Strength Training Guide for Executives over 40s

The majority of trainers in the gym are in their 20’s. If you are lucky enough to be in your 20's and reading this congratulations, you are playing a different game!

What works for people in their 20’s isn’t optimal for those in their 40’s. 

I’ve seen it too many times, young kids come in straight from the office and pull 200 KG deadlifts without a proper warm up except ONE working set!

On a good day I work up to a good weight for me, ON A GOOD DAY and not everyday is a good day but even on good days I don't get anywhere near these numbers!!

When you are in your 20’s you play by a separate set of rules and if you try and do what these guys are doing then nine times out of ten you end up injured, demotivated and back to square one. 

And so to avoid this situation, I’d like to share some considerations for people 40+ who want to get in or back into strength training...

1. Warm up your engine

The more milage your body has, the longer it takes to ‘get going’. There are two critical factors to consider here.

Never skip your warm-up.

It only has to be 5-10 minutes of some mobility drills and dynamic stretches. Always do a light “rehearsal” set on every exercise to get the mind to muscle connection and perform a mental rehearsal of that lift.

I have my clients performing an individualised warm-up routine every session. 

2. Tempo Work is Your Secret Weapon

Tempo is the speed in which you perform each rep. For new and older lifters, a controlled tempo should be used for almost every exercise, such as 3 seconds down with a 1 second pause than 1 second up.

Using slower tempos reduces momentum, reduces the chances of getting injured and improves mind-muscle connection, so the right muscles are doing the job. It also lengthens time under tension (the length of a set) which is an important variable for strength, muscle gain and weight loss.

The more time you spend under tension the lighter the weight will be. The more time you spend under tension the lighter the weight will be.

Who will get more out of an exercise?

1. The person who jerks and bounces the weight of their chest and has done 10 reps in 3.5 seconds, almost wrenching the joints out of their sockets.

Or

1. The person who lowers a weight slow and controlled, aware of breathing and joint position, pauses, then lifts back up with a strong contraction. They take 40 seconds to do their 10 reps.

3. Always Leave Reps in the Tank

Lifting to failure is a young man’s game. Pushing the limits in the gym is a thing of the past.

Train hard but intelligently.  

I use a what’s called ‘Repetitions In Reserve’ system.

4. Respect the Fact You Have a Life Outside of the Gym

The program that is followed by a 20 something year-old who eats 4000 calories a day living in parents basement, sleeping 11 hours a night and can train 6 days a week for 2-hours at a time is not the programme you should be following.

Sure he might look the part but as I mentioned above these guys play by a different set of rules.

You have responsibilities and obligations to contend with that a typical 20 something year old hasn’t . Kids, work, a mortgage, pets, friends, travel, meetings, getting the car booked in for a service… it’s a constant juggling act. Training is just part of the equation - not your entire life.

Being able to match your expectations with your exercise and look beyond only the aesthetic benefits is crucial for long-term health.

Training can be done safely and effectively over 40 years old. It just requires a little more thought than when you were stomping around the gym in your 20's.

If you're looking to get into the best shape of your life or get your shape back then book a free 15 minute discovery call with me today https://calendly.com/marwankillu or DM me on LinkedIn and see how I can help you!