Bodybuilding after 40 years

People who have crossed the age barrier of forty years, mistakenly believe that the path to gaining a swollen and sculpted body is closed to them. This is a common misconception. Build muscle mass can also those who celebrated the fortieth anniversary.

Content

  • 1 Features of muscle gain after 40 years
  • 2 Average age - bodybuilding is not a hindrance
  • 3 How to train older athletes "> 3.1 Exercise caution when working with heavy weights
  • 3.2 Paying attention to pain in the joints, lower back and so on
  • 3.3 Recovery and Rest Above All
  • 4 Muscle gain and weight loss after 40 years
  • 5 Video Review

    • Features of muscle gain after 40 years

    For bodybuilding, there are no strict age limits. Even those who decided to get in perfect shape both at 50 and 60 years old can successfully pump muscle. It is never too late to start building a beautiful and developed body. The results can exceed all expectations.

    With age, certain changes occur in the body of each person. They are not so significant as to completely refuse to visit the gym. However, given this fact, it should be understood that the approach to building muscle for an age athlete is somewhat different than for a young one.

    Middle age - bodybuilding is not a hindrance

    This is not just a statement, but an irrefutable fact, scientifically proven in a study conducted at the University of Oklahoma. The experiment was that people were divided into two groups by age category. In the first there were subjects from 19 to 20 years, and in the second - from 35 to 50 years. For two months, both groups carried out one training program, which included working with such weights as the barbell and dumbbells.

    The results of increased muscle mass in eight weeks in middle-aged and young participants in the study were practically the same. This was established thanks to measurements of muscles before and after strength training. Measurements were made using DEXA scanners. In addition, some indicators of age participants were higher.

    Young people showed a result of 3 kg in the bench press versus 6.5 kg in the age participants, and 25 kg in the bench press versus 18 kg in the opponents. Consequently, the supply of strength and endurance between the two groups did not have significant differences. This is direct evidence that bodybuilding is a discipline not only for young athletes, but also for those who are or have already turned 40, 50 and even 60 years old. Athletes of age, along with an increase in muscle volume, an increase in endurance, also receive excellent prevention of health problems.

    No need to turn to research results to verify the benefits and feasibility of bodybuilding in middle age. It is enough to meet people who prove by their own example that even after forty you can find the shape of your dreams. The main thing is to approach bodybuilding with knowledge of the matter, that is, choose a training methodology.

    How to train older athletes ">

    The training process, both after and until the age of forty, has practically no significant differences regarding the choice of strength exercises and training methods. This does not mean that you can do absolutely everything that, due to a younger age, athletes can afford, for example, at 20 or 25 years old.

    There are some nuances that will have to be taken into account:

    Exercise caution when handling heavy weights

    Heavy and medium weight lifting is considered the best way to develop strength and increase muscle mass. But there is a flip side. Severities exert a significant load on the joints, damage muscle fibers.

    This does not mean that you need to refuse to lift a lot of weight. The main thing is to correctly calculate your own physical shape and training. Untrained aged people are advised to start lifting weights with small amounts of repetition. When eight or ten sets are easy, you can increase the range.

    The number of approaches and repetitions should be dictated solely by your own feelings. Do not overpower yourself. An increase in load is welcome, but not required. Striving for better results when there are no physical prerequisites and enough strength, of course, is impossible.

    Paying attention to pain in the joints, lower back and so on

    People experiencing pain in the lumbar region should not perform deadlifts. The exception is when the therapist has prescribed this exercise. The presence of pain in the knee joints requires the abandonment of squats, and in the shoulders - from the bench press lying or standing.

    Do not, overcoming pain, continue classes with a load on the source of pain. Otherwise, the situation will worsen and you will have to forget about visiting the gym for months. It is better to focus on other exercises, and then work out the problem areas when the pain goes away.

    Recovery and Rest Above All

    If you spend in the gym all week, it is fraught with overtraining. To avoid exhaustion, the recovery process after each strength training should not be neglected. And if we talk about how age affects this period, then the changes are not as significant as many people think.

    It may take a little longer for the muscles and body to recover after exercise. The main thing is to take care of a sufficient duration of sleep of at least 7 hours, consumption of the recommended amount of protein. In addition, every 6 weeks or 2 months you need to take a break in classes for 7 days.

    Muscle gain and weight loss after 40 years

    A sharp level of metabolic decline in middle age is another misconception. Its slowdown occurs, but not so much. A major role in reducing metabolism is played by muscle loss, that is, lean mass. But this practically does not affect the processes of recruitment of muscles and weight loss.

    Muscle tissue is responsible for burning calories. If you maintain muscle tone, even time, that is, age, will not interfere with the normal flow of the metabolic mechanism. Thus, the gym becomes not only a place for gaining a toned and pumped up body, but also a means of maintaining oneself in good shape and tone.

    Bodybuilding for middle-aged people who do not have serious metabolic disorders, including metabolic syndrome, will be an excellent tool for weight loss. The main thing is to adhere to generally accepted norms, which are the same for young and age athletes:

    • to train correctly;
    • Do not wait for a quick result;
    • provide a small calorie deficit.

    If you follow these three rules, the fat will not just go away, but will be replaced by lean muscle mass that supports the correct metabolic function.

    Video review

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