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Overcome Age-Related Muscle Loss: Secrets to Preserving Muscle Power


Senior Woman Exercises lifting weights

Did you know that muscle loss starts at 30 and accelerates at 60? 

Are you ready to improve your health for a longer life and boost your overall fitness from the comfort of your own home? Overcoming age-related muscle loss doesn't have to be hard! In this guide, we'll walk you through a series of effective bodyweight exercises that will help you increase muscle mass without equipment adding exercise to your daily routine. Whether you're a beginner or looking to switch up your routine, these exercises are perfect for you. 


Why Building Muscle Matters 

Building and maintaining muscle mass is essential for overall health and vitality, especially as we age. It enhances physical appearance and plays a vital role in longevity, supporting metabolism, improving bone density, and increasing strength to counteract aging processes. It doesn't stop there. 

  1. Reduced Risk of Mortality: A systematic review of 38 research papers with nearly 2 million participants found that higher levels of muscular strength in the upper- and lower body are linked to a lower risk of mortality, with women experiencing a 40% lower overall mortality rate​​. Furthermore, Dr Keith Baar, a professor at UC-Davis School of Medicine, highlighted in a radio interview with humanOS that being in the strongest third of the population in the 50s significantly increases the likelihood of living to be a hundred​​.

  2. Improved Mobility and Reduced Risk of Sarcopenia: The National Institute on Aging (NIA) emphasizes that maintaining muscle mass is crucial for mobility in older adults. About 30% of adults over 70 have difficulty walking, getting up from a chair, or climbing stairs. Muscle loss, known as sarcopenia, is a significant factor in physical disability, higher rates of falls, chronic disease, and mortality​​.

  3. Improved Insulin Sensitivity: Muscle mass aids in regulating blood sugar levels and improving insulin sensitivity. Higher muscle mass is associated with a lower risk of developing diabetes. A study conducted by UCLA in 2011 showed that for every 10% increase in skeletal muscle mass, there's an 11% decrease in insulin resistance and 12% in pre-diabetes​​—a condition showing higher-than-normal glucose levels in the blood.

  4. Reduced Risk of Falls and Fractures: Adequate lean muscle, especially in the lower-leg muscles, is associated with better balance and a lower risk of falls and fractures. People with decreased muscle mass have a significantly higher risk of falls​​. A study conducted on men aged 50-85 showed that a low skeletal muscle mass is associated with poor balance and an increased risk of falls.

  5. Enhanced Recovery from Illness or Disease: Lean body mass helps recover from illness or disease. Individuals with more muscle mass can better meet the increased protein requirements during illness, impacting survival rates from conditions like cancer and the toxicity of treatments​​.

  6. Metabolic Benefits: Lean muscle tissue plays a crucial role in maintaining a healthy metabolic rate, helping to prevent age-related fat gain. Muscle is a metabolically active tissue and accounts for a significant portion of daily calorie burn​​. This is crucial as maintaining a healthy weight and metabolic rate is linked to reduced risks of chronic diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular disease​​.

  7. Bone Health: Greater muscle mass is a predictor of better bone health. Muscle contractions stimulate bone remodelling, and studies have shown a positive correlation between muscle size and bone density and strength, which is vital for preventing osteoporosis​​.


Building a lasting workout habit

It doesn't matter if you are a beginner or picking up exercising for the first time after years or decades of inactivity. It's never too late, regardless of your age or fitness level. All you have to do is start somewhere. However, what matters dramatically is consistency. From past experiences, I have learned that long-term consistency is assured when strong habits are built. After many failed attempts to stick to my fitness routine, I realized that I had to schedule my new habit in a way that fits perfectly into my daily routine and lay cues in my environment to make it a no-brainer. Eg. I knew that after work was a bad time for me to hit the gym since I'd be too exhausted from work and just want to go home. Therefore, I started to go in the morning before work. Once I'm awake, I said to myself, I might as well go to the gym since I'm awake anyway and don't need to start working that early. But this was just one part; in all those failed attempts, I was always too eager and overdid myself in the beginning. So, I gave up every single time after a short while. So, this time, I took a different approach. I started slow, working out only once per week. Over a period of more than six months, I increased to 4-5 times per week. My habit is now so deeply ingrained in my body and brain that I become restless and feel imbalanced, impacting my sleep quality.


