Nothing like a man who ages like fine wine! Hitting 50 is definitely a milestone, one that deserves to be celebrated. And this celebration deserves a party like no other. At an age like that, your perspective on life definitely takes a turn or two.
Becoming cognizant of the lifestyle changes that arrive your way with age is necessary. Half a decade does take a toll on the mind and the body and these changes are usually most visible on your physical self.
The steadily progressing upward slope that you might have maintained with regards to your physical health might now witness a downturn. There’s no denying that as you get older you require to make many adjustments to your daily habits.
Does turning 50 mean resorting to a sedentary lifestyle? Absolutely not. Here’s the best workout program for a 50-year-old man.
Continue Glowing in Good Health
You can still do everything you want to do, as long as you keep your physical health optimal. The only way to continue enjoying the glow of good health is to exercise.
It lowers the risk of non-communicable diseases, improves your mental health, and helps maintain cognitive function. You can also go about your daily duties normally, without requiring external support.
Living an active lifestyle peppered with moderate workouts will help you keep your body in the pink of health. After all, ‘fit’ is the favorite f-word when you’re 50!
Warming Up
Always remember to listen to your body. When beginning any new workout that exerts your body, remember to warm up first. This includes deep breathing to steady your nerves, and light stretches to loosen your muscles.
Always warm-up before and after exercising. This allows the body time to prepare and relax before and after pushing its boundaries. Warming up increases flexibility, reduces the risk of exercise-related injury, and ensures that the heart is beating steadily in preparation for intense workouts ahead.
It is imperative to implement this step in your routine, as joints and muscles tend to be weaker than when you were younger. It is crucial before bodily taxing activities like weight training, push-ups, or pull-ups.
Working on Keeping Your Heart Rate Even
METHODS
Brisk walking is recommended. If you want to make it challenging, try the infinity walk as well. Or, how about walking backward to improve agility?
Running or jogging for over thirty minutes a day can do wonders at keeping the doctor away. Always take care not to overdo it. If you find yourself feeling breathless or dizzy, stop immediately and rest. Try to control your breathing while you go jogging.
Swimming is another alternative. Laps around the pool for twenty minutes or even aerobics in the pool can be a good substitute for senior citizens with joint pain.
BENEFITS
Cardio is a great idea when you’re in your fifties. Any light exercise or stretch done repeatedly at an even pace will elevate your heartbeat. This improves the health of your heart, lungs, and circulatory system.
Building your endurance also delays many diseases associated with aging like stroke, cancer, or heart disease. It will also give you the stamina needed to perform day-to-day tasks.
Curl ups, sit-ups, lunges, even brisk walking will be sure to elevate your heart rate and make you break into a sweat. Try doing it for 15 to 30 minutes a day and then gradually increase the duration as your stamina increases.
Building Your Strength
METHODS
Strength training requires good form. Always stretch beforehand, to make sure you don’t pull a muscle. The chair-sits workout (with a high chair) also works but only do so if you do not have any joint pains.
You could also lift weights. Start with small hand weights and make multidirectional lunges to the tune of slow music. Breathe out each time you return to a normal standing position. This helps avoid cramped muscles.
Push-ups and pull-ups may tire you out more than necessary but are excellent ways to build momentum in your weight training and bring quick results. Do not perform sets of more than ten minutes at a time.
BENEFITS
Functional strength that can keep you energized and maintain an active lifestyle is the best asset one can possess. It enables you to play sports, carry groceries, or even take your spouse or partner out for a dance.
Working out and tiring oneself can also bring down the risk of insomnia and prevent your muscles from atrophying.
Stretching a Mile a Day
METHODS
Flexible muscles and joints are integral to good physical health.
Try stretching your quadriceps. Stand behind a chair and hold on to it with your right hand. Bring your left leg up behind you and hold your foot with your left hand. Make sure to keep your thigh at 90 degrees to the floor if possible.
Hold the stretch for about 30 seconds or long enough that you feel a stretch in front of the bent thigh. Release the foot and repeat on the other side.
You can also try yoga for half an hour every day to improve your flexibility. The added advantage of choosing a company over solitude makes it an excellent recreational activity. Do note that breathing is an integral part of yoga.
BENEFITS
Stretching always finds its way into the best workout program for a 50-year-old man. It will leave you feeling energized and ready to take on the tasks of the day. It kick-starts your metabolism while also increasing your heart rate. In some cases, it has also been found to improve brain function and mental agility.
Getting control of your breathing, especially while stretching, can work wonders for your lungs. Better inhalation also means more oxygen in your bloodstream and an overall healthier body.
Walking the Line
METHODS
Just picture a straight line in front of you and walk on it. Walking back and forth across a room for only ten minutes improves your sense of balance and sharpens your concentration.
You could also stand in the tree pose. Lift one leg and pull it towards the chest. Place the sole of that foot against the inner thigh of the other. Stand tall, holding the spine straight. Lift your arms and join them together above your head. Hold that pose for 5-10 deep breaths. Release the leg and then repeat with the other one. Remember to breathe in and out slowly, to steady your mind and maintain the posture.
If you like penguins, imitating their walk is also an excellent way to work on your balance. This activity is called ‘Side to Side’. To add to the challenge, try doing it on your toes. The constant change of legs can tire you out, so do only ten or fifteen sets at a time.
BENEFITS
The assured safety of balance is something that one works to maintain during middle age. Acrobatics and slow-moving exercises assuage the problem. This leaves you capable of maintaining your independence.
You can even play sports like tennis or squash, ride a bicycle, or take up any other activity that keeps you on your feet and gets the blood racing. These exercises are also good warm-up routines to shake off sleep and fatigue.
Stepping Stone to Staying Fit in Your Fifties
The main reason one loses the ability to do things on their own is inactivity, rather than aging. Older adults who are also inactive see a rapid decline in their endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility as opposed to older, active adults.
Fortunately, you’re not too late and consistent workouts or physical activity can help you make up for the lost time. Keeping fit by trying any of the activities suggested is an excellent way to maintain and improve your health. Remember that exercise also has great benefits for mental health.
Remember to watch your body’s reactions to the exercises and to stop immediately when you feel the slightest hint of discomfort. Maintaining an even slow pace is the best route to better health.
These exercises are just a stepping stone to start with. Once you begin to settle into a pattern and find them more comfortable to do, steadily increase your pace to maintain the challenge it presents to your body.
The Big Picture
Essential exercise can do wonders, but you also need to work on your diet and lifestyle choices to fully commit to good health. In case you have any pre-existing conditions like kidney troubles or diabetes, you might already be following certain dietary restrictions. It is always better to check with your doctor or nutritionist before making any changes to your diet.
Also, keep in mind that physical health varies from person to person. Some people will find these exercises easy to perform, and others may struggle for a while. And that is completely okay. The best workout program for a 50-year-old man is completely customizable to your needs.
The only way to definitively maintain your health is to keep going and improve bit by bit every day. Try anything that gives you the motivation to do so. Studies have shown that exercising in groups or with a partner helps maintain a schedule.
Also include activities you enjoy and reward yourself every time you hit milestones. In the words of George Burns- “You can’t help getting older, but you don’t have to get old.
