2ND PLACE - STEVEIRONPUMP
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HEALTHY WORKOUT (OVER 60)
At the age of 60, the body is mostly incapable of building large quantities of new muscle. For the most part, pre-existing muscle tissue may get larger, but the overall quantity will probably not increase. Recovery is also much slower due to reduced absorption rates of nutrients.
The body is also beginning to enter a fragile state in which joint related injuries are common and take a long time to recover from and many times, complete recovery is not possible. Any injury past the age of 60 is probably going to be pretty serious.
The main goal of working out should be to build some strength and reduce the risk for disease (primarily heart disease). Therefore, a workout should simply be to get the blood flowing and to build some strength without causing any serious injury in the process.
WORKOUT PLAN
The first step in creating a workout plan if you are over the age of 60 is to understand the condition of your body. A 60-year-old person who has been sedentary their whole life will obviously be in a different situation than a former marathon runner. It is also important to acknowledge any past injuries to the joints and to attempt to minimize the amount of stress being put on those joints.
Exercises to avoid:
- Dips*
- Bench Press*
- Free-Weight Squats
- Deadlifts
- Pulling or Pushing Movements Behind the Head*
- High Impact Cardio or Plyometrics
* High Risk For Shoulder Injuries
The best overall workout would be a simple circuit-training routine that incorporates lifting movements that allow the weight to be easily controlled, which thus reduces the risk for injury.
The general format is to create a total body workout in which you move from one exercise to the next. High repetition exercises are also necessary to build strength while minimizing the risk for injury. Since this is a total body workout, try to focus on compound movements that involve many different body parts. Here's what a workout should look like:
5 minute low-intensity, low-impact cardio warm up. Use an elliptical, recumbent bike, or walk on a treadmill.
After warming up, start off your workout with a series of compound upper body movements. After that, move to a lower body movement, and then finish up with some core exercises.
The final part of the workout is to move back to the cardio machines to keep the blood flowing and the calories burning. 10-15 minutes of post-workout cardio is good enough. This cardio should be low to moderate intensity.
Here's the workout:
5-MINUTE CARDIO WARM-UP
UPPER BODY
- Dumbbell Bench Press: (turn arms inward at the bottom of the movement) 10-20 reps
- Pull-Ups: 10-20 reps
- Triceps Extensions: 10-20 reps
- Dumbbell Biceps Curls: 10-20 reps
*Complete the cycle again only if you feel like you can handle it.
Click Here For A Printable Log Of steveironpump's Upper Body Workout.
LOWER BODY
- Leg Press: 10-20 reps
- Calf Press: 10-20 reps
- Leg Extensions: 10-20 reps
- Leg Curls: 10-20 reps
*Complete cycle again only if you feel like you can handle it.
Click Here For A Printable Log Of steveironpump's Lower Body Workout.
CORE
- Exercise Ball Crunches: To failure
- Leg Raises: To failure
*Complete cycle again only if you feel like you can handle it.
Click Here For A Printable Log Of steveironpump's Core Workout.
POST-WORKOUT CARDIO
A workout should not last any longer than 45 minutes.
Only do one cycle the first time you workout to see where your conditioning. The average person will only be able to handle one cycle. If you absolutely run out of energy and you feel light-headed, then stop and let yourself recover. At that point, only continue if your body feels normal and regulated. Otherwise, call it a day and go home.
Try to workout 2 days a week and go walking on a few of the days in between workouts.
WHAT ARE SOME GOOD SUPPLEMENTS FOR PEOPLE OVER 60?
Glucosamine, MSM, chondroitin, and collagen are all good supplements that will promote joint health. Anyone over the age of 60 should consume as many of these nutrients as possible to protect their joints. Some dietary supplements contain all four.
Make sure you are careful with working out, and don't push yourself if you experience pain in your joints or if you feel sick. At the age of 60, you want to get a good workout in while protecting your body at the same time.
Supplementing protein shakes is unnecessary and pointless. At this age, the body can't digest and absorb protein easily, which will result in excess bodily waste and weight gain from supplementation.
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