While it is true that at the age of 40, you are much wiser, it also is a fact that at the age of 40, your joints hurt more.
Yes, it is true that if you are over 40, you probably have more “stuff” going on in your life than you did at 21, making it difficult to focus on eating right and training regularly.
And the enthusiasm you once had for exercise, especially if you haven’t seen the results you were hoping for may have gone, too.
Table Of Contents
- Factors to Think About Before Starting
- 7 Simple Ways Men Above 40 Can Build Muscles
- 5 Best Foods for Men Above 40 Looking to Build Muscles
You might feel that your body can’t handle the kind of punishment you used to when you were in your early twenties and that it takes longer to recover than it used to.
But none of this matters. With the right type of training, you can still build muscle and get strong well into your forties, and beyond.
Factors to Think About Before Starting
As you age, you can become more prone to exercise injuries. Talk with your doctor before starting with any new exercises, especially if you have any existing health issues or are dealing with the effects of a past injury.
You may also want to work with a fitness professional to discuss your goals and get help creating the most effective, personalized workout plan for yourself.
7 Simple Ways Men Above 40 Can Build Muscles
1. Start by Lifting Light Weights
If you lift heavy weights all the time, you’ll start to notice little aches and pains in your knees, wrists, elbows, and shoulders.
Eventually, those minor niggles will get so bad that they’ll interfere with your training. It will take weeks maybe even months before they subside and you can train properly again.
Luckily, the solution is very simple! If going heavy on certain exercises causes you pain, just go light instead. Despite what some people might say, you can and will build muscle using lighter weights and higher reps.
You can also mix up your weights. Heavyweights, medium weights, and light weights can all can be used successfully to gain muscle.
2. Eat Smart
Nutrition plays a major role when you are trying to get and stay fit, especially when your main focus is on building muscle.
Protein is essential for the body because it contains amino acids, which are responsible for the strength, repair and rebuilding processes inside your body.
Foods that are high in protein, such as lean meats, tofu, eggs, nuts and certain grains are important to include in your diet. If you’re not getting enough protein in your diet, you won’t get the muscle gains you’re after.
3. Rest More
Well, it is true fact that your body needs an adequate amount of rest as you age. You should train yourself to be fit and not tire yourself and feel weak.
Training hard 7 days a week is just going to accumulate fatigue, which can affect your sleep, which in turn can affect your recovery, which in turn can make you less able to train.
Thus rest is very important. Exercising 5 days a week is more than enough and resist the urge to replace lifting with some other form of intense physical exercise or activity.
4. Stretch What is Tight
Stretching is important as it provides flexibility to your muscles. If you find that certain muscles feel a little “tight’’, or there’s an “asymmetry” inflexibility (i.e. one leg feels substantially tighter than the other), then it’s worth experimenting with some static stretching to see if it makes you feel any better.
5. Eat Protein
There’s a reason you see guys at the gym grabbing a protein shake when their workouts Adding more protein to your diet can enhance your muscle gains from weight training, Protein is an important component of every cell in the body. Hair and nails are mostly made of protein.
Your body uses protein to build and repair tissues. You also use protein to make enzymes, hormones, and other body chemicals. Protein is an important building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood.
6. Crush and Cruise
Your body is not a machine. It needs a rest now and again. Do this by including a “cruise” week (also known as a deload) for every 3 to 9 weeks of hard training.
Three weeks of intense training followed by a light week is a fairly widely accepted practice, although it’s not based on any research evidence. It is not strictly necessary for everyone to deload after three weeks.
But deload “when you feel like it”. In general, the closer you are to your genetic potential (i.e. the upper limit of what you’re capable of in terms of size and strength), the more often you’ll need to reload. Those who are farther away from their genetic potential will be able to reload less frequently.
7. Take Your Time
Many in their late teens and early twenties will walk straight into the gym, do a few arm circles, and then jump straight into the heavy stuff. If you’re over 40, this approach will get you injured sooner or later. You have to make the time to warm up properly.
The exact warmup that you do will depend on what your workout looks like. It will also vary from person to person, depending on the environment you’re training in, how strong you are, and so on.
5 Best Foods for Men Above 40 Looking to Build Muscles
Coming to diet, let’s look at the kind of foods that one must include in their regular diet.
1. Whole Grains
Eating whole grains ensures that you get fiber, plant proteins, vitamins, minerals and a variety of phytochemicals, which will have an immense positive effect on your overall health.
2. Beans
Beans protect us against diabetes and cardiovascular risk factors. Its low glycemic index prevents sugar levels from rising rapidly after a meal.
3. Walnuts
Known for its healthy oil profile, Vitamin E and Melatonin, walnuts are also a very rich source of antioxidants.
4. Green Tea
The health benefits of tea are well documented. Their antioxidant properties help fight diseases.
Green tea being the least processed contains the maximum amounts of Catechin, a particularly potent antioxidant.
5. Dark Chocolates
The flavonoids of cocoa powder are known for their benefits in lowering blood pressure.
These flavonoids help the body in forming nitrites, which in turn relaxes the blood vessels and eases blood flow, thus lowering the BP.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can a man over 40 build muscles?
Yes a man above 40 can very well build muscles but it is pertinent to bear in mind to keep the process gradual and consistent. Too vigorous exercise can rupture the muscles and impair the recovery process.
2. Can you build muscles at any age?
Yes you can build muscles at any age. Just ensure to consult a fitness expert and a nutritionist before getting into muscle building. With proper support and guidance, anything is possible.
3. Can you regain lost muscle mass?
Sometimes prolonged sedentary lifestyle, an illness or injury can cause loss of muscle mass but it can definitely be regained. Include strength training into your workout schedule along with a few dietary changes and there you go!
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