What Age Is Best to Begin Bodybuilding or Building Mass

It is crucial to be physically active, no matter what your age is, in order to remain healthy and fit. But is bodybuilding possible for all ages? Or does it have certain restrictions as the age increases? And if it indeed has restrictions, then what age should you start bodybuilding or building mass?

As bodybuilding has a direct connection to testosterone level, it obviously has a certain period of time that can be considered to be best for bodybuilding. And so, the right time to start bodybuilding is between the ages of 20 to 30. Because at the age of 20, testosterone level reaches its peak, and after 30, the level starts to decline.  

In this article, I will talk about this topic more vividly as there is still a lot of information that needs to come to light regarding bodybuilding and its relation to age.

Which Is the Best Age to Start Bodybuilding?  

Gym workouts are necessary for every group of people. There isn’t any specific age that is considered the right age for being a part of a fitness program.

However, when it comes to bodybuilding, then when the person has reached full growth is the right time to start building mass. So, let’s say a person in his 20s to 30s is eligible for bodybuilding.  

As testosterone is the hormone that permits men to form strength and mass, nineteen is the age when the level of this hormone is at its peak.

When men reach 30, the level starts to decrease by one percent every year. And low testosterone level not only reduces strength and increases fat but also causes muscle loss. 

So, the age 20 to 30 is the best age for bodybuilding, and after that, muscle mass starts declining with age.  

Is It Okay for Children to Start Bodybuilding?   

It is okay for children to start weight training or mass building provided they can handle it and can oblige by certain limitations. There are some guidelines regarding the bodybuilding of students that I am providing you with below: 

• Weight training should only be a part of the child’s routine exercise.  
• Children should be mature enough to understand the coaching advice and behave accordingly.  
• Children should always be under supervision while dealing with weights.
• They should only deal with lighter weights.  
• They should be introduced to the proper technique or form of lifting as they are more prone to injury due to having an underdeveloped muscular system. 
• The exercise routine should be changed more often to prevent stress on specific parts. 

If the above-mentioned conditions are followed, then it is perfectly alright for children to start bodybuilding.  

Should Teenagers Start Bodybuilding?  

It is perfectly fine for teenagers to start bodybuilding as long as they are prepared for it, know the limitations, and are responsible.

In fact, if a teenager is interested in bodybuilding, he should be encouraged to do so as it comes with many advantages.

Even though they won’t be actually increasing muscle mass, as it can only happen after they hit puberty, it’ll still be beneficial.  

Research shows that teens who exercise and workout with weights decrease their chances of getting sports injuries to half. It also helps with bone density, sports performance, and strengthening tendons.

So, teenagers should be inspired to start bodybuilding if they have a passion for it.  

Muscle Building Tips for Teenagers 

Muscle building is inspired at all ages because it is a road to good health and body. Even though people often think teenagers should not start building their muscles early, it may be stressful for young muscles.

Still, the fact is, as hormones play an important part in increasing muscle mass, they won’t even be building muscle before hitting puberty, and once they hit it, the worry doesn’t apply. 

But in order to build muscle properly, some rules need to be followed because these will not only help you increase strength and lean muscle but will also provide you with safety training.  

To Increase Muscle Mass & Strength Carry Out Compound Exercises  

Compound exercises are basically presses, deadlifts, rows, squats, pulls, carries, etc. These exercises cause large, reinforced movements, due to which these are considered to be the infrastructure for building size, muscular strength, and stronger bones.  

Without having done these basic movements, you cannot expect to achieve high bone density and health, training muscle strength, or increased testosterone.

So, no matter how tempted you feel to do the exercises you’ve seen on fitness websites and magazines, make sure you are doing the basic movements first.  

Hold on to Free Weights  

Shiny and fancy machines are what the modern gyms use to lure you in. Though these machines may seem vital to increase your muscle mass, the fact is they won’t help you with the basic development that you need before bodybuilding.

Therefore, make sure you are sticking to free weights initially to ensure your muscle building. Use barbells and dumbbells to do so.  

