Can I Start Bodybuilding in My 50's?

By the time you reach 50, your body has been losing muscle mass for at least 20 years unless you have been exercising your muscles regularly. You can arrest and even reverse the process of muscular degeneration with a regular bodybuilding routine. Although your muscles will not respond as quickly as they would have if you had begun bodybuilding in your 20s, you will almost certainly achieve results you can see in the mirror.

Health Concerns

Bodybuilding puts strain on your joints. Consequently, if you have a history of joint problems, either abandon bodybuilding or stick to weight machines instead of free weights. Holding your breath while lifting, not recommended for bodybuilders of any age, is particularly dangerous for bodybuilders with high blood pressure. To gain muscle mass, you need to eat more. However, if your calorie consumption outpaces your body's ability to build new muscle, it will store the extra calories as fat. If you are seriously overweight, concentrate on dieting first and building muscle second.

Training Routine

Take your age into account when planning your training routine. Always warm up with about 10 minutes of light calisthenics before working out. Select a weight that you can lift eight to 12 times without stopping ; if you can complete 13 repetitions, it's time to increase your weight. Perform your first set of any exercise with half your workout weight to get blood circulating through the targeted muscles. Then perform one or two more sets of the same exercise at your normal workout weight.

Rest

After 50, your body needs more time to recuperate than it did when you were younger. Even younger bodybuilders should not work out two days in a row until they reach an intermediate level of muscular development. Over-50 bodybuilders should avoid working out a particular body part more than once a week, advises "Iron Man Magazine." Get eight hours of sleep every night, and reduce your workout intensity or take a week off if you start feeling sore more than 24 hours after working out a particular body part.
Benefits

Weight training increases muscle mass, which causes your body to work harder to supply your new muscles with nutrients, according to MayoClinic.com. Your body will burn more calories 24 hours a day, even when you are at rest. Bodybuilding also reverses the loss of bone density that typically occurs with age, making it less likely that you will break a bone in a fall. Former Mr. Universe Dave Draper asserts that weight training can improve skin quality by improving blood circulation. buy bodybuilding supplies online at www.halfpricegear.com