If you want to know more about how you can build a new, lasting habit, read our article about how to form lasting new habits.


Exercise Selection Overcoming Age-Related Muscle Loss

The following exercises target major muscle groups and can easily be performed at home without any equipment. All you need is a chair and two bottles of the same size filled with water (or if you have dumbbells). Start with the smallest bottle you can find and work your way up to increase the difficulty level.




Assisted Squat GIF

1. Assisted Squats 

Place a chair in front of you with its back facing you. Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, toes pointing slightly outward. Hold on to the back of the chair for your balance. Bend at the knees and hips, sitting slowly back as if you're lowering into an imaginary chair. Lower down until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor. Keep your chest up and your spine neutral. Push slowly through your heels to return to the starting position. Start with five repetitions and increase as you go over time.


For the advanced: If you feel like this is too easy, try it without the chair. It will require much more effort to maintain balance. Instead of holding onto the back of the chair, keep your arms straight out in front of you or clasped them together for better balance.


Key Points to Keep in Mind:

  • Ensure your knees don't go beyond your toes to reduce stress on your knees and maintain proper balance.

  • Keep your back straight and avoid rounding to protect your spine and engage the correct muscle groups.

  • Engage your core throughout the movement for better stability and to enhance the effectiveness of the exercise.


This exercise engages your glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings. These muscle groups play a vital role in maintaining balance and stability, reducing the risk of falls.




Lunges Exercise GIF

2. Assisted Lunges

Place a chair next to your side with its back facing you. Stand upright with your feet together. Take a step forward with one leg, bending both knees to lower your body slowly. Hold on to the chair for balance. The front knee should be bent at about a 90-degree angle and aligned with your ankle. The back knee should hover just above the ground. Push slowly through the heel of your front foot to return to the starting position. Repeat on the other side. Start with five repetitions for each side and increase as you go over time.


For the advanced: Try the same without the chair. It will require much more core work to stabilize yourself and keep balance. If you want to take it further, you can do walking lunges. Instead of staying stationary in one spot, you take a step forward with your back leg instead of returning to the starting position.


Key Points to Keep in Mind:

  • Keep your torso upright, avoid leaning forward to maintain balance, and target the correct muscles in your legs and hips.

  • Ensure your front knee doesn't go past your toes to prevent excessive stress on the knee joint.

  • Your weight should be on the heel of your front foot to ensure proper balance and to maximize muscle engagement in the glutes and hamstrings.

Lunges work your quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes similar to squats. However, lunges provide a more dynamic workout involving balance and coordination, and they target the muscles in a slightly different way, emphasizing unilateral strength and stability. In contrast, squats are generally more focused on building overall strength and power in the lower body, with an emphasis on the posterior chain. 




Walking Jacks GIF

3. Walking Jacks

Start standing with your feet together and your arms by your side. Step out to the side with one foot while raising both arms out to the sides and above your head. Bring your arms down as you step your feet back together. Repeat on the other side, continuing the motion in a fluid, walking manner.


For the advanced: Try jumping jacks. Instead of walking, jump, spread your feet wide and raise your arms overhead, then jump back to the starting position.


Key Points to Keep in Mind:

  • Keep your movements controlled and rhythmic for better coordination and to maximize cardiovascular benefits.

  • Ensure your arms and legs move simultaneously to effectively engage the upper and lower body.

  • Maintain an upright posture to prevent strain on the back and to improve overall stability during the movement.

Walking jacks elevate your heart rate and work your legs, shoulders and core. The increased heart rate improves cardiovascular endurance and overall heart health. Furthermore, the combination of arm and leg movements enhances coordination and agility.




Glute Bridge Exercise GIF

4. Glute Bridge

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Place your arms at your sides, palms down. Lift your hips off the ground by pushing through your heels, forming a straight line from your knees to your shoulders. Squeeze your glutes at the top, then slowly lower your hips back to the starting position. Start with five repetitions and increase as you go over time.


For the advanced: Try to perform the same exercise with one leg on the ground and the other stretched out in the air without putting it down between repetitions.


