Find out “7 Essential Exercises for Men To Prevent Muscle Loss After 50′ As men enter their golden years, they face the challenge of losing lean muscle, strength, and endurance naturally. However, retaining and building muscle mass isn’t hopeless when you grow older. In order to maintain your strength and well-being, Daisean Brewster (AAAI/ISMA Certified) of Blink Fitness says following the right tips and tricks can help you “safeguard” your supply of lean muscle.
As Brewster explains, “The world we live in can be fast-paced and demanding, so maintaining a healthy and fit lifestyle is crucial.” It has been proven that regular exercise and physical activity offer abundant benefits for both the body and the mind, so maintaining physical fitness goes beyond just appearances.”
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7 Essential Exercises for Men To Prevent Muscle Loss After 50
With aging, it’s important to focus on resistance training—specifically compound exercises that activate multiple muscle groups simultaneously. Brewster says resistance training stimulates growth hormone and testosterone production, which promote muscle growth and prevent muscle loss. Moreover, resistance training improves bone density, joints, and metabolism, resulting in a higher energy expenditure.
It is recommended that you conduct resistance training exercises at least two or three times a week, and rest between workouts to ensure that your muscles are recovering and growing properly. Read on for Brewster’s top-recommended exercises for men to prevent muscle loss after 50. Don’t miss out on these 5 Top Fitness Tips to Prevent Muscle Loss for Men in Their 60s when you’re done.
Squats
Squats start with you standing tall; your feet should face forward, and your back should be straight. Push your heels into the ground, press your hips back, and descend into a squat until your thighs become parallel to the floor or lower. Next, press your heels into the floor once more to rise back up to standing.
To achieve maximum hypertrophy, perform squats for three sets of 12 reps, two to three times per week.
Perform Deadlifts
Next up, get ready to perform deadlifts. “Using a barbell or dumbbell or similar weights, standing similarly to a squat position mentioned above, back erect, and feet facing forward, slowly reach down with your hands shoulder-width apart, slightly pushing your hips back, keeping your hands close to your body until you reach the bar,” Brewster instructs. “Drive your heels into the floor as you stand up, keeping your elbows locked and straight, pulling your hips in under your spine.”
Perform three sets of 12 reps, two to three times a week to reach maximum hypertrophy.
Pushups
Pushups are a classic strength exercise that fires up your triceps, chest, shoulders, and core. Begin by placing your hands on the floor just outside shoulder-width so your fingers point forward. Extend your legs behind you, and roll onto the balls of your feet. Activate your core, and bend your elbows to lower your chest toward the ground. Push your body back up to a high plank.
Perform three sets of 12 reps, two to three times a week.
Bench Press
Now, get ready for the bench press. Lie down flat on your back on a workout bench under a barbell. “Make sure the weights are secure above your head,” Brewster says. “Place your hands on the barbell slightly outside of your chest. Take the barbell off the rack, and angle the bar to the middle of your chest. Make sure your wrist is not bent backward to prevent it from being strained. Bring the barbell downward slowly until you touch your chest. Then, push the barbell back up in a straight line, back to the starting position.”
Perform three sets of 12 reps, two to three times a week.
Pull-Up Bar
Feel free to use a machine that has an assistance seat to start off. Line yourself up with the pull-up bar. “The grip that you choose will make a difference in the muscle that you work,” Brewster explains. “Once you grip the pull-up bar, pull yourself up into the bar, squeezing your traps and rhomboid.”
Perform three sets of 12 reps of pull-ups, two to three times a week.
Dumbbell Rows
For dumbbell rows, hold a dumbbell in each hand, and stand up tall. Press your hips back, and maintain a straight back. Make sure your gaze remains ahead of you to keep yourself from bending down. When you reach the horizontal position, row the weights up to your chest, pressing your elbows back, then lower the weights until your arms are extended.
Perform three sets of 12 reps, two to three times a week.
Lunges
Last but not least, this list of essential exercises for men to prevent muscle loss after 50 wraps up with lunges. You can work with added weights like dumbbells or simply your body weight. Stand up tall, and make sure your feet face ahead of you. Take a step forward with your left leg. Bend your right—aka back—knee in order to descend into a lunge. “This can also be done in a walking style, where you bring your back leg to meet your front leg after finishing one of the movements described, then alternating legs as you lung for a certain distance or number of reps,” Brewster explains.
Perform three sets of 12 reps, two to three times a week.
What Expert Says
The 7 essential exercises I mentioned are based on the recommendations of experts in the field of exercise science and geriatric medicine. Here are some of the experts who support these exercises:
- American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). The ACSM is a leading organization for exercise science professionals. They recommend that adults over the age of 50 do strength-training exercises that work all major muscle groups 2 or more days a week.
- National Institutes of Health (NIH). The NIH is the US government’s leading medical research agency. They recommend that adults over the age of 50 do strength-training exercises that work all major muscle groups 2 or more days a week, with each exercise performed for 10-15 repetitions.
- American Geriatrics Society (AGS). The AGS is a leading organization for geriatric medicine professionals. They recommend that adults over the age of 50 do strength-training exercises that work all major muscle groups 2 or more days a week, with each exercise performed for 8-12 repetitions.
These are just a few of the experts who recommend these exercises. If you are interested in learning more about the benefits of strength training for men over 50, I recommend talking to your doctor or a certified personal trainer.
