Many think it might not even be possible to get back into the shape they were when they were younger! But the good news is that even as you age, it is possible to build up muscle and get fit – as long as you follow a few simple rules.
Building Muscles Really Can Happen
A recent article Men’s Health magazine can be reassuring for men who are trying to get back into shape: University of Oklahoma researchers conducted a study on two groups of men: one group was between the ages 18 and 22 and the other between the ages of 35 and 50. The two groups of men were put onto exactly the same training program and at the end of the 8 weeks, the researchers found that the two groups had put a similar amount of muscle (2.5 versus 2 pounds of muscle overall) and also showed similar strength gains in bench and leg presses. In short, age doesn’t have to keep a man from building up his muscles.
That being said, there are things that men should take into consideration when building up their muscles. Testosterone levels begin to slow drop as men hit middle age, causing low energy levels and making it more difficult to build up muscle mass. Also, men might find that they tire more quickly after a workout or need more time in between workouts to recover. However, it is still possible at any age to improve one’s health and build up lean muscle mass.
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Tips for Healthy Muscle-Building as You Age
If you are wanting to tone up and build muscle, no matter what your age, here are some tips to make sure you do this in a safe and healthy way.
Go Light
You don’t have to use heavy weights with just a few reps to build up muscle mass, Men’s Health reports. While these heavy weights do build muscle, older men might find that they can also cause pains and stiffness in the joints– and if this gets bad enough, it can interfere with getting a workout at all. Instead, it is recommended that guys try lighter weights with more reps to increase their strength. This will build muscle without the risk that comes with heavier weights.
Don’t Push It
An important part of a body-building routine is actually having a “cruise week” to give that body a rest. During the cruise week, training still takes place, but the training is light and it gives the body a chance to rest, rejuvenate and rebuild. Overdoing the training can actually be counterproductive and set you back on your goals. This cruise week can actually make your training program more successful – and sustainable – and reduces the risk of injuries from overuse of muscles.
Stretch it Out
No matter what your age, stretching should be an important part of your fitness program, but especially as you get older, taking care of your muscles and keeping them agile and flexible is particularly important to prevent problems like stiffness and decreased mobility. So make sure to stretch out before and after your workout and make sure that any muscles that start to feel tense or tight get stretched at least 60 seconds a day in order to keep them limber.
Mind What You Eat
Proteins are the basic building blocks of muscles, so getting enough protein in your diet is necessary for any good body-building program. But put away dreams of living of Big Macs! The best choices, according to AZ Central, come from lean cuts of meat and poultry, fish, eggs and nuts, beans and seeds which will give your body the protein it needs without the saturated fat that it doesn’t.
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While older guys might face some challenges when it comes to building muscle, the fact is it can be done and in some ways is even more important for men to do this since it means staying active for longer and maintaining a fit lifestyle into middle age and beyond. Tips like using lighter weights, stretching to keep muscles flexible as well as strong, eating enough healthy proteins and giving the body a rest when it needs it can make this process safer as well as more effective.
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More Health & Wellness by Dr. Brian Wu in The Good Men Project:
- Top Four Reasons Men Should Get into Yoga
- More Single Men Becoming Fathers through Adoption and Surrogacy
- Male Menopause
- What Men Should Know About Heart Disease and E.D.
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Photo credit: Flickr/Matti Mattila
This is probably a little unconventional but I actually recommend NOT using equipment or even going to the gym. It’s expensive and its just another barrier to entry (especially when you’re older). Instead you can get in incredible shape just using a pull-up bar. There’s actually an entire system for using just a pull-up bar (or the monkey bars at the park) to exercise every part of the body.
I’ve written a review for it here: http://www.bestxersize.com/bar-brothers-review/