It’s essential to practice self-care at every age and stage of life, but it’s especially important to exercise consistently throughout your 50s. Every year after you turn 30, your body starts to atrophy. If you’re ready to get your body moving in the right direction as you reach your 60s and beyond, check out this best workout to build stronger muscles in your 50s. Preparing your body for a long, healthy life is the best love you can give yourself.
According to Cleveland Clinic, muscle atrophy is something that occurs as you age. Your muscle tissue thins out or you lose it from not exercising your muscles sufficiently. Some of the symptoms include reduced muscle mass, weakness, and difficulty balancing. The silver lining in this dark cloud is you can turn things around by maintaining a healthy diet and exercising on a regular basis.
Without further delay, here’s a simple but powerful circuit workout to build stronger muscles in your 50s and longer so you can fight back against your biological age, stay in better shape, and burn off belly fat year-round. I recommend you perform 3 to 5 rounds of this challenging routine, and be sure to take 2 to 3-minute rest periods in between rounds:
Find a solid bench or box around knee height for these Step-ups. Place your right foot onto the box in front of you, and stand up onto the box using your right leg. Bring your left foot onto the box next to the right foot. Then, take your left foot off the box, and lower yourself until your left foot is back on the ground. That completes one rep. Complete your reps on one side before switching over to the other. Also, remember you want the knee of the leg that’s working to stay lined up with its heel to protect your joints. Perform 8 to 12 reps per side.
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Jump Squats start with your feet hip-width distance apart. Push your hips back and down, and descend with control until the hips are lower than your knees (below parallel). When you come back up, forcefully extend the hips and use that power to drive your body up until your feet leave the ground. After the jump, go right back into the squat and repeat. Perform 10 to 15 reps.
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Using dumbbells at shoulder height, start your Overhead Presses by grabbing the weights with your hands right outside the shoulders. Squeeze your abs, and push the dumbbells up in a straight line from your shoulder all the way above your head until your elbows are straight. Then, bring the weight back down to your shoulders. Caveat: Use a moderately heavy weight, but don’t go overboard the first time you attempt this workout. Be mindful that it’s much better to use good form than to lift the most weight in the gym. Perform 12 to 15 reps.
Hold on to the pull-up bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder width for this exercise. Bring your shoulder blades back and down, then pull yourself up until your chin reaches over the bar. Lower your body until your elbows are completely straight, then repeat. If you want to step it up a notch and really feel it, go until your chest touches the bar, which will be much more difficult than chin height. If pull-ups are challenging for you at the moment, feel free to modify the exercise by using a pull-up machine or a resistance band to help you complete quality reps. Perform 6 to 12 reps.
For this Chest Press exercise, lie down on a flat bench with two dumbbells. Use your knees or a partner to help pick the weights up onto your chest to get ready for the exercise. Keeping your shoulders pressed against the bench, push the weights up over your chest in a straight line until your elbows are fully extended. Next, bring the weight back down to your chest. Perform 10 to 15 reps.
Tyler Read
Tyler Read is a personal trainer and has been involved in health and fitness for the past 15 years. Read more about Tyler
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