Question:
Can an older adult build
muscle through exercise?
Answer:
You can certainly expect muscle
growth at 64. The amount you can achieve will depend on
your natural levels of testosterone (which unfortunately
decrease as you get older) and the type of training you
do. To be frank, you most likely won't see the same results
as a man in his twenties but you will definitely see results!
The type of exercise that
will help you the most with muscle gain is basically what
works for all trainers. Lift heavy weights to muscular
failure in the rep range of 6 to 12 reps per set. Utilize
basic exercises that work the most amount of muscle mass,
such as squats, deadlifts, bench press, barbell rows, etc.
Eat lots of food and lots of protein. Follow these basic
priniciples and you can't go wrong.
You may find that you need
somewhat longer recuperation periods as you get older, especially
when you're lifting heavier weights. Your metabolism is
not as fast as it used to be and may need a little more
time in between heavy workouts.
I would suggest training every
other day with a split program that works half your body
one day then the other half of your body the next session,
e.g. back, chest, biceps, calves on Monday then shoulders,
triceps, thighs and abs on Wednesday. Repeat Monday's parts
on Friday and continue like that every other day.
This format should give you
enough time for recovery and keep your muscle growth moving.
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