The Key to Building Muscle for Men Over 50

As we get older, we tend to naturally lose our muscle mass. This is known as sarcopenia, and it starts to occur after the age of 40. Sarcopenia is incredibly common, with men losing around 30 percent of their muscle in their lifetime. However, this doesn’t mean you should accept aging and stop working out. There are many ways you can remain mobile, healthy, and still look great. Keep reading to find out the key to building muscle for men over 50.

Focus on Diet and Nutrition

The first thing you need to do is focus on your diet, so your body can get the nutrition it needs. While you might have gotten away with fewer dietary restrictions when you were younger, you need to stick to a meal plan if you want to build muscle as you age. Getting plenty of protein and vegetables in your diet is the key to building muscle for men over 50, and sticking with it will have a positive impact on your health.

Don’t Make Dramatic Changes to Your Diet

However, when you do make changes to your diet, don’t be too dramatic right away. A much better option is to gradually make alterations to your diet instead of committing to a massive caloric deficit. Cut around 200-300 calories a day for the first two to three weeks, so you don’t burn out right away. After that, you can start slowly cutting more from your diet.

Protect Yourself

As for the actual training, you will need to buy exercise equipment that will help keep you safe while working out. As you age, you become more prone to injury. Certain machinery, such as Smith machines and treadmills, ensure you won’t hurt yourself during your exercises. While using free weights is the best way to build muscle, you run the risk of suffering a severe injury. You can use different accessories such as gloves, knee pads, bands, and more to reduce the risk of injury. You should also do plenty of stretching before and after your workout to protect yourself as much as possible.

Give Yourself More Rest

The final tip is to give yourself more rest days. Instead of working out six days a week, add an extra day of rest so your body can recover. Over-exercising can be dangerous as you get older, so you should adopt a routine that features two to three rest days per week.