Geezer Power!
Thursday, July 17th, 2008I never thought I’d see the day when a story like this would appear in the New York Times:
I never thought I’d see the day when a story like this would appear in the New York Times: Now that Dr. Grossman, a 60-year-old Baltimore dentist, is a competitive amateur bodybuilder, an extra ounce of flab makes the difference between a sizable trophy and going home empty-handed. “The minute you start winning, that’s all the validation people need to accept what you do as legitimate and something to be appreciated,” said Dr. Grossman, who is 5-foot-2 and a chiseled 121 pounds. He is one of a small but growing number of 60- and 70-year-old bodybuilders stripping down to Speedos, slathering on bronzer, and strutting their stuff onstage in natural, or drug-free, competitions. of course, the main reason for surprise is that we’re talking about bodybuilding here, a cult sport if ever there was one. Plus there’s the fact that just a few dozen men compete in these over-60 divisions. Finally, there’s my surprise in seeing them interview someone I know: Although it is harder to build muscle later in life — 18 to 35 are considered the prime muscle-building years — it is possible, said Jose Antonio, the vice president of the National Strength and Conditioning Association. … Older bodybuilders tend to be disciplined purists. Younger competitors might want to push the envelope and beef up as much as possible, said Dr. Antonio, who has a Ph.D in muscle physiology. “Older individuals just want to improve their physique.” … Prized supplements include creatine for strength, glutamine for muscle recovery, branch chain amino acids for muscle development, all of which Dr. Antonio, who is also the chief executive of International Society of Sports Nutrition, recommends for bodybuilders. My surprise aside, it’s a terrific story about older guys (really, not that much older than me) investing time and energy in a quest for physical, nutritional, and behavioral discipline that manifests itself as a ripped physique. If the story were about ancient marathoners, it would hardly be remarkable. The fact these geezers are bodybuilders makes it refreshing and even kind of exotic.