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The Question: There are plenty of men and women over the age of 40 either trying to build/maintain their physique, or trying to achieve that once young and youthful physique. In addition to maintaining or creating a great physique recovery time is now more of an issue than before. What is the best workout for people over 40? Be specific. How does a workout routine differ from someone who is over 40 compared to someone younger? What are some good supplements for people over 40? Show off your knowledge to the world! The Winners:
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As we get older, we start to lose vitamins and minerals and our health deteriorates. Our bones become smaller, weaker and more prone to serious injuries. We start to lose our strength and our cardiovascular health begins its downward spiral. Our skin begins to lose some of its natural elasticity and starts to sag. Instead of waiting for all kinds of diseases, we can choose to fight back. We can choose to exercise. A few of the hundreds of benefits of weightlifting and exercising include the prevention of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, back pain, osteoporosis, psychological effects and many more. Studies show that 13.5 million people have coronary heart disease, 1.5 million people have heart attacks per year, 8 million people have onset diabetes, 100,000 people are diagnosed with colon cancer each year, 250,000 people suffer from hip fractures per year, 50 million people have high blood pressure and over 60 million people are overweight. All this can be prevented with regular exercise and a good diet. Come on, what have you got to lose.
The older you get, the weaker your body becomes. An adult over age 40 should start to experience a decrease in muscle size, strength and recovery time. Bones becomes increasingly more fragile and more prone for injury. Testosterone levels begin to decrease and the ability to build quality muscle decreases greatly. Joints begin to ache after a hard days work. However, there is an easy way to slow this aging process down. Simply follow a good diet with a good routine and you can slow down this decay on your body.
Do 5 minutes of light cardio before workouts to get the blood flowing through the body. Do 30 minute of moderate intensity cardio after workouts. Be sure to stretch before and after workouts. Allow 2 to 3 minute rest periods between each set.
Chest / Triceps Days:
   Click Image To Enlarge. Doorway Stretch. Video: Windows Media (225 KB) - MPEG (1.7 MB) - Video iPod (228 KB)
Back / Biceps Days:
Shoulder / Traps Days:
Thigh / Calves / Abs Days:
I cannot stress the importance of safety in each and every exercise. Form > Amount of Weight Remember, poor form not only makes you more injury prone, but you don't stimulate the targeted muscles effectively, if you target them at all.
Chest Dips Make sure that your elbows are pointing away from the body. With the hips bent, lower your body until you feel a slight stretch at the chest. Lean forward throughout the exercise to stimulate additional chest muscles. Push the body up with the same posture and repeat. Make sure you get a full range of motion.
Barbell Bench Press When performing this exercise, be sure that you are pushing the weight in a very slow and controlled manner. By doing so, you prevent injury and the aid of momentum, and you also maximize chest stimulation. Use only 60-70 of your one rep max and execute this exercise with perfection. Do not bounce the weight off your chest. Use a normal-wide grip for maximum chest stimulation.
Alternating Dumbbell Curls When the elbow is fully flexed, elbows should only move forward slightly. Try to keep the elbows as steady as possible throughout this exercise, forcing the bicep to do most of the work. Do not swing the weight. To maintain proper strict form, lean back on a wall and lift the dumbbells in a slow and controlled manner.
Deadlift Lift by extending hips and knees to full extension. Pull the shoulders back at the top of the lift. The target muscle is exercised isometrically. Keep the hips low, arms and back straight and shoulders high. Keep the bar as close as possible towards the body. Look up towards the ceiling to make sure you are using proper form. Proper form is absolutely crucial; Bad form can result in serious injury.
Side Dumbbell Lateral Raises When doing this exercise, maintain elbows at 10 to 30 degrees. Remember, shoulders are raised by shoulder abduction, not external rotation. Start off with the dumbbells to the side of the leg as opposed to in front of the leg, where momentum can be used. Look in the mirror to see if you are using the lateral deltoids and not the anterior deltoids.
Dumbbell Rear Deltoid Raise The dumbbells are raised by shoulder transverse abduction, and not by external rotation. Be sure that the triceps are not involved when performing this exercise. Keep torso parallel to the floor to work the posterior deltoid and not the lateral deltoid. Maintain elbows at 10 to 30 degrees throughout this entire exercise.
Full Barbell Squats When doing full barbell squats, be sure that you keep your head forward, back straight and both feet flat on the floor. Make sure that the weight is equally distributed. While squatting, make sure that the weight is distributed on your heels rather than your toes. Don't lock your knees after you complete each repetition.
Straight Legged Deadlift Start off with very light weights to allow your body proper adaptation. Keep arms and knees straight throughout this exercise. Try to keep the barbell as close to your body as possible so you won't tilt over. If you cannot lower the weight all the way to the floor, DON'T. Go until you feel a nice mild stretch on your hamstrings before you go up. Full range of motion may not be possible for some.
