Aging Through Fitness

Aging Through Fitness

There is a 20-year gap between these two photos, two children and 18 years of marriage. A picture is worth a thousand words. What is evident from these two photos is the amount of muscle growth and body conditioning I have achieved well into my 40s.

In my 20s, I didn’t do any strength training at all. In fact, my perception of a fit body was influenced by the images of thin models on the cover of fitness magazines. I assumed to be thin, was to be fit. It was not until I had my son almost 17 years ago that I took an interest in strength training and the physical benefits associated with it. I knew that cardio alone was not going to give me the muscle definition I desired. So I set about finding a personal trainer who guided me through the process of lifting weights to condition and change the shape of my body. This was 2005 and I never looked back. Today, as an athlete and personal trainer, I encourage my clients to include resistance training in their workouts and to set realistic targets, to help them achieve their goals.

Building muscle takes time, commitment and consistency. If you are a beginner to strength training, below are some exercises you can do to get you started. With a tailored programme, you can achieve the body you desire in your 40s and beyond.

➡️ include body weight exercises in your workouts, i.e. pushups, squats and lunges.

➡️ resistance band movements. Resistance bands maintain constant tension on the muscles throughout the entire movement of an exercise and therefore create greater muscle growth.

➡️ workouts with free weights, or even objects around the home like soup cans.

➡️ workouts with stationeary weight machines, like a leg curl.