrs old started going to Orange Theory Fitness in Oct 2012. I weighed over 200 lbs today I am at 174. The workout there is high intensity good for the heart and burning calories. Some weight work mostly body weight stuff enough to get good tone but not build muscle fast. I want to see if I can build some muscle so I joined a Youfit gym last month. I was going to OTF 4-5 days a week each session is a hour long.  I am now going there 3 days a week and going to Youfit 3 days a week.

I have no photos prior to yesterday but I plan to keep a photo diary from now on. Arms measured by wife last night we only 14" I hope to get to 15" before I die. I have a roll around my waist still can't seem to get rid of it. I know I have to make changes to my eating habits but not sure what to go to.
Knees are a problem so leg work is limited to seated press and calf raises. At my age I have to watch my back so I doubt I'll try any deep squats.


I'll try to do a better pose the next time I have a photo taken.

Open to any suggestions on weight routines for chest, back, arms and shoulders (need a lot of attention).
What do suggest for diet?

Kick ass Gramps!  

Do you have injuries or arthritis in the back or knees?  If you can leg press you should be able to squat if you use proper form. Squats shouldn't revolving around bending the knee. The focus is on sitting back with the hips. Kinda like trying to crap into a bucket.

Starting Strength 3rd Edition is the best How-To I've ever seen for the big barbell lifts.  Rippetoe also has a highly educational, yet totally boring, video showing various ages, sexes and sizes of people as he teaches the lifts. IIRC a tiny grandma is one of his subjects.  Basic Barbell Training video

At your age Hormone Replacement Therapy would help greatly with gaining muscle.

damn, old man strength indeed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good work!

As Hizzie said, barring an injury there's no reason you can't squat. I know many people in their 70s that do, to varying depths depending on mobility and injury.

Good luck

My supervisor at work is about 62 I think, so younger than you but he's extremely beat up from college football and a lifetime of coaching, ranching, and LE work. He still squats and deadlifts, more than I do I may add. If you're squatting with good technique it shouldn't be a problem, a leg press is probably more likely to injure your lower back than a squat. Most people aren't flexible enough to leg press without rounding their spine at the bottom, which places sheer stress on vertebrae.

I have arthritis of both knees had the right one "cleaned out"  doc and therapists told me to stay away from squats. I do legs on a seated leg press machine when I push out I get no tension on the back at all. I was told not to do leg lifts because they are very bad for the knees.
One of the trainers at OTF is a lic physical therapist she told me to stay away from squats and leg lifts.
One of the problems I have is I am very round shouldered trainers keep telling me to put my chest out and stop looking down. The only way I might try squats is if and when I can afford a good trainer. I want someone who knows body dynamics watching me to insure my form is correct.
I have had prostate cancer and high cholesterol so I don't think I could get a doctor to recommend hormone therapy.

Seated leg press is awful for the SI Joint.  Do you have a smart phone or tablet? Video yourself. Watch and self coach. When I finally returned to the squat rack after my hip surgery I hit a whopping 85lbs. Quality > Quantity  

Mark Rippetoe on Squats

Becoming a Supple Leopard by Kelly Starrett is excellent for mobility and rehab.

Mobility WOD

Mobility WOD YouTube channel.

Sounds like we may be in the same boat. I'm half a year from 70, and in similar shape. I've been doing regular workouts for the last six months, trying to increase muscle mass.

Here are the exercises I'm currently doing for chest, back, arms and shoulders:

Towel Rows -------------------- 4 sets to failure (currently, about 30, 28, 26, 24 reps)
Bent Over, One Arm Rows --- 3 sets x 30 reps w/14 lbs
Incline Pushups ---------------- 4 sets to failure (currently, about 30, 27, 24, 20 reps)
Self-assisted Dips -------------- 3 sets to failure (currently, about 25, 22, 20 reps)
Lateral Raises ------------------ 5 sets to failure (4 lbs @ ~35 reps, 6 lbs @ ~25 reps, 8 lbs @ ~15 reps, 6 lbs @ ~20 reps, 4 lbs @ ~30 reps)
Hammer Curls ------------------ 3 sets x 30 reps w/8 lbs

For legs, I do self-assisted 1/4 squats. I'd much rather use a leg press machine like that at the rehab facility I was in for two weeks last December, but sadly, such is not available to me now.

Regarding diet, I ingest all the protein I can get at meals (beef, chicken, turkey, fish), and also have a handful or two of walnut halves each day.

My gains have been extremely slow, so I'll be quite interested in learning what progress you make.

Good Job!  I hope I'm as fit as you when I'm your age.

Damn from the pic I thought you looked maybe 50 something.

I use heavy weights I do as may reps as I can if I can do more than 10 reps on any exersize I up the weight on the next set.
When doing chest I do 10 pushups after each set till I can't do them any more.  I place my hands about 6" apart even with my shoulders.

I hope I look that good at 70.

I would be going that route, too, but my current circumstances severely limit me the amount of weight I can use.

No matter, though. It may make for an interesting experiment, to see if there's a difference in gaining muscle mass for two guys our age, with light weight, high reps vs heavy weight, low reps.

Which will get 15" arms first?

+1

Awesome job

Do you wear anything on your knees when you're doing leg exercises?  If not, I'd suggest getting some neoprene knee sleeves during leg presses/squats which will keep them immensely warm and less prone to injury.  Rehbands are probably the most well known and are of good quality.

I'll second that recommendation. I stopped squatting for while due to knee pain. The difference when keeping my knees warm with Rehbands is night and day.

My brother loves his Vulkan knee sleeves. I am very happy with my SBD sleeves. They do help.

I do wear knee sleeves. On an early visit to my doctor I wore them his comment was you know they don't help your problem they only keep your knees warm".

Damn! What an inspiration. At 44 I like to think I have another 40 years of strong healthy life ahead of me.

now im no doctor, but I would discount your trainers and doctors advice on lifting, unless it causes you physical  pain in your knees.

Could I venture to say  your doctor or trainer were relatively fat/out of shape? Just a guess since thats been my experience with people telling me squatting and lifting are bad for you.

also you may find that putting your knees through a full range of motion may help your arthritis. Again, Im 28 and not a doctor so I have no idea what arthritis feels like.

Yes stanc, you're doing way too many reps to gain muscle.

Go heavier and pyramid your weights / reps ..... 12 reps, 10 reps, 8 reps, 5 reps, 8 reps (heavier on the lower reps).  

Thanks, but as I noted in my second post, going heavier is not an option at present. For why, see: http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_1_113/1641604_Muscle_Development_and_MS.html&page=1#i48113496

Sorry, I didn't see that post.

I started yesterday with my new routine. I use a lighter weight for up to 20 reps to warm up then move to a heavy weight If I can do more than 5 reps with that weight I go higher. I am doing 3 sets on each exercise. Yesterday was back and biceps. Laths and biceps are sore. Today was chest and triceps we'll see what tomorrow brings. Sat. I did legs and shoulder. My next 3 gym visits will be at Orange Theory for high intensity work outs. My plan is do 3 days lifting take a day off then 3 days high intensity next day off.
I'll do this for a month or so then maybe try lifting one day then next day high intensity do it for 6 days then a day or 2 off. I'll listen to what my body is telling me and decide.
I may try squats as I get stronger. I might hire a trainer for my first 2 attempts.