You have said goodbye to the thirties and now are moving into your forties and now you ponder. Can I still build muscle after 40? This article discusses if and how it is possible to build muscle after 40 and what precautions you may consider if you trying.
The fact is you can build muscle at any age and men should not have a problem building muscles in their forties, fifties, or longer. In fact, studies have found that men in their 40’s and 50’s can build muscle just as well as men in their twenties. You just need to keep in mind a few extra things.
As you get older you just need to be a little more considerate of your body.
How to Build Muscle After 40
Your strength gain goal will determine how often and how long you need to lift.
If you just want to look fit and have modest gains, three or four workouts a week for 25-30 minutes will do wonders within months.
If you want to compete or become ultra-fit, you may need to go more often and for longer.
I recommend a short lifting routine four times a week to start, consisting of four to six exercises of about 8-12 reps each training day. Much of my inspiration came from Gert Louw who showed you can have an amazing body transformation and build muscle after 40.
One of my favorite routines on Monday and Tuesday, rest on Wednesday, and then back at it on Thursday and Friday. Then rest again on the weekend.
This works out well with most of our busy schedules and frees up your weekends for other activities.
However, there is no perfect schedule for everyone, so mix it up as you need, just give yourself the rest you need for your muscles to recover.
Some Keys to Build Muscle After 40
Keys to building muscle over 40 that you will need to know are:
- Lift to Failure – If you want to build more muscle you have to lift to failure and increase the amount you lift by about 5-10% weekly. You can also increase reps by 10%. New weight ranges should start at 8 and go to 16 or 18 before moving up a weight.
- Diet Matters – Eating a whole food diet with plenty of meat and healthy fats is essential.
- Rest Up – Getting 7-9 hours sleep and take days off for muscles to heal
- Mix up The Exercises – Your body is complex and needs variety to grow. Mix up your exercises monthly as you go.
- Consistency is King – Gaining muscle is a marathon, not a sprint. The goal is to go every day you have scheduled, and return the next day, next week, next month and so on. Go not matter how you feel. Some days, maybe many days, you will have to do it to feel like it! Once you are there and get going you will feel like it.
A Few Precautions
Additionally, as you reach 40 and over you need to:
- Have a one month cutting period every 2-3 months to strengthen tendons and ligaments. This a time where you increase the reps more to the 14-16 range.
- Don’t overdo it (this doesn’t mean not going to failure, this means not doing a million sets of the same exercise over and over)
- Stretch out the soreness as your muscles grow. Soreness usually indicates an area that needs to be stretched and it is even more important as you age.
Keep in mind, as you get older your diet is more and more important. If your nutrition is garbage your results will be garbage.
No man’s diet is the same and yours will change depending on your goals. If your goal is to build muscle it will likely be much different than someone just looking to lose weight.
Keep in mind that losing weight and gaining muscle don’t go hand and hand. You may have to shed some pounds then focus on the muscle building.
Be consistent in your routine, even if your diet isn’t perfect. Actually, many times when you overeat, lifting may really help you get back on track.
However, ultimately a lean protein-packed diet may be the way to go.
And intermittent fasting may actually help you gain muscle if you time your workouts right. For more information on how fasting can help you lose weight and build muscle after 40, check out my Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Intermittent Fasting.
So what are you waiting for, go lift some weights!