Description: Guys over 40 years old can still work out at a gym. Here are the top exercises that they can do.
Let’s face it. Men who are over 40 years of age are at a disadvantage when it comes to weight loss and muscle building compared to their younger counterparts. For one, they aren’t as strong as those who are in their teens or 20s. They get tired easily compared to the youngsters. And since men who are in their 40s are busy juggling 40-plus hour work weeks and attending to the needs of their families, they don’t have as much time as the young ones for working out.
However this is not to say that older men can’t defy the physical limitations brought about by aging. You can look at some athletes who have been able to beat Father Time and perform well at their 40s. There’s MMA fighter Randy Couture who was a heavyweight titleholder at the age of 44. Other athletes who have performed well even in their 40s include boxing great George Foreman who regained the heavyweight title at the ripe age of 45 and hockey great Gordie Howe who retired at the age of 50.
So you don’t really have to feel bad about your age, nor should you use it as an excuse not to workout. In fact, you can maximize your weight loss or muscle building efforts if you perform some of the best exercises for guys over 40 years old in gyms like Planet Fitness or Anytime Fitness:
Chin Ups
A chin up is a superior exercise for strengthening your back, arms, forearms, and core muscles. It is different from a lat pulldown as it requires you to use your core in stabilizing your lower body.
It may appear to be physically taxing but over time, you will eventually get the hang of it. Start by leaping to the ‘up’ position then try to lower yourself down very slowly. Ultimately you’ll be able to build up the strength to get up with smaller jumps and pull yourself up.
Or you can ask your gym buddy to unload some weight by spotting your lower back even as you go up and down. You can even perform band-assisted chin ups which can provide help at the bottom, giving you the lift need to pull yourself up.
One Leg Dumbbell Lift
This exercise is very similar to the traditional deadlift, but one difference is that it trains guys to improve their balance aside from working the muscles on the outside of the hip. It’s a great exercise for guys who are in their 40s because it is not as physically taxing as a traditional deadlift. It also helps them slowly build core strength, which is important for those who are beginning a new training program.
Push Ups
Yes, the same exercise taught to you by your dad when you were young remains a great workout for guys your age. The push up is one of the best ways to strengthen the shoulders, chest and triceps. It allows the full movement of the shoulder blades, which cannot be said of other chest exercises like the bench press or dumbbell chest press. What’s more, this is an exercise that you can do at home.
Back Leg Raised Split Squat
This is an exercise that is reputed to be the best for training the lower torso. It is a single leg exercise that is not as loaded as a two-leg exercise like the traditional squat. The key is lifting a weight that you are comfortable with, as lower loading can preserve back health which is important for older guys.
Deadlifts
Arguably the most effective full body exercise, the dead lift improves your core strength and leg strength.
This is also a fairly easy exercise to do. Start by having the weight on the floor, then grabbing the bar. Bend your knees until your shins have touched the bar. Don’t move it though, just keeping it over your mid-foot.
Then lift your chest while keeping your back straight. Taking a big breath, pull the bar, hold it and stand up. The bar should be against your legs.
These are just some of the best exercises that you should have no problems doing even at your age.
You may even want to know some of the workout tips that are appropriate for guys who are over their 40s. One of the tips that you should bear in mind is to start with a weight that you can work with for a set of 12 repetitions without restricting your form.
While barbells and dumbbells are great, you can also work with machines to save yourself some pains or spare yourself from injury.
Lastly, don’t forget to stretch. Allot at least five minutes of stretching before and after exercising.
So, are you ready to work out?