Aging Muscle Addicts

I recently turned 28. Yup, these ol'bones are getting up there in years. I've been a muscle addict since I first started lifting my sophomore year in high school. 12 years of lifting, and competitive sports have taken their toll on my joints. Where I used to be able to go around the gym willy-nilly doing all types of contortionist lifts, I now must moderate my lifting program to reflect my diminishing flexibility and the undeniable effects of Papa Tiempo.

What's an aging muscle addict to do? We consulted with several reputable lifting sources as well as a few physiological experts to come up with a hard-core, muscle building program that's not so hard on dem bones. Here's a workout to freshen up those weary joints.

Chest, Biceps, Forearms

Start with chest. Lifts may include: incline press, decline press, dumbell press. Next bicepts: cable curls, incline dumbel curls . . . Last is forearms: wrist rolls . . .

Abs, Obliques, Shins, Neck

Suggested lifts: ab strap leg lifts, cable crunches, torso twists . . .

Triceps: cable rack pushdowns -supinated; cable rack pushdowns -pronated; 1 arm over head triceps extensions

Shoulders: shoulder press (front delts ); lying on side- dumbbell raises (medial delts ); bent dumbbell raises (rear delts )

Lats, Traps, & Lower Back: superset bent barbell rows with stiff leg deadlifts (wear a belt!); pull-ups; . . .