No one likes the fact that we’re getting older. However, I think I’m probably the only person on earth who can’t wait to have his hair turn grey (I think I would look so cool). The truth is that we can’t stop time and with the advancements in medical technology, pharmaceuticals and expansion of the fitness/wellness industry; we are living longer.
Living a longer life does not necessarily means an improved quality of life. Unfortunately with the evolution of technology, processed foods, and being sedentary, the likelihood of developing a chronic diseases increases as we age. The effects of aging will also warrant a shift in training priorities (foundations) to ensure optimal health. This means that the fitness needs of a child are different from someone in their 20s, 30s, and 40s. Yesterday and today we’ll be talking about training priorities in your 50s.
The major changes that occur upon entering the 5th decade of life include: decreased immunity, decreased bone density, decreased lean muscle and increase fat, thinner joints and an increase in chronic disease risk. Today we’ll focus on joints, chronic diseases and create an exercise template for you to follow if you are working out on your own. If you’re currently working out, that’s great! However, make note that the level of muscle soreness, fatigue, and feeling “destroyed” are not indicators of an effective workout. If you’re feeling this quite often and see a plateau in your results, then book a call with a coach today to reevaluate your plan of action by clicking here.
Joint degeneration and space narrowing is a normal part of aging. Especially at the knees, hips and spine. Often times the degeneration seen in an MRI can be alarming because they are often associated with pain. Medical imaging can be very descriptive, but they can often present with false positives when it comes to diagnosing pain. Once the 50th year of life is crossed, expect to see joint space narrowing (area in between bones) due to decreased synovial fluid (in the joint), osteophyte formation, and other signs of “wear and tear”. However, these aren’t necessarily the signs of pain. One research study showed that adults over 40 without knee pain presented via imaging, 19% had meniscal tears, 21% had bone marrow lesions, 37% had osteophyte formation. To preserve joint integrity as we age, it is important to properly manage the following during exercise: slower speeds, less volume (number of reps), moderate loads, and perfect form. Powerlifts like the squat, deadlift and press are really great because they are foundational, multijoint movements that increase overall strength and can help keep joints healthy and pain free.
The risk of chronic diseases increase every year. Just like at any other age, proper management of this risk can be applied through regular exercise, nutrition, stress management, and relationships. The goal is to manage infammation. This may be very simple, but to properly address this is to focus on the following: lifting weights functionally, incorporate 30 minutes of moderate cardiovascular activity per day, eat lean meats + vegetables + minimally processed carbs, and sleep at least 8 hours per night.
The age of 50 does not have to be the age when things truly decline. In fact, there are a lot of benefits to adding strength training, stress management and a proper nutrition plan to help you make this the best decade of your life. As promised, below is a 3 day workout split that you can do to increase muscle, build bone density, improve muscle tone, lose fat, and reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Feel free to add in an addition 20-30 minutes of walking per day. But if you live in the Jersey City/Hoboken area, you are probably doing that anyway, unless you drive everywhere (like I do sometimes).
Begin these workouts with little to no weight if you’re new to working out
Here is a standard warm up:
3 rounds of the following:
5 inch worms
30 jumping jacks
10 good mornings
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Mobilty: (90s per stretch)
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Monday (Squat Day!)
5 Rounds (completed in a circuit)
Squat x5-10 repetitions
Ring Row x5-10 repetitions
Plank on elbows x30s
rest as needed
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Wednesday (Hinge Day!)
5 Rounds (circuit)
Deadlift x5-10 repetitions
Pushup x5-10 repetitions
Side plank x20s per side
Rest as needed
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Friday (Combo Day!)
5 Rounds
Single leg romanian deadlifts x5-10 per side
Standing reverse lunges x5-10 per side
Single arm plank hold x15s/side
Rest as needed
If you’re able to complete 10 repetitions with perfect form, then you’re allowed to add some weight by grabbing a kettlebell, dumbbell or even a barbell. If you aren’t quite sure how to get started with this, then book a call with a coach today by clicking here. We can walk you through an effective and sustainable program that can help you maximize your health.
Just like your entire life was spent making depsosits into your 401(k) or investment accounts, every action you take at the gym or nutrition, you’re making an investment into your “health account”. The good news is that it is never too late to make a deposit. You got this!
Big news!
If you need help with your diet and are tired of yo-yoing from diet to diet, then come join our nutrition challenge starting this weekend February 1. This 28 day challenge is going to revamp your nutritional habits to maximize energy, lose fat, and improve your health! Also, if you’re concerned about your heart health, February is American Heart month! That means that the foods you’ll be eating are heart healthy! It is $149 to enroll with the option to win back $25. You’ll be receiving group accountability and action steps for positive changes. Click here to enroll.
Next Saturday, February 8th is our anniversary party. Please join us for a fun community workout at 11am and a party to follow! We’d love to have you around to celebrate with us! Please rsvp at this link so we can make sure we have enough food! Hope to see you there!
If you’re a mom or mom to be, we’ll be hosting a pelvic floor physical therapy seminar on February 29th at 11:15am. This will be after the SLAM Hoboken workout class at 10:15. Learn all about the care for your pelvic floor with Dr. Judith Meer of the Pelvic PT. You can rsvp at this link.
Ashley
***The owner will not be liable for any errors or omissions in the information provided nor will the owner be liable for any accidents, injuries or other damage, howsoever occurring to any person or property arising out of or in any way connected to the use or application of information obtained from this message
