FOR MANY GUYS In his 40s, the barbell, once his most prized tool in the gym, eventually becomes a hindrance, making his strength training sessions challenging.
The heavy exercises that the barbell is used for can be painful to perform after years of wear and tear on the joints, causing some older training stats to walk like the wounded who walk for days after their workouts at best. cases and increase the risk of injury at worst. . But still, stubborn old-school strength addicts will continue to practice these moves and base their entire training plan around them. After years of experience with iron, that’s the only way they know to do their workouts if they want to get strong and stay strong.
Fortunately, you don’t have to keep plugging the great multi-joint weight lifts to build and maintain strength. There are other options that you can trade for similar gains (and sometimes even better, since you’ll be training pain-free). Your workouts should be your medicine, after all, not the cause of your illnesses.
That said, you should also make sure you train based on your ability, not your age. If you are over the age of 40 and have the ability to perform any of these barbell exercises without pain, then go ahead and keep doing them. Just know that if you start to feel the effects of all those reps, you have a few options to keep your gains solid.
5 Barbell Exercises Men Over 40 Should Skip
Here are more joint strength training alternatives to barbell raises. You will be able to give your joints a break without compromising the results.
Bench press
The problem: If you spend a lot of time in the gym, you or a guy you know has shoulder pain from benching with a barbell (just ask men’s health fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, CSCS). In fact, it’s not uncommon for men who get shoulder pain from benching to say that they can do other horizontal pressing exercises, like dumbbell presses and push-ups, with no problem, since their hands aren’t in the same position. fixed place at the bar.
The solution: Pushup with resistance band
You can do this exercise using a superband, but I prefer to use the equipment I developed, the NT loopbecause it is more comfortable and stable when it is around the body.
To do the band resistance pushup, wrap a band around your upper back and place your fingers (but not your thumbs) inside the band from bottom to top. Place your hands on the floor shoulder-width apart, elbows straight. Rotate your hands slightly outward so your fingers point at about 45 degrees.
Perform a pushup by lowering your body to the floor while keeping your elbows directly over your wrists. At the bottom of each pushup, position your arms at a 45-degree angle so your torso is in the shape of an arrow. Once your elbows are at almost a 90-degree angle, reverse the movement by pushing your body up so your elbows are straight again. At the top of each pushup, instead of ending with your shoulder blades clenched, extend (spread) your shoulder blades while keeping your body in a straight line from your head through your hips to your ankles. Do not allow your head or hips to drop to the floor at any time.
because it is better
Push-ups allow more freedom to place the arms in a position that is more comfortable for the body. You will be less likely to strain your shoulders internal rotationwhich is probably to blame for the pain and injuries.
Plus, a research study Comparing resistance band push-ups to the bench press, resistance band push-ups were found to be as effective as the bench press for improving pectoral muscle development and bench press strength at the same time. involving increased central muscle activity.
barbell shoulder press
The problem: Shoulder pain can limit or prevent overhead lifts. Or, lack of overhead shoulder mobility forces you to overextend your lower back to press the weight overhead, which can create unwanted stress on your spine.
The solution: Landmine Angled Bar Half Knee Press
Place one end of a bar in a corner or inside a landmine anchor and drop to a half-kneeling position, legs hip-width apart. Hold the other end of the bar by grasping the handle so that the shoulder on the same side is directly in line with the opposite end of the bar. If the bar is in your right hand, your right knee is down.
Press the bar up and away from you while keeping your torso upright and stable. Don’t press the bar toward the midline of your body; keep it in line with the shoulder on the same side as you press it up and out. Slowly reverse the movement and lower the bar back in front of your shoulder. At the end of each rep, your forearm should form a 90-degree angle with the bar. Don’t let your wrists bend backwards at any time; keep your wrists straight during this exercise.
because it is better
The landmine position allows you to train the same muscles as the overhead press without having the additional unwanted stress of bringing your arm completely overhead. Also, the half-kneeling position helps keep your lower back from overextending.
barbell squats
The problem: Many guys don’t have the shoulder mobility to comfortably hold a heavy barbell behind them. A safety bar for squats can help remedy this problem as it will allow you to keep your arms out in front, but not everyone has access to one unless they also have access to a specialized gym.
front squats they can solve the problem of shoulder mobility, but they put more pressure on your back because the bar is in front of you. If you have back problems, this could cause your back to widen even faster than back squats. Additionally, many men lack the hip and ankle mobility to avoid leaning too far forward or rounding their back when squatting, which can put excessive force on the back.
The solution: Elevated Dumbbell Split Squat
You’ll be standing on an aerobic step (or some other slightly elevated surface) for this exercise, which will give you a greater range of motion than you would if you were doing the same movement standing on the ground.
Stand tall while holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides. Stand in a split stance with each foot on top of a small platform or weight plate. Your front foot should be far enough in front of your back foot that your front shin can stay nearly vertical as you drop on each rep.
Keeping your torso upright, lower your body toward the floor without letting your rear knee rest on the floor. As you lower your body, keep your back straight and your torso upright. Drive your front heel toward the ground to raise your body back to the starting position, completing the rep. Perform all reps on one side before switching to the other leg. Keep your weight primarily on your front foot throughout the exercise.
because it is better
The single-leg dominant nature of these exercises allows you to create a significant lower-body challenge while minimizing the load on the spine. Additionally, the split stance position allows you to keep your torso more upright, which is also easier on your back, even if you have less mobile hips and ankles.
barbell deadlift
The problem: Deadlifting can exacerbate existing back pain in some people. Especially if the form is not perfect, exercising can cause some men who otherwise do not have back pain to feel very tight and sore in the lower back.
The solution: Trap Bar Deadlift
You will need to a trap bar for this exercise. Stand inside the bar, feet about shoulder-width apart. Push your butt back slowly, then bend your knees and lower yourself to grab the handles. As you lower your body, keep your feet flat and your knees in line with your toes. Make sure your hips are lower than your shoulders. Once you have a strong grip on the handles, stand up and squeeze your glutes. Slowly lower yourself until the bar’s weight plates touch the ground.
because it is better
The trapeze bar keeps the weight closer to your body, which places less load on your lower back. The weight is also at your sides, a more natural position for you to lift off the floor than when you’re pulling the bar in front of you.
Unstoppable Men’s Health After 40
Bent-over barbell rows
The problem: You may find that the incline position causes back pain, especially when you spend more time under load in the back of each set. And since your hands are fixed in one position on the bar, you may not be moving in the ideal range of motion for your anatomy.
The solution: Bench Single Arm Dumbbell Row
Instead of putting your knee on the bench, as is more common, you will instead support your hips and plant your non-working hand on the bench for support. Your feet, hips, and shoulders should be square, and your shoulders should be higher than your hips, and your spine should be in a neutral position. Squeeze your glutes and abs to create tension, which will help keep you balanced once you start rowing. Squeeze your shoulder blades together to engage your mid-back, then perform the row by pulling the dumbbell toward your torso so your working elbow is at about a 90-degree angle. Don’t allow your working-side shoulder to move forward at the top of each rep and avoid any lower back movement. Slowly lower the dumbbell toward the floor until your arm is straight without allowing the dumbbell to touch the floor.
because it is better
Bent-over rows end with you essentially holding an isometric Romanian deadlift, which places your lower back under significant load for an extended period of time. Using the bench for support dramatically reduces the demand on your lower back while allowing you to work with heavy loads.
This content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may find more information on their website.
