If you are over 40, you need to consider including strength training in your fitness program. Untrained people will lose muscle mass and even bone density over time. That process typically begins around age 40.
The consequences of becoming weak and frail can be quite devastating… The one year mortality rate for people over the age of 65 who sustain a fractured hip or femur ranges from 30% to over 40%, depending upon the study.
Even for people who have the fracture addressed with surgery, the mortality rate is over 20%.
Lack of strength due to muscle and bone loss will result in balance issues, which leads to falls.
Therefore, incorporating a simple strength training program can help many people avoid this issue.
The best way to build significant strength is with exercises that allow you to potentially lift heavy weight by incorporating multiple muscle groups.
Even if you have some wear and tear, you’ll want to find a way to incorporate at least a couple of these exercises into your strength training program.
If you have difficulty with any of them, or you are new to strength training, coaching from an experienced strength training coach is highly recommended.
The best exercises for building strength are the deadlift, barbell squat, bench press, and overhead barbell press.
Deadlift
The one core exercise you need if you want to build muscle mass is the dead lift. For a single movement exercise, it hits more muscle groups than any other.
The dead lift works the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, lower back, abdominals, shoulders, lats, trapezius, and the forearms.
The deadlift is the one exercise that allows you to lift the most weight. At present, the world record for a deadlift is just over 1,100 pounds.
It is also the one exercise where you can progress the fastest in regard to adding weight to the bar.
Because it works both the upper and lower body, it is virtually a must exercise to include in any strength training program.
Very few people who are able to train are unable to do the deadlift.
In fact, last year, a 100 year old woman in Florida deadlifted 165 pounds. Even more amazing is that she didn’t start training until she was 91.
Therefore, there are few excuses for excluding the deadlift from your program.
Barbell Squat
While the deadlift involves more muscle groups, the squat actually engages more muscle mass through the greatest range of motion, when done correctly.
The squat works virtually the entire posterior chain, from the calves all the way up to the upper back.
As a result, powerlifters who specialize in the squat are able to handle upwards of 900 pounds.
In most strength training programs, the squat is viewed as the most important exercise, and it is also often trained in these programs more than the other exercises.
Similar to the deadlift, you can also add weight to the bar fairly quickly with the squat.
However, technically, it can be a more challenging lift, and it can be difficult for people with back or knee issues.
With that in mind, if it all possible, try to incorporate the squat into your program.
Bench Press
The bench press is the exercise that allows you to develop the greatest upper body strength. Power lifters who specialize in this lift are able to bench upwards of 800 pounds.
When performed properly, the bench press can incorporate significant leverage, which is why you are able to push up significanly more weight than with the barbell press.
As such, it is a movement that allows you to build significant strength and muscle mass in the upper body. The bench press works the muscles of the chest, upper back, front of shoulders, and triceps.
The forearms also get some work from holding the barbell.
Overhead barbell press
The overhead barbell press is the most technical of the lifts discussed here. It is also the one exercise where your progress in regard to adding weight to the bar will stall most quickly.
While the prirmary muscle group employed in this lift is the shoulders, since it is done standing, it also engages many muscles from the feet all the way out through the forearms.
Because of its difficulty, many non-competitive lifters simply choose to do seated presses with barbells or dumbbells.
This is acceptable, as long as you are at least incorporating the squat and deadlift into your training.
Remember, the goal with these lifts is overall strength, and that is built with as much range of motion as possible.
Final Thoughts
Many people who may be new to strength training may be a little intimidated by these exercises. Some people may have injuries that may prevent them from wanting to incorporate these exercises.
However, just about any person who can stand on both feet, squat down, and reach their hands over their head should consider these exercises.
You don’t have to start at a heavy weight to begin building strength.
It’s best to start conservatively, and build from their. Even for trainees over 70 years old, it is possible to add weight to the bar each workout for a few months or more, assuming they start at a conservative level.
With that in mind, get some personal coaching to learn how to do these lifts, or to learn some alternative exercises that will help you build a solid foundation of strength to enjoy a higher quality of life.
