“It is 100% possible to regain or to build muscle mass at age 50 or older,” agrees Rufo. “To build muscle mass, there should be a major focus on nutrition and diet. Ensuring that you're consuming the proper amount of protein (this is our favorite) is critical to muscle development.
Building muscle mass when you're over 50 can be difficult. It's a good idea to check with your doctor and a fitness trainer before you start any endurance training. You want to make sure that your form is correct and that you're not lifting more weight than you can handle.
When it comes to seeing the physical results of your strength training and diet regime, most fitness trainers agree that it will take a few weeks for results to show. If you train consistently, then you should notice an increase in your muscle size from six to nine weeks of strength training.
If you're over 50 years old, you should be lifting weights at least three times a week in order to maintain muscle mass and bone density. However, if you are looking to build muscle or lose weight, you will need to increase the frequency of your workouts.
Typically, muscle mass and strength increase steadily from birth and reach their peak at around 30 to 35 years of age. After that, muscle power and performance decline slowly and linearly at first, and then faster after age 65 for women and 70 for men.
“It is 100% possible to regain or to build muscle mass at age 50 or older,” agrees Rufo. “To build muscle mass, there should be a major focus on nutrition and diet. Ensuring that you're consuming the proper amount of protein (this is our favorite) is critical to muscle development.
Once you reach ages 40–50, sarcopenia, or losing muscle mass as you age, begins to set in. To prevent this and to maintain independence and quality of life, your protein needs increase to about 1–1.2 grams per kilogram or 75–90 grams per day for a 75-kilogram person.
If you are currently in your 50s or 60s and have been lifting weights for many years, then it is likely that you will be able to continue doing so for many years to come. However, if you are in your 70s or older or have not been lifting weights for very long, you may need to start considering stopping.
Heavy weights.
Lifting weights is a great way to build muscle strength, but when you're over 50 there is no reason to push yourself too hard. Try a slightly lighter weight that you can safely do 10 to 12 reps with.
It's better when you spread it out over 3 days or more, for a minimum of 10 minutes at a time. Also spend time at least twice a week specifically working the muscles in your legs, hips, back, abs, chest, shoulders, and arms.
Bodyweight exercises like squats, push-ups, or step ups will help to increase muscle tone, maintain sound strength, build bone density, maintain a healthy weight, optimize metabolic function, and reduce the risk of injury, falls and fatigue.
Repeated research has shown that, through weight training, men and women in their 60s and beyond can grow muscles as big and strong as an average 40-year-old.
In older people's muscles, by comparison, the signal telling muscles to grow is much weaker for a given amount of exercise. These changes begin to occur when a person reaches around 50 years old and become more pronounced as time goes on.
Experts agree that working out regularly is one of the keys to better abs, with a mix of cardio work, strength training and abdominal exercises. “Whether it's weights or swimming or something else, you have to put in the work,” Marrs says.
Muscle. After you turn 50, you start to lose muscle at a faster rate. Your physical strength can get weaker, too. The best way to stop this slide is to lift weights or do strength training exercises like lunges and squats 2 to 3 times a week.
Much like a younger lifter, a person in their 50s is able to start powerlifting by learning the proper squat, bench press and deadlift form, structuring their training with a focus on the 3 main lifts and choosing accessory exercises to improve any weaknesses in strength or mobility.
When it comes to strength training, 30 minutes is the perfect amount of time to effectively work all the big muscle groups; the legs, the chest and the back.
For the sake of muscle recovery and replenishing glycogen stores, it's best to create a meal that consists of one-third fruits and vegetables, one-third protein, one-third complex carbohydrates (such as whole wheat bread, brown rice or quinoa) and a little fat for good measure, says Bonci.
If you are over 50, protein powder can be a vital part of your daily nutrition and fitness routine. Protein powder is a great way to supplement your current protein intake to improve muscle mass, fight illness and maintain bone density.
Two eggs give you 12 grams of hunger-satisfying protein. Half of that is in the yolk, so be sure to eat the whole egg for all the protein goodness. Recent research found that we build more lean muscle and boost muscle strength more when we eat whole eggs, not just the egg whites.
Whey protein offers the most benefits for older adults, but you likely won't notice any dramatic differences as long as you eat plenty of protein overall. The overall best protein powder for men and women over 50 is whey protein. The best plant-based alternative, if you avoid dairy, is soy protein.