The Best Exercise Habits To Totally Reshape Your Body After 50
One of the most challenging things to experience as we age is weight gain and the loss of strength. As we get older, we become less active and hormones change, which can take a toll. However it's important to stay physically active and strength training is a great way to preserve muscles, but also reshape your physique. Here are three great exercise habits that can help totally transform your body after 50.
Strength Training is Vital
Nothing ever stays the same in life, and that especially applies to our bodies as we age. Exercise, sleep, and diet become increasingly important if we care about the quality of our lives as we age. Studies have shown that resistance training is the most important thing we can do for our bodies because it transforms us from the inside out. When you lift weights, your muscles become stronger and healthier.
Why It's Important to Stay Strong As We Age
Strong, healthy muscles become even more important as we age because the muscle's health will also affect your bones. We lose 3-5% of muscle mass and mobility in our body starting at 30. If you hit your 50s and have never exercised, it's a good time to start because it is never too late. Be kind to your mind so that you do not become discouraged.
Remember that as you exercise, you should focus on how you feel and less about how you look because, ultimatel,y that's way more important. Perhaps your body needs more gentle movement, and that's okay, but the key is consistency. We all have other people or workplaces to answer to, but starting now, I want you to show up for yourself.
Squat to Thrust
A squat to thrust is an exercise in which you start in an athletic posture with feet hip to shoulder width apart and toes pointing forward while standing up.
-Hold a pair of dumbbells at shoulder height parallel to the floor.
-Squat down, maintaining the weights at shoulder height, and push up to shoulder press as you stand.
It's an effective total body movement that fires up your core, chest, hamstrings, glutes, triceps, quads, and shoulders. Start with small dumbbells, 3-5lb, and slowly move up from there.
Over Rotation Chest Press
Everyone has different fitness goals for building strength and lean muscle, but an over rotation chest press is ideal for making the deepest parts of your core the strongest. Plus, it's a move almost anyone can do.
-To perform an over rotation chest press, set the cable to your shoulder height.
-The right hand grasps the handle, right leg is forward.
-Keep hips facing forward to keep your pelvis from rotating so most of the movement comes from the thoracic spine.
-Allow the cable to pull you in to further totation, giving strength to your increased range of motion.
This gets your deep core stronger than ever. They can also be used as a nice warm-up for the T-spine that allows for greater mobility throughout your workout.
Push-Ups
Push-ups are a good way to burn calories, tone up, and build strength. If you can't do them in a plank position, starting slow is okay.
–For beginners, stand facing a wall and put your hands flat against the surface with your feet on the floor slightly out. Squeeze your glutes, engage your core, and try to do 2-3 sets of 15 reps.
–For more of a challenge, you can do push-ups on your knees and then work your way up to doing them as a plank.
When done correctly, the push-up works lots more than the chest. You will also work your shoulders, arms, back, core, and hips. It requires no equipment and you can do them anywhere.
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