Are Your Workouts Aging You Faster? 9 Exercises to Avoid After 50

One of the issues that guys like me who are over 50 deal with is how our fitness regimen should be adapted for our aging bodies. Yep, you might not feel like a day over 38 as you gaze into the mirror every morning, until you do something you've "always been doing," and then can't stand up straight the next day.

You can slow down the aging process, but unless you're a magician, you ain't gonna stop it.

So what should we do and not do after 50 if we want to maintain and/or build muscle mass without risking 6 months rehabbing chronic injuries?

Here's a point that escapes more than a few older individuals who have been training for strength for a while, or even just recently began: Strength training after 50 isn't just about maintaining or building muscle mass—it's about preserving quality of life, preventing those all-too-easy-to-happen injuries, and staying active for years to come. Getting injured when you're 25 is no big deal. A couple months of physio and you're ready to go. But get injured at 50 or 60 and kiss the next 6 or 8 months goodbye.

There are a number of common training mistakes that can derail your strength and quality of life goals and potentially cause lasting damage. Awareness of this and knowing how to avoid problematic practices (otherwise known among my age group as "doing dumb things in the gym") can make the difference between thriving in your training or suffering chronic, preventable injuries.

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Why Proper Training Matters More After 50

As we age, our bodies respond differently to a litany of things that we take for granted, among them diet, sleep, and exercise stress. Recovery takes longer, joints become less forgiving and less resilient, and the margin for training errors shrinks. Lift something with wonky form at 30 and you might wake up with a niggling backache the next day. Do the same thing at 55 and you'll be hobbling around like Quasimodo for the next 3 weeks.

So why bother with strength training at all after 50? Isn't going for a couple of runs every week enough? In a word, nope.

Research shows that proper strength training can significantly slow—and in some cases reverse—age-related decline in muscle mass and bone density. However, this effect is optimal when training is properly structured for the aging body.

Key Takeaway: Proper strength training after 50 can reverse up to a decade of age-related muscle loss, but only when done correctly and consistently.

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The 9 Critical Mistakes to Avoid

Insufficient Recovery Time

I know what you're thinking: "I feel fine the day after a training session, and time is slipping away, so I've gotta train hard!"

I hear you, but stop right there. One of the most damaging mistakes older athletes make is not allowing adequate recovery between training sessions. While a younger body might bounce back from an intense workout in 24-48 hours, the over-50 body usually needs relatively more time to repair and strengthen, depending on the intensity and type of training. We call them "rest days" but in reality they're active recovery days.

What does this mean for you and me?

What to do instead:

– Allow 48-72 hours between strength training sessions for the same muscle groups

– Listen to your body's recovery signals, ie how sore do you feel? A little? A lot? This matters.

– Consider splitting your routine into more frequent but shorter sessions

– Conversely, you could cut down the frequency and adjust the structure of your workouts. For example, you might have full body sessions just twice a week.

Example Upper/Lower Recovery Schedule:

• Monday: Upper body push exercises
• Tuesday: Lower body
• Wednesday: Active recovery (walking, mobility work)
• Thursday: Upper body pull exercises
• Friday: Lower body
• Weekend: Light activity, cardio, and mobility work

While this isn't written in stone (it's an example, after all), it serves as a useful illustration of how recovery can be integrated into a typical program.Notice it's "active recovery" and not "sit in your BarcaLounger all day."

Key Takeaway: Quality recovery is as important as the workout itself. When in doubt, err on the side of more recovery time. Better to do that than spend 6 months in rehab.

Inadequate Warm-Up

This is one that we've all been guilty of at one time or another, but as we get older, a proper warm-up becomes critical to getting the most out of your workout and avoiding injury. Cold muscles and joints are injury prone at any age, but the risks increase significantly after 50. Skipping proper warm-ups is pretty common among seasoned lifters who hold fast to habits they developed decades earlier, remembering when they could jump straight into their working sets, with a cheeseburger and fries on the side.

By the same token, inexperienced trainees may have limited understanding of what constitutes a proper warmup.

