- Worst Exercise For People Over 50
- Free Exercise For People Over 50 With Arthritis
- Aerobic Exercise For People Over 50
- Exercise For People Over 50 Just Starting
- Exercise App For People Over 50
The XTERRA Fitness TR150 Folding Treadmill Black is a wonderful option for the price and comes with an easy-to-navigate LCD screen, a range of speeds for people of all fitness levels, 12 built-in workouts, and incline options for added difficulty. Plus, it folds up and can be wheeled away when you're done. As one of the best stretching apps, this program features stretching exercises that cover all muscle groups and are suitable for all people, men, women, young and old. Rated as one of the best face exercise apps out there, these exercises strengthen muscles, increase blood circulation, improve skin condition, and relieve stress.
Hit the stair climber or do a body-weight circuit of squats, step ups, inverted rows, and pushups. Keep at it for 45 to 60 minutes. Try to keep your heart rate between 120 and 150 beats per minute. The Home Stretch 8 best stretching exercises for adults over 50 Stretching regularly can improve your body's range of motion, relieve stress, and make you feel better overall. By Ellen Breslau. May 11, 2020. Because women over age 50 are susceptible to joint pain in the hips and back, it’s important to build strong joints and a solid core. One particularly effective — and surprisingly fun — way to work the legs, core and lower back is an exercise known as side to sides, which literally involves springing from one foot to the other in a.
Whatever that means for you—traveling around the world, spending more time on your hobbies, heck, even taking up a new career like art or writing—there’s one very important factor to consider: your health.By the age of 35 or 40, most people will have developed at least one (minor to chronic) health problem. Even the healthiest person will have to watch what they do, and they’ll have to make sure to take care of their heart, lungs, joints, spine, muscles, or internal functions. As you age, your body isn’t able to run as smoothly, and health problems are the primary consequence of getting older.But don’t let that be you!Why Exercise Matters More than Ever
Exercise is one of the best ways to stave off health problems and stay young and spry well into your golden years. Exercise will:Keep your joints flexible and mobile. Regular exercise prevents the connective tissue around your joints from tightening and limiting your flexibility. It can also keep your joints mobile and move properly well into your 60s and 70s.Protect your spine. Back problems are VERY common as you age, but regular exercise will help to keep the spinal erector muscles strong. The stronger the muscles, the better protected your spine will be!Prevent weight gain. Your metabolism has slowed down since your 30s and will continue to do so as you age. That means you’re running a risk of weight gain—, particularly fat gain! Exercise is one of the best ways to prevent that problem. Exercise burns calories and fat, stopping your body from storing it in the form of the excess belly, butt, and arm flab.Reduce your risk of heart problems. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, and cardiac disorders are all common problems among those over 50. Exercise, however, strengthens your heart, lowers your blood pressure, eliminates cholesterol, and keeps your cardiovascular system working well.Prevent muscle and bone loss. Muscle and bone loss are other common problems among the older generation, but exercise is one of the best ways to keep your muscles and bones from wasting away. In fact, you can GAIN muscle through a workout program!Keep your muscles strong. If you don’t work those muscles (like you used to during your more active days), they’re going to weaken. Exercise helps you to maintain your strength well into your later years.Maintain energy levels. The less energy you use every day, the less energy your body produces. The more energy you use the more is produced. To stay active and energized, you have to make sure your body understands that it has to produce plenty of energy every day.As you can see, exercise is one of the best things you can do to enjoy your later years. Be smart, and add exercise into your daily routine!What Type of Exercise and How Much?
