“You’ll Be Able to Train Harder”: Still Pumping Iron at 81, God of Aesthetics Discloses the Secret Behind “Aging Gracefully”

Time and age wait for nobody. And yet somehow bodybuilders like Frank Zane still do age-defying activities like intense workouts at the age of 81. However, unlike other bodybuilders who preach consistency and everyday grind at the gym, Frank Zane follows his own method: Less frequent workouts but intense sessions.

Once hailed as the God of Aesthetics, Frank Zane has not only beaten Arnold Schwarzenegger but has also won three Mr. Olympia titles before. Now that he has left his peak days and has leaped into old age, he’s more focused on smaller, more focused, and intense workouts than ripping it up every single day.

Frank Zane’s Way of Aging Gracefully

Frank Zane says that the frequency of training should differ as one is aging. He suggested how the aged bodybuilders need much more time to rest and get back their strength than usual. “The case that the older you get the less frequently you should train — especially if you want to train hard each workout.” It’s simple calculus. Your muscles are built in recovery when you rest. The faster your metabolism, the quicker that recovery time is. As you get older, your metabolism slows down, as does the process of recovery.

Frank Zane also revealed how the training should be thus less frequent yet much more intense in every session. He stated, “The rule is to train less frequently but harder. And when you get more rest to recuperate, you’ll be able to train harder.” Thus focusing on how rest is definitely one important part of the aging process.

Much like his rival Arnold Schwarzenegger, Frank Zane has a unique technique to age gracefully. He started taking his age into account from the time he turned 60 and he still follows his master plan to age while working out.

Not long ago Zane revealed that when he was in his late 60s, he used to train light and only a few times in the gym. The drastic difference between his peak days and his old days is only because he wanted to keep himself healthy as well as not let his aging body go through a heavy fitness regime without breaks. He stated that if he wanted to go harder with training he would have to lessen the number of fitness sessions. Zane revealed, “If I were using heavier weights and wanted to grow a bit more muscle, I’d train three times a week,” 

READ MORE: Bodybuilder Samson Dauda Reveals How Far He Has Come to Become the Top Contender for Mr. Olympia 2023: “Last Year No One Would Have Expected This”

Frank Zane has one of the most brilliant bodybuilding careers of his time. So if you are moving up in age and want to keep fit, why not take advice from one of the very best to ever do it?

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