What to do instead:

– Spend 5-10 minutes on dynamic warm-up exercises

– Then do some mobility work specific to your planned exercises

– Gradually ramp up to your working weights with proper progression

Sample Warm-Up Sequence:

1. 5 minutes light cardio to increase body temperature
2. Dynamic stretching sequence:
   • Arm circles (forward and backward)
   • Hip circles
   • Bodyweight squats
   • Walking lunges
   • Shoulder dislocates with band
3. Exercise-specific warm-up sets:
   • Set 1: 50% working weight x 10 reps
   • Set 2: 65% working weight x 6 reps
   • Set 3: 80% working weight x 3 reps
   • Working sets

Key Takeaway: Think of your warmup as part of your workout, not as something superfluous to the process. You may consider it optional, thinking "if I have time." That's a hard NO. A proper warm-up isn't wasted time or optional—it's insurance against injuries and vital to better performance.

Poor Exercise Tempo and Control

You're in a hurry, right? You want to hit those squats fast and hard! Whoa, cowboy. Rushing through movements or failing to maintain proper control throughout the exercise range of motion can lead to injury and lousy results. This includes not using strategic pauses during lifts.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

What to do instead:

– Depending on the movement, implement 1-3 second pauses at critical points in each lift, for example deadlifts paused above or below the knee

– Focus on controlled eccentric (lowering) phases

– Maintain proper breathing patterns throughout movements, inhaling and bracing where necessary.

Example Tempo Prescriptions:

• Bench Press: 3-1-1-2 (3 seconds down, 1 second pause, 1 second up, 2 seconds at top)
• Squats: 3-2-1-1 (3 seconds down, 2 second hold at bottom, 1 second up, 1 second at top)
• Rows: 3-1-2-1 (2 seconds to pull, 1 second hold at the top of the pull, 3 seconds return, 1 second stretch at the bottom of the row)

*Tempo explanation: the first number is always the eccentric portion (lowering). The second number is at the end of the eccentric, the third number is the concentric (ascending) and the fourth number is at the end of the concentric, often a 1-second pause.

Key Takeaway: Time under tension is just as important as the weight on the bar. Controlled movements with proper tempo build strength and reduce injury risk.

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Skipping Mobility Work

This is a big one. As a coach who trains mainly older guys, I often see clients who struggle with range of motion in movements like squats, overhead presses, and lunges. Even simple movements like push-ups can be a painful task for people who lack mobility in their wrists. If you're skipping mobility work, you're headed for trouble.

Like Peter Parker's Uncle Ben channeling Voltaire with the mantra, "with great power comes great responsibility," "with age comes naturally decreasing mobility," making dedicated mobility work crucial for maintaining proper movement patterns and preventing injury. Without daily mobility work, you're like an old Chevy with rusty door hinges, rusty locks, and a convertible top that's too rusty to open. You're gonna go places, but it's gonna be slow and noisy getting there.

What to do instead:

– Incorporate daily mobility work, even on rest days. Never take a day off from mobility work (credit to Dr. Kelly Starrett).

– Focus on major joints: hips, shoulders, and spine

– Combine mobility work with your warm-up routine

Daily Mobility Routine (10-15 minutes):

1. Shoulder capsule work:
   • Wall slides: 2 x 10
   • Shoulder dislocates: 2 x 10
   • Face pulls: 2 x 15
2. Hip mobility:
   • World's greatest stretch (also hits the thoracic spine): 5 slow, methodical reps, each side
   • 90/90 hip rotations: 10 each side
   • Hip CARs (Controlled Articular Rotations): 5 each side
3. Spine mobility:
   • Cat-cow flows: 10 cycles
   • Thoracic extensions over foam roller: 10 reps
   • Standing rotation drills: 10 each side

Key Takeaway: Mobility work is not optional after 50—it's as essential as the strength training itself.

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Neglecting Stabilizer and Core Training

It's pretty common for lifters to focus solely on primary movements while neglecting the crucial shoulder stabilizer muscles that prevent injury and maintain proper form. Neglecting strength work for the shoulder stabilizers is a common driver of serious shoulder issues.

What to do instead:

– Include specific exercises for rotator cuff and scapular stability

– Prioritize core strength through various planes of movement

– Use unilateral exercises to address imbalances

Essential Stabilizer Exercises:

1. Rotator Cuff Circuit (2-3 sets):
   • External rotations: 12-15 reps
   • Band pull-aparts: 15-20 reps
   • YTWLs: 8-10 reps each position
2. Core Stability Work:
   • Pallof presses: 3 x 12 each side
   • Dead bugs: 3 x 10 each side
   • Bird dogs: 3 x 8 each side
3. Unilateral Training:
   • Single-leg RDLs
   • One-arm dumbbell rows
   • Split squats

Key Takeaway: Strong stabilizers and core are a foundation for safe, effective primary lifts. Do that unsexy unilateral work to address strength imbalances between the left and right side of the body to avoid chronic injuries.