There are many reasons why it is more difficult for someone who is over the age of 40 to have a more effective workout routine compared to those younger than 40. Once you have reached the age of 40, it is very important to realize and face the facts that you are no longer capable of doing everything you could have five or ten years ago. Once you have faced the facts and accepted it, it is now time to move on. Do not let this unmotivate you, all you need to do is alter your workout routines and more importantly, know you limits. You are not strong enough to do as many reps as you used to do.
In addition, you do not have the same endurance you once had before. Your muscle recovery also wouldn't recuperate as fast as it used to and you are even more and more susceptible to injury as time goes on. Pretty much, once you hit the age of 40, your body starts working against you. Not only does your testosterone level decreases, but other things in your body start to depreciate as well. One of the most common problems among this age is osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is the condition where the bone becomes fragile due to the loss of bone density. Once you get to a point where you are suffering from osteoporosis, it would be very hard to reverse the process, hence the reason why I can't stress enough about the importance of osteoporosis prevention. Muscle atrophy would be another major concern. Both of these processes are inevitable but can be slowed down with proper training. Again, this is where exercising pays off later in your life. Sure, having a good body while you are young is one thing, but not suffering from back pains, muscle loss and having strong bones when you get older would be another. Testosterone would have to be the most significant deciding factor between people over the age of 40, and the people under the age of 40. As mentioned before, once you hit the age of 40, your body starts to work against you. As you get older, your testosterone level starts to decline, and without testosterone, your body would not be able to build more muscle. You are now working against a big disadvantage compared to the younger people. As the younger people work out, they have high testosterone level which allows them to build bigger muscles at a faster time period. People over the age of 40 will not have this type of benefit. Last but not least, injuries would unquestionably be a barrier to a lot of people over 40. It is a true fact that older people are more susceptible to injuries due to the fact that you simply are not strong enough anymore. Your body cannot endure all the intense training that you were once able to do. Any types of strains, sprains and tissue damage towards the body will take a longer period of time to recover. Many people are aware of this fact and not willing to take the risk. This should definitely be a top priority; however, it should not keep you away from telling yourself that you are no longer fit to workout.
Putting all health factors aside, many people over 40 would also have to face the facts that they simply don't have enough time to workout, not to even mention have an effective workout. This is due to the fact that many people are now married at this age and have to tend to their families. Fatigue could be a major barrier preventing people over the age of 40 to have a good workout. You will obviously be stressed out a work, and once you come home, it's time to take care of the wife and kids; you are not even close to feeling to urge to work out. You don't even have enough time to put in a strong dedication anymore. Furthermore, the lost of interest of one's body could also be another. If working out does not mean as much to you as it used to, then you simply will not be as motivated to get a good workout.
Step 1: Dedication: One can start by putting in more dedication. If you are unwilling to put in a little more dedication and keep yourself motivated, then you will not get very far in reaching your goal as far as bodybuilding is concerned. Showing the interest and commitment will definitely be the first and most important step you take to becoming successful. If not, your body will keep getting worse and worse up to the point where it would be too late, even when you show dedication. Step 2: Slow Down Muscle Atrophy and Osteoporosis Process: Both muscle atrophy (decline in muscle mass) and osteoporosis (decline in bone density) starts to become a major concern at this point of time. It is very important to be aware that both of these are bound to happen, but with proper and effective workouts, you can slow down this process. Weight training has been proven to be the only type of training that can slow down the decline of both muscle mass and bone density. It adds more muscle to the skeleton and forces the bones to grow stronger in order to compensate for the heavier muscle mass. The more physical activities you go through each day, the lower your risk of atrophy and osteoporosis.
Step 3: Stay In Shape: In addition to strength training, you still need to stay in shape. Keep your heart and lungs healthy at all cost. Cardio exercises would work best in these cases. Regardless of what you are doing, you should always be doing cardio exercises, even if you are not looking into building muscle mass. But combining cardio with strength training, you are on your way to success. You can now see yourself to be as capable as you were five ten years ago.
This might be the most important supplement of them all. A multi vitamin should be taken by everybody, but especially those people who work out often like us. The reason is that our body is constantly expending energy and thus we lose lots of vitamins and minerals. For those over 40, I recommend taking multivitamins. High dosages of vitamins is not necessary. A simple multivitamin should do.
Bodybuilders typically consume 1.5-2 grams of protein per bodyweight. It is important to consume at least one gram of protein per bodyweight to build and strengthen muscles. Real foods high in protein should come first.
Foods like steak, chicken, tuna, and fish are very high in protein. However, nobody can consume that much protein in terms of pure food. That's where protein powder comes into play. Proteins are the essential building blocks required to build muscles. There are two types of protein: Whey Protein: Whey protein is fast acting proteins that go through your entire body in an hour or less. They are typically taken before and after workouts to build and repair muscles. If you are lactose intolerant, I recommend whey isolates. Casein Protein: Casein Protein is a slow digesting type of protein. They can take up to 5 hours to go through the entire human body. They are typically taken before bed to prevent the body from going to a catabolic state (a state in which the body digests muscle for energy. i.e. when you are sleeping or when you are hungry).