These are two VERY important questions, and thankfully the answers are pretty simple. Let’s start with “What type of exercise?”Cardiovascular Training (running, jogging, jumping rope, cycling, etc.) will be good for your heart, lungs, and circulatory system. It’s ideal for lowering cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood glucose levels. If you have a history of heart problems, are suffering from diabetes, or just want to avoid any metabolic or cardiovascular problems, you’d do well to mix in some cardiovascular training.Endurance Training (lifting light weights in sets of 15-25 repetitions) is good for keeping your muscles strong without bulking up. If you have joint or bone problems, limited mobility, or are recovering from an injury or surgery, it’s better to avoid lifting very heavy weights. Endurance training will be the key to keeping your muscle and bone mass from decreasing.High-Intensity TrainingWorst Exercise For People Over 50
(sprint training, HIIT, etc.) is a lot harder on your body, but if you can hack it, it will be AMAZING for your muscles and your cardiovascular system. Be aware of any contraindications (injuries, pain, etc.), but try mixing in a bit of a high-intensity training—even just one or two sessions a week will do wonders!Strength Training (lifting heavy weights in sets of 6-15 repetitions) is the best form of exercise you can do as you age. Not only will it keep your muscles strong, but it can help to increase bone mass. The majority of your workouts should include some form of strength training. It is excellent for your heart, lungs, muscles, bones, joints, and metabolism. Regular strength training is your best option for fitness!Flexibility and Mobility Training (Yoga, Pilates, stretching, etc.) are vital for keeping your joints mobile and flexible. There is a certain degree of joint stiffness to be expected with age, but that’s where flexibility and mobility training come in handy. This type of training will ensure that your body can move easily and without pain. For those with a family history of arthritis or other joint problems, it’s vital to engage in this type of training.Sports (basketball, baseball, football, etc.) are an awesome option for exercise. Not only are they a lot of fun, but they’re a great way to engage in social activity with your peers. However, be warned: a lot of sports involve movements that can lead to injuries if you’re not careful. Don’t push yourself too hard, but let your body set the tone for your play.How to Exercise Safely in Your 50s
Much as we hate to admit it, once we hit our 50s, our bodies don’t work as well as they did during our teens, 20s, and 30s. The risk of injury is higher, and we have to be more careful with how we train.Here are a few tips to help you exercise safely and reduce your risk of injury:Work with a Trainer. A trainer can help you to make the best use of your time at the gym, and can develop a program that will enhance flexibility, mobility, strength, endurance, and cardiovascular capabilities. Plus, they can ensure you are doing the workouts safely and with the correct form.
Check with your doctor. Before you start training, run it by your doctor. They may have recommendations for or against certain types of exercise according to your current health condition.
Don’t overdo it. Don’t try to use more weight than you can handle. The last thing you want is an injury—your body takes a bit longer to heal than it used to. Work with the right weight, train at an intensity your body can handle, and push yourself ONLY to your limits and no more.
Give yourself more recovery time. Younger bodies can recover faster, but once you pass 40 and 45, your muscles, joints, connective tissue, and bones take longer to heal. Make sure you give yourself AT LEAST 48 hours between training the same muscle—72 is often better if you use high volume.
Don’t let anyone tell you “you can’t do it”. Age is a state of mind, nothing more. Your body is capable of amazing things. It may take you a bit longer to get in shape, but you can get there. Nothing can stop you if you are determined to get fit.
The 7 Best Exercises to Do
If you’re putting together your workout program—either at the gym or home—here are the seven exercises you MUST include in your workouts:Push-Ups
For a stronger upper body, you HAVE to engage those “pushing” muscles: chest, triceps, and shoulders. Nothing works the pushing muscles better than a push-up.The beauty of push-ups is that you can adjust your position according to your strength. You can do push-ups on your knees if you can’t handle your full body weight, or do one-armed push-ups if you’re strong enough. There are dozens of push-up variations that will work every part of your body.Be warned: push-ups can be hard on your elbows and wrists. You have to make sure to get that form just right!Pull-Ups
Pull-Ups are a gorgeous exercise for your upper body “pulling” muscles: shoulders, biceps, forearms, and upper back. The fact that they use your body weight means you can do them anywhere—all you need is something to hang onto, and you’re ready to work.Pull-ups are tough, and not everyone can do them unassisted. At first, try doing pull-ups with your feet on a chair, using your legs to support your weight. As you grow stronger, move the chair farther away, until only your toes are resting on the chair. Eventually, you’ll be strong enough to lift your weight without the chair.Dumbbell Raises
Side and Lateral Dumbbell Raises hit your shoulder muscles (front, back, and side) very effectively!Free Exercise For People Over 50 With Arthritis
The good thing about these raises is that they require very little in the way of flexibility and mobility. They also place the strain on the MUSCLE rather than the joint (a common problem with Military and Shoulder Presses). You can use as much or as little weight as you want, making this an excellent movement for strength and endurance. Best light set of dumbbells can be found here at best price.
