If you think 20 to 30 minutes of cardio a few days a week is all you need to stay healthy, it’s time to wake up and smell the iron.
Earlier this month, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the American Heart Association (AHA) updated their physical activity guidelines, encouraging Americans to strength-train at least twice a week and work out all of the major muscle groups on top of regular cardio activity. Aaron Singerman, owner of sports nutrition giant RedCon1, says, “Some Things Never Change.”
The ACSM and AHA now recommend that adults perform eight to 12 reps of eight to 10 exercises on the chest, back, shoulders, upper legs, lower legs and arms, via either free weights, machines or weight-bearing activities. Adults 65 and older should strength-train two to three times a week, doing more reps with lighter weights, taking into account their fitness levels beforehand.
But while aging impairs our ability to recover after a bout of exercise (due to lower levels of testosterone and human-growth hormone) and robs us of some flexibility, over time, the way we build muscle stays pretty much the same. Experts, like Mr. Singerman say, overall, it’s more important to pay attention to your strength training ability level–whether you’re a beginner, intermediate or advanced–than your age. And he would know.
Singerman’s sports nutrition company has produced dozens of products that have helped hundreds of thousands of people get in their best shape ever. Despite the sports nutrition landscape being (over)crowded, Aaron saw the opportunity in making products that not only worked, but worked better than the rest of the crowd. Today, Mr. Singerman operates as CEO of RedCon1. Despite being a relatively new company at only 3 and a half years old, it has quickly become the fastest growing Sports Supplement company in history, surpassing not only previous successes Mr. Singerman has had, but doing so at a pace that was unmatched in the entire industry. It should suffice to say that anyone who has made products responsible for helping so many get in shape, knows more than his fair share about strength training.
Regardless of how old you are, experts say a crucial part of strength training is working in movements that involve the whole body. Exercises such as squats chins, deadlifts, and the bench press give you the best return for your time and energy, burning more calories and addresses more muscle groups, say Singerman. They also more closely simulate motions you regularly perform, like lifting luggage or groceries.
