charlesatlas.com

I am 62 years old. I have been doing the Atlas program for 5 months. I have gained 1/2 inch in my chest and 1/4 inch in my arms, thighs and calves. I work out every other day and do the perpetual exercise's on the off days. I also do morning exercise's every morning. Are my gains the norm?

Yours is a very difficult question to answer because it takes all the variables out and concentrates only in the results given by the tape. Variables that are out are nutrition, sleep quantity and quality, age, adherence to "train, don't strain", how much muscle you had when you started and similar. When dealing with exercise, there are other attributes besides appearance. Things like strength, flexibility, equilibrium. How much have these improved in those 5 months? Also, maybe you were overweight when you started and maybe have lost fat and gained muscle, but this is not reflected much in the tape.

With the above prelude, I will give a straight answer. Compared to me, I would say I beat you. But then again, who am I to be used as standard? That is why I find photographical evidence very important besides the cold figures. Compare yourself of today with yourself of yesterday. By the way, congratulations for sticking with the program. Getting busy on living is the best you can do

I don't know what is normal for a 62 year young man. What with the diminished testosterone and HGH levels. But If you were 15 years old, I'd have to say your gains are below normal. Unless you are already very close to your genetic potential. My advice to you, even if you were 15 years old, would be to do the exercises twice daily, 7 days a week as the course instructs. I know for many people this is very difficult to accomplish. But I believe you will make better progress if you followed the instructions more closely. Dynamic Tension doesn't work your muscles in the same manner that weights do. So you don't need that day of rest after a workout that weights do. And know this, the closer you get to your genetic potential, the slower the gains will come.