Key Points to Keep in Mind:

  • Keep your core engaged to avoid arching your back excessively, which helps protect your spine and ensures the glutes are effectively targeted.

  • Ensure your feet are not too far from your hips to maintain proper leverage and maximize glute and hamstring engagement.

  • Focus on using your glutes and hamstrings to lift your hips to effectively target these muscle groups and prevent overreliance on your lower back.

This exercise targets your glutes, core and hamstring. These muscles are engaged when lifting the hips off the ground. Essential for posture and daily activities. Strengthening the glutes and hamstrings can alleviate strain on the lower back and support the lower back, promoting better posture. 




Dumbbell Overhead Press GIF

5. Dumbbell (Water Bottle) Overhead Press

For this exercise, you'll need weights. Two small water bottles of the same size will work perfectly fine. If you have dumbbells, that's even better, but it's not a requirement.

Begin by standing with the bottles resting on your front shoulders, with your hands positioned next to your shoulders. Push the bottles upwards until they're balanced over your shoulders and mid-foot. At the top of the movement, lock your elbows and shrug your shoulders towards the ceiling. Hold the bottles in this position for a second, then lower it to your front shoulders. Repeat the movement without using your legs, ensuring they remain straight throughout the exercise. Begin with ten repetitions and gradually increase the number as you progress.


For the advanced: If you want to intensify the exercise, consider using larger bottles or heavier weights.


Key Points to Keep in Mind:

  • Maintain a flat back and avoid rounding to protect your spine and ensure proper engagement of the back and shoulder muscles.

  • Engage your core throughout the movement to provide stability and reduce the risk of injury to your lower back.

  • Avoid using momentum to lift the weights; focus on controlled movements instead. This approach not only promotes better strength gains but also reduces the risk of injury.

The overhead press targets your arms, shoulders, and core muscles. This exercise is beneficial for promoting correct posture and minimizing the risk of back pain. It also strengthens muscles that counteract the forward-leaning posture that many people adopt while sitting for extended periods.


Safety Precautions and Tips 

Before starting any exercise program, it's essential to keep safety in mind. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your workouts and prevent injuries: 

  • Warm-up: Prioritize a warm-up routine that includes dynamic stretches to prepare your muscles for the workout. Here are some great stretching exercises you can try out.

  • Proper Form and Posture: Maintain good form throughout each exercise to maximize effectiveness and reduce the risk of injury. Focus on engaging the targeted muscles and avoid unnecessary strain on joints. 

  • Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water before, during, and after your workout to stay hydrated and support optimal muscle function. 

  • Gradual Progression: As mentioned before, start with manageable repetitions and gradually increase the intensity and duration of your workouts as your strength improves. 

  • Consult a Doctor: If you have any pre-existing health conditions or concerns, it's always a good idea to consult a healthcare professional before starting a new exercise program. 


Nutritional Tips for Muscle Gain 

To support muscle growth, fueling your body with the proper nutrients is essential. Consider incorporating protein-rich foods into your diet, such as lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, beans, tofu and Greek yogurt. Protein plays a crucial role in muscle repair and development. As this is an important point and a significant topic in itself, I will be covering this in a separate article.


Conclusion 

Combating age-related muscle loss is crucial to maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle as we age. It doesn't have to feel like hard work or take more than 30 minutes. By integrating simple yet effective bodyweight exercises into your daily routine, you can significantly improve muscle mass, boost overall fitness, and enjoy many health benefits. These exercises, ranging from assisted squats to dumbbell rows, are designed to be accessible and manageable, regardless of your fitness level or age.

Remember, the key to success is consistency and gradual progression. Start slow, listen to your body, and gradually increase the intensity of your workouts. Coupled with proper nutrition and safety precautions, these exercises will enhance your physical strength and appearance and contribute to better bone health, reduced risk of chronic diseases, and improved mental well-being.

Don't let age be a barrier to achieving a healthier, stronger you. Whether you're just starting out or looking to spice up your fitness routine, these exercises offer a practical and effective way to counteract muscle loss and embrace a more vibrant and energetic lifestyle. So, take that first step today and embark on a journey towards a stronger, healthier, and more fulfilled life!



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