Muscle loss and consequently a
decrease in strength can begin as early as your 30s. Left unabated this
process accelerates each year causing you to lose more muscle and strength
until the activities of everyday life becomes difficult to do. However,
the good news is you can do something to slow down and even reverse this
scenario.
Strength training (weight lifting),
and proper daily protein intake are two of the most effective ways of
maintaining your muscle mass and strength as you age. In this post I will
show you three exercises you can do to help you maintain and increase their
muscle mass and strength. You should perform these exercises in
combination 2 to 3 times each week for best results.
Exercise 1. Lat
Pulldown
The lat pulldown is a great exercise for strengthening and
developing the upper back muscles that are critical for good posture. People whose shoulders are slumped forward
most likely have underdeveloped upper back muscles.
First, sit down and adjust the thigh pad to a position that
firmly fits over your thighs. Then
select a resistance with which the last three repetitions are difficult to
complete. If this is your first time
doing this exercise, it may take experimenting at several weights before you
find the right resistance. Next, grip
the bar a little wider than shoulder width, sit down on the seat and place your
knees firmly under the pad. Start with
your arms fully extended and your chest held high. This is your start position. Now, pull the
bar slowly down to the base of your neck while squeezing your shoulder blades
back and together. Slowly return the
bar to the starting position. (It should
take about three seconds to pull the bar down and about two seconds to return
the bar to its starting position). Proper breathing is very important, so
remember to exhale as you pull the bar down and inhale as you return the bar to
the starting position.
Exercise # 2 - The Dumbbell Chest Press
The dumbbell chest press is one of the best exercises for
developing and strengthening your chest, and the front of your shoulders. Again, you will have to experiment to select
the proper weight to use. Pick-up a
dumbbell in each hand, and sit on the end of a bench. Place the dumbbells end-up on your knees,
then lay back on the bench and position the dumbbells chest height at your
sides. This is your start position. Press the dumbbells up over your chest until
your arms are fully extended, being careful not to lock your elbows. Slowly return the dumbbells to the start
position. Your breathing pattern is to
exhale as you press up and inhale as you return to the starting position.
Exercise # 3 - Leg Press
The leg press is one of the best exercises for overall strength and development of your legs. First, sit in the seat, positioning your feet about shoulder width apart and chest high on the platform. Adjust the seat height by pulling the handle and sliding forward until your thighs are parallel to the platform. This is your start position (make sure that your lower back is pressed firmly against the back of the seat). With your feet flat, slowly press upward until your legs are fully extended but short of locking. Slowly return to the position where the weight almost touch the weight stack. The breathing pattern for this exercise is to exhale as you press up and inhale as you return to the start. Again, you will have to experiment to find a weight with which the last three repetitions are difficult to perform.
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Strength Training for Over 50 ebooks by clicking on this link: Darvis Simms
