5 Effective Strength Workouts to Shed Pounds and Build Muscle in Your 50s

It’s no secret that it’s common to lose muscle as you age. This is due to many factors, including being less active, hormonal changes, stress and more. When you hit your 50s and are on a weight loss journey, it’s so important to make sure you’re losing fat and not muscle. We spoke to a fitness pro who reveals the best strength training exercises to lose weight and build muscle in your 50s.

According to Lance Johnsona personal training instructor at Lifetime Coon Rapidsshould you perform the below workouts two to three times a week for weight loss and muscle gain. Just be sure to listen to your body and work out the best training schedule for you.

Johnson explains, “An important deciding factor is understanding your body and how things feel. If you find that you’re still very sore after a day off, you may need to take the extra rest day. As we age, our recovery time will slow down. , so making time for proper rest is the most important part of getting good results while avoiding injury.”

The exercises

Dumbbell Goblet Squat

“Squats are a very important exercise for building your legs and core full body strength,” Johnson says.

1. Stand tall with your feet just shoulder-width apart and a dumbbell held at chest height.
2. Keeping your feet flat on the floor, push your hips back and lower into a squat.
3. Lower until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
4. Drive your feet into the floor to stand up again.
5. Complete 5 sets of 15-20 reps at a lighter weight to start.

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Push-ups

“Push-ups are great for building chest, triceps, and shoulders,” says Johnson. “[This exercise is] also a great core and stomach booster. There can be many variations of a push-up that can be done.”6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

1. Assume a high plank position with your hands placed just outside shoulder width and your body in a straight line.
2. Bend your elbows to lower your chest toward the floor.
3. Keep your core strong as you push back up to a high plank.
4. Do as many reps as possible in 3 sets.

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Chin-Up

“These are great for helping build back, biceps and shoulders,” Johnson explains. “If you can’t do a chin-up without help, there are a few ways to get them done. Many gyms likely have a machine to help you pull yourself up and have multiple handles to perform a chin-up. Your place has not a machine at your disposal, you can hook a band around the bar and step into it to help you up.”

1. Grab a pull-up bar with your hands facing you, shoulder-width apart.
2. Hang onto the bar with your arms fully extended and tight.
3. Bend your elbows to pull yourself up until your chin goes away from the bar.
4. Use the control to lower.
5. Do as many reps as possible for up to 3 sets.

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Step up

1. Stand tall in front of a sturdy box, step or platform.
2. Place one foot flat on the surface.
3. Step up and bring your other foot to meet it on the surface.
4. Step down with your trailing foot, followed by your other foot.
5. Do 10 reps on each leg for 3 sets.

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Reverse Crunches

“[This is] a great exercise for tightening the lower abdomen,” says Johnson.

1. Lie flat on the floor with your knees lifted and feet together.
2. Press your hands and lower back into the floor, raise your knees and pull them towards your chest.
3. Your glutes and hips can lift off the ground as you pull in toward your chest.
4. Gradually lower your feet to tap them lightly on the ground and pull them back in.
5. Do 20 reps for 5 sets, completing a total of 100 reps.