The Ultimate Strength Training Program for Over 50 (with PDF)

If you’re aged 50 or older–or have a loved one who is–and are concerned about getting stronger and feeling more alive, our Ultimate Strength Training Program for Over 50s is the plan for you!

Not long ago, age 40 was considered old and the beginning of strength decline. That attitude has changed. It’s true that if left unchecked, you will lose muscle and get progressively weaker if you don’t do anything about it.

The good news…

People in mid-life and older can get stronger, and slow or arrest muscle loss, simply by resistance training.

If you follow our Over 50 Strength Training Program, you can expect to get stronger and maybe even look better as a result.

All that’s needed is the right equipment, some willpower, and a well-designed plan (like the one we share here).

Jump to the program now!

Alternatively, you can download the free PDF version of the program using the link below:

The Program In a Nutshell

Program styleResistance training
Program duration12 weeks
Workout duration1 hour
Scheduling4 days a week
GoalIncrease strength
LevelBeginners and experienced
Target GenderMale and Female
Target AgeOver 50

Two Programs for Different Experience Levels

Our Strength Training Program for Over 50s is designed with two tracks for different experience levels:

  • One is for complete beginners, newcomers to strength training.
  • The other is for people who know their way around a gym and have laid a foundation by lifting free weights, using machines, or other strength training equipment like tubing or bands.

It was once uncommon to see a middle-aged individual in the gym pumping iron and steel, but not anymore.

Newcomers to the weight room and people who’ve been training with free weights and machines for a while can both benefit from this program.

This assumes generally good health overall. If you’ve got questions or concerns about that, consult your doctor before starting.

Disclaimer: This program is not for the advanced lifter with a long track record in the gym, who’s maybe even competed a time or two in a strength sport, like powerlifting.

Someone who is truly advanced should be writing their own programs, and if they’re not, then, well, they’re probably not really advanced no matter how they self-classify.

Who Should Follow This Program?

Short answer: Anyone of middle age who wants to slow or stop muscle loss and for women who want to reduce the onset of osteoporosis.

The inconvenient truth is that adults begin to lose muscle mass somewhere around age 30. Surprising? Experts debate the exact age.

Somewhere in that age range, muscle mass loss starts. Slowly at first…something like 1% a year and by age 50, muscle loss has accelerated to around 3% annually. Look at that math.

Let’s be optimistic and say that 3% muscle loss starts at age 45 and that you’ve got some muscle. A normal adult carries about 40% of body weight in muscle. A 180-lb man is therefore going to be carrying 72 lbs (~32 kg) of muscle, assuming you’re not taking a “supplement” whose name ends in “-one”.

At 46, you’re down to just under 70 lbs (~31 kg) muscle.

At 47, you’re down from 72 lbs of muscle to 68. Four pounds, two kilos.

See where I’m going?

By 50, you’ve lost a full 10 lbs (3 kg) of muscle mass.

Sobering, huh?

Now, let’s look at the problem from another perspective.

To maintain the muscle mass you have today, you have to gain 3% muscle mass a year. And that’s just to break even.

Time for another disclaimer: strength training differs from hypertrophy training. It’s possible to get stronger without gaining muscularity. However, the differences can be subtle. Strength gains require pushing the limits of mechanical failure during exercise, and it’s becoming increasingly evident that the reps in a bodybuilding set that grow muscle are also the ones that require pushing or pulling really hard.

Resistance training, and specifically strength training, has been reported to improve bone health. It’s the loading of the musculo-skeleton that creates this positive effect. There are other ways to place beneficial stress on the skeleton; however, weight lifting does very efficiently due to its relative magnitude.

What To Expect From This Program

Well, you can expect to get stronger if you follow our program!

Beginners and intermediate exercisers will find themselves able to move more weight, able to perform daily tasks more easily, and probably notice subtle changes for the better in muscle shape and tone.

If you’re new to the weight room, you can expect to be a little sore, at least at first. These are commonly referred to by the weight room brethren as “newbie gains”, and they are real, even for middle-aged folks.

If you’re experienced, you might also experience some soreness from the moves you’ve not done before, or by following the application notes on gauging your exertion and pushing past your previous limits.

