Lifting As You Get Older
 

I’ve seen all sorts of workout routines on the TFP, many pretty darn good! As the years have passed I have made changes to my routine and have over the past year or so switched from heavy lifting to a more balanced (for me anyway) sequence of cardio and circuit-type lifting.

I lifted fairly heavy in my late 30s and early 40s. Bench was up to 365, squats 490 and shoulder press 275. I moved to almost exclusively using dumbbells in my late 40s using lower weight but gaining the advantage of a new focus on balance. I got into road bike riding in my mid-40s and changed to spin classes after moving to Michigan several years ago. As I’m entering my early 50s I need to change again to protect my joints!

Now I have a regular mix of lifting and cardio for overall health and balance. Also, I dropped the gym membership after all these years since I have equipment at home and it saves the travel time. I do all this at home using an adjustable bench, a dumbbell set called PowerBlock along with a Le Monde spin bike and a Nordic Track cross-country ski machine for cardio.

Here’s a link to thedumbbell system (I couldn't get a photo to copy here but it's at the end of the post):

PowerBlock - World's Best Dumbbell

I alternate cardio each time and get through all three each week. The three versions are:

HIIT: Hi intensity intervals. After a 10-minute warm-up I either pyramid with 15 second, 30, 45, 60 and 90 seconds and then back down with the same rest time in between. I’ll repeat that sequence several times. Or, I do 1-minute sprints with 2-minutes rest in between for 5-7 times. My goal on the longer sprints is to get well up into zone four and then drop to the middle of zone three during the rest. This is a 45-minute workout (or an hour if I feel really good).

Endurance: Simply put, this is a 1-hour workout at a steady pace just below my anaerobic threshold.

Climbing: This version, for 45 minutes to an hour is at a slower cadence but much higher tension. It also balances out the minimal amount of legwork I do when lifting

Lifting is for days one, three and five. Cardio is done on days two, four and six. I rest on day seven!

Here is the sequence of lifting that I complete in reverse each day I lift, all with dumbbells. I do the most weight I can and still complete 15 reps with the last rep or two difficult. I also move from movement to movement with only the time in between to adjust the weight and bench and sometime I have to catch my breath! I complete two of these sequences each time I lift with stretching and core work in between and more stretching at the end. In total this takes about an hour.

Pullovers: I use two PowerBlocks together although you can use a single dumbbell if you use the traditional weights

Squats or leg press: holding the weights by your side

Back shoulder lats: leaning over with one hand on the bench

Flys: you can adjust the bench from flat to incline to decline each time to mix things up

Row: just the normal dumbbell row

Bench press: nothing fancy

Good mornings: holding the dumbbells to the side and then front as you lean over

Incline bench: again, nothing fancy

Lateral shoulder lifts: you can do these out to the side or in front with your elbows bent

Triceps: I do these lying on the bench with the weights over my head and also slightly behind my head as a variation

Front lat lifts: position the hands like you are walking or vary with the palms facing down

Biceps: there are all kinds of variations here and I really try to mix it up

Shoulder press: either in front of your face or further back; you can also vary with the wrist twists in front

Pull ups: I use a bar hanging from my basement ceiling and I do as many as I can on the last set; also, I always do these last, even when I reverse the sequence as these take a lot out of me

I’m not putting this out there for critique but I welcome suggestions on other options for lifting lighter. I’m only sharing what has been working for me. I think the weight routine is great for fat burning and I gain cardio benefits from the fast pace

Sounds like a good bunch of work there. I hope I'm still lifting into my 50's and beyond. Just turned 41 this summer, and I still love the weights.