Bent Over Barbell Rows
Bent Over Barbell Rows combine the best of both worlds: core (spinal) training with the upper body “pulling” training. It hits your lower back, abs, glutes, upper back, shoulders, biceps, and forearms very effectively.You may feel tightness in your back at first, but as you train, the tightness will dissipate as the muscles in your lower back grow stronger. That strength in your spinal erectors will translate into better lower back strength in EVERY area of your life—meaning a much lower risk of back injuries!Squats
Squats work your quadriceps (front of your thighs), hamstrings (back of your thighs), and glutes (butt) very efficiently. The beauty of Squats is that you’re using both legs, so neither is straining more than the other. There are many types of Squats you can try according to your posture and form. In fact, the many Squat variations can help you to find the position that works best not just for your legs, but for your back and neck as well.Lunges
Lunges are a bit harder, but they hit the back of your legs (hamstrings and glutes) more efficiently than Squats do. And this is VERY important because those back-of-leg muscles are weakened by years spent sitting down. By training your hamstrings and glutes, you can prevent lower back problems and enhance flexibility in your legs and hips.Plank
Plank is one of those exercises that has become HUGELY popular in the last few years, and for a good reason! It hits your core (back, abs, and side muscles) effectively, but there is no risk of joint injuries. Crunches, Sit-Ups, V-Ups, Jackknifes and all the other core movements can make existing joint problems worse, but Plank is an isometric (no movement) exercise that will reduce your risk of injury to ZERO. But the fact that your muscles are permanently contracted makes it a highly efficient exercise for developing serious core strength.These are the 7 best exercises to include in your weekly training program. They’ll hit every muscle in your body effectively, but they’re the safest, most efficient exercises for you to do.No tagsIf you’re a man over 50 who wants to rediscover the physique and performance of your youth, this is the best gym workout routine for you.
There’s been a shift over the last few years.
It’s no longer the norm for men over 50 to slow down, stop lifting weights or become less active.
Instead, pioneers like Stallone, Chuck Norris and Schwarzenegger are leading the way with fit, fat free and muscular physiques.
It’s about time too.
And it’s time for you to get involved as well with this workout plan specifically designed to take you from your current condition to that of an athletic man in his prime in just a few weeks.
In this guide we tell you everything you need to know about using the gym to stay fit and active in your 50’s.
If your goal is to drop body fat, enhance physical performance or just to improve the way you look and feel…
This is the best gym workout guide for you.
What does this program cover?
| Goal: | Fat loss, build muscle, increase fitness |
| Aimed at: | Guys over 50 |
| Program duration: | 8-12 weeks |
| Workout duration: | 45-60 minutes |
| Equipment needed: | Barbell, dumbbell, resistance machines |
Staying fit and active in your 50s
Aerobic Exercise For People Over 50
Statistics suggest that as you reach 50 your fitness level decreases.
Why? Because physical activity level takes a nosedive.
You don’t hit the gym as often as you used to and when you do, you don’t push yourself for fear of injury or overdoing it.
But it’s a chicken and egg scenario, because without working out regularly you’ll inevitably lose fitness. And if you lose fitness you’re less likely to visit the gym.
Most of the time it’s not your fault though.
A busy family life and a hectic career meant that those regular gym workouts you once loved slowly went by the wayside.
Now you’ve piled on a few pounds, don’t eat as well as you should do and you’re constantly stressed and tired.
But you’re here to change that!
You’ve cleared the toughest challenge – making the decision to get started. And now that your motivation is high, it’s time to make some positive changes.
How?
- Use strength training to build muscle and drop body fat
- Improve stamina and endurance
- Feel and look better with your best gym workout routine
Why Should Men Over 50 Strength Train?
