One of the many changes (and challenges) that comes with aging is the loss of lean muscle mass. According to Harvard Health JournalOnce you hit your 30s, you start to lose 3% to 5% of your muscle mass every decade. Most men will shed around 30% in their lifetime. That’s why it’s crucial that you do everything in your power to keep activeIn addition to maintaining and building muscle mass. To help you, we’ve put together a productive strength workout to rebuild muscle mass as you age.
An incredibly important habit to adopt is strength training at least two or three times a week. Doing so will help you improve your muscle mass and keep fit. When it comes to exercise selection, compound movements that target multiple muscle groups simultaneously are the name of the game. Training some fundamental patterns (squats, hinges, push, pull, and lunges) should be at the top of your mind.
So, without further delay, let’s get into the #1 workout for regaining muscle mass as you age. Do 3 to 4 sets of the following exercises.
Begin your trapeze bar deadlift by standing in the center of the trapeze bar with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing straight ahead. Keeping your chest up and core tight, push your hips back and squat down until you can grab the handles. Raise the bar by driving through your heels, flexing your quads and glutes at the top to finish. Push your hips back and squat down until the dumbbells touch the ground before performing another rep. Complete 3-4 sets of 8-10 reps.
Note: If you don’t have an easily accessible trapeze bar, you can perform this exercise as a kettlebell deadlift or with two dumbbells at your sides.
Related: Lose Belly Fat and Slow Aging With These Strength Exercises
Begin this next exercise by planting your arm on an exercise bench with your chest high and your core contracted. With the other arm holding a dumbbell, bring it toward your body with your elbow extended. Squeeze your upper back and rear delts hard at the top of the movement, then resist on the way down. Get a solid stretch at the bottom before doing another rep. Complete 3-4 sets of 10 reps for each arm.
Related: The best cardio exercises to lose visceral fat and delay aging, says a trainer
Start your Dumbbell Flat Bench Press by sitting on an exercise bench with a pair of dumbbells. Lie down and lift the weights. Then, evenly lower the dumbbells down with your elbows slightly bent. Lower yourself far enough to get a solid chest stretch before raising the dumbbells back up, flexing your pecs and triceps to finish. Complete 3-4 sets of 8-10 reps.
Begin the split squat with your front foot elevated by placing your working leg on top of a plate or elevated surface. Keep your chest up and slowly lower yourself until your back knee touches the ground. Get a solid stretch in the hips of the back leg, then drive through the front heel, flexing the quads and glutes to finish. Do 3 to 4 sets of 10 reps on one side before switching to the other.
This final exercise will have you lying on the leg curl machine with your chest and hips pressed against the pad. He starts by dragging his heels toward his body, flexing his hamstrings hard to finish. Lower the weight with control, keeping tension on the hamstrings until the legs are fully extended before performing another rep. Complete 3 to 4 sets of 10 repetitions.
Tim Liu, CSCS
Tim Liu, CSCS, is an online fitness and nutrition coach based in Los Angeles. Read more about Tim
