When guys that are 40 or older approach me for workout advice they are
often skeptical whether the advice is useful for them. After all, I
primarily train athletes, and what does some 25 year old pro athlete
have to do with a 45 year old business man?
Well, to tell you the truth, there really isn't that much of a
difference between the training for these two guys, especially if the
focus is on gaining muscle and strength. There are typically only three
things that need to be factored in when you pass 40:
1. Hormones Somewhere between the ages of 35 and 40 testosterone levels
begin to fall. This drop in levels has been termed "andropause." This
has huge consequences for building muscle, as anabolic hormones are the
signal for our body to repair and rebuild. With less of these hormones
you cannot repair your muscles as quickly as a 20 year old. This fact
should be kept in mind when designing the training program. Options for
increasing hormone levels should also be considered.
2. Injuries Over time everyone begins to accumulate injuries. Even if
it's nothing big those nagging aches and pains can prevent you from
training as hard or as often as you would like. Because of this a good
physical therapist and/or chiropractor are a definite must. If you are
serious about gaining muscle then you need to be serious about training
hard. And you need to be serious about taking the steps necessary to
able to train hard consistently.
3. Mindset Call it wisdom gained through experience, or cautiousness
due to age, either way it is often difficult to get people with long
standing habits to try something new. I have talked to more than one guy
in his 40s who was still doing the workout he got from his high school
football coach! Look, if you are serious about changing your body then
you need to be ready to change the way you train and eat. Embrace new
training programs and diets. What you've been doing isn't working, so
try something new. Remember, the definition of stupidity is doing the
same thing and expecting different results!
Keep in mind that I am highlighting the differences here. The basics of
a good scientific training and nutrition plan still hold true no matter
your age. Anyone at any age can make fantastic improvements in their
physique. Keep this in mind the next time someone tells you (or you
think to yourself) that you're too old to be training hard
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