Finally, you can expect to be doing exercises proven to build strength with minimal risk of injury. There are no barbell squats, cleans, snatches, or other exercises that require skill and that place the lower back in jeopardy of injury. You do not need those exercises to build stronger muscles.

Program Structure

Our Over 50 program includes a track for the weight room newcomer, and another one for those who know their way around it.

This program splits the body into logical regions: legs and arms, chest and shoulders, back and core. There’s an auxiliary day for extra work in areas that the over-50 population needs, especially legs and shoulders.

DaySplit
1Legs and Arms
2Chest and Shoulders
3Rest
4Back and Core
5Auxiliary Day
6Rest
7Rest

Beginners are going to be hanging out in the machines. Exercisers with some weight room experience will use some machines and the free weight room.

This program runs for 12 weeks. However, this does not mean that you should stop training after the 12 weeks has surpassed. 12 weeks is simply the general amount of time for body composition differences to start becoming more noticeable. If you enjoy this program, please continue to use it indefinitely.

The Strength Training Programs for Over 50s

Set and repetition schemes are identical for both the beginner and intermediate tracks.

  • Beginner exercises rely on machines. Machines offer excellent stability, which is great for beginners.
  • Intermediate lifters will mostly be using free weights.

Beginners, don’t feel ashamed of the machines. Ironically, many expert bodybuilders are now gravitating back to machines because of the stability they add, allowing them to concentrate muscular force directly on target body parts without expending unnecessary energy stabilizing their bodies.

A well designed chest press machine lets the lifter put all his energy toward the press, versus say, setting up and stabilizing dumbbells for a DB bench press.

Beginner Strength Training Program for Over 50

Day 1 (Legs & Arms)

ExerciseWeeks 1-4Weeks 5-8Weeks 9-12
Leg Press4 sets
@
10-12 reps
4 sets
@
8-10 reps
4 sets
@
6-8 reps
Leg Extensions2 sets
@
10-12 reps
2 sets
@
8-10 reps
2 sets
@
6-8 reps
Leg Curls4 sets
@
10-12 reps
4 sets
@
8-10 reps
4 sets
@
6-8 reps
Arm Curl machine3 sets
@
10-12 reps
3 sets
@
8-10 reps
3 sets
@
6-8 reps
Triceps machine
or
Cable Triceps Extensions
3 sets
@
10-12 reps
3 sets
@
8-10 reps
3 sets
@
6-8 reps

Day 2 (Chest & Shoulders)

ExerciseWeeks 1-4Weeks 5-8Weeks 9-12
Machine Chest Press4 sets
@
10-12 reps
4 sets
@
8-10 reps
4 sets
@
6-8 reps
Machine Chest Fly4 sets
@
10-12 reps
4 sets
@
8-10 reps
4 sets
@
6-8 reps
Overhead Press, machine4 sets
@
10-12 reps
4 sets
@
8-10 reps
4 sets
@
6-8 reps
Lateral Raise, machine4 sets
@
10-12 reps
4 sets
@
8-10 reps
4 sets
@
6-8 reps

Day 3 (REST)

Day 4 (Back & Core)

ExerciseWeeks 1-4Weeks
5-8
Weeks 9-12
Pull-Down machine4 sets
@
10-12 reps
4 sets
@
8-10 reps
4 sets
@
10-12 reps
Seated Row machine4 sets
@
10-12 reps
4 sets
@
8-10 reps
4 sets
@
10-12 reps
Reverse Fly machine3 sets
@
12-20 reps
3 sets
@
10- 5 reps
3 sets
@
8-12 reps
Crunches3 sets
@
12-20 reps
3 sets
@
10-15 reps
3 sets
@
8-12 reps

Day 5 (Auxiliary)

ExerciseWeeks 1-4Weeks 5-8Weeks 9-12
Push Ups3 sets
@
12-20 reps
3 sets
@
10-12 reps
3 sets
@
12-20 reps
Bodyweight Squats3 sets
@
12-20 reps
3 sets
@
10-12 reps
3 sets
@
12-20 reps
Wall Slides3 sets
@
12-20 reps
3 sets
@
10-15 reps
3 sets
@
8-12 reps
Reverse Push Ups3 sets
@
12-20 reps
3 sets
@
10-15 reps
3 sets
@
8-12 reps

