Once you have researched strength training and understand the unique needs for fitness over 40, you should also examine the success stories of other men and women bodybuilders your age. Seek out many people whose fitness goals and body types are similar to your own. They can be your role models as you develop your own training program and schedule. You should pay close attention to how gradually they began training, including weight amounts, rest, and reps.
In the beginning of a bodybuilding over 40 program you should start with a longer cycle that allows more rest. You will need more time for renewal and repair because you are not accustomed to this type of activity. Ideally, you would work a muscle group on day 1 and rest for two days. On day 4 you would do another muscle group and then rest for two more days. You would continue this process until you have trained every muscle group and then you would rest for two days before beginning the cycle again. As you adjust to strength training, you can shorten your cycles and rest if you prefer.
Do not push yourself in the beginning by adding too much weight. Younger people often start off with too much weight. They cannot really start at a higher weight than you, but their bodies can repair the damage they are causing more quickly. In fact, you should start out at a very low weight. This amount varies, but make sure it is low enough so that you can maintain control at all times and perform the proper movements.
You should begin bodybuilding over 40 by using higher repetitions with your lighter weights. 15 reps are a good place to start. Some experts recommend a “periodized” style where every other cycle you use slightly more weight but perform fewer reps. It will be up to you to determine when your body can repair and renew fast enough to begin this type of training. Eventually, you will be able to lower the reps and add weight at every cycle.
A proper warm up is also very important if you want to prevent injury and give your body the maximum benefit from your training. In addition to thoroughly stretching out your body, most experts recommend a 5 to 10 minute light cardio workout. Afterwards, you should warm up the specific muscle group you will be training by lifting half the weight. For example, if your goal for the training session is to lift 200 pounds, then start by doing 10 reps of 100 pounds or less.
If you have injured yourself before, you will need to protect yourself. Even if your injury was more than a decade ago, you will have to make sure you do not re-injure yourself. Always ask your doctor before beginning any bodybuilding program, especially if you have been hurt in the past. Your doctor can guide you to certain braces and suggest activities you should avoid.
If you follow these simple recommendations you will be practicing safe bodybuilding over 40. If you have more questions or are nervous about injuring yourself, ask a certified trainer to show you the best way to train your body. Using caution and asking for help will get you prepared for a more intense workout later and get you started on the road to fitness success.
Scott Fisher is known to write frequently on fitness over forty. Dont forget to visit his website for more tips and articles on weight training over 40.
You must log in to post a comment.