Retirement as well as advanced age mean huge changes in everyday life. They also apply to exercise and diet. Fortunately, in retirement, you can still build muscle and do workouts. Learn how to safely build muscle in retirement and what sports are suitable for a senior.

Contents:

  1. How To Build Muscle In Retirement - Diet
  2. How To Build Muscle In Retirement - The Importance Of Cardio Training
  3. How To Build Muscle In Retirement - Safety During Exercise
  4. How to build muscle in retirement - a sample set of exercises
  5. How to build muscle in retirement - sports for seniors

How to build muscle in retirement? It turns out that muscle mass can be built at any age. However, the key is to combine the right diet with safe, fitness-adjusted exercise. Always check with your doctor before starting any training session. There are situations when it is not recommended - e.g. after treatments or injuries.

A lot also depends on your overall he alth assessment. The training plan should not be too difficult at the beginning - of course, fatigue always occurs, but it must be "he althy" and one that does not strain the body excessively.

As the years go by, a person's muscle mass decreases, and sometimes at a surprising pace. This does not mean, however, that it cannot be built anew. It is enough to approach the exercises in a slightly different way than young people.

How To Build Muscle In Retirement - Diet

Without proper nutritional support, it is difficult to build muscle mass. And for seniors, this is even more of a challenge. What do you absolutely have to take into account?

  • Protein

Proteins are very important in building muscle mass, but there shouldn't be too much of them. Why? Because the body is able to "process" only a certain amount of them at a time.

So how much protein should you consume? For example, the Harvard He alth blog recommends that in an adult, protein should account for 15-25% of caloric intake per day.

  • Water

Drinking it regularly (and in the right amount) is an important part of any training and building muscle mass. Without the right oneWhen you stay hydrated, it is difficult for your body to absorb and use the nutrients you ingest with food.

How much water should you drink a day? Here the indications are slightly different, e.g. about 3.5 liters for men and 2.5 liters for women. Of course, this should be the sum of drinking water and the amount of water that we consume with other products (as you know, everything contains water).

In the case of seniors, it is important because in the fall of life you often feel much less thirsty. And this does not mean that you need less water.

  • Carbohydrates

They are the source of energy for exercise, so they must be included in the diet. However, their excess is not desirable, so everyone has to find a specific balance.

  • Other

Seniors should eat a lot of high-fiber foods as they often face constipation.

The appropriate level of calcium (bone strengthening - important during exercise) and vitamin D are also important (it is worth testing its level; in the autumn and winter season, most people in Poland have a vitamin D deficiency due to less sunlight) .

How To Build Muscle In Retirement - The Importance Of Cardio Training

Although cardio training is not intended to build muscle mass, it is of great importance when it comes to the overall endurance of the body, especially the heart muscle. Thanks to cardio, it works better and you can say that it is used less.

The risk of developing atherosclerosis, hypertension, diabetes, overweight and obesity also drops significantly. In the case of seniors, it is very important to maintain a good condition of the cardiovascular system.

While strength training for building muscles can be performed, for example, twice a week, cardio training should supplement them in the right amount - preferably three times a week. It is not about an effortless approach to the subject. Swimming, cycling or jogging is enough, depending on your condition and state of he alth.

How To Build Muscle In Retirement - Safety During Exercise

It is worth avoiding repeatedly switching from standing to lying position or sitting on the ground. During such exercises, many seniors suffer from dizziness or even nausea. In all workouts, you should pay attention to this when changing position.

If such symptoms appear, however, you do not have to give up exercise immediately. It's best to take a break, take a few deep breaths, and try again. But when that doesn't help and the dizziness keeps repeating itself, it is worth looking for other exercises.

Importantthere are also slow movements - even those that seem slow. This is important, for example, when lifting weights. Seniors should not work with heavy loads. The smaller ones lifted in a slow motion are better - that's when the muscles work with greater intensity and you have a chance to develop them.

How to build muscle in retirement - a sample set of exercises

Each strength exercise described in the training below should be performed with three series of six repetitions. A break of approximately one minute is required between each series. It is also an initial suggestion.

It is worth observing how the body reacts to exercise. Sometimes one series will be very tiring and it is best to stop there, or on the contrary - after three you will have a lot of strength to do more.

