Wolff\u2019s Law<\/a>, which explains that bone adapts to the loads it\u2019s subjected to, becoming stronger and thicker with increased stress (like strength training) and weaker when stress decreases. Being stronger not only means having stronger bones but also improved balance and coordination, which reduces the risk of falls.<\/p>\nRegardless of age, it is convenient to stay upright, injury-free, and with all of your bones intact.<\/p>\n
Lift Smart, Recover Hard & Stay Strong<\/p>\n
But the biggest reason you want to continue picking up weights and putting them down is muscle. Muscle not only looks good at any age, but it\u2019s an active tissue that helps stave off the metabolic decline seen from age 50 and beyond.<\/p>\n
Muscle is the original fountain of youth, strengthens your bones, and keeps your metabolism humming. The trick is to keep it going for the long haul, but after 50, although strength training still rocks, the older body has different needs.<\/p>\n
\u201cRecovery is the biggest issue,\u201d says Landers. \u201cWe can still get and stay stronger than people half our age, but we have to be much more aware of proper sleep, good nutrition, and stress reduction if we want to recover between workouts.\u201d<\/p>\n
Landers explains in his book that medications and orthopedic issues influence the workouts and recovery.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe biggest issue most people deal with over 50 is joint pain,\u201d he says. \u201c Bad shoulders, worn-out knees, painful hips, even early arthritis. While strength training for the muscles is needed, our joints may not like a particular exercise or range of motion.\u201d<\/p>\n
So, does that mean saying goodbye to heavy lifting after 50? Not so fast, says Landers.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think older trainees need to be aware of the risk\/reward ratio of doing certain \u2018riskier\u2019 exercises and\/or doing maximal weights for low reps,\u201d says Landers. He is not against heavy lifting. Landers owns a 336-pound squat, a 303-pound bench press, and a 402-pound deadlift. He coached Barbara Garmon, to a World Bench Press title at age 70, after she survived a bout with breast cancer, had a debilitating arm fracture after a fall, and at the same time having her doctors advise her not to lift anything heavier than 10 pounds.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs long as you\u2019re consistently pushing yourself to get stronger, you don\u2019t need a 1-rep max to prove it,\u201d Landers explains. \u201cI keep most clients in the 8- to 15-rep zone.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Keys To Strength Longevity<\/p>\n
As we age, we need to avoid being the person who spends 15 minutes on the treadmill and calls it a workout. It\u2019s tempting, especially when joints ache and lifting heavy feels impossible.<\/p>\n
When Landers\u2019 clients feel like this, he shares this advice with them.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome days are diamonds, some days are coal,\u201d he says. \u201cOn a \u2018coal day,\u2019 we may be lucky to match the previous workout\u2019s weight and reps, and we may even need to lighten things up a bit to avoid a higher risk of injury.\u201d Diamond days are all systems go.<\/p>\n
When we are younger, it\u2019s easy to treat every workout like we\u2019re going to war, but for the over-50 lifter, this attitude is dangerous. \u201cI always say, one rep isn\u2019t going to make your progress,\u201d says Landers. \u201cBut one rep can definitely break your progress\u201d.<\/p>\n
Landers likes his clients to leave a rep or two in the tank, depending on the exercise. But with machines, he lets his clients go to failure on a final set if they\u2019ve maintained good form. He tries to find that sweet spot between progress and avoiding injury.<\/p>\n
\u201cPain is a real thing many of us experience in our 50s,\u201d says Landers. \u201cJoints wear out, we don\u2019t recover from training as we used to, but that doesn\u2019t mean we should avoid training. Most of the time, there is SOMETHING we can do in the gym.\u201d<\/p>\n
Between going all out all the time or simply finding something to do in the gym when the body isn\u2019t cooperating, training smarter is paramount.<\/p>\n
Here are Landers\u2019 keys for gym routine consistency.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- If an exercise causes sharp pain, avoid doing it. Even if it just \u201cdoesn\u2019t feel right,\u201d stop. You might need to adjust your grip or positioning to do it pain-free, or as mentioned before, you may need to go lighter or find an alternative.<\/li>\n
- Avoid overextended warmups. Warm up as much as YOU need to feel ready. At least a few minutes of general warmup, but you may need a bit of mobility work, and\/or a warmup set or two.<\/li>\n
- Use a higher rep range to lighten the load, or employ other strategies like pre-exhaust techniques, blood flow restriction, or whatever you need to do to get a higher intensity and stimulus from a lighter load.<\/li>\n
- Train as heavy as you can, but in higher rep ranges. Focus on recovery, sleep, nutrition, and stress management. Consistency rules: It\u2019s no big deal if you need to lower the intensity or frequency of training, but if you aren\u2019t consistently training, the downward spiral will accelerate.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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