Muscle building after 40 can be challenging. Your testosterone levels are lower than in your 20s, you don’t recover from workouts as quickly, and it’s easy to get injured if you’re not careful.
And there we have all these guys giving us advice all the time. I know they have no bad intentions, but I want to show you what advice doesn’t help you build muscle after 40.
That said, it’s still possible to build muscle after 40 – you have to be smart about it.
This article will share the worst advice you could ever get about muscle building over 40 and what you should do instead.
12 Worst Tips Ever About Muscle Building After 40
#1 Lift heavy weights and go for low reps
When focusing on muscle building after 40, one of the worst pieces of advice you could ever get is to “lift heavy weights and go for low reps.” I want you guys to understand that this is terrible advice for two reasons.
First, weight training without proper form makes it easy to get injured. Second, you’re not going to build much muscle if you’re only doing low reps – you need to do a mix of high and low reps to see results.
What you should do instead: Focus on lifting weights that are challenging but not so heavy that you’re sacrificing form. And make sure to mix up your reps – do some sets of high reps and some sets of low reps.
This will help you build muscle without putting yourself at risk for injury and is excellent for bodybuilding for 40-year-olds.
#2 Train each muscle group 3 times per week.
Another terrible piece of advice is to “train each muscle group once per week.” I want you guys to understand that this is a mistake because your muscles need time to recover after a workout. So if you train them too often, you’re just going to over-train them and not see results.
Instead, you should train each muscle group every 5-7 days. This will give your muscles enough time to recover between workouts and help you see results.
I assure you this will help when muscle building after 40, my friends.
#3 Only use isolation exercises
Many people think the only way to build muscle after 40 is by doing isolation exercises, but this is not true. I want you guys to understand that isolation exercises are essential, but they shouldn’t be the only exercises you’re doing.
You miss any gains if you only use isolation exercises like bicep curls and triceps extensions. This is because compound exercises are much more effective at muscle building after 40.
What you should do instead: In addition to isolation exercises, include compound exercises in your routine. Compound exercises are exercises that work for multiple muscle groups simultaneously. As mentioned above, they’re great for muscle building after 40 and can help you get results faster.
#4 Avoid carbs
Another mistake people make when muscle building after 40 is avoiding carbs. Carbs give you energy and help your body recover from workouts. So that you know, carbs are an essential part of your diet, and you should never avoid them.
The best way to get carbs is from whole wheat bread, oatmeal, brown rice, and sweet potatoes. These are all great sources of complex carbs to help you build muscle.
Instead, you should eat complex and simple carbs to get the energy you need to work out and recover from your workouts. You can also supplement with a carb powder to ensure you get enough carbs.
#5 Do lots of cardio
Cardio is essential for many things, but building muscle isn’t one of them. Many people think cardio is necessary for muscle building, but it’s not true. Cardio can hinder your muscle-building efforts by the loss of muscle mass.
I cannot stress this enough, but during cardio, your body starts to break down muscle for energy, decreasing muscle mass.
What you should do instead: If you want to focus on muscle building after 40, center on lifting weights and doing resistance training. This is the best way to build muscle mass over 40. Of course, you can still do some cardio, but don’t make it the focus of your workout routine.
#6 Don’t take protein
Another mistake people make when muscle building after 40 is not getting enough protein. I want you guys to understand that protein is essential for muscle growth and that you must get enough of it to build muscle. The best way to get protein is from lean sources such as chicken, fish, and tofu.
It would be best to supplement with a protein powder to ensure you get enough protein in your diet. Protein shakes are a great way to get additional protein into your diet.
Make sure you’re getting enough protein in your diet by eating lean sources of protein and supplementing with a protein powder, and you will be on your way to doing some serious muscle-building after 40. Protein shakes are a great way to get additional protein into your diet.
Remember a lot of age-related muscle loss reasons are the lack of protein.
#7 Four hours of sleep is enough
Sleep is essential. Getting enough sleep during a busy lifestyle can be challenging, but getting at least 7-8 hours per night is essential.
When you don’t get enough sleep, your body doesn’t have time to recover from your workouts, and can even cause muscle loss.
What you should do instead: Make sure you’re getting enough sleep by going to bed at a reasonable time and waking up at a reasonable time. You should also get 7-8 hours of sleep per night.
Don’t underestimate the importance of good sleep in building muscle mass.
#8 Don’t drink too much water
Water is essential for many things, and muscle building after 40 is one. It can be easy to forget to drink water, but staying hydrated is vital. The best way to stay hydrated is to drink eight glasses per day.
What you should do instead: Make sure you’re drinking eight glasses of water per day to stay hydrated and help your body recover from your workouts.
#9 Don’t warm up before your workout
Warming up is essential for many things, but muscle building after 40 is one of them. A proper warm-up will help you avoid injuries and help you get the most out of your workouts, which will add to your muscle-building-after-40-journey. It can be easy to skip your warm-up, but it’s essential to ensure you’re doing it correctly.
Most fitness experts will tell you that you should warm up for 5-10 minutes before your workout. But they don’t tell you that the type of warm-up you do is just as important as the length of time you spend warming up.
What you should do instead: A proper warm-up should consist of two parts: dynamic stretching and light cardio. Dynamic stretches are essential because they help loosen up your muscles and prepare them for the workout ahead.
Light cardio is also important because it helps to increase your heart rate and get your blood flowing.
These things are essential for muscle growth because they help improve your range of motion and increase blood flow to your muscles.
#10 Don’t cool down after your workout
Cooling down is just as important as warming up, but many people skip their cool-down. I know it can be easy to stop your workout and go home, but it’s essential to ensure you’re taking the time to cool down properly.
A proper cool-down will help your body recover from your workout and avoid injuries. Not only that, but it will also help improve your flexibility, and you recuperate from those sore muscles more quickly.
Make sure you’re taking the time to cool down properly after your workouts. Spend 5-10 minutes stretching and foam rolling. This is an excellent exercise recovery after 40. Your body will be able to recover correctly, and you will prevent injuries.
And remember, no injuries mean you can continue working on your muscle building without any nasty interruptions.
#11 Don’t track your progress
If you want to see results, you need to track your progress. This is essential when you start your fitness journey.
You might not see results immediately, but if you track your progress, you’ll be able to see your progress. This will help keep you motivated and on track.
What you should do instead: Make sure you’re tracking your progress to see the results of your hard work.
You can track your progress by taking photos, measuring your body fat percentage, or monitoring your strength gains.
#12 Do joint-pounding workouts
Joint pounding workouts are exercises that put a lot of stress on your joints. These workouts can lead to injuries, especially as you get older.
Joint pounding exercises include running, jumping, and lifting heavy weights. If you have any pre-existing injuries or joint problems, these exercises can make them worse.
Instead, you should avoid joint-pounding workouts and focus on gentle exercises on your joints. Some examples of low-impact exercises are walking, swimming, and yoga.
Conclusion
There you have it, the worst advice you could ever get about muscle building over 40. Avoid these 12 mistakes, and you’ll be fine. Practicing bodybuilding over 40 is a great way to stay healthy and get in shape.
Remember, it’s never too late to start building muscle. Being over 40 doesn’t mean you can’t achieve your fitness goals. With hard work and dedication, anything is possible. Keep in mind to do a proper warm-up before your workout. This prevents injuries.
I want you guys to understand that the advice given in this article is not definitive. There is no “one size fits all” approach to fitness. What works for one person might not work for another. I advise you to find out what works best for you.
Any bad advice you guys want to share with us?
If you have any comments or questions, please leave them in the comment section below.
