Athletic performance in your 40s?

[GiBo]

Barron is not wrong, but I'd submit that it barely matters. Studies have shown that the difference between low reps/heavy weights and high reps/low weights are quite minor, and I'd bet none of us non professional athletes would notice. Personally, for legs I like high weights low reps because it conflicts less with my hobbies (less fatigue builds up in my experience.) I like the same for upper body cause it's faster.

Minimal exercises just to keep things solid (variations in parens are optional but it really helps things to mix it up):

Upper Body:
Bench press (incline, dumbbell, bar, push ups)
Curl (million variations)
Arm raise (sides, front etc)
Lat pulls (raises, pulls, rows - anything to hit lats)
Overhead Press (bar, dumbells)
Tricep (extentions, push downs, pull downs, etc)

Lower Body:
Squats (back, front, heel elevated, split, kettlebell, single leg)
Deadlifts (bar, dumbbell, single leg)
Lunge (front, back, side)
Hip Thrust
Calf Raise (single, double)

Don't forget abs.

Once a week is better than nothing, twice a week is great. You'll get 70% of the benefit of a full-on weight program by doing these exercises and variations thereof twice a week. That's massive and each routine can be done in maybe 20-30 minutes if you are set up and focused. Full program is more like 5 days a week and an hour per day which I don't have time for. I'll take the 70% solution - and it's probably more like 80-85% if you do it really well.

And you can add a million other exercises, but for me these are the ones you have to do to not lose function and to stay strong.

Pffft...40's?! I'm 57. I only do squats and bike for legs (2x week). Sometimes I'll mix in stairs at the local stadium and a mile or two on their rubberized track (years of running have made running on hard surfaces make my hip hurt).

My upper body weight routine is almost exactly what's listed here (2-3x week). I rotate through different muscle groups (arms one day, chest another, shoulders etc...) to where I'm hitting one group about 3 times a month. I read somewhere that at my age, more rest time is the key. I keep a calendar in my workout area where I track what I do (this is crucial, it's hard to remember what I did last session). It seems to work well for me. I don't usually get sore after a workout. Sometimes I do if I go extra hard, but usually I just feel it a little.

I do abs every weight day.

I've been doing variations of this routine since I was about 30.

I feel like I get good results. My non regular exercising weekend warrior friends are always breaking down. My co-workers are always asking how I stay in shape "at your age". I keep telling them, "You've got to make the deposits, there are no loans of race day." But just like saving money, people have trouble making those deposits.

[rod9301]

It’s solid workout. I wrote a bunch below but not to say what you’re doing isn’t effective.

Are you doing any plyometrics or explosive exercises? For skiing that’s probably the most important.

On the weights I’d sub in some more single leg training in similar patterns, so each of your two days would have some bilateral and unilateral movements. Single leg squat to box, rfess, and single leg deadlifts. Also you lack some core work. I’ve become a bit of a zealot and evangelist for anti rotation exercises like a Pallof press or 1/2 kneeling cable chop. Progressively overload on all lifts. Personally I get bored with the same rep scheme and rotate between 4-12 reps.

Make sure you are taking care of your mobility and movement patterns. For injury prevention this might be most important.

Yeah, about a month ago i started the pallof and rotational cable crunches. They don't seem to do much, at least compared with side bends, feet up, with 40lbs on my back

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[Dantheman]

My non regular exercising weekend warrior friends are always breaking down. My co-workers are always asking how I stay in shape "at your age". I keep telling them, "You've got to make the deposits, there are no loans of race day." But just like saving money, people have trouble making those deposits.

You could shorten that answer even more to just, "Consistency." Most people really don't like hearing that one.

[EWG]

You could shorten that answer even more to just, "Consistency." Most people really don't like hearing that one.

That's where getting injured gets yah. It takes away that consistency and things start to become a problem. Domino effect.

[Foggy_Goggles]

You could shorten that answer even more to just, "Consistency." Most people really don't like hearing that one.

