Develop Lean, Shredded Muscle with Definition – If I Can Do It at 58 Years Old, So Can You!
How many times have you browsed through a fitness magazine dreaming that one day you could like the man or woman who’s featured on those pages. Now you can turn “mission impossible” into “mission accomplished”! My name is Timothy Roach and I’m an accomplished amateur bodybuilder who has competed in 15 bodybuilding championships and have won several U.S. Championships along with finishing 2nd place 6 times and placing in the top 10 another 7 times. I’m never the biggest guy on stage, but I guarantee that I’m the most ripped and shredded! This is my way of separating myself from the rest of the competition while providing the judges with unmatched physique symmetry and eye-popping definition.
How I Got Started
When I reached the age of 50, I did not like how I looked or how I felt. At the time, I was working out, but I didn’t really know what I was doing. I also had a bit of a beer belly and extra body fat on my physique. I didn’t have a lot of energy and I didn’t like how I looked, period. I went to see a bodybuilding show with my wife and we watched the over-50 guys compete and I became very inspired. I knew I could develop that attractive, lean and shredded look that I saw in all those fitness magazines. Now, all I had to do was figure out how to actually do it!
My Evolution
It all started when I purchased a workout program on the Internet which also came with a diet plan. I remember the first workout like it was yesterday. For about half of the exercises, I had to actually ask some of the more experienced guys in the gym what the exercise was and how to do it. It was very humbling at first, but I was determined to develop that lean, muscular fitness magazine body. Over the next 90 days, I lost 41 pounds and reduced my body weight all the way down to 184 pounds. I ended up finishing second in my first fitness competition and three weeks later, I competed in the Fame Body Proud World Championships where I finished 1st place! I found the experience to be very motivating and I knew I was capable of much more.
I obtained my personal training certification, my Masters certification and certifications in weight loss and nutrition. I even traveled across the country to spend a week with a top bodybuilder and trainer. Over the years, I’ve used this knowledge to continue my progress, as well as training men and women from all over the United States. At 58 years of age, I feel that I haven’t even reached my peak yet! I guess that’s why I have two Superman tattoos that remind me that I’m capable of accomplishing anything 🙂
The 3 Key Things That Drive My Continued Progress:
- Motivation – My personal motivation comes from teaching, writing and trainers others to improve their physiques. Competing in bodybuilding competitions also keeps me very motivated.
- Knowledge – I constantly strive to learn more about health and fitness along with gaining knowledge from my bodybuilding friends and peers at the gym.
- Stay Humble – I never let my success get in the way of future progress. I can always do better and always make time for others in the gym who ask me for advice.
Important Factors for Achieving That Shredded and Lean Look:
- Level of Fitness – This article is not intended for beginners or for people who are currently very overweight. You need to be in good physical condition to be able to implement this type of training and diet into your routine. If you’re overweight, focus on losing the excess weight first before starting on this path to attain that ripped and lean look. As always, check with your doctor prior to starting any type of exercise program. For middle-aged people, make sure you ask your doctor to have your testosterone and estrogen levels checked. If these levels are significantly off, it will be difficult to develop that lean and ripped look.
- Nutrition – Your diet is extremely important when you’re trying to decrease body fat and get super lean. You need to cut back on excess carbohydrates while eliminating sugars (except for natural sugars obtained through fruit). Cut down on serving sizes and focus on consuming clean, nutrient dense whole foods. Eats lots of fish, chicken, turkey, green vegetables, fruit, brown rice, quinoa and yams. You need to eat very clean in order to get very lean! Avoid all sodas and alcoholic beverages since these slow down your metabolism and have tons of useless liquid calories. That’s why fitness professionals call beer “liquid bread”!
- Fast-Paced Workouts – Following a fast-paced workout is a must when it comes to developing lean and defined muscles while eliminating stored body fat that keeps that glorious muscle from being on display. Make sure to follow a balanced workout that includes cardio, core exercises and total body workouts with an emphasis on specific body parts that you want to improve. Over the past year, my emphasis was on an improved core with all of my abs really popping during a competition along with a slight increase in overall muscle size with larger and more defined legs. I ended up making considerable progress in all of these areas which led to a 2nd place finish in the “50 and Over” division of the NPC Las Vegas Classic. I even placed 5th in the “40 and Over” division where every contestant was 15 years younger than me! I still haven’t found a “20 something” that can hang with me at the gym 🙂
Important Workout Tips for Developing Great Definition and Body Symmetry:
- Define your goals and be very specific about them.
- Measure your results by tracking body weight with pictures and measurements.
- Your workout plan must include your entire body (all muscles).
- Workouts should be broken up into different muscle groups (splits). For example, I have a 6-day split so my Monday workout is bicep and triceps, Tuesday is chest, Wednesday is back, Thursday is legs, Friday is a rest day, Saturday is a cardio and core day, and on Sunday I start the split all over again. I do 20-35 minutes of cardio with each workout along with performing core exercises.
- Workouts must be fast-paced. I do not take any breaks during my workouts. My rest comes when I do cardio between my weightlifting sets.
- Lift heavy enough to challenge yourself. You must overstress the muscles in order for them to grow.
- I use 4-6 exercises for each body part and do 3-4 sets of 10 repetitions for each one.
- Make sure you really focus on your back and abs if you want that “V-Tapered” look. This creates a lean and muscular look with a big back and narrow waist. Place a lot of emphasis on your legs. Without well-developed legs, your body will not be symmetrical.
- Make regular changes to your workout every 6 weeks to keep your workouts fresh and to bring out improved definition in your muscles.
- Ask friends in the gym and get feedback from them on your workouts and appearance. I get a great deal of knowledge and feedback from my high level peers at the gym.
- Don’t forget about your diet! Cut down on all those carbs and sugar. It’s very difficult to get shredded and ultra lean if you’re not eating clean.
Common Reasons Why People Don’t Achieve Great Definition and Complete Body Symmetry:
- Workout pace is way too slow.
- Not stressing the muscles hard enough by overloading them with enough weight.
- Ignoring key muscle groups such as the abdominals, back and legs.
- A poor diet. Your diet is everything, so focus on eating clean.
- Not changing workouts enough. Variation is the key to growth and shocking the muscles.
- Not measuring results. This is critical for tracking your progress and making changes.
- Being distracted. If you’re constantly talking on the phone or texting in the gym, you are not focused!
I hope this article was beneficial to anyone who really wants to get that lean and shredded fitness magazine look. Remember, if it was easy then everyone at the gym would be ripped, but that’s obviously not the case. It will take a lot of hard work, dedication and perseverance, but I know you can do it!