I do not think that creatine and nitric oxide are necessary. They are generally used by bodybuilders to increase muscle size. Since our main goal is just to stay in shape and stay healthy, creatine and N.O. will not be necessary. If you want additional energy for your workouts, simply consume some B complex. That should have more than enough energy for you to finish your workout.
"Milk does your body good;" Milk contains 35 percent calcium and 25 percent Vitamin D. They work together to help you maintain strong bones. To ensure that you drink enough milk daily, simply mix your protein shakes with milk instead of water. That way, you'll always drink 3-4 glasses of milk per day.
As people get older, they are more prone to many different kinds of health problems that make it harder for older people to work out. One would include osteoarthritis, which is what we come to know as joint pain. If you are going to be suffering through joint pain throughout your life, you cannot have anywhere close to an effective workout, as a matter of fact, you might not be able to start considering the amount of pain you have to go through. In the worse case scenario, you might even make it worse if you were to even attempt weight training. That is where glucosamine comes in handy for older people. It is the current leading supplement for maintaining healthy joints and it has also been proven to slow down the breakdown of joint cartilages.
One of the major problems discussed in the earlier paragraphs is that as you get older, your testosterone level decreases, and unfortunately, testosterone is directly linked and is also responsible for building muscles. Without testosterone, your body cannot build muscles, simple as that. Regardless of how hard you are working out, your body still cannot build muscle. Testosterone boosters are highly recommended for bodybuilders.
As you can see, people over the age of 40 will have a harder time having effective workouts, but it is nowhere near impossible. It is worth the little extra hard work, because it will pay off as you get older. There are many types of problems as you get older, and some of the more common ones would include the loss of muscle size, otherwise known as muscle atrophy, as well as the loss in bone density, otherwise known as osteoporosis. Now unless people don't mind having fragile bones and no strength as they get older, everyone, especially people over the age of 40 should look into having somewhat of an effective workout. If you can follow the workout routine, have proper nutrition, and take a few supplements to help boost your performance, then you are off to a very healthy and happy life. Now of course, as you get older, you cannot stop the process of muscle atrophy and osteoporosis, but you can still delay it. That should be a good enough incentive for everyone over the age of 40 to start working out again. Thank you for reading my article. I hope you have learned a thing or two from reading my article. If you have any questions regarding this or any other of my articles, feel free to contact me on Bodybuilding.com at Blink41. Thanks again! - Blink41
There are plenty of men and women over the age of 40 either trying to build/maintain their physique, or trying to achieve that once young and youthful physique. In addition to maintaining or creating a great physique recovery time is now more of an issue than before. Here I am, at the young age of 17, giving advice for those of you who have had much more experience than I. Though this may be true, I believe through my extensive research and experience, I may be able to answer the question of what kind of workout is best for the forty-plus age group.
The truth is, right now my testosterone levels are through the roof. I am in the most anabolic state of my life that I will ever be in. Just because I am in this state does not mean that a forty year old can't be either. I see guys who are at least fifty training harder than most teens in the gym all of the time. Results such as these may be achieved without the use of steroids or any other hormonal alternatives that older adults look at for the fountain of youth. If you are over the age of forty, looking to train harder, feel better, and gain more muscle mass, then this article is for you! I take that back, anyone can benefit from this workout!
Look, I am not going to make this complicated. We don't need to be getting too technical here. We are going to work off of a four day split. I chose this because most of you have a regular 9-5 job, working at least 5 days a week. I want to make a workout for you that will allow you optimum results and also have time for family and friends. Let's delve into this:
First day of the week, and we are starting with back and calves. This will be a very challenging workout for sure. I chose to give back it's own day, because your back is a huge muscle group, and it deserves to have your full attention without the interruption or strain of any other muscle groups. I did throw calves in with it, just because calves do not take a lot of energy, not nearly as much as back does. I also chose the barbell dead lift as our first and primary lift for the day. I chose this lift because it is a giant, compound lift, that will excrete tons of growth hormone for optimal growth! Let's shuttle into our next workout.
No nonsense today. This is a simple workout, that will have you sweating bullets. We are going for simple hypertrophy today. The key is we need to get in here, pound out these sets, and leave. That's what we're going to do. I chose dumbbell bench press to allow a great stretch in the pectorals, and a deep contraction. Secondly, we are going to load our shoulders with a few sets of heavy military presses. This workout may look simple, but give it a try and tell me how easy it is!
You may be asking yourself, "Why only two exercises for biceps and triceps?" I will answer this question by telling you that you do not need to kill these muscle groups for results. I am a big advocate for stimulating muscle, not destroying it. As you get older, your body can not repair as fast as it used to be able to, either. These muscle groups will respond to minimal usage. I firmly believe that by stimulating these tissues with moderate to heavy reps with moderate to low reps, you will see substantial growth. Lastly, we will shrug our traps with fury! Doing a total of 7 sets for our traps will leave you staggering out of the gym with a pump. Speaking of a pump, feel free to superset your biceps and triceps when need be! This will not only give you a huge pump in your arms, but will cut down on time spent in the gym! Let's recuperate and get ready for Friday!