Sticking to free weights will enhance the volume of active muscle tissues and force your body to upgrade with activation patterns and muscle firing.

You need to make sure you are lifting weight per your ability, and you are not overdoing it as it may result in decreased testosterone, increased stress hormone, irritability, sleeping issues, etc.  

Mobility Should Be Your Top Priority  

When you start to work out with weights, you are bound to feel some pain, especially in the first few weeks. This is where people act wrong. Most people neglect mobility when they feel muscle pain after their workout. But the fact is, this only makes you more fragile.  

Make sure you are making mobility your priority when you feel pain or ache. Because if you try to push through the ache by making less movement, this will only cause you more weakness.

Most gym injuries can be dealt with easily if you are forcing yourself to move through your pain.  

Unilateral Movements Are Necessary  

Unilateral movements are basically movements of a single arm or leg. Single-arm presses, lunges, one arm rows are a part of unilateral training.

Unilateral movements not only play a vital role in longevity, health, and mobility but also increases muscular growth and engagement.

These movements also touch the muscle tissues that usually go undeveloped when training with both arms and feet.  

Unilateral movements also force your body to be more adaptable by increasing muscle coordination and balance.

These can minimize not only the imbalance of muscle but also have the credibility to maximize muscle growth and single-sided strength.

As a result, side-lining injuries can be avoided, which are very common during bodybuilding.  

So, for a healthy and athletic body, make sure to add unilateral exercises to your workout routine, as this will make your fitness program more adequate. 

Stick to Your Program  

Having a fitness program is a necessity if you want to get good results. You cannot just waltz into a gym and start doing exercises you feel like at that time.

You need to have a routine that you’ll follow properly. And for that routine, make sure to consult an advanced bodybuilder or a personal trainer.  

Whenever you enter a gym, you need to be focused and have a preplanned routine with you. This way, you can take full advantage of the time you are giving to the cause and get better results.

Also, every human body is different and function differently. So, your fitness program needs to match your ability and age.  

Stretch Before & After Workout  

It is a well-suggested fact that stretching before and after a workout is very important to maintain good health.

If you stretch before a workout, it will loosen your joints and thus prevent any injuries that may occur otherwise.

It also improves blood flow to different parts of your body, especially muscles. It also prevents any harmful twist, tear, or rip while working out.  

Stretching after a workout is also very important as the muscles remain warm during that time and permit your body to recover quickly and properly from the intense workout it went through.

So, stretching before and after is very important as it prepares the muscles for the upcoming physical activity and soothes the muscles after the workout.  

Avoid Training Everyday  

If you have consulted a trainer and have gotten yourself a fitness program, your plan must have 3 to 4 days off, especially if you are a beginner.

Working out more times a week can result in severe ache, which can be avoided by taking a few days off to recover and rest.  

Increase Weight Gradually  

It is suggested to initially deal with small weights and then increase the weights slowly once you get a hold of the form. Without knowing the form of lifting weight properly, it is better to avoid large weights.

This may cause severe muscle pull or other injuries, so, first use small weights to learn and ace the forms and then increase the weights for better results.  

The tips provided above are even though said to be for teenagers, but in reality, these tips are actually for beginners of all ages.  

Muscle Building Tips for Adults  

Muscle building tips for adults are quite similar to the tips provided for teenagers. Adults should also follow the above-mentioned tips sincerely in order to build muscle.

As age makes us a bit more fragile and less-energetic, there are also some extra tips that I feel need to be mentioned. Now, I will provide you with a few extra tips that adults should consider.  

Consider Your Body’s Ability  

It is always good to push yourself to be better in what you do. But there are also some times that you need to consider pulling back.

When you are younger, pushing through is not a big issue as young people have natural flexibility that allows them to adapt in every situation no matter how much they neglect movement or lack motivation, sleep, and good nutrition. 

But with age, this quality of adapting decreases. Therefore, you should then listen to your body to see if it feels uncomfortable during a workout.

