What weight training program to choose after 50 years old?

What program for seniors?

As you get older, certain movements, such as climbing stairs or carrying weights, are not as easy as they were at age 25.
Contrary to popular belief, it is possible to get back into shape and build muscle even after 50!

Whether you want to firm up and slim down, gain mass or lose fat, nowadays age is no longer a barrier to doing sport!

Thanks to my dietary advice and a good strength training programYou'll have a new lease on life in no time!

Why should you do weight training when you are a senior?

The body undergoes many changes throughout life, and to manage all its functions it needs energy.
It is therefore necessary to adapt one's nutrition, and to be more concerned with one's physical condition.
The older you get, the more likely you are to suffer from sarcopenia, or loss of muscle mass.
This change is the result of a change in your hormone levels, due to a decrease in testosterone as well as your musculature.

Muscles are very important, they ensure your physical mobility and keep your metabolism active.
The more muscle mass you have, the more calories your body will burn, which is very important to avoid accumulating too much body fat.

Even if it is more difficult as a senior, there are various sports activities that allow you to have the desired muscle strengthening.
You don't have to go to a gym and lift weights on a bench to build muscle or tone up, especially if you have weak joints.

Today, there are several methods to do this even while staying at home. It requires a minimum of equipment and bodybuilding accessories but nothing is impossible.

There are other solutions such as group classes, which we'll talk about later, that allow you to sculpt your body gently.

You have the choice according to your schedule and your constraints to build muscle.

Why is building muscle more difficult?

As we age, our muscle tone decreases.

Doing activities such as the gym, sit-ups, cardio or sports in general is becoming more and more painful.

When we are senior, our lifestyle changes, we are more sedentary because of our age.
This contributes to atrophy the deep muscles of our body, and in some cases to accumulate fat in the abdominal belt. It is therefore necessary to fight to maintain muscle tone and build up your abs.

The continued wear and tear of the muscles is mostly in the lower limbs, so you will have more difficulty walking and more risk of injury.
If you don't exercise regularly, and don't change your diet then you will inevitably gain body fat.

After a certain age, it is more difficult to build muscle, because the aging of the body prevents the proper synthesis of proteins and therefore muscle tissue. The muscle building program to be done must therefore be adapted to you and you alone.

To benefit from a customized 100 % bodybuilding and nutrition program

Is it still possible to do bodybuilding after 50?

It is possible to build muscle, no matter what your age! Whether you choose to go to the gym, take a fitness class or simply work out at home, in a few months you will see your body change and you will give it a new lease on life!

All this combined with your willpower and good nutrition, and you're done. On the other hand, it would be a lie to tell you that this will be done in a few weeks. If this is the case for a 20 to 40 year old bodybuilder, it will take more time and patience for a 50 year old.

First, it is essential to stay active, with a good workout program and some strength training. To avoid any risk, talk to your doctor first.

Secondly, you need to have a sufficient protein intake, preferably in the morning when your body is coming out of its fast, to build muscle.
Don't sit around all the time, move around as much as you can!

What is the role of proteins in bodybuilding?

Often practiced in gyms, fitness or weight training is very complete and allows you to regain muscle tone slowly but surely.

You will have a coach, who will guide you throughout this process of fitness; and several machines of musculation like the treadmills, the bench of musculation, the dumbbells, the elliptical or simple bicycles, as well as all the material necessary to the relaxation and the stretching. Fitness is suitable for all styles of athletes.

Which weight training program should I choose?

There are a multitude of exercises, weight training equipment and sports practices that will help you sculpt an athletic body or simply improve your muscle tone.
Whether you are a seasoned athlete or have never been to a gym in your life, there is bound to be a program that will suit you in the short or long term.

Don't put any limits on yourself, some seniors can run miles and lift heavy weights when they are sufficiently trained.
Focus on your mobility and strength.

For those who want to tone up without going to a gym, there are very effective alternatives.

First and foremost, consider making warm-ups for at least 15 minutesDo some stretching after your workout, use elastics if necessary, listen to your body and never force a movement. Your session should not exceed 1 hour.

For your bodybuilding program, the most effective approach will always be to vary the activities in order to mobilize all the muscle groups. As far as possible, give priority to exercises that have less impact on the joints.

For example, spread out over the week 3 weight training sessions and 1 additional session as listed below:

• Gentle gymnastics: a method that combines breathing, balance and cardio movements to gently strengthen your deep muscles.
  It is beneficial for those with joint and posture problems and allows people with reduced mobility to have a regular non-intensive sport activity.
• Pilates: for those who want to strengthen their abdominal muscles gently but effectively, this is the activity to choose.
  It combines fitness, stretching and relaxation by using all the muscles of your body.
  With or without a mat, you can practice this sport in group classes or alone at home. No apparatus is required, only body weight is used.
  Moreover, this method allows a progressive toning of your body; to rectify its posture, and to improve its breathing.
• Jumping rope: If you do not suffer from your joints, this sport is one of the most complete that exists. It solicits both the lower and upper limbs. It will increase your strength and balance.
  Jumping rope greatly improves your breathing, helps you burn calories and helps strengthen deep muscles and the abdominal belt.
• Water aerobics: If you suffer from osteoarthritis, arthritis or muscle pain, this is the sport that will suit you best. You will increase your breath gently with each session.
  Indeed, water acts as a precious aid to accompany each of your gym movements. Practiced in group classes, you feel safe and motivated.
  This is the program you need to tone up while relaxing.
• HIIT: or "high intensity interval training" is an activity that strengthens all the muscles of the body by combining strength training, cardio and repetition.
  It consists of making an effort in a fairly short period of time, often 20 seconds, and releasing for 10 seconds several times over a given period (4 to 10 minutes).
  The sport that will allow you to develop your endurance, your strength and your explosiveness (power, thanks to the muscle that contracts in a very short time).
• A body weight program can also be an alternative

The health benefits of weight training.

Regular physical activity helps to :

• burn calories
• reduce cardiovascular risk
• improve cognitive function
• release the feel-good hormones (endorphin)
• improve breath, endurance and motor strength
• to give you a younger and healthier body.

There are only benefits in sport, your immune system will be stronger, you will have less cholesterol and better mental clarity.

Conclusion

Age is not an obstacle to the practice of bodybuilding, it is quite possible to build muscle when you are senior and there is a program tailored to each person according to its capabilities. To benefit from a customised 100 % bodybuilding and nutrition programme, do not hesitate to view the formulas and contact us for any further information.

Here is a student who followed a personalized program: He was not yet 50 years old but it gives you an idea of the physique that can be achieved with a good follow-up.

Students of the Team :

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Additional articles to read:

Strengthening after 40: Which program should you choose?

Why is breathing so important in weight training?

How to treat tendonitis to continue training?

How to choose your weights in bodybuilding?