Oh how today may be dreaded by many. Leg workouts vary greatly from person to person. I am going to list a couple of different workouts and alternatives to meet your capability!
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There you have it, your leg workout. Nothing too extreme, right? Well, do the workout and see how you feel afterwards! I chose to give many alternatives in this area to accommodate YOUR needs and capabilities. Not everyone can do a full barbell squat in life. There are healthy alternatives though, that will give you results just the same. Let's talk a little about cardio now...
I did not specify any cardio workouts in this workout. I focused mainly on building muscle and working on endurance. Cardiovascular health is vital at ANY age in life. I have chosen to make an entire section dedicated to this. A healthy cardiovascular system will allow you to work faster, shuttle nutrients into muscle faster, and recover faster. Cardio is needed in our workouts, the question is, where do we put it? I always recommend light cardio before a workout, between 10 and 15 minutes of jogging. This will get blood flowing, and warm your entire body's muscular system for optimum performance. I recommend doing hard cardio either: Off Days: Doing your cardio on off days will put less stress on your body after the workout and allow for greater growth. Many (such as myself) do not feel too eager to put themselves through a half hour of HIIT after a workout. This of course varies from person-to-person, that is why we have the other option... After Workouts: Some feel more energized after a workout than before. This is due to the great output of hormones and adrenaline that make you feel this way. Some benefits of doing cardio after a workout are; you don't have to warm-up just to do HIIT. By the time you get done with your workout you are thoroughly warm and do not need an additional stair-step warm-up. Why Is This Important For Me? For anyone and everyone, especially at the age of forty or above, it is critical to have a healthy heart! Though strength training has many benefits, supplementing cardio will make you healthier overall and speed fat loss. Remember not to over train your body either. This is when planning on WHEN you are going to do your cardio becomes important. I would recommend at least twice during the week, which would mean at least once after a workout. And then once on the weekend. When I say cardio, I do not mean you have to go and run a mile here. On the weekend what I would most recommend is going on a walk with a son, daughter, or spouse. Even a nice bike ride around the subdivision would be great! Of course a lot of these options are limited right now with it being winter, but as soon as it begins warming up, start going for walks and bike rides with your family or friends. Cardio doesn't have to be done on the treadmill either! Play basketball, play catch, play tag, be young again and have fun! Doing such activities with your children is a GREAT way of incorporating your workout in with life! Too many people get caught up in their workouts and bodybuilding lifestyles and forget to live life. Don't give up those precious moments that you can never get back again. Go outside and have fun! This will make you feel and look young once again!
It was not until relatively recently that I began realizing just how important stretching and warming up really is. I spend up to 15 or 20 minutes just stretching out. Some many think this is a little extreme or unnecessary, but I believe there is no such thing as TOO much stretching. Especially on days when you are going to be doing a large compound lift such as squatting or dead lifting, stretching is more important than ever in these cases. You do not want to wind up with an injury at any time in your life. All this will cause is setting you back. It's like taking one step forward and two steps back. You do not want to end up out of the gym. Warming up is just as important as stretching as well. I always warm-up with light weights. For example, if I am doing barbell bench press, I will warm-up with somewhere between 50% and 70% of the weight I am going to be doing. This allows to stretch out your muscles even more, and begin pumping them with blood. The more blood you have in your muscles the more nutrients that will be shuttled, which means the more muscle that will be built! Are you convinced? If not, read it again!
Aside from the time that you spend at work or with your family, we do not want to spend a lot of time in the gym. For anyone, at any age, after a prolonged amount of time spent in the gym, your anabolic hormone levels such as testosterone and growth hormone begin dropping, and your catabolic hormones such as cortisol begin elevating. As you get older, these factors are even MORE important than ever before to take into account. You cannot allow yourself to spend more than one hour in the gym. In this case, TIME IS MUSCLE and you have to remain focused to accomplish this.
This ties in with my first bullet. As depressing as it may be, as you get older, your testosterone levels are slowly declining. When you look at a teen, their anabolic hormones are so high, they do not need to worry (as much) about how long they're in the gym or if they pull a muscle. We will take a look later at how you can maximize your testosterone and anabolic hormones without the usage of illegal supplements.
Safety is another thing that I love to stress. Keeping good form is much more important than how much weight you're pushing. As you get older, even with a proper diet, you are still susceptible to injury. Pulling or tearing a muscle is not what you want happening. When you were younger you may have been able to walk in cold and bench 315, but as I said earlier in my stretching and warming up bullet, this is asking for injury and setting you back even further.
