From Men's Health · Bryan Krahn · · 1m 50s
Your Approach to Fitness Should Change After 40
Men over 40 need a different workout plan to build muscle without burning out.
In brief
Men over 40 need a different workout plan to build muscle without burning out. Men over 40 should use a 12-week phased program with 3x weekly training to build strength without injury. Originally reported by Men's Health.
Why Your Fitness Approach Changes After 40
As you get older, your body changes and you need a different approach to fitness than younger peers.
The Muscle After 40 Program
Men's Health offers a 12-week fitness guide split into 3 phases with 4 weeks each for training 3 times weekly.
Phase 1, Week 1 Details
Phase 1 starts with warmups including general and specific components for each exercise.
What You'll Need
The program requires basic gym equipment like dumbbells, barbells, benches, landmine, and cable tower.
Sets Across Method
For the first exercise on Day 1 and Day 2, use the same weight for all sets to build strength without fatigue.
Weight Selection Rules
After completing warmups, select a weight you can lift 10 times for the first set with 8 reps.
Rest Between Sets
Don't start a set while still catching your breath; feel strong each time you pick up weights.
Volume Progressions
In Week 4, decrease volume across all exercises to 2 sets for muscle recovery before Phase 2.
Week 1, Day 1 Exercises
Dumbbell incline bench press, seated cable row, dumbbell curl, and dumbbell incline triceps extension.
Week 1, Day 2 Exercises
Trap bar deadlift, dumbbell split squat, dumbbell bench press with neutral grip, and dumbbell one-arm row.
Week 1, Day 3 Exercises
Lat pulldown, cable fly, rope hammer curl, rope pressdown, leg press, leg extension, and back extension.
The Program's Goal
This 12-week program helps men over 40 build muscle without burning out through careful programming.
The essence
Men over 40 should use a 12-week phased program with 3x weekly training to build strength without injury.