Day 6 (REST)

Day 7 (REST)

Intermediate Strength Training Program for Over 50s

Day 1 (Legs & Arms)

ExerciseWeeks 1-4Weeks 5-8Weeks 9-12
Hex Bar
or
DB VMO Heel Elevated Squats
4 sets
@
10-12 reps
4 sets
@
8-10 reps
4 sets
@
6-8 reps
“Halting” RDLs
(don’t lock out and
don’t touch the
ground between reps)
2 sets
@
10-12 reps
2 sets
@
8-10 reps
2 sets
@
6-8 reps
Romanian Deadlift (RDL)3 sets
@
10-12 reps
3 sets
@
8-10 reps
3 sets
@
6-8 reps
Biceps Curls
(Cable, DB, or BB)
3 sets
@
10-12 reps
3 sets
@
8-10 reps
3 sets
@
6-8 reps
Triceps extensions
(Cable, DB, or EZ Curl)
3 sets
@
10-12 reps
3 sets
@
8-10 reps
3 sets
@
6-8 reps

Day 2 (Chest & Shoulders)

ExerciseWeeks 1-4Weeks 5-8Weeks 9-12
Machine Chest
or
BB Bench Press
4 sets
@
10-12 reps
4 sets
@
8-10 reps
4 sets
@
6-8 reps
Seated Smith Machine Bench Press
or
DB Press
(Utility or Adjustable Bench)
4 sets
@
10-12 reps
4 sets
@
8-10 reps
4 sets
@
6-8 reps
Seated Incline Smith
Machine Overhead Press
(Adjustable Bench set high)
4 sets
@
10-12 reps
4 sets
@
8-10 reps
4 sets
@
6-8 reps
Cable Side Laterals4 sets
@
10-12 reps
4 sets
@
8-10 reps
4 sets
@
6-8 reps

Day 3 (REST)

Day 4 (Back & Core)

IntermediateWeeks 1-4Weeks
5-8
Weeks 9-12
Lat Pull-Downs
or
Pull-ups
4 sets
@
10-12 reps
4 sets
@
8-10 reps
4 sets
@
10-12 reps
Seated Row Machine
or
Seated Cable Row
4 sets
@
10-12 reps
4 sets
@
8-10 reps
4 sets
@
10-12 reps
“Kelso” Shrugs
(Cable or DB)
3 sets
@
12-20 reps
3 sets
@
10-15 reps
3 sets
@
8-12 reps
Cable Reverse Flyes
or
Reverse Fly Machine
3 sets
@
12-20 reps
3 sets
@
10-15 reps
3 sets
@
8-12 reps
Crunches
or
Sit-Ups with a Twist
3 sets
@
12-20 reps
3 sets
@
10-15 reps
3 sets
@
8-12 reps

Day 5 (Auxiliary)

IntermediateWeeks 1-4Weeks 5-8Weeks 9-12
DB Flat Bench3 sets
@
12-20 reps
3 sets
@
10-12 reps
3 sets
@
12-20 reps
Rear Foot Elevated Squats
(Bulgarian Split Squats)
3 sets
@
12-20 reps
3 sets
@
10-12 reps
3 sets
@
12-20 reps
DB Lu Raises
or
“Y” Raises
or
Plate Raises
3 sets
@
12-20 reps
3 sets
@
10-15 reps
3 sets
@
8-12 reps
Lat Pull-Downs
or
Pull-ups
3 sets
@
12-20 reps
3 sets
@
10-15 reps
3 sets
@
8-12 reps
Hammer Curls3 sets
@
12-20 reps
3 sets
@
10-15 reps
3 sets
@
8-12 reps
Triceps extensions
(Cable, DB, or EZ Curl)
3 sets
@
12-20 reps
3 sets
@
10-15 reps
3 sets
@
8-12 reps

Day 6 (REST)

Day 7 (REST)

Program Guidelines

1. Warm Up and Stretch!

Warm up before your workout to prevent injury and practice the movements. Warm-ups are important for anyone and even more crucial for older adults. If you’re a newcomer to the gym but a veteran in another sport, you’ll already understand the value of a good warm-up.