Now that we're in our forties, most of us aren't competing in sports any longer. Some of us may not even single any longer. We are no longer trying to get stronger for a sport, or trying to show off for the girls. Reality check. Now we have families we have to support. We have a wife that we are still trying to impress. We have lives that we need to maintain so we're there for our children at their weddings. I have a lot of friends (now that I am at the age of 17) and I see their parents drinking, smoking, living lifestyles as though they do not care what happens to them tomorrow. I believe that people overlook at that working out and living healthy lifestyles is not only for yourself, but for your family. Let me tell you, I love my parents and if anything happened to them, I don't know what I would do. Be a good parent, and live healthy. Be a good influence for your children, and do what makes you happy. I do not believe that anyone who works out can tell me it does not make them happy and feel accomplished. You will feel better, look better, and have more energy if you follow the steps that I have given you. It is your job to begin walking up those steps, to the level of accomplishment.
Hey, we're all looking for that miracle supplement to increase testosterone and build pounds of muscle. First, we have to go back to the basics.
I'm not talking about those chewable vitamins here. I am talking about a multivitamin that is specifically geared towards bodybuilders and athletes.
This of course is an absolute must for those who go to the gym looking to build muscle. Whey protein is very quickly absorbed into the body, speeding recovery and growth!
Not a lot of fitness enthusiasts are familiar with this amazing product. Branched chain amino acids, often referred to as BCAA's are critical for muscle growth, protein synthesis, and recovery. Amino acids are the building blocks of muscle, so why not supplement them into your diet?!
While there are many rumors floating around about creatine, it is important to know that creatine is a must for the bodybuilder or athlete. Creatine is a natural amino acid, found primarily in red meats. It essentially pulls water in muscle tissue, hydrating, and assisting with muscle contraction. Some experience rapid weight gain, and strength gains with creatine. I have never experienced weight gain or bloating, but I love this product because it has dextrose in it to replenish glycogen levels rapidly, which is vital for growth and repair!
Before I began using glutamine, all I heard was criticism. How it doesn't do much, and people considered it garbage. I have to say the complete opposite. I have done much research on glutamine, and ever since I began taking it, I have noticed a great difference in recovery and strength. I highly recommend glutamine for anyone looking to feel healthier, get stronger, and look better! If you couldn't tell by now, I prefer the powder form of supplements opposed to capsules.
There are many benefits from Nitric Oxide that I could list off. I am not going to lie, this is not an essential in the gym. I feel that it does help you gain though. Who doesn't want a greater pump, and with every rep feel bigger? I personally feel nitric oxide is an amazing product. It's worth realizing that this product has stimulants and creatine ethyl ester as well. There are plain nitric oxide booster products out there as wll. For those of you who are sensitive to stimulants such as caffeine, a plain N.O. booster may be best for you.
Here is our simple testosterone boosting product. Many say it supports sleep, some say it gives them vivid dreams, and some say they experience nothing with this product. I would recommend it for those of you who feel that you aren't experiencing the gains you want to see. ZMA has much research to back it's claims as well.
For anyone and everyone who puts a lot of stress on their body, it is never too soon or too late to supplement for joint health! Though a healthy diet should help keep your joints lubricated and in good working order, sometimes additional supplementation helps reduce soreness, aching, and increase joint strength. There are many products out there that say they will do just this, I would choose a good all-around product that will keep your maintain healthy joints!
The answer to this question is "No". I simply have put together a list of recommended supplements that may help you through your voyage. The only few that I would say are absolutely necessary at all times are the multivitamins and protein. Other than that, you can obtain everything that you need through food. Remember that a healthy diet should consist of lots of whole protein (chicken, steak, fish), lots of whole, complex carbohydrates (100% whole wheat bread, whole wheat spaghetti, brown rice), and plenty of healthy fats (Olive Oil, Natural Peanut Butter, Flax Seed). A sample diet may look something like this: Upon waking up Snack Lunch Pre- Workout During Workout Post Workout Dinner Before Bed There you have it. I did not list all of the supplements that I recommended, and I did not specify doses and servings because it varies from product to product. That is a simple sample diet though. I hope that it may help guide you in the right direction. Always strive to eat every 2-3 hours, eating small meals and snacks to keep your metabolism charged!
I hope that through these steps, you can reach your goal. Whether you are trying to gain muscle, lose fat, or maintain, I feel all of the steps that I have left can help you achieve your goals. Remember to remain focused, stay motivated, and keep your eyes on the prize! Kevin B.
There are plenty of men and women over the age of 40 either trying to build/maintain their physique, or trying to achieve that once young and youthful physique. H*ll, I'm one of them. I've busted my butt in the gym and maintained a diet to achieve a physique I'm proud of. Was it easy - NO. Can you do it - YES. Here are some of my thoughts related to working out when over 40 years of age from someone that has gone through it and understands the demands and limitations that we folks over-40 have.
