BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM
There’s no rule that says strength has to fade with age. But after 40, how you train matters more than ever. Your workouts don’t have to get easier, but they do have to get smarter.
For men navigating this new phase of fitness, the challenge often lies in separating outdated myths from sound advice. Let’s clear the noise and get into what really works when it comes to building and maintaining muscle and strength after 40.
Why strength training changes after 40
Your body simply isn’t the same as it was in your twenties. Sarcopenia, the natural loss of muscle mass with age, is very real. However, it’s not inevitable. You can slow it down, even reverse it, by building and maintaining muscle through consistent resistance training.
Your connective tissues lose some elasticity over time, and that means your joints aren’t quite as mobile, and your risk of injury increases. Choosing the right exercises becomes key, not just for progress, but for staying pain-free.
Recovery also plays a bigger role. The days of grinding through soreness and expecting your body to bounce back overnight are gone. Now it’s less about pushing to the max and more about training often, but without destroying your ability to recover.
What works best for men over 40
You don’t need to overhaul your entire workout routine, but a few strategic shifts can make a huge difference:
1. Focus on movement patterns
Build your workouts around core functional movements like squats, deadlifts, presses, and pulls. At least once a week, include exercises in these categories:
- Horizontal push (pushups, bench press)
- Horizontal pull (rows)
- Vertical push (overhead press)
- Vertical pull (lat pulldown, pullups)
- Squat (goblet squat, leg press)
- Hinge (deadlift, hip thrust)
2. Don’t skip isolation work
Isolation exercises like curls or lateral raises get a bad rap, but for older guys, they’re incredibly useful. These moves let you train hard with less stress on joints and more control over technique. Plus, they help build mind-muscle connection.
3. Train with moderate weights and reps
Ditch the ultra-heavy singles and focus on working in rep ranges between 8 and 15. Occasionally going as high as 20-25 reps can be beneficial, especially for joint health and muscle endurance.
Progress isn’t just about heavier weights. You can also track improvements in form, time under tension, pump, and even how quickly you get through a workout with good quality reps.
4. Pick joint-friendly variations
Some popular lifts like barbell back squats or upright rows can become liabilities as you age. That doesn’t mean all barbell work is off-limits, but you’ll often get more mileage from dumbbells, machines, or cables that let you customize your range of motion.
And yes, you can still train explosiveness. Just skip the risky box jumps and ballistic lifts. Kettlebell swings, sled pushes, and med ball slams are all safer alternatives that still deliver power benefits.
Common mistakes to avoid
Training over 40 isn’t about playing it safe; it’s about playing it smart. Here’s what to avoid:
Lifting too heavy, too often:
Max-effort lifts can take a toll on joints and tendons. Save them for occasional testing, not everyday training.
Skipping cardio:
Your metabolism slows with age, and heart health becomes even more important. Add 10-20 minutes of steady cardio a few times a week.
Neglecting recovery:
Sleep, hydration, and mobility work matter just as much as your lifting sessions.
Ignoring prehab work:
Warm-ups, mobility drills, and activation sets become essential, not optional.
Final reps
Getting older doesn’t mean getting weaker. With smarter choices, strategic training, and consistency, men can keep gaining strength, improving mobility, and feeling confident in their bodies well into midlife and beyond.
Start where you are, keep showing up, and remember: longevity isn’t just about staying in the game, it’s even more about playing it well.
