As we get older, we start to lose minerals, vitamins and our health deteriorates. Our bones become weaker, smaller and more prone to serious injuries. We start to lose strength. Our skin begins to lose its natural elasticity. We can choose to fight back though! Those of you who have been working out daily over the long-term are on the right track. However, if you have not worked out for quite some time, there are a few factors you should keep in your mind.

Best Workout

Anyone over the age of 40 will experience a decrease in muscle size, recovery time and strength. Bones become increasingly more prone to injury and are more fragile. Testosterone levels start to decrease and ability to build quality muscle decreases greatly. But you can slow down this aging process, and the best bang for the buck as you age is to do weight training. Just follow a sensible diet and a simple workout schedule like the one below:

  • Monday: Triceps/ Chest
  • Tuesday: Rest
  • Wednesday: Biceps/ Back
  • Thursday: Rest
  • Friday: Traps/ Shoulder
  • Saturday: Rest
  • Sunday: Calves/ Thigh/ Abs

Before workouts do five minutes of light cardio to get the blood flowing through the body. After each workout do 30 minutes of moderate intensity cardio. Make sure to stretch before the workout and after the workout. Be sure to take 2 to 3-minutes of rest between each set.

The most important thing is to realize how important stretching and warming up really is. You need to stretch for about 15 to 20 minutes each day. Some people think that this is unnecessary. However, I believe that there is nothing more important as we age as stretching. Especially on those days when you’re going to be working out.  Stretching before deadlifting or squatting, is especially important.

The same goes for warming up; it is just as important as stretching.  Make sure you warm-up with light weights. The more blood in your muscles the more nutrients will be reach them, which means more muscle will be built.

Health Factor

There are a lot of reasons why it is more difficult for someone who is over 40 to have a more effective workout routine compared to those under 40. Once you have reached 40, it is important to realize that now you are not capable of doing everything you could do before. Face the facts and move on, and do not let this unmotivate you. All you need to do is know your limits; you are not as strong as you were before, but you can do what you can do!

Conclusion

Those of us over 40 have a harder time having effective workouts, but it’s not impossible. You just need to realize that no matter what you do, no matter how little, is far better than doing nothing. Fight back against muscle loss by getting started right now!