better late than never

[solidaj]

after almost 3 decades of a severe butt in a chair all day and couch potato lifestyle at night I've got my 6'2" ectomorph 49 y/o frame back down to 10% body fat - for the last three years i've worked hard - first getting rid of more than 50 pounds of fat with the last 9 months or so dedicated to rebuilding - i've never been a bodybuilder and as i said i'm a hard-gaining ectomorph who's within 6 months of hitting the half century mark

but i am not discouraged

just the fact that i've maintained my new healthy lifestyle for 3 years is amazing and i look and feel better than i ever have

when i started my re-building phase i found a good trainer at my gym - got a good 6 day routine - and kept at it for about 5 months - hit some plateaus - switched some things around - stepped it back to 5 days a week - and for the last month or so have been experimenting with different routines and dietary changes to gain good lean solid muscle

part of my lifestyle change was to focus on raw, whole, and clean foods - got rid of anything saying artificial

I spent the month of october significantly increasing my caloric intake - especially in the protein department - along with pushing myself at the gym - lifting stronger, longer, and harder

I'm looking for routines or tips or help specifically for older guys - 50+ - who are definitely hard gaining ectomorphs - who want to add good lean solidi muscle - i wouldn't mind an extra 20 pounds

I currently hover around the 172 pound mark give or take a pound - and I'm 6'2". Sounds scrawny I know - but what there is of me is solid and strong.

My work and life schedule has me at the gym at 6 AM Monday thru Friday - if I'm lucky once and a while I get there on a saturday or sunday

 

[ThreeGigs]

Take Wednesdays off. Us old fogies need more recuperation time, and 5 days in a row can be taxing on recovery. If you're ecto, I suggest avoiding any cardio. Eat a combination of some whole foods with a protein shake just before bed. The whole foods should include some fat (cheese works for me). Whole foods with fat to slow down stomach emptying, protein shake to boost protein intake, and just before bed so that your body gets supplied all night while it's growing. Half a sandwich and 2 scoops of whey in milk is my routine.

 

[TooOld]

Nice work on taking off the fat.
Above pretty much covers it.
Myself, I work out 3 days a week being that I'm a mid 50's competing powerlifter and with training heavy I need my rest to recover.

 

[Kenny Croxdale]

ThreeGigs

He provided you with some good information.

i'm a hard-gaining ectomorph

Ectomorph Training

Ectomorphs, as you know are hard gainers. I am one myself.

stepped it back to 5 days a week

Less Is More

Ectomorphs respond better to less volume than more.

As ThreeGigs noted, cut your training back to 4 days a week.

I spent the month of october significantly increasing my caloric intake - especially in the protein department

Significant Increase In Calories

How many calorie did you increase?

- along with pushing myself at the gym - lifting stronger, longer, and harder

Lifting Longer

Lifting longer is counter productive for an ectomorph.

Limit your training sessions to an hour or less.

I'm looking for routines or tips or help specifically for older guys - 50+ - who are definitely hard gaining ectomorphs - who want to add good lean solidi muscle - i wouldn't mind an extra 20 pounds

Brawn
http://www.amazon.com/Brawn-Bodybuilding-Drug-Free-Genetically-Typical/dp/9963616089

Stuart McRobert's Brawn is a book devoted to hard gaining ectomorphs.

I currently hover around the 172 pound mark give or take a pound - and I'm 6'2". Sounds scrawny I know - but what there is of me is solid and strong.

Thin Man

172 lbs at 6'2" is definitely very thin. You definitely can add 20 lbs of body weight.

My work and life schedule has me at the gym at 6 AM Monday thru Friday - if I'm lucky once and a while I get there on a saturday or sunday

Again, Less Is MORE

1) Cut your workouts back to 4 days a week.

2) Eliminate cardio (as ThreeGigs said) or dramatically cut it back.

3) Keep training sessions to a hour or less, 45 minutes works.

Periodization Training

You want to cycle the intensity of your training sessions.

Example:

Week 1: Light

Week 2: Moderate

Week 3: All Out Effort

Week 4: This becomes Week 1 again, a light week.

Cycling provides you muscles with stress and then a time to recovery and grow.

Just remember...

The Three Bs

1) Eat BIG

2) Lift BIG

3) Rest BIG

Kenny Croxdale

 

[BUCKY]

I'm proud of you bro! There's a saying "it's not over til it's over".

after almost 3 decades of a severe butt in a chair all day and couch potato lifestyle at night I've got my 6'2" ectomorph 49 y/o frame back down to 10% body fat - for the last three years i've worked hard - first getting rid of more than 50 pounds of fat with the last 9 months or so dedicated to rebuilding - i've never been a bodybuilder and as i said i'm a hard-gaining ectomorph who's within 6 months of hitting the half century mark

but i am not discouraged

just the fact that i've maintained my new healthy lifestyle for 3 years is amazing and i look and feel better than i ever have

when i started my re-building phase i found a good trainer at my gym - got a good 6 day routine - and kept at it for about 5 months - hit some plateaus - switched some things around - stepped it back to 5 days a week - and for the last month or so have been experimenting with different routines and dietary changes to gain good lean solid muscle

part of my lifestyle change was to focus on raw, whole, and clean foods - got rid of anything saying artificial

I spent the month of october significantly increasing my caloric intake - especially in the protein department - along with pushing myself at the gym - lifting stronger, longer, and harder

I'm looking for routines or tips or help specifically for older guys - 50+ - who are definitely hard gaining ectomorphs - who want to add good lean solidi muscle - i wouldn't mind an extra 20 pounds

I currently hover around the 172 pound mark give or take a pound - and I'm 6'2". Sounds scrawny I know - but what there is of me is solid and strong.

My work and life schedule has me at the gym at 6 AM Monday thru Friday - if I'm lucky once and a while I get there on a saturday or sunday