• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
BarBend

BarBend

The Online Home for Strength Sports

  • News
    • CrossFit
    • Strongman
    • Bodybuilding
    • Top Athletes
    • Powerlifting
    • Weightlifting
    • Competition Results
    • Latest Research
  • Reviews
    • Recovery
      • Best Cold Plunges
      • Best Saunas
      • Best Mini Massage Guns
      • Individual Recovery Reviews
    • Supplements
      • Best Protein
        • Best Whey Protein Powders
        • Best Vegan Protein Powders
        • Best Whey Isolate Protein Powders
        • Best Mass Gainers
        • Best Protein Bars
      • Best Pre-Workouts
        • Best Pre-Workouts for Women
        • Best Pre-Workouts for Men
        • Best Non-Stim Pre-Workouts
        • Strongest Pre-Workouts
      • Best Creatine
      • Best Electrolyte Supplements
      • Best Greens Powder
      • Best Meal Replacements
      • Best Nitric Oxide Supplements
      • Best Fat Burners
        • Best Fat Burners for Men
        • Best Fat Burners for Women
        • Best Non-Stim Fat Burners
      • More Supplements
        • Best Supplements for Muscle Growth
        • Best Supplements for CrossFit
        • Best Supplements for Weight Loss
        • Best Supplements for Bodybuilding
        • Best Supplements for Men
        • Best Supplement Stacks
      • Individual Supplements Reviews
    • Equipment
      • Cardio
        • Best Treadmills
        • Best Rowing Machines
        • Best Exercise Bikes
        • Best Ellipticals
        • Best Recumbent Bikes
      • Strength
        • Best Adjustable Dumbbells
        • Best Dumbbells
        • Best Kettlebells
        • Best Barbells
        • Best Squat Racks
        • Best Free Weights
        • Best Weight Benches
        • Best Resistance Bands
        • Best Slam Balls
        • Best Weighted Vests
        • Best Leg Extension Machines
        • Best Cable Machines
        • Best Power Racks
        • Best Pull Up Bars
      • Best Home Gyms
        • Best Smart Home Gyms
        • Best Gym Equipment Under $100
        • Best Home Gym Essentials
        • Best Home Gym Flooring
      • Individual Equipment Reviews
    • Fitness Accessories
      • Apparel
        • Best Weightlifting Shoes
        • Best Cross Training Shoes
        • Best Gym Bags
        • Best Gym Shorts
      • Training
        • Best Weightlifting Belts
        • Best Knee Sleeves
        • Best Lifting Straps
        • Best Grip Strengtheners
        • Best Wrist Wraps
        • Best Lifting Gloves
      • Individual Fitness Product Reviews
    • Certifications
      • Best Sports Nutrition Certifications
      • Best Personal Trainer Certifications
      • Best Nutrition Certifications
      • Individual Certifications Reviews
    • Programs
      • Best Online Workout Programs
      • Best Workout Streaming Services
      • Best Home Workout Programs
      • Individual Program Reviews
  • Nutrition
    • Diets
      • Carb Cycling
      • Vertical Diet
      • Reverse Dieting
      • Carnivore Diet
      • Ketogenic Diet
      • Intermittent Fasting
      • IIFYM Diet
    • Fat Loss
      • Macros for Fat Loss
      • Calorie Deficits
      • Natural Fat Burners
      • Cut 2 Pounds Weekly
    • Muscle Gain
      • How to Dirty Bulk
      • Go From Cutting to Bulking
      • Eat These Carbs
      • How to Eat for Muscle
    • Supplement Guides
      • Pre-Workout
      • Whey Protein
      • Mass Gainers
      • Greens Powders
      • Creatine
      • BCAAs
    • Nutrition Tips
      • Daily Protein Needs
      • Pre- and Post-Workout Nutrition
      • Foods With Creatine
      • Bulking Tips
  • Training
    • Workouts
      • Back Workouts
      • At-Home Workouts
      • Chest & Back Workouts
      • Full-Body Workout
      • HIIT Workouts
    • Exercise Guides
      • Deadlift
      • Bench Press
      • Back Squat
      • Overhead Press
      • Bent-Over Row
      • Lat Pulldown
      • Crunches
      • Farmer’s Carry
    • Best Exercises
      • Shoulder Exercises
      • Back Exercises
      • Chest Exercises
      • Glute Exercises
      • Ab Exercises
      • Hamstring Exercises
      • Quad Exercises
      • Calf Exercises
      • Biceps Exercises
      • Triceps Exercises
    • Programs
      • Push-Up Program
      • Pull-Up Program
      • German Volume Training
      • 5/3/1 Program
      • Powerbuilding Program
      • The Cube Method
      • 5×5 Program
      • Bodybuilding Programs
      • Build Your Own Program
    • Fat Loss
      • How to Burn Fat
      • Spot Fat Reduction
      • How to Train on a Cut
      • Body Conditioning
      • Workouts
        • Kettlebell Circuits
        • Dumbbell Complexes
        • Farmer’s Carry Workouts
    • Muscle Gain
      • Muscle Hypertrophy Explained
      • How to Build Muscle
      • How to Maintain Muscle
      • What Researchers Say About Muscle Gain
        • Workouts
          • 20-Minute Workouts
          • Kettlebell Circuits
          • CrossFit Workouts for Muscle
          • Bodybuilding Workouts
  • Calculators
    • Protein Intake Calculator
    • Macros Calculator
    • BMR Calculator
    • Squat Calculator
    • Calorie Calculator
News

