3 Metric’s Men Over Forty Need to Track

Congratulations! You finally found the article to cut the bullshit out of strength training for men over forty. There are no tips, tricks, or shortcuts. Anyone who says otherwise is on steroids, or has not taken a shit in awhile. Broscience does not trump data based science, and 20 year olds are as dumb as you think they are. Now on to you. You are not an athlete. No, you are not. Don’t silently argue with me. You are a dude over forty with a life, career, and half of your life gone. Respect the previous sentence. We do not need to work as hard, and mostly we cannot. Every scientifically sound period for muscle growth, puts us on the back end. If it takes 3-6 months to see gains, we are the 6 months. This article offers 3 Metric’s men over forty need to track to ensure they can keep getting GAINZ! Track these metrics. Follow a structured plan, and you WILL see dem gainz!

3 Metric’s men over forty need to track.

1. Recovery Days 
2. Training Intensity
3. Training Volume

Recovery days.

I will begin with recovery for a very important reason. Sore/Damaged muscle tissue does not grow. Period. If you want to make gainz, and remain strong in your forties, rest is the answer. How much? Your body will let you know. Soreness sets in within 24 -48 hours. It is not called DOMS(delayed onset muscular soreness). As if we did not have enough stupid names for muscle tissue damage. Anyway, soreness is the body healing itself. Exercising before your soreness goes away, means minimal gains. Patience until after your soreness goes away equals maximal gains. Men over forty must focus on max gains with minimal effort. If you can’t hear what your muscles are saying, start with a 3 to 1 ration recovery to work. That means rest for 3 days after an intense workout. If you are a bit more trained, you may be able to get away with a 2 to 1 rest ratio. Pay attention. Track your rest days. The Gainz will come! Quick side note, don’t be fooled by “recovery workouts” They aren’t real.

Do you need a Custom Strength Training program? Email me!

Intensity

Time Period: 60 Minutes

Days/Week: 3

HR Goal: 110-130 BPM

3 hrs a week is all that is required. 60 minutes of  INTENSE exercise is the best workout. To measure intensity, use your heart rate. A simple goal is to keep your heart rate above 100-120 beats per minute for the ENTIRE 60 minutes. Minimal rest. Maximal effort. You have time to rest over the next few days. There are many packaged variations of Intense workouts. HIIT(High Intensity Interval Training, GVT(German Volume Training), and Functional fitness classes are easy to come across, and easy to follow. They are efficient on time. Efficient on energy, and efficient for the life of real men struggling to stay in shape after forty .Download my app for free strength programs for men over forty. for a free 6 week Functional Fitness Program

Training Volume

To keep things simple, we will measure volume in two distinct ways. Total reps or total volume.  Your style of workout will dictate your volume metric. If you are using just your bodyweight, the amount of reps completed in the allotted 60 minutes is the goal. If you are using weighted implements(kettlebell, dumbbell, barbell, machines), the total amount of volume moved is the goal. Formula: Reps x weight = total volume. Example: 200 lbs deadlift for 3 sets of 10. 3 sets of 10 equals 30 total reps. 200 lbs x 30 reps = 6,000 lbs total volume. If you are doing bodyweight(pullup) and using other weights, you will track both. This means you need to be on a structured exercise plan. Otherwise your metrics will be erratic and indiscernible. Custom exercise plans for men over forty available here. 

3 Metric’s men over forty need to track.

1. Recovery Days 
2. Training Intensity
3. Training Volume

In conclusion, tracking your metrics should be as important as tracking your finances. It’s easy to spend too much energy without knowing. We cannot get the energy or the time back. We are on a clock. The best we can do is track these 3 simple metrics to ensure we are pushing whatever thresholds are available to us. We never want to outpace a threshold. Outpacing ourselves equals injury. You are a man over forty looking to stay strong. Act like it.