Got to start with the first essential of weight training - there is no single workout that is the best for everyone. We are all different, respond differently to given stimuli and start at unique points in time and space. However, PRINCIPLES of health and fitness that enable growth and physique improvement will not change from individual to individual. For the over-40 workout these principles are the same as they are for anyone:
The workout provides the stress that demands our bodies to adapt and improve. Unfortunately, one-size does not fit all. The workouts for the over-40 crowd should be divided like others groups into beginner, intermediate and advanced. And like most other fitness mantras, I'll caution that you should consider getting a physical examination prior to starting an exercise program. An exam may reveal hidden health problems, particularly if you have been inactive for several years.
A warm-up should be conducted prior to the start of a lifting program. I've found that a lot of time doesn't need to be spent here. More than 10 minutes is probably too long. I like doing a couple of things to warm-up:
After this short warm-up, I'm usually ready to go. And before starting the working set of the exercises, a light set or two of the first exercise for each body part should be all that is needed.
For the beginner, the workout should be enjoyable, exciting and fairly fast-paced. A beginner workout should concentrate on the major compound moves with a half-body split. Either three or four days could be spent weight lifting. The routine would look like this: Day 1 Chest, Delts, Triceps, Calves
Day 2 Back, Biceps, Quads/hamstrings
Day 3 Chest, Delts, Triceps, Calves
Day 4 Back, Biceps, Quads
As stated early, this routine could be followed either on a M-W-F or a M-T-Th-F rotation. Sets should initially be taken to a point before failure until you become accustomed to the workout. Excessive time shouldn't be spent between sets, but there should be adequate time to return to normal breathing between sets. Over time exercises can be substituted in and out of the routine to keep things fresh and exciting. For the beginner, or those returning after a long layoff, this routine could be followed for 3-6 months. It will prime you for an increased workload of the intermediate lifter. The intermediate lifter can follow a very similar routine and split. The big difference with this lifter is that greater intensity should be brought into the workout through techniques like supersets, drop sets and 20-rep squats. These techniques should be slowly introduced into the workouts, at most one at a time. For example, a superset could be added to back training for one week and delt training the following week. After a while, the intermediate lifter should be training with some instinctive ideas on which exercises are "working", which are not, what techniques work and how best his body responds. This is when the program could change more radically and other advice and recommendations should be solicited. After the intermediate period of 1 to 2 years, more advanced techniques could be used. These techniques and workouts could include Mentzer-type High Intensity Training, forced negatives, DoggCrapp training, pre-exhaust sets and a host of other intensity building techniques. Your limits will be your imagination and ability to recover.
1. Using The Routines of The Pros: Unless you've been serious in the gym for the past 20 years, don't even think about a pro's routine. They are designed for professionals who have been at this for a while and are using the best supplements and science available. 2. Getting Locked Into A Single Training Routine: There is a reason why people lose interest in training and stop. You need to keep thing fresh in the gym and that requires a change in your workout every so often. 3. Overtraining: Until you get accustomed to working out again and familiar with your limits and recuperative abilities, you have to watch for overtraining. You will feel this as sluggishness, reduced mental and physical capability and poor results in the gym.
4. Forcing Workouts At Unnatural Hours: Not a morning person - don't try to workout at 5am. With age comes more responsibility, so your time is limited and needs to be planned. Plan your workout for when it is most conducive to you and your biorhythms.
A major consideration for the over-40 crowd is cardio-vascular health. And the only way to improve it is through regular cardio. A stress test is recommended and generally included with physicals at age 40 and beyond. Find out the state of your heart. A general goal for cardio training would be to conduct three, 15-20 minute sessions per week. With many of us working 50-60 or more hours a week, this can be very difficult. However; a good racquetball match or pick-up basketball game are great substitutes for a treadmill or elliptical session. And don't forget to consider the mowing the lawn and other yard work as forms of exercise- because we over-40 folks get a lot of it. Other sessions can be done in conjunction with weights, but should be done after the weight training.
To be absolutely honest, there really isn't much difference when it comes to the young person using this training philosophy. What the over-40 individual has to realize is that gains in muscle and strength, and reduction of body fat may not take place as fast as someone younger. The younger person may have an advantage in superior hormonal status. On the other hand, an older trainee usually has better mental facilities. We have endured pain in our lives and can more readily shut it out of our workout. We can generally be more focused in the gym because of our life experiences and challenges we have previously faced. And we are generally well driven in our pursuit of improvement in the gym. These are attributes associated with the over-40 crowd that people younger can learn from.
The first consideration for the over-40 crowd should not be supplements, but rather an understanding of where they are with critical hormones - testosterone, insulin and thyroid. The only way to know what your body is doing in regard to these hormones is to get a complete blood test. Most standard physical blood tests will include a thyroid panel and blood sugar work. You should ask for a total and free testosterone panel as well as testosterone diminishes with age. Once you have the results, you may find that you need hormone replacement (i.e., the real thing). Knowing your results will also help you better supplement as well if you fall into normal bands. Just because you are older doesn't mean you don't need to supplement. There are a few basic everyone should be taking. They include:
Just a great basic that makes up for losses due to stress and improper nutrition.