The warm-ups included in this workout program are composed of very light sets of the movements you’ll be doing during the workout, an application of the SAID Principle (Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands).

You should also get in the habit of stretching the target muscles before actually targeting them. This program will target basically every single muscle you have in your body, so getting those muscle loose is crucial.

There’s nothing worse than getting started on a heavy set of RDLs and pulling your glutes, which could have easily been prevented with some simple stretches.

2. Observe Progressive Overload

Progressive overload applies to any resistance training program. It’s a constant.

Progressive overload is adaptive stress applied to exercise. As muscles adapt to the stresses of additional weight or reps, more weight or reps can be performed. With strength routines, the reps scheme stays constant so your goal is to raise the weight instead of increasing reps as you progress.

Here’s how it looks in practice:

  • Select the weight that you can use to perform the number of specified reps with excellent form.
  • The last 4 to 5 reps should be challenging. Example: if the program calls for 10 to 12 reps, reps should be getting hard right around rep 6 or 7, and the 10th, 11th, and 12th (if you can squeeze that one out) should be all you can do with good form.
  • Only do weights you can lift well. Use a lighter weight if your form suffers. The only reps you should count are perfect reps.

3. Push Yourself

Man over 50 doing preacher curls

Once you learn an exercise, it’s time to amp up the force you exert.

The commonly used analog scale that’s referred to often by trainers is the Borg scale of Rating of Perceived Exertion. The key word there is “perceived”.

As you gain expertise in lifting weights, if you learn well, what you thought was intense yesterday is not intense today.

Except for your warm-ups, your perceived exertion should be a 5, “challenging”, or 6 to 7, “hard”.

Pay attention to what your body is telling you. Strike a balance between pushing yourself enough to make progress and staying within your own limits.

By no means does that mean take it easy.

Your workouts should be strenuous enough to make you know you’ve done some work, yet energized.

Pay no attention to gimmicky motivations like “all it takes is all you’ve got” and “pain is weakness leaving the body”. Yes, getting stronger will mean there will be discomfort; however, by no means does it mean “pain”.

4. Have Reps in Reserve

Reps in Reserve refers to the number of additional repetitions you are capable of performing if you were to keep going but do not in the interest of not overtaxing the muscles and joints.

If you’re no stranger to resistance training, you already know that recovery is as important as lifting. By holding back that one last rep, you’re prepared to exert strongly on the next set.

So…

Keep one Rep In Reserve (RIR) if you’re in the over-50 group. In other words, leave one rep in the tank.

As you advance with your resistance training, you’ll need to take a couple of sets of each exercise to complete mechanical failure, or zero RIR. Your last rep of each set is all you could do with decent form.

5. Be Mindful of Rep Cadence

Strength requires applying force to do work, in our case, to move a weight. Naturally, the heavier the resistance becomes in relation to the force being applied, the slower it’s going to move.

Use a rhythmic cadence for your reps, lowering slowly and under control on the eccentric phase and then exploding against them for the concentric.

To the casual observer, your reps are going to look pretty slow, but to you, you’re going to feel like you’re pressing as hard as you possibly can on those final reps of each set.

This is not the same thing as tempo training where you intentionally slow the reps down. Speed should be governed by how heavy the weight is versus the force you’re applying.

You do not want to use momentum to move the weight. If just gaining raw strength is your goal, you want the muscles doing the work and not simply physics.

6. Rest Days: Don’t Miss Them

Making gains requires rest. Rest days should be truly for rest. Stay out of the gym.

Low intensity steady state (LISS) exercise like long walks or leisurely bike rides are fine.

Work out hard and rest as intently as you work out.

Rest between sets

You also need rest between sets. How much?

That’s under some debate these days, but the conventional wisdom is shifting toward longer rest periods in between each set.