Improper Progressive Overload

Something you'll commonly see in many gyms is someone adding weight to a bar in 20 lb increments. That's not progressive overload. That's a recipe for injury. Adding weight too quickly or failing to implement deload periods can lead to form breakdown and overuse injuries.

What to do instead:

– Use smaller weight increments for progression

– Implement regular deload weeks every 4-6 weeks

– Focus on movement quality over absolute weight. There's nothing impressive about piling on too much weight and then destroying your shoulder.

Progressive Overload Strategy:

1. Weekly progression options:
   • Add 1-2 reps per set
   • Add one set at current weight
   • Increase weight by 2.5-5 pounds
   • Improve movement quality
   • Increase time under tension by doing slower eccentrics
2. Deload protocol:
   • Reduce volume by 40-50%
   • Maintain intensity at 60-70%
   • Focus on technique refinement

Key Takeaway: Progress is made in small increments—patience and consistency trump aggressive progression.Think about it: add one or two pounds each week (you'll barely notice) to any of the core lifts (squat, deadlift, bench press) and after one year, that's anywhere from 52 to 104 lbs.

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Training Through Pain

No pain, no gain, right? Wrong. There's a big difference between the discomfort of a tough, challenging workout and pain that's telling you your body is on a path to an injury. Knowing the difference is crucial after 50. If you grimace at some point in a movement, you've probably gone too far.

What to do instead:

– Learn to distinguish between "good" and bad pain.

– Modify exercises that cause joint pain

– Seek professional guidance when unsure about pain signals. A good physio therapist can be your best friend.

Pain Assessment Guide:

1. Good discomfort:
   • Muscular burning
   • Temporary fatigue
   • Mild soreness that improves with movement
2. Bad pain (stop immediately):
   • Sharp, shooting sensations (Yeah, those aren't normal. Really)
   • Joint pain that persists
   • Pain that worsens during movement

Key Takeaway: Pain is your body sending you warning messages—learn to interpret and respect these signals. There's no place for ego in this game.

High-Risk Exercise Selection

Some common, traditional exercises may need modification or substitution to be kinder to aging joints and changing mobility. Lifts and movements we've been doing since we were 18 might be problematic.

What to do instead:

– Modify traditional exercises to reduce joint stress

– Choose alternatives that accomplish similar goals with less risk

– Focus on quality movement patterns over traditional exercise selection

Exercise Substitutions:

1. Bench presses are a standard movement, but if you've had shoulder issues, bench pressing can be painful and then you're headed for trouble. So instead of a traditional barbell bench press, try some variations (often involving dumbbells) that can put less stress on your shoulders, allow you to adjust angles, and may provide more stability:
   • Floor press
   • Neutral grip dumbbell press and variations
   • Landmine press
2. Instead of conventional deadlifts that may be problematic due to hip mobility issues, try these:
   • Trap bar deadlifts
   • Sumo deadlifts
   • Romanian deadlift variations
3. Instead of the overhead press that might present form issues because of reduced shoulder mobility try these variations :
   • Landmine press
   • High incline press
   • Z-press
   • Any of the above using dumbbells instead of a barbell

Key Takeaway: Exercise selection should be based on individual capabilities and joint health, not tradition, habit, or worse, ego and mimicking others in the gym. What once was easy may have to be changed. Get used to it.

Inappropriate Training Volume and Intensity Balance

Too many older lifters maintain training approaches better suited for younger athletes, such as emphasizing heavy weights with lower volume. Max singles come to mind. If you're over 50 and frequently train heavy singles, you're playing Russian Roulette. You can lift more safely and still get stronger without the risk to your joints and back of max weights. Research shows that higher volume with moderate weights may be more beneficial and safer for older athletes.

