Do you think you’re too old to improve your physique and get fit? Think again! A recent study has found that people who pay attention to fitness in the middle age are less likely to deal with serious heart conditions, frailty, and more. Regular midlife exercise or working out after your 40’s can also protect you against chronic illness. It also stops osteoporosis and staves off dementia, which are two big concerns for both men and women in the later stages of their lives. However, the question is,
“What are the best workouts you can try to stay super-fit after 40?”
Here are some suggestions:
Start Walking More and Faster Too:
There is no better and simpler workout than walking more and you can enhance its benefits by walking faster. A recent study has found that walking for half an hour a day would save up to 37,000 lives per year. Not to mention, it cuts your risk of heart disease and diabetes to a significant extent. To make it even more interesting, you can take advantage of pedometers and duel with friends to see who can cover the longest distance.
CONSIDER READING: 5 Foods that help You in Workout.
Ride Your Bike More Often – But Don’t Overdo:
The best thing about cycling is that it is a low-impact exercise, so you can enjoy even when you have creaking, popping, and strains in your bones and joints. At the same time, cycling is high-intensity interval training (HIIT), which means you can ride harder for a few minutes and then slow down for some time. In this way, you can reap amazing fitness benefits in a short time. Just understand that you’re not in your 20s, so you need time to recharge yourself after a long ride, which is also going to improve your next session.
Include burpees in your workout:
You should never let your metabolism slow down, but it can be difficult after your 40s unless you try some high-intensity cardio. Burpees can boost metabolism, especially when done twice a week. Start slowly though, preferably with a set of 3 repetitions and another rep added in each set. You can start with 3 sets and add more with time.
Do some squats:
Not many exercises can beat the good old squats, and they become even more valuable after 40’s when your testosterone comes down and you start to lose muscle mass. When performed correctly, squats can improve flexibility and tone your whole body.
CONSIDER READING: Fitness Workouts For Men: Beginners Guide.
Never forget the plank:
It may look like a rather simple exercise but doing it for 90 seconds thrice a week can directly target your core muscles and tone your overall body at the same time. You really need to get rid of that abdominal fat that men are likely to put on after the 40s, and planks can help.
Dumbbell bench presses:
If you’re interested in weight training, you should make certain changes to your routine. For instance, instead of going for a barbell bench press, you should switch to dumbbell bench presses because they are less taxing to your shoulder joints. Moreover, dumbbells will engage stabilizer muscles that make them a reasonably good compound exercise to burn fat and support metabolism.
CONSIDER READING:13 Foods that Help Building Big Muscles.
Kettlebell shoulder press:
You can also try dumbbells if you want, but doing it with a kettlebell will put less strain on your wrists. Avoid barbell shoulder presses because they put unnecessary stress on your shoulder joint. Moreover, it is better to do it standing to avoid putting your lower back at risk and engage more of your core muscles and abs.
CONSIDER READING: 5 Foods that help You in Workout.
The fact of the matter is that you should certainly be selecting when selecting an exercise routine, but you should never stop following one. Research shows that adults who do aerobic training, resistance training, and maintain a higher daily protein intake are likely to protect their muscle mass and get leaner physique at the same time. Just remember to exercise twice a week when engaging in a total-body, at-home circuit, and limit your workout to 35 minutes and do it once a week if you opt for a total-body gym-based routine. Keep your body active but do not overexert yourself to get the best results.