Why More and More Bodybuilders Are Flourishing After 40

Several stars are holding their own well into their 40s.

Written by Roger Lockridge
Last updated on August 3rd, 2023

Most of the athletes we watch compete in their sports of choice do well as they progress into their 30s. The late 20s to mid-30s is considered their “prime.” Any player or competitor that is still competing at a high level at 40 years of age is often considered a marvel.

That doesn’t seem to be the case for bodybuilding in recent years. Many competitors are competing on big stages well into their 40’s. For evidence to support this, look no further than the 2020 Arnold Classic lineup. Five of the 14 athletes that will be in Columbus on March 7 are 40 or older. The oldest man, Dexter Jackson, is now 50 years old and placed 4th at the 2019 Mr. Olympia.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dexter "The Blade" Jackson (@mrolympia08)

This wasn’t always the case. Outside of a rare exception like Albert Beckles, champions of past generations were well into retirement by 40. Arnold Schwarzenegger retired from competition the first time in 1975 at the ripe age of 28. When he came out of retirement in 1980 for the Olympia, he was 33 years old and many experts at the time felt he would be too old to hang with the new crop of champions. He won that competition, by the way.

Lee Haney won his 8th and final Olympia and retired at 31. Dorian Yates had to retire due to injuries from training, but he was 36 when he hung his trunks up. For perspective, 2019 Mr. Olympia Brandon Curry was 36 years old when he won the title for the first time. 2018 winner Shawn Rhoden was 43 when he won over seven-time champion Phil Heath, who was 38 at that time. So what is it that is allowing these present athletes to hang around so long and fare so well? Here are a few reasons why this could be the case.

Advances in Nutrition

The champions of the Golden Era and even after based their nutrition on their own knowledge and created their own diets for the most part. There was an occasional exception to that rule but for the most part, coaches and nutritionists weren’t prominent. Nowadays almost every competitor has some form of coach or “guru” that makes their careers knowing more about the food we eat and what macro combinations yield the best results.

Along with those important figures, there have been a lot of advances in science and we know more about what we eat and how we should than ever before. More research about nutrition is being revealed every day and there is a lot more to know than there was before. That goes a long way in helping these competitors recover and grow or get leaner if it’s close to contest day.

Advances in Training

Arnold Schwarzenegger was famous for his double-split training as contest time approached. He trained every muscle group three times a week over six days. This meant he trained twice a day, once in the morning and again in the late afternoon. He only took Sunday off.

Now bodybuilders rarely train any major muscle group more than once a week. If they do, it’s considered a weak area that needs improvement so they devote more attention to it. They focus more on recovering and training the muscle from different angles when they do work in the gym.

