Just like Indiana Jones said, “It’s not the years, honey, it’s the mileage.”
Just because you’re getting older, it doesn’t mean you should stop doing what you love or become weaker. No matter how many years have passed, you can still become stronger and maintain an active lifestyle.
Being physically strong can have a major impact on your health and overall well-being. For example, it can help you age more gracefully, reduce your risk of chronic diseases, and improve your heart and bone health.
The good news is, it’s never too late to start strength training and experience these benefits. However, if you want to stay fit and healthy as you age, you need to approach your exercise routine differently and prioritize strength training.
Visible Body Changes
As we age, our bodies can go through some changes that may affect our quality of life and even our lifespan if not addressed.
One of the biggest risks for older adults (aged 65 and up) is heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in the United States. As we age, fatty deposits can accumulate in the walls of our arteries, leading to a hardening and narrowing of these blood vessels. This can reduce blood flow and oxygen to the heart and increase the risk of a heart attack.
Our skeletal system can also be affected by age-related changes. While bone tissue is constantly being broken down and replaced, around age 50, our bodies start breaking down more bone tissue than they replace, leading to a condition called osteoporosis. This can make our bones weaker and increase the risk of fractures and falls.
Despite common beliefs, our metabolism doesn’t change much between the ages of 20 and 60, according to a groundbreaking study published in Science. Even when accounting for differences in body size, metabolism doesn’t slow down as much as previously thought. However, after age 60, metabolism can decrease by about 1% per year, which is linked to reduced activity levels. Therefore, staying active as we age can help to maintain our metabolism and overall health.
Put Your Mobility First!
Being able to move your joints freely and with control is important for avoiding injury and dangerous falls. When you’re injured, it can be difficult to exercise, and that’s when muscle loss can occur, which is associated with a lower lifespan. Regular physical activity outside of the gym can also help you maintain a healthy weight range.
Mobility is crucial to living a higher quality and longer life. Unlike strength training, there’s a relationship between mobility and aging, and you need to invest more weekly time to maintain mobility as you age. To maintain mobility, you should consider doing mobility sessions based on every decade you’ve lived. For example, if you just turned 50, you should do mobility work five times a week. You don’t need to spend a lot of time stretching; 10-15 minutes a day is enough. You can incorporate mobility into your existing habits, like extending your warm-up before strength training sessions, and pair it with cardio on rest days.
Should I Change my Strength Training Routine?
As you get older, your workout routine needs to change to focus on longevity rather than just pushing heavy weights every day. This is because muscle loss and a decrease in power (the ability to move quickly) are common as we age. To combat this, lifting weights and incorporating safe plyometric training is crucial to keep your body moving well for your entire life.
If you’re over 55, it’s time to shift your focus to bodybuilding or “hypertrophy” training, where you aim to build lean muscle mass with your workouts. This is possible at any age, and research suggests that higher volumes (sets x reps) are better for hypertrophy in aging adults. By adding more sets and reps to your workout and gradually increasing the weight, you can build muscle and get stronger as you age.
However, low reps and heavy weight can increase your risk of injury, so it’s important to shift your definition of strength and focus on building muscle in a safer way. You don’t need to lift as heavy as before to see results, and it’s important to find a workout routine that balances the risk-reward ratio in your favor.
Age-Proof Training Plan
If you want to keep feeling good and seeing progress as you age, aim to train hard three times a week. While we may not be able to recover as quickly as we used to, our ability to work hard doesn’t decrease much.
Keep your workouts simple with an upper-body pull, upper-body push, squat, hinge, and carry. Aim for two to three sets of eight to twelve reps for each movement. Then, finish off with one or two isolation exercises, like curls or tricep press downs. If you’re over 55, you might want to focus on isolation moves to maintain lean muscle mass and reduce joint stress.
Don’t forget to start each workout with mobility exercises, and do one or two power movements to combat the loss of power that comes with aging. And, for overall health, incorporate low-intensity steady-state cardio (like walking) for 20-40 minutes one or two times a week, while staying active throughout the day.
Be Careful with Your Body
As you get older, falls can be a serious concern. Focus on strength training, power development, and mobility work to reduce your risk. And, learn how to fall safely to further protect yourself.
Joint pain is also a concern for many older adults. Smart training can help you avoid this, but if something doesn’t feel right, modify the movement or seek coaching to refine your technique. Lastly, before starting any new exercise program, consult with your doctor. If you experience chest pain or shortness of breath, stop exercising immediately and seek medical attention.
3-Day Workout Plan for All Ages
Here’s a three-day home workout routine that focuses on building muscle in a joint-friendly way:
Day 1:
Warm-Up:
- Cat Camel: 8 reps
- Leg Lowering: 8 reps per side
- Split Quadruped Adductor Mob: 8 reps per side
- Walkout Strider + Reach: 3 reps per side
- Walking Knee to Chest: 10 yards
Main Workout:
- Bodyweight Squats: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
- Push-ups: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
- Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
- Dumbbell Bent-Over Rows: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
- Resistance Band Bicep Curls: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
- Tricep Dips: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
- Plank: 3 sets of 30-45 seconds
Day 2:
Warm-Up:
- Cat Camel: 8 reps
- Leg Lowering: 8 reps per side
- Split Quadruped Adductor Mob: 8 reps per side
- Walkout Strider + Reach: 3 reps per side
- Walking Knee to Chest: 10 yards
Main Workout:
- Resistance Band Squats: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
- Resistance Band Chest Press: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
- Resistance Band Seated Rows: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
- Resistance Band Pull-Aparts: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
- Resistance Band Shoulder External Rotations: 3 sets of 12-15 reps per side
- Glute Bridges: 3 sets of 15-20 reps
- Side Plank: 3 sets of 30 seconds per side
Day 3:
Warm-Up:
- Cat Camel: 8 reps
- Leg Lowering: 8 reps per side
- Split Quadruped Adductor Mob: 8 reps per side
- Walkout Strider + Reach: 3 reps per side
- Walking Knee to Chest: 10 yards
Main Workout:
- Dumbbell Romanian Deadlifts: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
- Dumbbell Chest Flyes: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
- Dumbbell Shoulder Shrugs: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
- Dumbbell Hammer Curls: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
- Dumbbell Tricep Kickbacks: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
- Russian Twists: 3 sets of 15-20 reps
- Bicycle Crunches: 3 sets of 15-20 reps
Remember, always warm up before starting the main workout, and feel free to adjust the exercises or the number of sets and reps to fit your fitness level and personal preferences. It’s important to listen to your body and not push yourself too hard, especially if you’re new to exercise or have any existing injuries or health conditions.
