Simple Workouts for Men over 40
Men in their forties lead very busy lives. Many are established professionals in their chosen fields, while some may be their own bosses. Most have families and busy personal lives they want to maintain.
So where in these busy lives they lead can they find time for a workout?
For some men, the only option they have is to try to make it to the gym after work or on weekends. Others hire a personal trainer to supervise their workouts and help them formulate a schedule. But for those men who simply want to work out at home and still be able to get in the correct amount of exercise that they need, there is another option.
Choosing simple, easy exercises can give men the healthy lifestyle that they want and it also doesn’t require them to devote all of their limited free time to working out.
Below we will discuss different exercises that men can do at home once family time is over for the day or when they wake up in the morning. Some of these are also great for a quick workout during your lunch break at work. Some may require you to purchase equipment to have in your home, though with most of these, the equipment is relatively cheap.
Chin Ups
Thanks to physical education class in high school and the common practice of joining a sports team, most men have done a chin up at some point during their lifetime. This exercise is a quick and easy way to help build upper body strength and to tone up your biceps and shoulders.
Once you have your chin up bar in place (most simply attach to a door frame) you have a few options for how to achieve your chin up. If you are looking to build upper body strength but cannot pull yourself up, you can jump and grab a hold of the bars and then slowly bring yourself back down.
After a few workouts doing this, you should have gained enough strength to pull yourself up while standing. You could also choose to have someone stand behind you and help support your back, giving you a little boost until you are able to lift yourself on your own.
Golf Swing
This exercise is great for golfers, and it puts you at an advantage since you will already know the main movement. Using a long bar or rope, stand with your feet hip-width apart and firmly planted on the ground.
Once you have completed this step, twist your torso in one direction while holding onto the bar or rope, then you will swing your body back around to the other side with force. This helps with your abs and core, as you are essentially performing a standing side crunch with a little balance help from the bar.
This will also help golfers with the power behind their swing, which could help you to sink more holes in one.
Push-Up
A standard exercise for most men is the push-up. In school classes, sports teams, or military service, you would have been required to do a push-up during training.
It is one of the easiest exercises for men, especially those over forty, and gives you a total body workout. Though it mainly focuses on your shoulders, chest, and abs, it can help you strengthen your leg muscles as well.
Sit-Up
Another great exercise for men is the sit-up. A sit-up can give you a great ab workout while remaining in a sitting position. Start out lying on your back with your legs bent at the knees. With both hands behind your head, slowly rise until you are sitting with a slight recline to your back.
These can be repeated many times, and also can be compounded on to create different exercises. With a partner standing in front of you, reach out your hands and grab theirs while you are still lying on the floor. Push yourself up while they gently pull you with you doing most of the work. Instead of continuing to sit once you have reached an upright position, your partner will pull you to your feet.
Once you have landed on your feet, move back down to the floor and repeat. Another add-on for sit ups is side crunches. As you are coming up off of the floor, turn to one side and then the other before laying back down. This will help you amplify your workout without doing too much extra.
Remember not to pull on the back of your neck as you are rising from the floor, this can cause injury to your spine.
Lunge
One last simple exercise is the lunge. While it is mostly a stretching exercise, it can help strengthen your leg muscles and help increase muscle mass as well. From a standing position, place one foot away from your body and turn your hips towards that foot.
Once in position, begin to lower your torso over that leg, keeping your back as straight as possible. Your outstretched knee should bend while your back leg remains straight, allowing you to keep yourself balanced. After holding this position for a few seconds, switch to your other leg.
For busy men over forty, trying to squeeze a workout into their daily lives can be difficult. This is compounded by the need for specific workouts that are safe and effective for men in this stage of life.
But with a great plan in place and knowledge of what exercises are best to use, they can easily achieve the fitness need for a healthy lifestyle, allowing them to keep up with their responsibilities while also managing their health.
