Building Muscle From Nothing... at 47

I got a call from my brother on January 20th, 2025. I clicked answer and the first thing out of his mouth was "I finally figured out how to build muscle efficiently." He had been lifting for 20 years and was just now feeling confident in this discovery.

The timing or something was right because I was all-in. He told me to go buy a certain book and just do what it said.

I ignored that part of his instructions and went directly to a local gym and signed up for a pass that day and started lifting the next morning. From that point forward, I was on a mission. A mission to gain as much muscle as humanly possible.

I was 47 when my brother called. Just a few years away from the unavoidable stage of constant muscle loss. Something all men must suffer through. I had 3 years to build as much muscle as humanly possible before my 50s wiped out all hope.

I have now been lifting 5 days a week ever since and have only taken 2 rest weeks. It has been 18 months.

I am blown away that anyone lifts to build muscle. They have to fight through so much hype, advertising, lies, myth, lore, and ego for long periods of time to see any gains at all. For the first year, you don't even look like you have a gym pass. During year 2 you might look like you are a little fit or have some underlying muscle. Year 3 could probably yield some unsolicited comments like "looking good" or "you are getting kind of jacked." But you will be a sliver compared to someone who has been lifting for 5+ years and has their steroid routine dialed in.

You have days when you feel fat, days when you feel like your arms are dangling spaghetti strings. Every once in a while, you will have a day that you feel somewhat massive. Then you are back to feeling fat or skinny.

There were some early injuries here and there from going too heavy too soon. Add that to the fear of constantly declining testosterone. But little by little, there were gains.

One day after about 4 months my brother-in-law said, "have you been lifting?" I was blown away. Especially now as I look back at pictures from that month. I would never think I had been lifting.

As the end of my muscle-building window loomed, I began researching when the inevitable grim reaper of shuffling around a tennis court would strike me. There were a few memorable moments. An extremely jacked individual stopped me at the gym and gave me a small lifting hint. I joked that if it led me to look like him, I would do it. He laughed and said "I am 62 so you are way ahead." WHAT? 62? How is that possible? He should be in a hospital bed. Then there was an Instagram post where a young bodybuilder was being coached by an old one. The old one (at least 60) was so massive, he made all other Instagrammers look scrawny.

More research indicated that a man could grow muscle well into his sixties.

Finally, I bought and read my brother's recommended book. It was Bigger, Leaner, Stronger by Michael Matthews. He is so logical and the entire book contains biblical levels of truth about building muscle and staying on track.

Again, it provided more evidence that muscle could be built well into later years.

Now at almost 49 years old, the transformation is visible. But I had to know with precision what I had accomplished. I stomached the cost and went to get a DEXA scan 16 months into my muscle-building mission. This first DEXA scan revealed 18 lbs of added muscle and the bone density of a 30 year old. The technician circled my RSMI number (relative amount of muscle in arms and legs) and said it was the highest number she had seen in a long time. Having no idea what the number meant but sensing her tone, I simply said I was happily married but thank you.

There are noticeable gains every month. Not huge gains. But noticeable if you have accurate enough instruments and keen enough vision.

Building muscle into my 60s began to appear achievable. But what nobody tells you (except Michael Matthews) is that your body responds to weight training slowly over incredible lengths of time. The massive amounts of muscle can come during your 40s, 50s, and 60s. But it comes at a pace of about 1 pound of lean muscle per month.

This discovery gave me hope. Hope that someday I would achieve my goal of gaining as much muscle as humanly possible. But tempered by the reality that it will take about 5 years to accomplish. Understanding the pace and the required consistency of getting to the gym, lifting correctly 5 days a week, and eating enough helps me to stay the course.

There is no magical age where my muscle gains will stop and make me a decrepit nursing home patient overnight. I see a solid 10 years ahead of me where I can match muscle growth and strength of men in their 30s.