Maybe you’re excited at the prospect of getting back in the gym and throwing some iron around once again. Or possibly, the thought of mixing it up with the younger guys leaves you concerned.
Either way, it’s strength training that forms the basis of this workout routine.
And it’s embracing the heavy stuff that will get you where you need to be – a lean guy over 50 who still gets those second glances and attention.
Inactivity can be a serious issue for long-term health
There’s no question that inactivity is a strong predictor of long-term health [1].
But research also shows that taking part in regular strength training increases health, helping you lower the risk of detrimental metabolic diseases such as diabetes and high cholesterol, as well as heart disease and cognitive disorders too [2].
It’s important to maintain muscle mass
One of the most important reasons you need to implement strength training is to maintain lean mass.
Not only does a lack of muscle show that you don’t work out; it can also affect your health and well-being too.
Significant muscle loss due to inactivity is called sarcopenia, and it’s a disorder affecting more and more guys over 50.
Without lifting weights, your muscle protein synthesis slows down. This simply refers to the rate at which your body can repair damaged tissue and build new muscle cells.
The result is a slow but progressive decline into weakness and lack of functional ability. Current research says that if you don’t strength train you can lose as much as 2% total lean mass each year after 50 years of age [3].
Ultimately, lifting weights on a regular basis helps to boost lean mass and protect functional ability. You’ll not only feel better, but look better too.
Gaining excess weight is common in older guys
Muscle mass is a metabolically active tissue.
Other than excess calorie intake, one of the main reasons why guys over 50 find that they pile on the fat pounds is that the loss of muscle mass from lack of strength training means that metabolic rate takes a nosedive.
It might be that you’re here because of a more gradual onset of belly fat. Or your starting point might be sarcopenic obesity – the combination of decreased muscle and older adult obesity.
Either way, gym workouts using strength training will help bring your metabolic rate to where it needs to be.
Not only that, but lifting weights is a great way to up your daily fat burning. That’s because it can enhance fat oxidation for up to 48 hours after a workout [4].
That’s a great way to keep your calorie burn ticking over at a faster rate.
Optimizing testosterone is the key to better health and performance
As you reach the age of 3o, your testosterone levels begin to decrease by around 1-2% per year.
This means that by the age of 50, as many as 40% of guys will be classed as having clinically low hormone levels [5].
Testosterone is your masculinity driver.
As your main natural anabolic hormone it’s responsible for ensuring you stay lean, maintain muscle and bone mass. It regulates your metabolic health, keeps you libido high and even helps you stay confident and assertive.
It’s what makes a man, a man.
When levels drop to what’s called hypogonadal concentrations, all kinds of side effects begin to creep in.
- Loss of muscle mass
- Loss of cardiovascular stamina, endurance, sex drive and libido
- Increased adipose tissue, especially belly fat
- Increased risk of metabolic diseases and even early death
But you’ll be pleased to know though that strength training has been shown to boost testosterone levels and go some way to reversing low T in men over 50 [6].
It’s just another reason why lifting weights benefits your body and your health.
[Related Article: Best Testosterone Boosters for Men Over 50]
10 Fitness Tips for Men over 50 to Stay in Shape
#1. Focus on strength training to maintain muscle mass
Keeping your muscles strong and lean helps to improve the way you look, your physical and functional abilities and also offsets natural muscle loss due to reduced testosterone and protein synthesis.
#2. Keep workouts short and sharp to optimize hormonal response
You’re a busy guy who hasn’t got the time to spend all day in the gym. Luckily, short and intense workouts have a more beneficial effect on anabolic hormones and strength.
#3. Don’t be afraid to lift heavy once you’ve nailed your technique
Once you’ve practiced each exercise and have the form mastered, start loading up! Remember, the key to functional muscle power after 50 is heavy weight lifting.
#4. Keep your day-to-day activity levels high
Supporting your strength workouts with regular activities throughout the day is the key to staying lean. Whether it’s walking, sports, fun activities or physical hobbies, do your best to move daily.
