As we grow old, our priorities change, our free time changes but also the metabolism. The body remembers everything.It’s very important is to take care of it. So simply put, we can’t let age be the reason for not going to the gym. Just the opposite, your age should be the reason for you to stay and feel younger! Here, you can read about few tips about staying fit if you are over 40.
OVER 40? TAKE SOME SLEEP!
It’s known that for staying healthy – it’s very important for a person of any age to get plenty of rest, especially if you are an active one. In fact, to go to the gym it’s essential to have a good night sleep, because it’s essentially pointless to give someone an exercise routine if, in the end, they’re not going to give their body the rest it needs to decompress and repair itself. Plus, sleep keeps your hormones, which prevents you from craving for empty calories day after day.
People need to focus on sleep as a way to not only keep their muscles, but also to slow down the rate at which muscle mass decreases. This information is most important for people over 40, because it’s been scientifically proven that you lose up to one percent of lean muscle mass each year after 40.
ARM RAISES
Moving your hands up and around your head not only tones your traps, it also strengthens two very important muscle groups you use every day: Your back and shoulders.
People over 40 are known to suffer from Sarcopenia – it’s when there are calcium leaks from groups of proteins in the muscle cells. As people grow older, it becomes harder for their bodies to break down protein, which contributes to muscle repair and growth.
To repair muscles after a workout, you should eat a meal in maximum 60 minutes after you have finished your training. Two glasses of water to re-hydrate your muscles and a banana smoothie with a scoop of one of your favorite protein powders it would be a great idea.
WALKING SIDE-TO-SIDE
Something as simple as walking side-to-side with a resistance band is an excellent example of a move that requires focus and control on the abs. moving in this comfortable, yet sweat-inducing manner will enable you to keep your gluteus firm and strengthen your IT bands.
WALKING BACKWARDS
It is a very good idea and exercise to walk backwards. That way you strengthen the bottoms of your feet and work out your calves. For people over 40, this is a great move to join into your workout regime, because it will help you to strengthen your ankles, your calves, and your hamstrings.
WALKING FORWARDS
Walking is one the simplest and the single best exercises you can do for your body, yet not everyone practice it. Thankfully, there are several movements to encourage this easy means of losing weight. It’s scientifically proven that walking for just 20 minutes at a comfortable pace burns around 80 calories, and since it’s also a low-impact exercise, it doesn’t wear down your fragile joints!
ONE LEGGED SQUAT
The two focal areas often overlooked in over 40 year old are the hip and shoulder joints. Being able to sit down or squat deeply with one leg suspended out in front, is a great indicator of whether you have sufficient strength in your hips. So, growing older doesn’t mean you will need a new hip as long as you keep the muscles surrounding it strong.
HORIZONTAL ROWS
Horizontal rows of any kind (standing, seated, bent over, cable or with a resistance band) focus on the tinier muscles between the shoulder blades such as the mid traps and rhomboids. These muscles become weaker as you spend years of working, stick to a desk. Poor posture like this stretches these muscles out and without suitable strengthening exercises, they become weak.
DEAD-LIFTS
This is a great exercise for people of every age. It requires the most muscle use at once from every compound exercise. Dead-lifts require energy from the entire back of the body, and when done properly, it can prevent you from getting hurt when you bend over and pick things up.
SINGLE LEGGED DEAD-LIFT
Similar to the dead-lift, the single legged version also speeds up your metabolism. Moving in a unilateral fashion like so will prompt you to engage your core and ultimately enable you to focus on the right doing of the exercise. It takes quite a bit of balance to effectuate.
