Over 40? Are the Exercises You Do Really Helping You?
Greetings Athlete!
What is your workout routine? Cardio, Running, Weights, Swimming or perhaps biking? What about golf? I have been working out since I entered the Naval Academy almost 45 years ago yet I only recently discovered I wasn’t always doing things that will help me stay healthy or achieve the goals I wanted. My routine for many years was hit the weights to maintain muscle mass and some very light cardio. This helped me to stay fit over the years, but as I got older, I found that my routine was actually lacking in many respects. What is your routine? Do you hit the weights like I did? Perhaps you do biking, golfing, walking or cardio to stay fit. Well – while these are definitely good, by themselves they are not nearly enough to keep your body in shape, especially after you hit 40.
My OLD Baseline Workout
Monday – 45 minutes to an hour
- Chest and Biceps – 6 exercises for 3 sets of 8-10 Reps moderately heavy weights
- Supersets – I would combine a chest and biceps exercise together without rest as 1 set.
- Incline Sit-ups
- 10 -30 minute jog on a treadmill
Wednesday – 45 minutes to an hour
- Back and Triceps – 6 exercises for 3 sets of 8-10 Reps moderately heavy weights
- Supersets
- Incline Sit-ups
- 10 -30 minute jog on a treadmill
Friday – 45 minutes to an hour
- Shoulders and Legs – 6 exercises for 3 sets of 8-10 Reps moderately heavy weights
- Supersets
- Incline Sit-ups
- 10 -30 minute jog on a treadmill
What Was I Missing?
My workouts served me well, but, as I got older I should have started to add things like balance, agility, power and more core. I also developed some muscle imbalances due to how I worked out that definitely caused me tension and stress in the shoulders and lower back. After I got certified as a personal trainer I discovered my agility and balance were declining, which are important for fall prevention in your 70s and 80s. After a week or two of adding them to my routine – both have improved dramatically! I now alternate my workouts between circuit training and weight lifting.
The Danger of Being One Dimensional in Your Workouts
If you’re exercise routine is one dimensional you should think about adding other activities in to keep you fit. By one dimensional I mean just doing one thing. Things like golf, yoga, swimming, aerobics, Zumba, Jazzercise, hiking, walking and weightlifting are all great forms of exercise. However, you want to ensure you are meeting the CDC guidelines for exercise that includes both cardio and resistance training. Resistance training is important to ensure you are maintaining muscle mass and bone density and the Mayo Clinic has some recommendations on how to maintain bone density.
So – go out and be adventurous and expand your routine.
You are Built For More!
John