7 Essential Exercises for Men To Prevent Muscle Loss After 50
7 Essential Exercises for Men Must Do To Prevent Muscle Loss After Age 50
The natural loss of lean muscle mass, strength, and endurance is a common challenge for men as they enter their senior years. Nevertheless, growing older doesn’t equate to surrendering to this decline. By adhering to effective strategies, you can safeguard your lean muscle mass, thereby increasing your prospects of maintaining strength and overall well-being. This guidance comes from Daisean Brewster, who holds AAAI/ISMA certification and is affiliated with Blink Fitness. Brewster shares invaluable insights into the essential exercises men can incorporate to combat muscle loss after reaching the age of 50.
The importance of maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle “cannot be overstated in our fast-paced and demanding world,” says Brewster. Physical fitness extends beyond outward appearance; regular physical activity has many advantages for the body and the mind.
Emphasizing resistance training, particularly compound exercises that engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously, is pivotal as you age. Brewster elucidates, “Resistance training stimulates the production of growth hormone and testosterone, fostering muscle growth while preventing muscle loss. Furthermore, it bolsters bone density, enhances joint health, and revs up metabolism, leading to more efficient energy expenditure.”
Your objective should be to engage in resistance training exercises at least two to three times weekly, with adequate intervals for muscle recovery and growth. If you’re eager to commence, read on to discover Brewster’s top-recommended exercises for men aiming to stave off muscle loss after turning 50. And once you’ve completed the workout regimen, don’t forget to explore these 5 Top Fitness Tips to Prevent Muscle Loss for Men in Their 60s.”
- Squats
Begin the squat exercise by standing upright with your feet pointing forward and your back held straight. Initiate the movement by firmly planting your heels into the ground, shifting your hips backward, and lowering yourself into a squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor or lower. Then, push through your heels once more to return to a standing position. For optimal muscle growth (hypertrophy), incorporate squats into your routine with three sets of 12 repetitions, completed two to three times per week.
- Deadlifts
Now, let’s move on to the deadlift exercise. Daisean Brewster provides guidance: “Using a barbell, dumbbell, or similar weights, assume the same stance as described for squats – maintain an upright back and keep your feet pointed forward. Slowly lower your hands to the bar with a shoulder-width grip, gently pushing your hips back while keeping your hands close to your body.”
He continues, “Drive your heels into the ground as you stand up, ensuring your elbows remain locked and straight, and draw your hips in under your spine.” To maximize muscle growth (hypertrophy), incorporate this exercise into your routine with three sets of 12 repetitions, completing it two to three times a week.
- Pushups
Pushups represent a timeless strength-building exercise that targets your triceps, chest, shoulders, and core muscles. Start by positioning your hands on the floor slightly beyond shoulder-width apart, with your fingers pointing forward. Keeping your balance on the balls of your feet, extend your legs straight behind you. Activate your core and lower your chest towards the ground by bending your elbows. Then, Put your body back into a high plank position by pushing yourself up again. To promote muscle growth, aim for three sets of 12 repetitions, and incorporate this exercise into your routine two to three times per week.
- Bench Presses
Now, let’s prepare for the bench press. Begin by lying flat on your back on a workout bench positioned beneath a barbell. Daisean Brewster advises, “Ensure that the weights are securely positioned above you.” Place your hands on the barbell, just slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, and carefully lift the barbell off the rack. Position the barbell over the middle of your chest, making sure your wrists are not bent backward to prevent strain.
Slowly lower the barbell until it touches your chest, and then push it back up in a straight line to return to the starting position. To promote muscle growth, incorporate this exercise into your routine with three sets of 12 repetitions, completing it two to three times per week.
- Pull-ups
You can begin with a machine equipped with an assistance seat if needed. Position yourself in line with the pull-up bar. Daisean Brewster notes, “Your choice of grip will impact the muscles you target.” After gripping the pull-up bar, lift yourself upward towards the bar, engaging your traps and rhomboid muscles. Aim for three sets of 12 repetitions of pull-ups, and include this exercise in your routine two to three times per week.
- Dumbbell Rows
To perform dumbbell rows, take a dumbbell in each hand and stand up straight. Hinge at your hips while keeping your back in a straight alignment. Keep your gaze forward to prevent bending at the waist. When you’re in a horizontal position, pull the weights up to your chest by pushing your elbows back, then lower the weights until your arms are fully extended. Include three sets of 12 repetitions of dumbbell rows in your routine, doing this exercise two to three times per week.
- Lunges
Finally, we conclude our list of crucial exercises for men over 50 to combat muscle loss with lunges. You can choose to add weights like dumbbells or use your body weight alone. Stand tall with your feet pointing straight ahead. Take a step forward with your left leg and bend your right (back) knee to lower into a lunge position. Daisean Brewster offers an alternative: “You can also perform walking lunges by bringing your back leg to meet your front leg after completing one lunge, then switch legs as you continue lunging for a specified distance or number of repetitions.” Include lunges in your routine with three sets of 12 repetitions, incorporating this exercise two to three times per week.
