10 Easy Exercises To Boost Muscle Growth After 50
Building muscle is challenging at any age, requiring dedication and the right approach. But, as we get older, muscle mass declines, which can affect your level of strength and impact your quality of life. While that isn't easy to hear, there is good news. Including certain exercises in your workout routine can help boost muscle growth.
I'm Josh York, founder and CEO of GYMGUYZ, the world's largest in-home and on-site personal training company. My passion for health and fitness began in high school, which led me to become a certified personal trainer while earning my bachelor's degree. In 2008, I founded GYMGUYZ with a mission to help individuals worldwide improve their health and fitness.
I'll walk you through the challenges of building muscle after 50 and share the workouts that will help you achieve the results you're looking for.
How challenging is it to increase muscle growth after 50, and why?
Increasing muscle is significantly more challenging after the age of 50 due to natural age-related factors such as:
- Hormone changes: As we get older, our testosterone levels naturally drop. Since testosterone is a key player in muscle growth, this can make building muscle a bit trickier.
- Anabolic resistance: As we age, our muscles become less efficient at using protein to build and repair tissue. This means it takes more effort to see the same muscle-building results.
- Muscle fiber composition: The muscle fibers responsible for quick bursts of speed—those fast-twitch fibers—decrease over time. This forces your body to rely more on slower-twitch fibers, which aren't quite as explosive.
- Decreased activity levels: The less you move, the more muscle mass you lose. As people age, it's common to become less active, and that can make it harder to maintain muscle.
- Recovery time: Recovery becomes even more important as you get older. Once you're over 50, the time it takes to bounce back between workouts increases.
10 easy exercises to boost muscle growth after 50
1. Squats
An effective workout targets multiple muscle groups, and squats are a great example of this. They engage your quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes, providing a strong lower body burn that boosts stability and overall strength. By activating several muscle groups at once, squats also stimulate hormone production for muscle growth while supporting joint health. They also help build functional strength, as this movement mimics everyday actions like sitting down and standing up.
Start by positioning your feet shoulder-width apart and holding the weight on your chest or shoulders. Lower yourself as if you're sitting in a chair, going down until your thighs are parallel to the ground (about a 90-degree angle). Then, stand back up. This exercise can also be done with just your body weight.
2. Lunges
Similarly to squats, lunges work the same muscle groups – quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes – to help with your stability and balance, both of which become more difficult with age. This is a great workout to slowly add muscle mass while avoiding excessive stress on your joints. If done right, lunges can strengthen your muscles around the hips and knees.
Stand with your feet together. Hold the dumbbells in a neutral grip position. Reach one leg forward then drop your back knee straight to the ground. Raise back up and bring the front leg back to the starting position. Repeat with the opposite side. This can also be done with just body weight.
3. Push-Ups
With no equipment needed, push-ups are easily accessible at anytime and anywhere. These engage multiple muscle groups across your upper body that includes chest, shoulder, and triceps to make it effective for maximizing muscle activation. While only your body is needed, the simple strategy of adjusting your hand placement can challenge your muscles in new ways each time.
Lay flat on your stomach. Place your hands under your shoulders. Press up while keeping your body in a flat line. Hinge at your elbows to lower down then back up to the start position.
4. Planks
Planks strengthen your entire core muscle group to help improve stability and posture without overstressing your joints. This exercise builds muscle endurance due to the sustained contraction in your core while holding the plank, it also works your upper body and legs to hold yourself up.
Start by lying flat on your stomach. Raise yourself up by pressing your forearms under your face and your feet on your toes. Align your spine so it is straight. Hold the position for a desired amount of time.
5. Chair Dips
The simultaneous movement between the chest, triceps, and shoulders leads to effective muscle recruitment and upper-body strength development. As a low-impact workout, joint stress is kept low to avoid pain and injury.
Grip the edge of a chair. Place your feet out in front of you with weight on your heels. Dip down and use your triceps to support yourself. Let your elbows bend to 45 or 90 degrees, then press back up.
6. Overhead Press
Shoulders and triceps lose stability with age, making this a great exercise to improve stability and assist with functional strength. This exercise focuses on the front shoulder muscles but also works your side deltoids, triceps, and upper chest to create targeted strength as one ages.
Sit on a vertical bench with your back pressed against the seat. Hold the dumbbells with palms facing forward at shoulder height. Raise the dumbbells together overhead then lower back to shoulder height.
7. Rows
If you are looking to focus on your upper body, rows are the workout for you. As an exercise that works your back, shoulders, and biceps all simultaneously, this is extremely beneficial for adults who have experienced muscle loss due to age. Rows provide efficient muscle stimulation and strength development through a single movement.
Start by either leaning over with placing one hand on a bench as support. Hold the dumbbell in the free hand with your palm facing in ward. Squeeze your shoulder blade with the dumbbell and pull your elbow straight up. Return to the starting position as you lower the weight.
8. Calf Raises
While the calf is a small muscle, it's important in your stability and mobility. Calf raises can be done with extremely minimal impact on the joints and primarily target the ankle joint. It works the entire calf muscle, surface, and deep levels to produce comprehensive muscle growth. This is a critical muscle in everyday activities like walking, standing, and using stairs.
Stand with your feet slightly elevated on a platform. Place your hand on something for support. Push through the balls of your feet to lift your heels off the ground as high as you can. Lower back to the start position.
9. Glute Bridge
The glute bridge is a low-stress workout for your joints that targets your gluteus maximus, a muscle important for everyday activities like walking. A strong gluteus maximus will improve your stability, posture, and functional movement for daily activities.
Lay on your back with your feet flat on the ground and shoulder-width apart. Engage your core and raise your hips off the ground. Lower down and release the muscles slowly.
10. Deadlift
This is an ultimate strength workout that is simple, yet effective to build muscle. With multiple muscle groups being engaged – glutes, hamstrings, lower back, quadriceps, core, and grip – there is significant muscle recruitment happening throughout your workout. This leads to strength gains and managing bone density. Additionally, heavy strength training releases anabolic hormones such as testosterone and growth to promote muscle building.
Begin with feet shoulder-width apart. Grab the barbell with your hands just outside of your leg width. Keep your spine straight and sit back on your heels. Raise your body up while lifting from your legs and pushing from your hips. Control the weight back down from your hips. And if you enjoyed this article, don't miss How Long Your Walking Workout Should Be To Shrink Belly Fat.
