Tuesday, 18 August 2009

Bodybuilding Tips, How To Train Your Body After Age 40

Bodybuilding Tips, How To Train Your Body After Age 40

by Ricardo d Argence

They say that age is just a number, but when it comes to work outs and staying in shape that age factor is a definite factor in how you will approach your fitness regimen. Some people want to say that they are over 40 and they use their age as an excuse for not maintaining a healthy lifestyle and a regular workout routine.

Age is not a sufficient excuse not to exercise and try to stay fit. When done correctly you can incorporate workouts, weight lifting and healthy diet in such a way that you remain healthy, fit and active for years and it does not matter how old you are when you start.

You may not know it but weight lifting or bodybuilding routines are good for more than simply building muscle mass. These regimens can also help you lose weight, increase bone thickness and give you a lean fit body. If you want to feel better about your body and life in overall, you should know that exercise will get you there.

People who exercise also experience the release of endorphins from the brain, which helps, maintain a sense of happiness and well-being.

To start with a few basics it is understood that at 40 years old you might need to make a concession or two in your workout regimen. That however does not mean you should fall for the lies about aging.

Remember being 20 years old and taking off at a sprint without a second thought? Well at 40 your muscles and joints are not as limber as they used to be! You will need to allot about 15 minutes to stretching and limbering up these muscles and joints. You will quickly become more flexible but best of all you will run less risk of injury through spraining a joint or damaging a muscle. Be sure you completely stretch as this helps to condition your muscles.

Next should come a 15-minute cardio session on a treadmill, an elliptical training machine, a stair stepper, or a stationary bike. You are not going for the gusto with this exercise, but you do want to get your heart rate up a little and you want to build upon the limbering and stretching that you just completed. This exercise will let your body know that you are serious about doing some work.

Next, you will want to use some lightweights in your routine. If you happen to be training with free weights or on a circuit do a run through without using any heavy weights and then follow the warm up with adequate weight and reps.

Bodybuilders of all levels find a pyramid method very helpful in their weight routines. This technique consists of doing more repetitions with less weights and then lessening the reps as you add more and more weights. The pyramid technique is great for building body mass and more muscle.

Concentrate on the proper form at all times, even if you have to cut back on the weight or the reps, having your form correct with each lift must be foremost in your mind. Not only does this maximize your results, it cuts down on the risk of injury.

Your session with weights should be kept to about 30-45 minutes and you will want to repeat your training at least four days every week. Once you have completed your weight training it is helpful to run another cardiovascular routine partly as a way to wind it all down but more so to strengthen your heart and lungs.

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