The Home Workout every 40 Year old needs To Build More Muscle
Some days, training inside is just better than outside. Mainly because there are fewer people and, for the most part, you like them a little bit more.
Wokouts from home for the days when you can’t face other people.
THE BRIEF
Time to read: 5 minutes
Time to action: 20 minutes
Mantra: “Adapt what is useful, reject what is useless, and add what is specifically your own.” – Bruce Lee
Main message: Your body is your at-home equipment for finding your fitness
Stat: Just 14% of the UK are gym-goers. So you see, there are alternatives…
We all have these days. And at FORM, as we all hit 40, it’s fair to say their frequency increases dramatically. Yes, people, on the whole, are good – it’s just that sometimes, in a gym setting, they can be annoying.
With that in mind, here is a thorough full-body workout that enables you to stay in shape and stay inside – at least until you are satisfied that the outside world isn’t going to get into your head
Power-to-weight is a crucial measure of functional muscle: it tells if you are as strong as your body needs you to be to make life easier. Better yet, at 40+, it offers an accurate gauge of body performance.
This one is quick, easy(ish), and works all your major muscle groups. Do it for a week, and you’ll feel better quicker. And do it anywhere you can be bothered.
4 exercises: 20 mins (total workout)
Do 10-12 reps on each exercise: 30 seconds
Rest for 1 minute between each set: 1 minute
Do 4 sets on each move: 3 minutes
SINGLE-LEG KNEE-TAP SQUATS:
These use your leg muscles to lift your entire body weight
Begin by bending your left knee and positioning it slightly behind your right leg whilst extending your arms forward.
Lower your body until your back knee gently touches the floor, then extend your leg and return to the starting position.
FROM JUMPS:
These increase your body’s explosive power output for 80s action hero muscle
Start by bending your knees so your fingers can touch the ground between your legs whilst keeping your heels on the floor.
Now jump, straightening your body in the middle of the jump.
Land softly with slightly bent knees and, ideally, feel some muscle engagement.
FEET ELEVATED PRESS-UPS:
These provide a fantastic chest enhancement to its humble origins.
Elevating your feet above your head increases the range of motion during the exercise, engaging more muscles with each repetition.
Assume a press-up position with your hands on the floor and place your feet on a weight bench.
Lower your chest towards the floor until your elbows reach a 90-degree angle.
Finally, press back up to return to the starting position. This exercise challenges your upper strength and stability across many different muscle groups.
ARM WALK-OUTS:
These can add an enormous advantage for your core.
Make like your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man and get on all fours with your elbows extended, forming a straight line with your body.
Walk your arms forward.
Now reverse the motion by retracting your arms towards the starting position. You'll be amazed at how quickly it becomes challenging, as it simultaneously targets multiple muscle groups. As we often say, it’s tough, but it works.
That's it! A simple 4-step workout where the only metric you need to worry about is if you can do it again in a day or two? Use it to gauge your power-to-weight, and don't worry about the data. To quote the great man of Kung-Fu, “Don’t think, feel.” Words to live by.
PT WOLF
A personal trainer who tries and tests every programme we put together. A celebrity trainer, Wolf has been a fitness journalist, practising what he preaches for over 20 years. Now into his 40s, Wolf has added muscle to his frame in every decade of his life and has an annoyingly healthy body fat percentage. He tries it before he says it, but even more importantly, he lives it every day.
