As I’ve said before: most over-40 training systems are BS. This is cause 40 years old today ain’t like it used to be.
Sure some people will still peak in their teens and be broken down and overweight by their forties.
But many others training at 40 are only just hitting their stride with health, fitness, and physique development.
My point?
Treating and coaching everyone as an INDIVIDUAL is the key.
However, an unhappy truth (ain’t I just full of ’em lately) is that age IS more than a number—as are its effects on the body.
Now, there are general programming practices that can help mitigate common issues or at least help keep you from getting injured.
But staying with the “individualization is paramount” theme, the best age-related programming tweaks fundamentally involve ways to adjust the program as needed IN REAL TIME.
And the beauty is that these modifications are easy and stress-free, IF the program is BUILT TO FIT YOUR LIFESTYLE and not the other way around.
Here they are: 10 general programming practices for the over-40 trainee:
1. There’s no such thing as one single “best workout” for men over 40.
2. Find a 30-60 minute block every day to dedicate to exercise.
3. Two to three days are for moderate intensity cardio.
4. Make a commitment to go for a 15-minute walk outside, EVERY DAY.
5. Train Push, Pull, Legs (i.e., PPL), but have two different rotations for push, for pull and for legs.
6. For PPL-1, think low volume and high effort.
Take the last set for each exercise to failure. The focus is weekly progression. Try to get stronger in the same lifts each workout.
7. PPL-2 is more what you need and want, depending on your own personal context.
8. Train with weights when you can, 3-6 days per week.
Go back and forth between PPL-1 and PPL-2, generally, but if you’re feeling burnt, you can switch a PPL-1 workout to a PPL-2 version.
9. If you need to switch to a PPL-2 version too often, check your recovery.
10. Overall, stay structured but flexible.
Individualize your plan, chase progress but avoid burnout by weaving your workouts into your life (and not the other way around).
Ultimately, the goal for every older trainee is to be like a crafty, veteran quarterback—calling savvy audibles from the line of scrimmage.
One who can still throw the long bomb but is also wise enough to throw the ball away rather than take another big hit.
I’ll be the first to admit that none of this is complicated or ground-breaking.
Frankly, anyone who tries to make getting in shape at ANY age into a Ph.D level problem either doesn’t know what they’re doing or they’re focusing on things that don’t really matter to YOU.
Or they’re trying to sell you a bill of goods. More often it’s a mix of all three.
And yet, it’s NOT easy and even harder to do for yourself. (A lot of my clients are other coaches. Heck, I have a coach as well, for the same reason).
So if you’re ready to have someone who DOES know what they’re doing take over then please fill out my short coaching application HERE.
It’s time you get on the right plan for YOU.
– Coach Bryan