#5. Don’t skip the warm up
As those niggles and aches start to creep in it’s important that you keep your muscles, joints and connective tissues safe by preparing them properly before your workouts.
#6. Make sure you recover between gym workouts
The unfortunate inevitability about aging is that you can’t train all day, every day without suffering fatigue.
But with regular recovery days and clever training you’ll not need to.
#7. Don’t be afraid to push yourself
You get what you put in when it comes to the gym. And age is irrelevant. Push yourself and you’ll soon be rewarded by a stronger, fitter and leaner physique.
#8. Perform daily mobility drills
Support your gym workouts with 3-5 minute daily mobility drills. Whether it’s ankle circles, trunk twists or shoulder rolls – keeping supple is great for functional longevity.
Exercise For People Over 50 Just Starting
#9. Make sure your diet supports your fitness goals
Focusing on a nutrient-rich diet and testosterone-boosting foods and supplements helps to keep your body working like a well-oiled machine.
#10. Build positive habits that support your goals
Creating a positive, balanced lifestyle of healthy habits that you’re able to adhere to is key to success. There’s no value in setting targets that are just not obtainable so make sure everything you want is within reach.
[Related Article: Best Multivitamins for Men Over 50 ]
Over 50’s Gym Workout Plan
The goal here is to boost muscle mass, enhance fitness and shred off any excess fat in 8-12 weeks.
This strength-based routine for men over 50 is your best gym workout opportunity yet to make some changes and throw away the rule book.
Don’t age gracefully; age aesthetically
The program is designed around a 3-day per week full-body gym workout schedule.
Muscle splits don’t work here as they emphasize single muscle annihilation too much. It’s a pretty old school way of training that really only maximizes muscle growth in those that can hit the gym multiple times per week.
But there’s a whole flood of research to suggest that full-body training is the way forward. Not just if you’re over 50, but for any athlete wanting to improve muscle conditioning in the gym.
Split your weekly volume over 3 sessions to make better progress
Here’s a scenario.
Science currently points out that hitting 10-12 sets per muscle group per week is a good way to boost muscle mass and improve conditioning.
Let’s say you wanted to use a split training approach and trained your chest on one day. You might throw in 4 different exercises for your pecs and do 3 sets on each.
And then you don’t train that muscle until the week after.
That’s 12 sets per week. Perfect volume for muscle growth.
Now let’s say you decide to do a full-body gym workout instead.
You put those same 4 exercises in, but split up over 3 separate sessions. You might do a chest press on one day and flyes on another for example.
As long as you still hit your 10-12 sets over the course of the week you’ll get the same growth.
And as a bonus you won’t suffer the extreme soreness that you get from split training either.
No more niggles and pains.
Only great results.
Exercise App For People Over 50
| Number | Session 1 | Session 2 | Session 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DB Shoulder press | BB Front raise | Lateral raise |
| 2 | Leg press machine | Hack squat machine | Leg extension |
| 3 | Lat pulldown | Neutral grip pulldown | Straight arm pulldown / single arm pulldown |
| 4 | Lying leg curl | Standing calf raise | DB Deadlift |
| 5 | Assisted dips | DB flyes | Incline DB press |
| 6 | Split squat | Goblet squat | DB step ups |
| 7 | BB bicep curl | DB triceps extension (skull crusher) | EZ bar preacher curl |
Taylor, D. Physical activity is medicine for older adults. BMJ. 2013
Martins, RA et al. Effects of aerobic and strength-based training on metabolic health indicators in older adults. Lipids Health Dis. 2010; 9: 76
Von Haehling, S et al. An overview of sarcopenia: facts and numbers on prevalence and clinical impact. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2010; 1(2): 129-133
Abboud, GJ et al. Effects of load-volume on EPOC after acute bouts of resistance training in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2013; 27(7): 1936-41
Brawer, M. Testosterone replacement in men with andropause: an overview. 2004 Rev Urol. 6 (Suppl 6)
Sato, K et al. Resistance training restores muscle sex steroid hormone steroidogenesis in older men. FASEB. 2014; 28(4): 1891-7