It really favors those that like routine. As people move towards "ski conditioning", just remember to make the baseline health and fitness a priority. Crossfit, lifting heavy, exotic exercises can be great if you are not overweight, have decent strength and mobility, focus on eating and sleeping, moderate the substances and so on.

If you a hitting Wendy's a couple times a week, waking up with a hangover, sleeping like shit and are generally stressed, prioritize this shit.

Also, YouTube has a ton of ski conditioning routines so if you don't want to go to the gym but want some structure, these can be helpful.

Any if Danno is paying $15/visit for a class I think that is pretty fair value.

[EWG]

You could shorten that answer even more to just, "Consistency." Most people really don't like hearing that one.

That's where getting injured gets yah. It takes away that consistency and things start to become a problem. Domino effect.

[Supermoon]

That's where getting injured gets yah. It takes away that consistency and things start to become a problem. Domino effect.

No kidding. I sprained my wrist in March and it’s screwed me all summer. Can’t hold handlebars on a bike, or lift any weight, do push-ups/yoga. Now I’m trying to work my way back out of it but it sucks.

[grskier]

It's something like $120/mo for 2x/wk. And yeah, I am careful and have no intent of posting workouts on FB or using the stupid names.

Nobody does when they start... yet here we are.

[AK47bp]

My routine is quick and simple. I do 300 crunches, 600 push ups, a 16 mile run at race pace, and finish it off with 142 pull ups.

Just do that twice a day, 31 days a month and you’re gonna get to about 70%.

I hope you’re stretching first

[phatty]

An Erg is probably the next piece of equipment im getting for my garage. i really like the big ROM it forces you into, and its ability to be used as a full-body session that it also easy on the joints.

Honestly, outside my dumbells and pull up bar, my Concept 2 is my most used piece of exercise equipment, especially over the dark winters here in Seattle. You can do fast, hard workouts or do longer cardio focused. Throw on a show/movie and you're good. I usually break it up with some weights at intervals to get the full body hit.

[californiagrown]

You could shorten that answer even more to just, "Consistency."

Where can i buy this, and can i dry scoop it?

[Danno]

Nobody does when they start... yet here we are.

you have permission to shoot me if I start doing this.

[J. Barron DeJong]

Where can i buy this, and can i dry scoop it?

I’m currently drinking some protein powder with a bit a creatine added. I do this pretty consistently. This is all that’s required, no?

[Dantheman]

Honestly, outside my dumbells and pull up bar, my Concept 2 is my most used piece of exercise equipment, especially over the dark winters here in Seattle. You can do fast, hard workouts or do longer cardio focused. Throw on a show/movie and you're good. I usually break it up with some weights at intervals to get the full body hit.

If I had the space I would own a C2 for sure. But I don't, so I have an Airdyne instead and it definitely checks the "full-body, easy on the joints" box. With the COVID home gym boom over you can probably find them used for really cheap again. Intervals on those things will wreck you.

Where can i buy this, and can i dry scoop it?

Heh.

[californiagrown]

I’m currently drinking some protein powder with a bit a creatine added. I do this pretty consistently. This is all that’s required, no?

I feel like there is a study out there showing that this does result in more hypertophy compared to the control group. YMMV and im not searching around.


Hot take- dry scooping is a superior method for ingesting 1tsp or less of supplement powders (preworkout, EAAs, creatine especially, etc). premixing is just a waste of time and requires preplanning if on-the-go.

[phatty]

If I had the space I would own a C2 for sure. But I don't, so I have an Airdyne instead and it definitely checks the "full-body, easy on the joints" box. With the COVID home gym boom over you can probably find them used for really cheap again. Intervals on those things will wreck you.

Yeah I have one of those, too. The computer stopped working (it's at least 25yrs old) and love it. Don't use it as much as the C2 but need to get on it more. I was lucky to buy it close to 10 yrs ago for $50.

[J. Barron DeJong]

I feel like there is a study out there showing that this does result in more hypertophy compared to the control group. YMMV and im not searching around.