There is also the development of machines. In the past, bodybuilders used a lot more free weight exercises than the new generation and there were very few machines around. Those that were available were very basic at best.
The machines now allow physique athletes to train a specific muscle from certain angles. They also have fixed motions so there is little need for isolation. The result is better training for the muscles and decreased chances of injury. That equals more longevity and more opportunities to compete at a high level.

Better Career Options

Back in the 1960s, 70s, and even the 80s, there were limited opportunities for bodybuilders to compete and make a living. Unless you were Mr. Olympia or a top tier competitor, eventually you would have to get a job to support your family. That meant you’d have to devote more time to that career and bodybuilding would move into your past.

Thanks to sponsorships, social media, YouTube, and other avenues, bodybuilders can make a living do what they want to do that is still a part of the sport. Because of that, there is more incentive to compete in contests to keep their names relevant. While not everyone benefits from this, there is a greater chance to fare well in bodybuilding than ever before.

Supplementation

It’s no secret that some bodybuilders use a more controversial form of “supplementation” to develop their physiques, but sports nutrition products like protein powders, creatine, preworkout drinks, and others have also come a long way thanks to advances in research and product development. [Editor’s Note: BarBend does not condone or support the use of performance-enhancing drugs in sport. In many jurisdictions, competition federations, and countries, these substances are prohibited by regulation and/or law.]

There are supplements to prepare athletes for training, improve recovery, lose fat, help with quality of sleep, and maximize focus. They do play a role in why competitive bodybuilders are preparing for the stage when they are north of 40.

Thanks to all of the advances previously mentioned, physique athletes across all divisions are holding their own and even beating opponents that are much younger. All of these factors taken into consideration, you can see why guys like Dexter Jackson, Roelly Winklaar, Victor Martinez, and Cedric McMillan are still operating at a high level in spite of having miles on their muscles.

Featured Image: Instagram/mrolympia08

About Roger Lockridge

Roger "Rock" Lockridge has been writing professionally for 10 years and has been training for 20. His work in the fitness industry has been seen in numerous outlets and has been a part of coverage for several events including the Mr. Olympia, Arnold Classic, the CrossFit Games, and the Olympics. He's also shared his own personal success story in several interviews and articles. Lockridge lives in West Virginia with his wife and son.

View All Articles

Primary Sidebar

Latest News

Samson Dauda Trains Chest With Sam Sulek During 2023 Mr. Olympia Prep

Men’s Open Bodybuilder Charles Griffen Trains Back With Brett Wilkin Before 2023 Legion Pro Show

2023 Daytona Pro Bodybuilding Show Results

2023 Rising Phoenix and Arizona Pro Results

Nathan De Asha Wins 2023 Sheru Classic France Bodybuilding Show

Latest Reviews

Alaskan Cold Plunge Feature

Redwood Outdoors Alaskan Cold Plunge Review

Living.Fit Grip Strengthener Review

Bells of Steel Competition Kettlebell Review

Bells of Steel Barenaked Powerlifting Bar 2.0 Review

REP BlackWing Feature

REP Fitness BlackWing Weight Bench Review

Be the smartest person in your gym

The BarBend newsletter is everything you need to know about strength in a 3 minute read.

I Want In!
BarBend

BarBend is an independent website. The views expressed on this site may come from individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the view of BarBend or any other organization. BarBend is the Official Media Partner of USA Weightlifting.

  • About Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

Sections

  • CrossFit
  • Strongman
  • Bodybuilding
  • Powerlifting
  • Weightlifting
  • Reviews
  • Nutrition
  • Training

More

  • BarBend Newsletter
  • BarBend Podcast
  • The Ripped Report
  • 1RM Calculator
  • BMR Calculator
  • Macros Calculator
  • Protein Calculator
  • Squat Calculator

Policies

  • Accessibility
  • Advice Disclaimer
  • Cookies Policy
  • Disclaimers
  • Disclosures
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Copyright © 2023 · BarBend Inc · Sitemap