What to do instead:

• Focus on moderate weights (65%-80% of 1RM) with higher repetitions
• Increase total volume through additional sets rather than heavier weights
• Implement cluster sets to maintain technique quality
• Use volume variation across training cycles

Volume-Focused Training Structure:

1. Main movement patterns:
   • 4-5 sets of 8-12 reps
   • 2-3 minutes rest between sets
   • RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) 7-8 (leaving 2-3 reps in reserve, RIR)
2. Cluster Set Example:
   • Select 70%-80% of 1RM
   • Perform 4 challenging reps
   • Rest 15-20 seconds
   • Repeat 3 more times
   • Total: 16 quality reps per set
3. Weekly Volume Distribution:
   • Day 1: Push movements (18-22 total sets)
   • Day 2: Rest/mobility
   • Day 3: Pull movements (18-22 total sets)
   • Day 4: Rest/mobility
   • Day 5: Legs (15-18 total sets)
   • Days 6-7: Rest/mobility
4. Monthly Progressive Cycle:
   • Week 1: Moderate volume (12-15 sets per movement pattern)
   • Week 2: High volume (15-18 sets per movement pattern)
   • Week 3: Peak volume (18-22 sets per movement pattern)
   • Week 4: Deload (6-8 sets per movement pattern)

Key Takeaway: Higher volume with moderate weights promotes better joint health, maintains muscle mass, and allows for better technique maintenance compared to lower volume with heavier weights.

Implementation Guide: Making Changes Gradually

Making all these changes at once can be overwhelming. Here's a suggested 8-week plan to implement these modifications systematically:

Week 1-2: Focus on Recovery and Warm-up

• Add 5 minutes to your warm-up routine
• Increase rest between sessions by 24 hours
• Start tracking recovery markers

Week 3-4: Modify Exercise Selection

• Evaluate current exercises for joint stress
• Begin implementing alternatives for high-risk movements
• Start incorporating pause reps

Week 5-6: Address Volume and Intensity

• Reduce weights by 10-15% if needed
• Increase rep ranges
• Add sets rather than weight for progression

Week 7-8: Fine-tune Movement Quality

• Video record form for analysis
• Implement tempo training (this can be done at any point, even at the beginning, but if all of this feels overwhelming, always break things up)
• Add isolation work for weak points

Key Takeaway: Small, consistent changes lead to big improvements over the long term. Focus on one or two modifications at a time, not a whole laundry list.

Insufficient Protein Intake

Protein intake doesn't neatly fit into "training mistakes" because it's not movement. But I've included it as a "bonus section" because insufficient protein intake is a critical factor for the aging body. Aging leads to a decline in anabolic responses to protein intake, meaning older adults require more protein to maintain muscle mass and overall function. Increasing protein in the aging person's diet is an absolute must to maintain muscle, build muscle, shore up the immune system, and numerous other aspects of good health. Proper protein consumption becomes increasingly important after 50, as the body becomes less efficient at processing protein and building muscle. Those are simple facts.

What to do instead:

• Aim for 1.6-2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight
• Distribute protein intake evenly throughout the day. There's a tendency for people to eat very little or no protein at all in the morning. Stop doing that. Eat more protein than usual in the morning.
• Consider supplementing with high-quality protein sources like a quality whey protein powder if you're not getting enough in your regular diet.

Daily Protein Strategy:

1. Timing windows:
   • Breakfast: 25-30g
   • Post-workout: 30-40g
   • Lunch: 25-30g
   • Dinner: 25-30g
   • Pre-bed: 20-25g
2. Quality protein sources:
   • Lean meats
   • Fish
   • Eggs
   • Greek yogurt
   • Plant-based options

Key Takeaway: Consistent, adequate protein intake throughout the day supports recovery and maintains muscle mass. You can't build a fortress with Pop-Tarts.

Conclusion

Avoiding these 9 common mistakes can help make sure that your strength training routine continues to build and maintain muscle as you age while protecting your shoulders, knees, hips, and back. Adaptation and modification are critical and show that you're a thinking lifter, not a knucklehead. Show them young'uns a good example of how to be strong at 50, 60, and beyond.  Listen to your body, make adjustments as needed, and focus on long-term sustainability over short-term gains. You'll stay strong and fit into your 60s, 70s, and beyond. And if you enjoyed this article, don't miss How Long Your Walking Workout Should Be To Shrink Belly Fat.

Note: This article is for informational purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult with healthcare providers before starting or modifying an exercise program.

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