The Most Effective Exercises To Reverse Aging After 50, Trainer Says

Let's be honest: Many of us would volunteer to drink a magical potion that's guaranteed to make us youthful for eternity. But alas, a beautiful elixir such as this does not exist, and we have to work with what we've got. Growing older is a natural part of life, but there are some proactive ways you can slow down and even reverse the aging process. It all starts with leading a healthy lifestyle—consuming lots of fruits, veggies, and lean protein, in addition to performing regular cardio and strength training. Keeping your muscles strong and healthy is essentially your fountain of youth, so we've rounded up the most effective exercises to reverse aging after 50.

As you grow older, you lose lean muscle mass, and your metabolism slows if you don't do anything to maintain it. Luckily, it's never too late to slow down Father Time—you simply have to get started and be consistent with your healthy habits.

The best exercises to build muscle are compound strength training movements that target four major movement patterns, including squat, hinge, push, and pull. The goal is to get strong in all of them. So, below are some ultra-effective exercises in each pattern to help you reverse aging after 50. Add them to your workout regimen ASAP, and aim for 3 to 4 sets of each. And next, be sure to check out The 6 Best Exercises for Strong and Toned Arms in 2022, Trainer Says.

Dumbbell Goblet Squat

trainer doing goblet squat exercise to accelerate belly fat loss — Tim Liu, C.S.C.S.

Begin this movement by holding one dumbbell in a vertical fashion in front of your chest. Keep your core tight, push your hips back, and squat down until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Drive through your heels and hips to stand back up, flexing your quads and glutes to finish. Complete 3 to 4 sets of 10 reps.

Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift

Have a pair of dumbbells in front of you. Keep your chest tall and knees soft, and push your hips back while dragging the weights down your thigh. Once you get a nice hamstring stretch, drive your hips forward, squeezing your glutes to finish. Perform 3 to 4 sets of 10 to 12 reps.

Dumbbell Bench Press

Lie flat on a bench, and grab a pair of dumbbells. Hold them straight up above you with your arms fully extended. Pull your shoulder blades back into the bench as you lower the weights down toward your chest. Get a good chest stretch in, then press the weights back up to the starting position, squeezing your pecs and triceps at the top. Complete 3 to 4 sets of 10 to 12 reps.

Seated Row

Grab the wide grip attachment on a seated row machine, and place your feet firmly on the footpad. Pull the handle out, then fully straighten your legs. Keep your chest tall, and drive your elbows back towards your hips, squeezing your back and lats hard to finish. Straighten your arms all the way, and get a good stretch in your shoulder blades before performing another rep. Perform 3 to 4 sets of 10 to 12 reps.