5 Best Workouts for Men Over 50

1. Core Workouts

One of the biggest (pun intended) problems faced by older men is excess belly fat. Core workouts will help with these issues on the way to sculpting leaner and harder abdominal and chest areas. Doing three sets of sit-ups or crunches three times a week will help strengthen your stomach muscles.

Lower back pain can become quite annoying in your later years. Planking can help towards alleviating some of that pain. Lie on your stomach, and raise your body with your weight resting on your forearms and toes. Keep your body in a straight line and do not let your butt stick up. Contract your stomach muscles and breathe normally. Hold position for a slow count of 20. Relax and repeat the exercise, three to six sets.  
 

2. Cardiovascular Exercises

One’s lung capacity and heart strength diminishes with age. Cardiovascular exercises are done to strengthen and maintain your heart and lungs, burn calories, and convert fat to energy. Start slow, with brisk walks around the park, and then maybe move on to laps in the swimming pool. Make this a routine from three to four days every week.

Swimming helps you loosen joints that may have tightened up over the years. Alternatively, you can hop on a treadmill or exercise bike for 30 minutes, four times a week.
 

3. Resistance and Muscle Training

Your testosterone levels decline as you get older, so it’s perfectly understandable that older people get tired more easily. To counter this, you can start by lifting weights. Testosterone levels can be increased by sufficient weight training exercises.

The focus should be on exercises that work the larger muscle groups: the bench press, the military press, squats or leg presses. Start with light weights, 15 - 20 reps, then, over time, increase the weights and do 12 - 15 reps. Increased muscle mass will help elevate your metabolism and improve your body's ability to burn fat.
 

4. Lunges

Joint aches around the knees, waist and ankles are regular occurrences for men over 50. If you’ve jogged recently and find yourself unable to walk properly without feeling any pain, then you might want to work on those joints.

Although leg exercises such as squats are helpful in this sense, single leg exercises like lunges are even better. Training with each leg helps with balance, joint mobility, and strength of your tendons, ligaments, and muscles. Do four sets of 10 to 12 lunges per leg, using just your body weight.

 

5. Back Workouts

Working a desk job might contribute to the weakening of the upper and lower back muscles further along the line. So while the aforementioned planking helps in working the back muscles, there are other workouts that make the back muscles its main focus.

One of them is the “Superman”, or back raises. Supermans stretch out your tight muscles, while strengthening your weak ones. Lie on your front, with your hands at the side of your head, and lift your legs and torso off the floor as high as you can, pause for a second, then lower them again. Do three sets of 10 reps.
 

Disclaimer:
You must consult with your doctor prior to starting or performing any exercise program, if you have any current medical condition and/or medications or any current/previous injury that could possibly contraindicate any form of exercise.  Readers take full responsibility for their personal safety, including knowing their limits when exercising.  By voluntarily undertaking any exercises above, you assume the risk of any resulting injury.  It is your responsibility to evaluate your own medical and physical condition and to determine whether to perform, use or adapt any of the information or content above.  Any exercise program may result in injury.  Always ask for help if unsure.  Always warm up and cool down prior to and post any physical activity.  If you experience any light headedness, dizziness or shortness of breath when exercising, immediately stop exercising and consult a doctor.