The building block of new muscle. You should be shooting 1-1.5g per pound of bodyweight.
Their names says it all, essential. They also serve as precursors for hormone production so you should ensure that you take them.
A proven supplement for muscle and strength improvement.
Great supplement for the aches and pains of older-age.
Along with these basics, you can also try some of the more exotics supplements that you may fancy and support your goals. These would include some of the NOX products, thermogenics or weight gainers. Hope this helps the over-40 crowd. And you can always get additional advice and opinions at the Over-35 Forum here at Bodybuilding.com. It's a great resource for the mature crowd. Hope to see you there.
So you've hit the age of 40. Over the hill, you might say? Well, not necessarily. Sure, you're testosterone levels may not be what they were at the age of 20, and your total muscle mass may have declined as well (20-40% muscular atrophy is common among adults in comparison to their younger years), but through resistance workouts, you can maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Since aging results in less support of muscle, testosterone, and bone and joint weakening, this workout will be tailored specifically for these issues. The best way to combat all three of these problems are through multi-joint, compound exercises that work large portions of muscle in order to release the most hormones, strengthen your joints, and build muscle fast. The workout will be an upper-body, lower- body split (alternating between upper and lower body), three times a week, for 30 minutes??"since most middle-aged people are working, it is necessarily to be as time-efficient as possible with the workout. For someone over 40, the amount of repetitions for each set should never dip below 10 for the first several months at least, since bones and joints may be fragile and prone to serious injury. The amount of sets should be few for the first month or two, and volume should be increased thereafter. When you should workout is up to you, and depends on your schedule - There are several advantages to working out at different times of the day: In The Morning (Before Work) - testosterone levels are highest, your memory is working great, and your focus is at its peak. In The Afternoon (During Lunch Break Perhaps) - your adrenalin levels are high, your body temperature levels are stable and your pain tolerance is optimum. In The Evening (After Work) - your flexibility and strength are at its peak, and your coordination is optimal. However, you may be fatigued from a long day at work. The point of this workout is to keep it short, effective, and simple to achieve maximum results in minimal time, which is important for middle-aged men and women who don't want to sacrifice too much time in the gym to achieve great results??"they shouldn't have to!
Monday-Upper Body
Approximate Workout Time: 28-30 minutes Wednesday-Lower Body
Approximate Workout Time-26-28 minutes Friday-Upper Body
*** Normally, isolation abdominal exercises wouldn't be included in a compound exercise workout, but lower back pain can be a major problem for middle-age adults, so a strong core is extra important. Approximate Workout Time-25-28 minutes
As in any workout program, specific exercises can be substituted in and out after a couple of weeks have passed to ensure continued muscular stimulation. The order of exercises should be switched up as well as the amount of sets and repetitions. Good exercises to occasionally substitute for the above ones include: Upper Body Days:
Lower Body Days
If you happen to have an extra bit of time some other day of the week, you may want to engage in some aerobic activity to reap cardiovascular benefits. I recommend 20 minutes on either the treadmill, stationary bike, or step machine to accelerate your body's transformation.
As I addressed earlier, a workout routine for someone who is over 40 be different than a routine for a younger person in several ways. It should be:
Not having enough time to workout is probably the #1 excuse for middle-aged adults for not working out. Thus, the workouts should be short (30 minutes or less), but still effective.
A working, middle-aged adult is likely not going to want to work on his clean and jerk technique??"he or she will likely want a simple workout with simple movements such as the bench press.
Multi-joint compound exercises that hit a large portion of muscle will help an adult increase his testosterone levels. Such exercises will also strengthen aching joints. Abdominal work is also included to strengthen the core, to help prevent lower back pain, which is common among adults, especially those with jobs where he or she remains seated a large portion of the day.
There are many good supplements for adults. These include:
Especially if you are planning to work out after a long, hard day at the office, caffeine is essential for energizing the body in preparation for a hard workout.
For an adult, joint pain can be a major issue that can prevent hard workouts at the gym. Glucosamine strengthens joints to ease the pain, allowing you to work harder in every exercise, especially compound ones.
High testosterone levels in the body helps with your strength and endurance in the gym, which translates to more muscle mass. These are especially useful for adults over 40 due to a decline in natural testosterone levels.
Getting a good night's rest is important for anyone, as well as middle-age adults. Many adult men and women suffer from insomnia and cannot get enough sleep. Melatonin and ZMA support good sleep, which helps prevent overtraining and keeps you on track for your workouts. ZMA may also help increase testosterone levels, which makes it perfect for adult men. Any melatonin product from Bodybuilding.com will do just fine.
If you are over 40 years old, there is no reason why you can't achieve the body you've always wanted. Eat smart, exercise hard, rest well and nothing can stand in your way.
