Smith Michael - Strength Training over 40 + Macro Diet + Healthy Eating For Men: Everything You Need For Total Fitness, Nutrition, Muscle Hypertrophy, Rapid Weight Loss, ... & Resistance Workouts (Health & Fitness)

Never cease chiseling your own statue.

~ Plotinus

Did you know that once you cross the age of 40 you may lose about one pound of muscle every passing year? I thought you should know. The old adage, use it or lose it is specifically true when it comes to losing muscle as we age. A typical person starts experiencing a natural decline in muscle mass once they turn 30, and that loss speeds up as time passes. As a result, your body weakens and your muscles begin to lose strength, making you less flexible and more susceptible to injuries.

Most of us lead the modern technology-driven lifestyle. We no longer subject our bodies to the same workload our ancestors did. We use machines to do almost everything. As a result, our bodies have responded with a meltdown of our muscle mass and strength since it is no longer in use. Thats why people who remain physically inactive lose more muscle mass and strength as they grow older than those who stay physically active.

Research indicates that muscle loss has detrimental effects on your body and overall health. It is associated with bone loss, joint and back pains, physical dysfunction, slow metabolism, and fat gain, just to mention a few.

As we grow older, most of us are worried that we are going to become frail, incapacitated, and incapable of taking care of ourselves. And we are silently wondering how we are going to fare in the last stages of our lives. We are generally hopeless about our overall well-being as the years pass. Dont despair. It's not too late. You can do something to offset Mother Nature. Yes you can. I dont mean witchcraft or anything related to black magic, but strength training.

A lot of medical and scientific studies have proven strength training as the most important step you can take, not just to put a brake on muscle loss and slow down the aging process, but to reverse it and say goodbye to health-related problems that come with it. Before we dive deeper, let's understand what strength training is.

What is Strength Training?

Some people equate strength training to bodybuilding, but it is not fully the same thing. Strength training, also known as resistance training, is the use of your body weight, free weights (like dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, etc.), or weight from gym machines to perform exercises designed to increase skeletal muscle strength and endurance. It requires that the muscles work against the weights and overcome them. You lift the weights in opposition to the downward force that gravity places upon them.

The goal of strength training especially for the 40s and above is to improve overall body strength to become more potent physically to maintain functional movement and make daily activities more manageable. It also helps you stay fit and in good physical shape regardless of your age.

In addition to this, strength training builds muscles too though not at the same rate at which bodybuilding does. The term "bodybuilding" usually refers to competitive exhibitions, and a lot of "bodybuilders" are only working out to get the kind of body that will look good on a stage. This is a very challenging sport because it is not easy to balance bulking, cutting phases, and following a strict diet all the time.

All in all, just like any other professional sport, bodybuilding has little in common with health. I believe you now get the difference.

Whether you want to gain muscle or gain strength, youll find that both goals require similar types of exercise - the difference lies in the number of reps youre doing, at what weights, and rest time between sets. This will be explained in detail in chapter 5.

Common Strength Training Misconceptions Among Over 40s

Strength training is one of the most misunderstood aspects of exercise by people aged 40 and beyond. This is due to classic misconceptions that have been allowed to creep into our society regarding strength training and age. Most people above the age of 40 believe that:

It is too late to start strength training

They will hurt themselves as they exercise due to their age

They cant move and lift weights as they used to in their 20s

Walking or cardio is enough for them

They have a weak heart and joints hence they cant withstand high-intensity exercises

Staying sedentary is the best way to prevent falls and injuries

Exercise can lead to or escalate joint pain at this age

Now that they have age-related health problems, exercise isnt safe for them

They are too old to exercise

These misconceptions are the ones that hold back many people who are above the age of 40 from enjoying the benefits of strength training. Although many people above the age of 40 may be attracted to strength training by reports of improved bone health, increased independence and flexibility, reduced risk of osteoporosis, increased stamina, reduced depression, weight loss, etc., they are unable to exercise due to their concerns about these misconceptions. This book dispels these misconceptions and provides you with factual information about strength training over 40.