This Guy Is Living Proof You Can Build Muscle at 50

When his body composition didn’t reflect his time in the gym, he changed his approach and got big results.

This story is part of This Is 50+—an in-depth look at guys who are thriving later in life, with tips and tricks on how all of us can future-proof our bodies.

I’D SUCCESSFULLY GOTTEN lean several times in my life. Back then, I’d sought out the quickest path. Like many, I had proven to myself that I could “get in shape” or drop 20 pounds in 4 to 6 weeks with restrictive dieting, circuit-style weight training, and cardio. Always with the end goal or a specific date in mind, I had achieved decent results—but not without losing myself a bit in the process, compromising mood, mental health, and quality of personal relationships. And despite those short-term sacrifices, each time I was unable to sustain the results.

Whereas competition, vanity, and ego drove my earlier pursuits in the gym, injuries, parenthood, and health/longevity have provided me with a more sustainable “why” in this phase of my life. Ironically, I have achieved my best results in the past couple of years.

Prior to 2022, I’d been doing my own programming, training three times a week with a very basic home gym setup. Between some nagging overuse injuries (hamstring, shoulder, forearms), along with some extra body fat—I’d crept up to 205 pounds—I knew there had to be a better way. I reached out to Bryan Krahn that March for physique improvement, and he quickly demonstrated that there was a better approach.

Over the course of the next 16 weeks, I made more progress in the gym than I had in years. By mid-August, I was 180lbs with visibly decreased body fat, improved health markers and bloodwork, and I was moving and feeling better in all areas of my life.