Hot take- dry scooping is a superior method for ingesting 1tsp or less of supplement powders (preworkout, EAAs, creatine especially, etc). premixing is just a waste of time and requires preplanning if on-the-go.

Yes, apparently even just increasing protein consumption wihout exercise leads to muscle growth, to an extent.

Recommendation to maximize muscle growth if you’re training for hypertrophy is 1g protein/lb. body weight each day.

(I am actually doing some lifting to spur growth.)

[Dantheman]

I feel like there is a study out there showing that this does result in more hypertophy compared to the control group. YMMV and im not searching around.

Consuming more than ~30 g of protein at one time does stimulate muscle protein synthesis independent of resistance exercise. Nothing like protein+resistance exercise does, but there is a measurable effect. I also won't be providing citations.

Yeah I have one of those, too. The computer stopped working (it's at least 25yrs old) and love it. Don't use it as much as the C2 but need to get on it more. I was lucky to buy it close to 10 yrs ago for $50.

Nice. I paid more like $150 for mine (in January 2020, talk abut timing), but from a retired guy who refurbed and flipped old exercise equipment for a hobby and had brought it back to like-new condition. Still runs like a top and it there's no way it was made later than the early '90s (all metal). One thing he told me when I picked it up is that the computers usually stop working because the contacts get dirty. He said you can often bring them back to life by opening it up and cleaning them with a pencil eraser.

[EWG]

If I had the space I would own a C2 for sure. But I don't, so I have an Airdyne instead and it definitely checks the "full-body, easy on the joints" box. With the COVID home gym boom over you can probably find them used for really cheap again. Intervals on those things will wreck you.

I rowed in college and would love an erg. Best full body workout I ever got. Also space constrained, alas.

(Narrowly trumps skate skiing, which narrowly trumps completive swimming. In terms of sucking, nothing trumps swimming.)

[old goat]

That's where getting injured gets yah. It takes away that consistency and things start to become a problem. Domino effect.

For sure. Broke my back, then heart surgery. I understand that I will never get back what I had before all that started 5 years ago. The older you get the longer recovery from injury and illness takes. To my mind the difference between being young and being old is whether or not you can fully recover or not. Varies by person and preexisting fitness level of course, but when you see someone in their 70's or 80's still performing at an impressive level the odds are very high that they've never had a bad injury or illness.

[The AD]

I rowed in college and would love an erg. Best full body workout I ever got. Also space constrained, alas.

(Narrowly trumps skate skiing, which narrowly trumps completive swimming. In terms of sucking, nothing trumps swimming.)

The only advantage rowing (erging?) has over swimming is you can watch TV while on an erg. Otherwise it seems grindingly dull to me. At least in swimming you can change strokes.

[EWG]

The only advantage rowing (erging?) has over swimming is you can watch TV while on an erg. Otherwise it seems grindingly dull to me. At least in swimming you can change strokes.

Swimming is pain in a sensory depravation tank.

It has no redeeming qualities. Ask me how I know.

[californiagrown]

Swimming is pain in a sensory depravation tank.

It has no redeeming qualities. Ask me how I know.

Also, you die if you hit muscle failure mid lap.

[Dantheman]

Swimming is pain in a sensory depravation tank.

It has no redeeming qualities. Ask me how I know.

And it's slow, slow AF. I started calling it snail racing years ago when I realized that even during the sprints the race officials that walk up and down the pool are moving at "casual stroll" pace at best. No disrespect intended, of course.

[Mofro261]

The only advantage rowing (erging?) has over swimming is you can watch TV while on an erg. Otherwise it seems grindingly dull to me. At least in swimming you can change strokes.

Rowing works my glutes in ways swimming just can't. That and I can put an erg in my workout room at a fraction of the cost it would be to put a lap pool in.

And rowing is a lot like masturbation- sure the stroke is the same everytime, but the stroke rate and the intensity will vary to make it more interesting. I recommend trying to get at least 4 sessions of each in per week.