Don’t just try to push through the discomfort as it may cause you setbacks or injuries. Don’t feel ashamed to decrease the weight you are lifting or cutting off some exercises from your fitness routine.  

Be Protective of Yourself  

Gym injuries are very common if safety protocols are not being maintained while exercising with heavyweights.

These protocols need to be more cautiously followed with age, as ignorance towards safety can lead to some severe injuries that may be hard to overcome.

Therefore, whenever dealing with heavyweights, make sure to protect your back with a safety belt.  

Get Proper Amount of Sleep 

Sleep is considered to be essential for recovery. It does a great job boosting up one’s energy and providing him with a proper amount of relaxation.

When you are working out and dealing with heavyweights in a routine manner, you need an adequate amount of sleep to recover from the intense workout and form new muscle tissue. Sleep also helps with anabolic hormone surge.  

Nutrition Related Tips 

Drink Tons of Water  

Proper hydration is essential for building muscle as it ensures the flow of blood injured muscle tissues and makes the capsules and joint operate at ease. It also increases your ability to lift and recover.

Whereas dehydration can cause slower cognitive, muscle weakness, fatigue, decreased performance, etc. So, try to drink at least a gallon of water every day.  

Each Meal Should Contain Protein  

It is not possible to build muscle without protein, as it also maintains the muscle. Research shows that a person should intake one gram of protein per 454-gram body weight.

If you cannot consume the right amount of protein, you can take the help of protein shakes to maintain the intake level.

Intake in Every Three Hours  

Intaking in every three hours is a smart way of maintaining a good mass. This way, you will not get hungry and also will be able to control your intake.

So, if you fix your intake time, your body will get used to it, and you will be able to provide your body with the required amount of intake for building muscle.  

Leave Carbs for After Workout 

Even though carbohydrate generates energy, people tend to eat more than what they require. Therefore, it is smart to limit your carb intake for muscle building by only eating it after a workout. Also, try to eat whole grain and refrain yourself from taking white rice.  

Avoid Junk Food 

Even though you want to gain weight, you have to make sure the weight you gain is not fat but muscle mass. Therefore, it is important to avoid junk foods and only take healthy fats, complex carbs, and lean proteins. 

These are the most important steps and tips that’ll help you build muscle while maintaining good health and security.  

Difficulties of Building Muscle When You’re Older 

I have already mentioned the relationship between muscle gain and age. As testosterone level starts decreasing after 30 because of sarcopenia, and as this level is the main reason behind gaining muscle, bodybuilding after 50 becomes very difficult, but not impossible.  

When you get older, building muscle mass depends upon several things. One of the most important things is to make sure proper diet and nutrition are being followed.

It is crucial for muscle development. Antioxidants like fish oil, blueberries, glutamine supplements, multivitamins that consist of A, E, and C are also essential. 

Another thing is that one who’s over 50 should avoid beef as much as he can in order to protect his heart and make the digestion process easier. However, other proteins like poultry, eggs, fish, pork, etc., are very good for their health.  

Now regarding weight lifting, they should mostly pay attention to multi-joint exercises such as- chest presses, deadlifts, core work, rows, overhead press, squats, etc., as these are the foundation of strength work.

Single-joint exercises can also be added to the fitness program, but it is safer to avoid them as they might cause injuries or muscle pull.  

With the increase of age, it is also important to keep in mind that exercises should be performed every other day in order to avoid straining specific parts of the body.  

It may seem a bit of a stretch to try bodybuilding at an age over 50, but the fact is, it has a positive impact on bone and muscle health, even for elderly people.  

Final Thoughts on What Age Should You Start Bodybuilding

In this article, I have tried to provide you with all the miscellaneous information regarding what age is best to begin bodybuilding or building mass.

I tried to project the relationship between age and bodybuilding. I have also provided several tips for both teen and adult beginners who are leaning towards starting bodybuilding.  

I hope this article was of help to you and wish you the best of luck in maintaining a good and healthy body.