It's never too late to build muscle and strength. You can build muscle no matter your age. A proven strength training program for building muscle after 50 is to lift two or three days per week, doing 10 sets per muscle and week, with about 8–15 reps per set. Eat a healthy high-protein diet.
When it comes to seeing the physical results of your strength training and diet regime, most fitness trainers agree that it will take a few weeks for results to show. If you train consistently, then you should notice an increase in your muscle size from six to nine weeks of strength training.
The National Strength and Conditioning Association recommends older adults perform strength training exercises 2 to 3 days a week.
Typically, muscle mass and strength increase steadily from birth and reach their peak at around 30 to 35 years of age. After that, muscle power and performance decline slowly and linearly at first, and then faster after age 65 for women and 70 for men.
Once you reach ages 40–50, sarcopenia, or losing muscle mass as you age, begins to set in. To prevent this and to maintain independence and quality of life, your protein needs increase to about 1–1.2 grams per kilogram or 75–90 grams per day for a 75-kilogram person.
So, how much protein should seniors eat? The most commonly cited standard is the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA): 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram (2.2 pounds) of body weight per day. For a 150-pound woman, that translates into eating 55 grams of protein a day; for a 180-pound man, it calls for eating 65 grams.
You can build muscle at any age, but it's probably the most important way to get fit over fifty. Simply put, some form of strength and resistance training is essential as we age because stronger muscles = stronger bones = fewer injuries.
Strength peaks at age 25.
Your muscles are at their strongest when you're 25, although for the next 10 or 15 years they stay almost as hefty - and this is one of the traits that can be most easily improved, thanks to resistance exercise.
Heavy weights.
Lifting weights is a great way to build muscle strength, but when you're over 50 there is no reason to push yourself too hard. Try a slightly lighter weight that you can safely do 10 to 12 reps with.
Experts agree that working out regularly is one of the keys to better abs, with a mix of cardio work, strength training and abdominal exercises. “Whether it's weights or swimming or something else, you have to put in the work,” Marrs says.
Instead of slowing down after you turn 50, you should keep cardio exercise a part of your lifestyle. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults of any age get at least 150 minutes of moderate activity per week, which equals about 30 minutes a day, five days each week.
“It is 100% possible to regain or to build muscle mass at age 50 or older,” agrees Rufo. “To build muscle mass, there should be a major focus on nutrition and diet. Ensuring that you're consuming the proper amount of protein (this is our favorite) is critical to muscle development.
No matter what your age, you can improve your fitness.
If it's been a long time since you've exercised and you're feeling less than fit, you might think that it's too late to make a change. But you're wrong. You can improve your fitness at any age.
Because it improves muscular strength and control, creatine is sometimes recommended as an essential supplement for people over 50, especially because it may reduce the risk of falls. Three to five grams daily is the usual dosage, but try a couple of weeks of two grams per day first if you haven't taken it before.
The labor force participation rate of prime-age men (ages 25 to 54) has been mostly falling since the late 1960s, with steeper declines during recessionary periods.
- In the study, men's desirability peaks at age 50. But women's desirability starts high at age 18 and falls throughout their lifespan.
Reports of increases in the production of adrenaline-related hormones with ageing have been thought to explain the apparent ability of older men to perform freak feats of strength.
Endurance exercise–like running, swimming, or bicycling–and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) both slowed signs of aging compared to lifting weights–at least on the cellular level.
And between the ages of 50 and 60, the “aging trajectory” was up to three times faster. “Men and women age similarly up to the age of 50,” says Sonja Windhager, who led the research. “It's a linear progression. But at the age of 50, for women, it goes really fast.
Creatine is an inexpensive and safe dietary supplement that has both peripheral and central effects. The benefits afforded to older adults through creatine ingestion are substantial, can improve quality of life, and ultimately may reduce the disease burden associated with sarcopenia and cognitive dysfunction.
Whey protein offers the most benefits for older adults, but you likely won't notice any dramatic differences as long as you eat plenty of protein overall. The overall best protein powder for men and women over 50 is whey protein. The best plant-based alternative, if you avoid dairy, is soy protein.