Bryan Shapiro
We all know that aging is inevitable and as we get older and our body's physiology begins to change. However, you can have a great body at any age and your first step to achieve your physical goals is to understand how your body works beyond 40. There are several factors influencing how quickly your body will age, ranging from genetics, your natural body type, external factors such as your diet and whether you smoke or not. Some of the most noticeable changes that occur during the aging process include decreases in skin elasticity, energy levels, metabolism as well as an increased risk of arthritis and osteoporosis. While often thought of as a woman's disease, osteoporosis effects men at the same rate as women, once they enter their sixties. After age 40, the rate of bone loss exceeds the rate of bone formation meaning that bone density starts to decline and extra care must be taken to minimize this loss. Skeletal muscle mass also begins to decline, due to a loss of muscle fibers.
Decreased metabolism on the other hand, contributes to an increase in amount of deposited fat. Resting metabolic rate (RMR) decreases a few percent every decade past age 30, which amounts to about 60-100 fewer calories burned per day! Testosterone levels decline gradually in men, starting from age 30, and this decline continues throughout life. The good news is that you're not doomed to become fat with age. Focus on activities that help maintain and build muscle mass. Besides boosting muscle mass and metabolic rate, regular strength training can also decrease age-related bone loss. On the other hand, now you will have to be extra careful to avoid wear and tear on joints that may be more prone to happen past 40.
A proper warm-up can go a long way. Increasing the temperature in your muscles and joints, will make your blood flow, when you exercise and reduce the risk of injury. Begin your workouts with a 10 minute warm-up. Start with 5 minutes on the stationary bike or elliptical machine. These are the best cardio equipments that enable manual control for a gradual increase. Next, warm-up muscle groups that you plan to train. This should start with a core work and then extend to the extremities. Repeat each move 3 times: each rep should produce a greater extension. Core:
Upper-Body:
Lower-Body:
Over 40, you should utilize your time for the best results and avoid catabolic effects resulting from overtraining. Thus, use a four day per week, 60 minutes long workout split, as suggested below. Also, grouping large muscles with small ones is the best way to utilize your strength. Try not to exceed the suggested 60 minutes per workout. After one hour, your energy will decline substantially, leaving you prone to muscle loss. Day One Back-Calves (Monday)
Day Two: Chest- Triceps (Tuesday)
Day Three: Legs-Calves (Thursday)
Day Four: Shoulders-Biceps (Friday)
Don't forget to stretch!
Muscle atrophy (the loss of muscle) is a major concern for people over 40. Women, who generally have less bone density and muscle mass than men, are more prone to muscle loss as they age. Therefore, for babyboomers, who already experience arthritis or loss in bone density, I would stress the importance of non-aerobic strength training for preserving bone and reducing muscle loss. For cardio do stationary biking 3x40 minutes per week. Biking tends to be much easier on your joints than running.
As your metabolism slows down in your 40s, diet may become more of a problem. However, with a solid nutrition program that eliminates all empty calorie foods, this obstacle can be overcome.
Protein for example will not only serve as building blocks of muscle, but also provide the building blocks for collagen--the major constituent of skin and bone that maintains elastic strength. You will need to up your protein intake to 1.5g per lbs body weight. Choose lean sources, such as chicken breast, turkey breast, lean beef, egg whites, fish, protein powder and fat free cottage cheese.
In addition, you need to modify your carbohydrate intake. Be sure to eat complex sources instead of simple carbs. Take a careful look at the labels on whole grain cereals and breads, as many still contain large amounts of simple carbohydrates. Best carbohydrate sources: brown rice, steel cut oats, whole grain pasta, grains, whole grain bread and sweet potatoes.
In addition, omega-3 fatty acids in flaxseed products and cold-water fish may have beneficial effects on the immune system, thus lessening the formation of arthritis.
In addition to nutrients, water is probably the best anti-aging "formula" available for your system. In healthy young people, mineral substances and water are automatically balanced, thanks to an acute hormonal sensitivity to even slight changes in blood concentrations. People over 40, if left to their own thirst mechanisms, are likely to become dehydrated and to lose blood volume. So, drink a lot! Drink around 1-1.5 gallon a day.
Everyone, who trains needs a complex source of multivitamins. In addition, I would say that over 40 Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin D and extra calcium are the best natural supplements to enhance energy. For your post workout meal add about 1 tbs of glutamine and creatine since it increases the hydration state of the muscle cells. Hydration of the muscle cells can change rapidly and once the cells are dehydrated they enter a catabolic state. During times of catabolic stress research has shown that glutamine levels can drop by as much as 50%. Also, supplement with a Glucosamine-Chondroitin combo. Glucosamine is an amino sugar that the body produces and distributes in cartilage and other connective tissue, and chondroitin sulfate is a complex carbohydrate that helps cartilage retain water. At last, L-Carnitine enhanced with Chromium reduces insulin insensitivity, so it helps to prevent excess glucose being converted into fat. Finally, it's so important to enjoy your life and feel good in the body you've been given and best way to enjoy a long life is to eat healthy and exercise regularly.
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