Tuesday, May 08, 2018

Training Over Fifty

As an older but active male I decided to re-evaluate my fitness goals considering my age, renewed commitment to a lower carb keto/paleo way of eating combined with an intermittent fasting protocol. My athletic goals have changed over the last several years moving away from competitive club road cycling and racing to a more balanced approach to fitness. My cycling has become mostly commuting with an occasional social club or solo road ride. More for fun and enjoying the freedom a bike can offer. I continue to play semi competitive ball hockey primarily as a goaltender and practice traditional archery. The main change in activity has been my return to the gym lifestyle.

I admit that my gym focus has mostly been on interval training using Les Mills RPM indoor cycling. The club cyclist in me likes the social and motivational aspect of indoor cycling sessions, the effectiveness of interval training and the time saving benefits of shorter yet more intense HIIT training. That said I have decided to temper my interval training with the addition of regular scheduled strength training as opposed to an ad hoc, “lift when I can” mentality.

I think it all began to change this past winter when I was having hip flexor and hamstring issues and discovered the benefits of glute activation, improved hip flexion and better core strength. Incorporating specific exercises to address lower body/glute/core strength made a definite difference in my interval training and goaltending. Not only was my endurance and flexibility improved but I was stronger on the bike and in the crease.

I now want to take that success and apply it to my upper body. Legs are strong, core is much improved but upper body had been pushed down the workout depth chart. I do some upper body strength training but usually it’s a few sets before a spin class with an occasional (unstructured) weight day thrown in for good measure.

Being 54 I needed to determine the best way to accomplish my goal and prevent injury. Result - consensus seems to indicate us older guys are better off performing full body exercises with a focus upon stretching regimes and the importance of recovery. Recovery may well be the hardest part of the equation. I like to keep active and taking days off always a challenge. Nutrition also plays a key role for us older fellas especially in regards to appropriate protein intake for either muscle maintenance or muscle growth.

Full Body

Keith Lazarus

“I would think of the body as a global entity,” says Lazarus. “There's nothing wrong with split sessions in principle, but you don’t want to overload too much of your muscle type at our age.” Even though you’re as quick as ever, one notable factor of age is the increased level of recovery time. “Practically, it’s more productive to train the body as a whole,” says Lazarus. Focusing on functional fitness instead of the constant arm-day, back-day, leg-day routine puts the emphasis on mobility, the quality that’s taken for granted by younger gym-goers. Granted, there’s space for a heavy lifting schedule in your sessions, but keep the activities varied and the focus on movement.”

http://www.menshealth.co.uk/building-muscle/the-over-50s-training-plan

Stuart Carter

“New research actually suggests that full body strength training sessions a few times per week are one of the big secrets to losing fat and building muscle for guys over 50. You will get the best results by training all muscle groups in a single workout. Full body strength training will help you maintain lean muscle and stay strong well into your 50s, 60s, and beyond.”

https://www.fitfatherproject.com/weight-loss-workouts-for-men-over-50/

Chris Azzari

“The strength training for full body workout routine is best when you target various muscle groups of your body using weights. For example, you can do exercises like clean & press, squats, dead-lifts and other similar exercises that hit more than one muscle in your body….”

https://fitdadchris.com/the-3-most-effective-workout-routines-for-men-over-40/

Recovery

Linda Melone

“Taking a day off in between workouts gives muscles time to recover, but you may need more recovery time after age 50, says Dr. David W. Kruse, a sports medicine specialist with Hoag Orthopedic Institute. You need to focus more on recovery after 50. Tissue recovery takes more time and more effort to support that recovery. The exact amount of time depends on your baseline fitness level. How do you know when you’ve had enough rest? If you find soreness isn’t going away and is impacting your next workout this may indicate early signs of injury or not enough recovery time.”

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/new-rules-for-exercising-if-youre-over-50-2017-07-03

“You will not be able to hammer out workouts quite as you did when you were younger, so space out your harder sessions well. Don’t feel guilty about taking time out to recover. “As you get older you lose water content from all the body’s structures, including cartilage, which protects the joints,” says Claire Small, from the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. “Tissues become weaker and less compliant, all of which means that injuries happen more easily. Rest after exercise is essential.”

http://exerciseright.com.au/20-fitness-tips-for-older-men/

Stretching

Courtenay Schurman

“Stretching can help you warm up before, and cool down after, your outdoor, endurance, and strength activities. Stretching is critical (for people of ALL ages) for restoring flexibility to worked muscles, improving your range of motion about a joint, and helping prevent injury. It also may help reduce muscle pain and stiffness as long as it is done properly.”

http://www.bodyresults.com/articles/over-50-flexibility-training.asp

Jeremey DuVall

“When it comes to desired physical characteristics, flexibility falls down the priority list, as most guys would much rather have killer abs and ripped arms than be able to touch their toes with ease. However, a lack of focus on flexibility may be hindering results in the gym. Heavy workouts combined with the typical desk posture from the 9-to-5 grind can stifle strength gains and line you up for an injury down the road.”

https://www.mensjournal.com/health-fitness/5-flexibility-marks-every-man-should-hit/
 

No comments: