Many guys fall into this category:
We “see” ourselves at the peak of our physical prowess - which for most of us is somewhere between 17 and 25.
But then, “life” happens, and we are “magically” thrust 20 or 30 years (or more) ahead into time.
And as a result, the man we “see” in ourselves as - remember workout ourselves as - is no longer recognizable in the mirror.
Grayer…
Wrinklier…
Fatter…
You get the picture.
So, we remember what we used to do that got us to our peak - our prime -
And we set out doing that again.
Running…
Push Ups and Calisthenics…
Bench Presses and Squats…
But our bodies aren’t 20-something anymore.
They’re 40-something… 50-something… 60-something or more.
And as a result of “providing for our families” for the past 15, 20, 25+ years…
Driving a desk or breaking our backs doing manual labor…
Our bodies rebel from doing what we “used to could” do and we feel like we were hit by a Mack truck…
Sore, stiff, unable to move for days on end after our workouts.
Worse - we pick up little injuries that stick around like an unwanted party guest that just won’t go home.
Often times, we get trapped in a cycle -Workout hard like we “should” be able to and “used to could”…
Get sore for a week…
Get discouraged because who we “see” ourselves as doesn’t match who we’ve become…
Lick emotional wounds…
Kick “getting back in shape” down the road until we “have more time”...
Repeat
The good news is, it doesn’t have to be this way.
In fact, it SHOULDN’T be this way.
Men over 40 can do way less work than we think we should, and see spectacular changes in our bodies…
Building muscle again…
Stripping fat off your waist…
And getting your “Mojo” back…
It won’t happen overnight, but for many guys, it can and will happen faster than you think.
The keys to making this happen are:
1- Short workouts that you can recover from - 15 to 30 minutes - instead of those long 60 to 90 minute (or longer) marathon sessions.
2- Lower frequency - 3 times a week is the “sweet spot” for most guys.
3- “Bigger Bang For Your Buck” Lifts - lifts that hit multiple muscle groups simultaneously, instead of “bodybuilding style” training with multiple exercises for multiple body parts that drain your energy.
4- Energy Management - instead of going “all out” or “balls to the wall” (a pilot term) on every set of every rep of every workout, leave energy in reserve each set, each session. This makes it easier to recover from workouts so you see faster results.
5- Quality Control - Make every rep feel the same, without form “breakage” keeps the injuries away along with that “hit by a Mack truck” feeling.
Respecting these 5 keys is a guaranteed way to make progress day to day, week to week, month to month, and year to year.
And by “progress” I mean:Watching yourself transform from soft to muscular and defined
Watching your pants get looser as you burn away that spare tire around your waist
Feeling more energetic at the end of the day so you don’t snap at your wife or kids for stupid stuff you think they’ve done
And even receiving compliments from your wife / significant other and coworkers about how much better you look.
Again, you can do this in less time than you think.
You can do this.
Stay Strong,
Geoff Neupert.