Staying fit and healthy is a priority for a lot of people. Working out regularly can keep you fit and in a great shape. Older men who workout regularly have better health than those who do not workout.1
Age brings with itself several restrictions and you must respect this. When you are over fifty, setting realistic goal becomes important otherwise you may harm your health.2
Here is a list of 5 workouts that is best suited for men over fifty:
1. Cardiovascular Workout
The lung capacity and heart strength diminish with age.3 American Heart Association recommends 150 mins of moderate workout every week to maintain the weight and health.4
Regular cardiovascular workout will help you burn extra calories and strengthen your lungs and heart. Start with brisk walk at least three times a week. You can also use a treadmill, elliptical machine or stationary bike in a gym.
2. Resistance Training
As you age the muscles starts diminishing. You can start your resistance training by focusing on legs, shoulders, abs, pecs, arms, and upper back. Resistance training is beneficial for men over fifty as it can increase testosterone levels.5
Do military press, squats, bench press, leg presses and lat pull-downs as these focuses on larger muscle groups. You can do them two to three times per week. Resistance training is good for men over fifty as it will improve your body’s ability to burn fat, it even improves your metabolism.
3. Core Exercises
Core exercises may seem difficult but they are really simple. Men over fifty should focus on core exercises as they will help strengthen the lower back and stomach muscles.
You can do core exercises such as crunches and planks to strengthen the stomach muscles. Planks even help in strengthening the lower back.
4. Flexibility Training
As you age, your flexibility will reduce. However, you can improve the flexibility with right workout.6 Flexibility training is highly recommended for those with musculoskeletal problems and arthritis.7
You can improve your flexibility with stretching exercises that target muscle groups such as gluteals, quadriceps, arms, hamstrings, back, and chest.
Your flexibility training should include seated forward stretches for the posterior thighs, cross-arm shoulder stretches for the triceps and quadriceps stretches for the front of the thighs.
5. Walking
Walking is a low-impact exercise that’s suitable for men over fifty. Walking will help improve your brain power, reduces the risk of high blood pressure, improves bone mineral density, decreases the risk of developing diabetes, and helps in controlling weight.8
The best part about walking is that it can be done anywhere, in a park, at the gym or even in your neighborhood block. Start with walking four to five times a week, walk for at least 30 mins in each session.
Caution:
- Avoid workout if you recently underwent major surgery or if you suffer from chronic illness.
- Always consult a professional doctor before starting any workout.
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