The second note concerns the rhythm - it should be 10/10 (10 seconds of bending, 10 seconds of stretching). If the exercises are performed with dumbbells, the ideal weight is about 1.5-2 kg. Here, too, you need to take into account individual predispositions and conditions.

Sometimes seniors used to weight training will need even lighter dumbbells because the indicated exercises are performed at a slow pace.

  • Warm-up

Before exercising, take approximately five minutes to warm up slightly. This could be a treadmill or exercise bike, for example. Warming up is important because it reduces the risk of injury during training.

  • Push-ups by the wall

If getting down to the ground while exercising is not a problem, traditional push-ups in the mentioned rhythm 10/10 can be done instead. And if it is difficult, you should stay standing.

We spread our arms wide and rest our hands on the wall. For 10 seconds, slowly bend the elbows so that the chest comes closer to the wall. It is important to keep your body straight during the course of the day.

Then we return to the starting position at a slow pace for 10 seconds. To make the exercise a bit more difficult, you can lift one of the legs and put them behind the body.

  • Compressing a load

This exercise can be performed standing or - a bit more comfortable and lighter - sitting. As a weight, the exercise plate works best. Place it between your palms, raise your elbows up and point it outwards. Then we do an exercise that looks like we want to crush a plate or are praying intensely. We squeeze it tightly and intensely for 10 seconds.

  • Lateral bend with weight

We hold the weight (dumbbells will be the best) in one hand lowered along itside. Then we tilt the body (without bending down) towards the weight for 10 seconds and then return to the upright position for the same amount. We repeat the exercise six times on one side and also six times on the other.

  • Zottman Deflection

Quite challenging, but great exercise for biceps and forearms. You will need two dumbbells for this. We stand straight with the dumbbells, our arms are lowered along the body. Then we raise the dumbbells, bending the elbows, and twist the squeezed palms upwards.

Then we turn them again - 180 degrees to the inside of the body. This should take 10 seconds. Then slowly lower your arms with the dumbbells down and return to the starting position (another 10 seconds).

  • Przysiady

You can do them with or without a load - in both cases they have a good effect on building muscle mass (because the body is the weight itself). It should take 10 seconds to flex and return to the starting position.

What is important about squats when it comes to seniors? When you have problems with balance, you can stick to a wall or a chair. In addition, to take good care of your knees, focus your weight on the heels.

  • Tiptoe lifting - calf lift

An excellent exercise for shapely calves. We make them standing up, with or without weights. We start in an upright position. If we use dumbbells, let our arms with them be lowered freely along the body.

Then try to stand firmly on your toes (10 seconds) and then return to the starting position (another 10 seconds). As with squats, it is a good idea to lean against a wall or chair when you have problems with balance.

  • Slow stretching exercises

We always do them after training - this allows the heart rate to return to the appropriate level, and also to avoid possible injuries or muscle aches.

During stretching exercises, it is worth considering whether you change something in the exercises or, for example, increase the load. With time, the weights should become heavier and heavier, because only in this way it will be possible to build muscle mass nicely.

How to build muscle in retirement - sports for seniors

And what sports are especially recommended for seniors? Here are some hints:

  • Swimming

Good for everyone. For seniors who suffer from bone and joint pain, it is a great alternative to other sports.

  • Sitting aerobics

A real hit in the West! Thanks to the sitting position, we get tired less and we can do more exercises.

  • Nordic walking

A seemingly simple walk with poles, but it involves a huge amount of muscles. Anyone who wants to cultivate it can easily.

  • Cycling

Supports the work of the heart, allows you to burn unnecessary calories. It also does not burden the spine.

  • Gymnastics

Can be performed at home or under the supervision of a trainer. You can also make new, interesting acquaintances in the group. Workouts with the use of exercise tapes are very popular.

  • Yoga

It is a great remedy for joint pain and less mobility. It improves the flexibility of muscles and joints, and at the same time does not burden them. However, it is worth using classes for seniors under the supervision of specialists, the more that more difficult positions should not be performed by older people.

About the authorDaniel Works A Polish and American philologist by education, by profession - more like the former. For over a decade, he has been working on texts: writing, editing, and occasional proofreading. He specializes primarily in home & living, but also writes about culture, art, fashion, he alth, tourism and everything that will attract attention and interest. Privately, a fan of series with a plot detached from reality and - possibly in terms of time and other possibilities - a traveler.

Category:

Geriatrics