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Does weightlifting permanently change your body?

post #1 of 24
12/21/08 at 8:49am
Thread Starter 
When I was a sophmore (I think?) in college I lifted a lot. It dominated my life, and looking in the mirror my upper body looked a lot different. I guess that age (20ish) coincides with some natural physical development too though. Pecs developed, delts developed, lats became noticable, clear delt separation and pec tie-in, etc. I probably haven't touched a weight in over 5 years, and I still have a lot of definition in my upper body. Will that muscle ever atrophy into 'normalness' or will it always pretty much look like that unless I gain a lot of adipose weight to cover it up?
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post #2 of 24
12/21/08 at 11:02am
Muscle breaks down much slower than most people think.

It won't permanently change your body. Check out Arnold pics.
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post #3 of 24
12/21/08 at 11:37am
You have to work to maintain it and (prepare for a big disappointment ), as you age, you will have to work twice as hard for half the results. However, the good news is you can maintain your muscle tone and still look better than the vast majority of your associates by putting forth a modicum of effort
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post #4 of 24
12/21/08 at 1:54pm
My dad was an okay but not too serious lifter lifter (low-mid 300's bench) when he was younger and hasn't touched a weight in over 20 years. He's fat but still looks pretty strong.
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post #5 of 24
12/21/08 at 10:36pm
While not permanent, strength gains last a lot longer than cardio/power/technique do.
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post #6 of 24
12/21/08 at 10:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by why View Post
Muscle breaks down much slower than most people think.

It won't permanently change your body. Check out Arnold pics.

Yes, please point to a former professional bodybuilder as an example.
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post #7 of 24
12/21/08 at 10:47pm
He wasn't being sarcastic, Arnold, regardless of being a professional bodybuilder, now has a droopy body.
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post #8 of 24
12/21/08 at 11:11pm


- B
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post #9 of 24
12/21/08 at 11:46pm
^ua know what, though, it's not terrible for 60. roids permanently change you though. i used to be pretty and now i look cro-magnon.
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post #10 of 24
12/22/08 at 4:27am
Quote:
Originally Posted by voxsartoria View Post
- B
It's probably not a good idea to extrapolate what happened to Arnold to what will happen to Joe Typical. For one thing, Arnie took steroids (yes, he's admitted it), which prevent muscle from breaking down (stops the 'catabolic effect'). So, there was *no way* he was going to maintain the build he had from his roiding days, once he laid off the roids and stopped working out like a maniac. Ppl who earned their muscles the natural way are more likely to not look as vastly different as the roiders when they get older... assuming they continue to work out. ...
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post #11 of 24
12/22/08 at 4:33am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Deluks917 View Post
My dad was an okay but not too serious lifter lifter (low-mid 300's bench) when he was younger

Your dad benched 300+ and he's not a serious lifter?

That's pretty damn strong for not being 'serious' if you ask me.


...
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post #12 of 24
12/22/08 at 4:45am
This is genetics, if you still have some definition it's because you don't seem to have a tendency to gain fat.

After any human being abandons weightlifting the first thing he or she will lose is going to be strength (neuromuscular) and then muscle. 20 to 40% of strength can disappear in as much as 2 weeks, while muscle can last intact for weeks and a month or two for people with better genetics.

Some people after 1 week of rest seem to have more strength when they go back to training but that's just the result of accumulated fatigue. Because they were overtraining previously (like so many people do), they come out from the break lifting the same, or more. This is something that is planned properly in advance by professional weightlifters but not someone starting out should try to accomplish because it's counterproductive
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post #13 of 24
12/22/08 at 6:06am
Quote:
Originally Posted by why View Post
Muscle breaks down much slower than most people think.

It won't permanently change your body. Check out Arnold pics.

Look here. The Governator suffered a heart attack and dont train as much as he used to.
He still looked good in Terminator 3 which was not that long ago.
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post #14 of 24
12/22/08 at 7:12am
Quote:
Originally Posted by beasty View Post
Look here. The Governator suffered a heart attack and dont train as much as he used to.
He still looked good in Terminator 3 which was not that long ago.

I feel bad for Arnie, but his intense roid-taking likely contributed to the heart attacks.

Ever notice all the WWE wrestlers and former football stars who die of heart attacks in their 40s? It's the 'roids.

Arnie's lucky in that he's probably got the best health care money can buy, and is pretty health-conscious otherwise.


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post #15 of 24
12/22/08 at 7:59am
Quote:
Originally Posted by SystemShock View Post
I feel bad for Arnie, but his intense roid-taking likely contributed to the heart attacks.

Ever notice all the WWE wrestlers and former football stars who die of heart attacks in their 40s? It's the 'roids.

Arnie's lucky in that he's probably got the best health care money can buy, and is pretty health-conscious otherwise.


...

Look here. There is no direct correlation of heart attacks with 'roid-taking'.
The fact is many modern day substance abusers do not limit themselves to 'roids'.
Many WWE wrestlers die not of heart attacks but partly due to these substances and the lifestyle they lead and mindset they have. Some commit suicide as well.

As for Governator, there is no direct correlation between his heart attacks and 'roids'.
Hey Sly is old as well, and he still keeps in great shape as his role in Rocky Balboa will attest.
If Governator is still in films and his health permitting, he will look even better than Sly.
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