The Most Ideal Exercises for Middle-Aged Men

Posted: June 2, 2015

As men move into middle age, a common struggle is maintaining strength and muscle mass while warding off excess body fat. Finding a formula for success can be difficult, and there are several key components: nutrition, hydration, proper sleep, reducing stress levels, and eliminating things like smoking or excessive alcohol intake.

But no plan will be optimal without some sort of exercise regimen. Because maintaining lean muscle is important, lifting and resistance training must be incorporated to achieve this goal.

If you are an inexperienced lifter (or it has been awhile), it can be intimidating and confusing knowing where to start. Fitness facilities today come replete with all sorts of equipment, devices, and gadgets that usually promise more than they deliver.

So what to do? Just start with the basics, the simple exercises and pieces of equipment to operate, and work your way up from there. Focus on multi-joint exercises, because the more joints you are moving, the more muscles you are working, and the more efficient your workout will be.

Here are a few recommendations on easy-to-operate machines:

• Leg press: You begin either lying down or on a reclining chair with your knees bent and your feet positioned shoulder width apart on a platform. The goal is to straighten out your legs and push the weighted platform away from you. Targeted muscles: the quadriceps muscles in the front of your thighs, the hamstrings in back of your thighs, and the glutes, the muscles in your buttocks.

• Lat pull-downs: You will begin either seated or on one knee facing the machine. Your arms will be fully extended above your head to grab the bar, and you will pull it to chest level in front of your face, keeping your mid and lower body stable. Targeted muscles: the latissimus dorsi, trapezius, and rhomboid muscles in your back, as well as your deltoids (shoulders), biceps, and forearm muscles.

• Seated row: Begin seated with your feet braced against a stable platform. You will reach forward to grab a bar with arms fully extended, and then pull it back until you’re in a seated upright position. Targeted muscles: lats, traps, and rhomboids in your back, plus your biceps, forearms, shoulders, quads, and hamstrings.

• Chest press: Here, you lie on your back on a bench and push up a weighted bar attached to a machine until your arms are fully extended. Targeted muscles: pectorals in your chest, as well as the triceps and anterior deltoids in your shoulders.

Incorporating these exercises into your routine will cover all of your major muscle groups and get you off to a great start and a healthier, fit body.

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Disclaimer: This article is made available for general, entertainment and educational purposes only. The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of Low T Center. You should always seek the advice of a licensed healthcare professional.