While gym equipment is useful for building strength, bodyweight exercises can be just as effective, if not more, for those who don’t have time for a gym or want to work out at home. This type of training helps build muscle, increase strength, and maintain mobility, which becomes especially important after the age of 50.
Personal trainer Leon Veal points out that bodyweight exercises can help build even more muscle than machines, provided they are performed correctly and consistently, writes Eat This, Not That !.
Why it’s important to maintain muscle after age 50
“After age 50, building and maintaining muscle becomes more important than ever. Age-related muscle loss accelerates at this stage of life and can affect metabolism, mobility, and even increase the risk of injury,” explains Veal.
“Less muscle mass means the body burns fewer calories at rest, everyday movements become more difficult, and joints are more vulnerable to strain,” he adds.
Bodyweight training, he adds, improves coordination, activates stabilizing muscles and mimics the body’s natural movements. “This makes it more effective for everyday activities, while improving balance and reducing the risk of injury,” says Veal.
Four key exercises for strength and stability
1. Push-ups
“Push-ups are a compound upper-body exercise that engages the chest, shoulders, triceps, and core,” explains Veal.
Start in a high plank position, with your hands under your shoulders and your body in a straight line. Bend your elbows and lower your chest toward the floor, maintaining proper form, then push yourself back up to the starting position.
Recommendation: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps.
2. Stepping up
“This movement builds strength in the legs and glutes, and at the same time improves balance and coordination,” claims the coach.
Stand in front of a sturdy chair or bench, step on it with one foot, then the other. Return to the starting position.
Recommendation: 3 sets of 10 repetitions for each leg.
3. Pull-ups
Pull-ups are a great exercise for strengthening your back, biceps, and grip. Grab a barbell with a shoulder-width grip and pull your chest toward the bar, lowering your elbows down and back. Then slowly return to the starting position.
Recommendation: 3 sets of 6 to 10 repetitions.
4. Split squats
“This is a powerful lower-body movement that develops leg strength, hip stability and joint resistance,” Veal points out.
Stand tall and step one foot forward about 2 to 3 feet. Bend both knees and lower yourself toward the ground, making sure the knee of your front leg doesn’t go past your toes. Press through your heel and come back up.
Recommendation: 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps for each leg.
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