4 Ways To Start Lifting To Get Sexy After 50

Getting lean and sexy after 50 is hard work, but so is getting in shape at 20 and 30. So what’s soooo special about getting a great body after 50?

Nothing physically, everything mentally.

The tricks to getting building muscle after 50 years of age go against everything you are told and taught.

“Conventional wisdom” tells you to slow down in life after fifty and take it easy so that you don’t get hurt or throw your back out. But keep in mind, this guidance is coming mostly from lazy folks with bad backs and huge guts.

What does their “old folks” mentality, fat stomach or messed up spine have to do with you? Nothing.

In fact, when University of Oklahoma researchers did a study putting men of differing ages against each other following the exact same weight training routine for 8 straight weeks, they discovered that middle-aged men (35-50 years old) built just as much muscle as college-aged dude (18-22 years old).

And this applies to women too, as you can see the only thing that can stop you is YOU.

The first mistake to avoid is thinking like an “old person”. When a young woman gets hurt working out, she doesn’t blame it on old age. Why should you?

You can and WILL be strong again. Do not take advice from folks with noodle arms, bad backs and beer bellies . If you want to get lean and sexy again, hit the gym just like the young women who are in shape. It will take some work.

“Our analyses of current research show that the most important factor in somebody’s function is their strength capacity. No matter what age an individual is, they can experience significant strength improvement with progressive resistance exercise even into the eighth and ninth decades of life,”

– Mark Peterson, Ph.D., a research fellow in the U-M Physical Activity and Exercise Intervention Research Laboratory

Resistance Training Is a MUST

If you want to build lean and sexy muscle like Ernestine (in the video above), you’ve got to lift weights or perform some other kind of resistance training. Weight resistance can be supplied by your own body weight by doing any number of exercises like body weight squats, push ups, pull ups, rows and dips.

Body weight exercises are a great starting point to get you back into training if you are only getting going again. But make no mistake, if you want to build lean and sexy muscle after 50 much faster you must lift weights and contrary to popular belief it’s not dangerous for older people.

Did you know that lifting weights even lowers you chances of getting cancer?

The challenge with keeping building your body up strong is that after the age of 40, it starts to decline at roughly 1% a year. At 50, the decline picks up additional speed.

According to Dr. David Heber, director of UCLA’s Center for Human Nutrition, an average male who weights 180 pounds might after age 60 lose as much as 10 pounds of muscle mass over a decade.

Soooooo, how are you gonna let this info effect you?

I hope it’s motivating you to put on your gym sweats right now. That’s not a reason to give up, that’s a reason to fight back! IN…THE…GYM!

The key is to lift with intensity and consistency like Ernestine does.

And that leads us to my next point..

Don’t Convince Yourself That You’re Injured

Lifting weights comes with a little bit of pain. There I said it…

Many older women who’ve been out of the gym for a couple of years have poor core strength. You’ll need a strong core to do a lot of the exercises necessary for building your strength and vitality. Overhead pressing, barbell squats, kettlebell swings and barbell clean and presses all call for a strong core in order to perform safely.

You should be working yourself back into shape with light weights at first but this doesn’t mean you won’t be sore the next day. Don’t mistake a weak and tired back for an injured back.

Many women over 50 believe they have a “bad back” because it’s sore all the time when in reality it’s simply a weak back and stressed from bad posture, poor ergonomics and years of negligence.

The bad back syndrome is a downward spiral that becomes a mental block, (in your mind) you can’t do this, that, or anything else healthy because of the unhealthy back.

Now let me be clear, a small number of ladies actually do have an injured back. It certainly does happen. I am not diagnosing you. I’m just saying that most poor back problems are not the result of actually being injured but an issue with a weak core. You need an expert to assess your situation, if you’ve any intense pain.

Don’t Waste Precious Gym Time

If your goal is to build lean and sexy muscle after 50 don’t get to the gym only to walk on the treadmill for 45 minutes. Walking is for your resting days or AFTER your lifting session.

Also, don’t waste time lifting puny dumbbells while doing ultralight presses and curls. STEP AWAY FROM THE BABY WEIGHTS! Yes you can start out with a comfortable weight but make sure you are not simply spinning your wheels.

Concentrate on the compound movement lifts while using good form. Build lean muscle by focusing on the basic movements and get powerful. As always, start slow to ensure that you do not get hurt.

Eat The Right Nutrients In The Right Amount

If you don’t do ANYTHING ELSE, do this…. Eat enough protein, especially as an older workout warrior.

It’s often debated about what is the “perfect” amount of protein for building lean muscle but I will give you a fail-safe amount. Hit this mark of protein intake and relax. Here’s how you figure out the number of grams you need per day…. multiply… your weight in lbs x 0.8, simple, and that gives you the grams of protein you need to eat to help your muscle recover faster and grow bigger.

HEALTH NOTE: If you’ve renal problems, you should work with your doctor to discover an appropriate daily protein intake for your special needs.

Tips To Keep In Mind When Hitting The Weights After 50

• Pick Your Battles – Some people have a bone structure that makes them better suited to certain exercises than others. You might not be built for deep squats with a heavy barbell across your shoulders, deadlifts from the floor, chin-ups from a straight bar or bench pressing through a full range of motion.
• Avoid Over-training At All Cost – You need to train hard enough to stimulate progress, but not so hard that it has a negative impact on the quality of your other workouts. Hard work is a tool used to stimulate a physiological improvement. It’s a means to an end, rather than the end in itself.
• Rest, Recovery & Take Schedule Breaks – While age actually doesn’t impair the recovery process nearly as much as some people think, research has shown that aging can make recovery take longer. The solution is simple: make sure you get plenty of sleep, eat enough protein, and take a week off the weights every 6 – 8 weeks.
• Supplement – Among the supplements that have shown promise in preserving and supporting muscle mass, topping the list are Omega-3 fatty acids; Vitamin D; L carnitine; Glutamine and B12/folic acid. Also check out my all-time favorite bodybuilding supplement combo in this article. If you’re not used to taking supplements, read on….

Which Supplements Work To Build Muscle After 50?

Of course it is best to get all of your nutrition from fresh veggies, grass fed meats, organic eggs and chicken, fruits and nuts, but supplementation is a great way to support your overall well-being and fill in the nutritional gaps. For middle-aged folks and older adults this is even more true because they may not be eating enough of the proper foods. A quality multivitamin, omega-3 fish oil tablets or low carb protein powder added to your diet may make the difference between building muscle fast or slow. Even more, they all have major health benefits!

Bottom line: Consistent strength training and aerobic exercise, wise choices of food and taking advantage of supplementation – they are the key to a strong, healthy body – so the earlier you get moving, the better!