Target three minutes between sets. Especially for the over-50 age bracket–and if you’re executing each set with enough intensity–you’ll need those 180 seconds to get ready for the next set.

Wearing a wrist worn device? Meh. You’re better off learning to read your body’s signals to determine readiness to perform your next set.

Any slavish clock-watching will keep you from getting in touch with your own biofeedback. Use the clock or wrist-worn watch for a while and see what actual time correlates to how ready your body feels.

The Exercises: The Why and Benefits

Each of the exercises that appear in this program were intentionally selected along with their sequence within the workout days with the 50+ somagraphic in mind.

People who are over 50 face issues that younger people simply do not.

The data show that nearly half suffer some kind of lower back pain. One in four adults have arthritis that’s been diagnosed by a doctor.

That percentage is larger in the older population. Exercise and a healthy lifestyle play a role in reducing it but it’s also true that joints simply wear out as people age.

At no point in my adult life have I been overweight. I’ve worked out regularly and been “fit” for 44 years. But I’ve had lumbar spine problems that required surgery, a hip that’s been replaced twice, and osteoarthritis in my right knee.

— Perry Mykleby

Finally, many in the over 50 group will have developed problems with their posture.

Desk jobs and increased reliance on computers and mobile devices have left people with rounded upper backs, internally rotated shoulders, and head-forward posture.

The exercises in this Over 50 program consider these factors. The Auxiliary Day exercises in particular are included to help reverse joint weaknesses and poor posture.

ExercisePrimary musclesWhy?
Legs
Leg PressQuadriceps, Glutes, AdductorsLP machine stabilizes the upper body, drastically minimizes lower back risk
Leg ExtensionsQuadricepsStrengthens the knee joint
Leg CurlsHamstringsStrengthens the knee joint, balances torsion on the knee created by the quads
Hex Bar or DB VMO (Vastus-Medialis Only) Heel Elevated SquatsQuadriceps, AdductorsPlaces less stress on lower back than traditional barbell Deadlift
“Halting” RDLs (don’t lock out and don’t touch the ground between reps)Glutes, Hamstrings, Adductors, Spinus erectorsMaintains healthy tension on the hips and lower back
Romanian Deadlift (RDL)Glutes, Hamstrings, AdductorsTrains and strengthens the hip hinge motion used in everyday life
 Arms 
Arm Curl machineBicepsProvides stability for the upper body allowing the exerciser to concentrate more intently on target muscles
Triceps machineTriceps
Biceps Curls: cable, DB, or BBBicepsRequires core work to stabilize the upper body
Triceps extensions, Cable, DB, or EZ CurlTriceps
 Chest 
Machine Chest PressPectoralis major, Anterior deltoidProvides upper body stability, no set-up requirement as with dumbbells.
Machine Chest FlyPectoralis majorIsolates the pectorals without undue stress on the elbows and anterior shoulder.
BB Bench PressPectoralis major, Anterior deltoidGym staple. Requires core engagement.
Seated Incline Smith Machine Press, or DB Press, Utility or Adjustable BenchAnterior deltoid, Pectoralis majorIncline presses can contribute to shoulder health if performed correctly.
Shoulders  
Overhead Press, machineDeltoids, Shoulder blade stabilizer musclesStable platform for overall shoulder work.
Lateral Raise, machineMiddle deltoidsPrevents cheating common with side lateral exercise. Allows for a beneficial overload.
Seated Smith Machine Overhead Press, Adjustable Bench set to steep angle.Deltoids, Shoulder blade stabilizer musclesSteep incline presses can contribute to shoulder health if performed correctly with reasonable load.
Cable Side LateralsMiddle deltoidsGraduates from machine lateral raise. Isolates middle delts best.
 Back 
Pull-Down machine for Lat Pull DownsLatissimus dorsi, Middle and Lower trapsTrains muscles responsible for good seated posture. Contributes to more aesthetic physique.
Seated Row machineMiddle and Lower traps, Latissimus dorsi
Pull-upsLatissimus dorsi, Middle and Lower traps
Seated Cable RowMiddle and Lower traps, Latissimus dorsi, Spinus erectors
Shrugs, Cable or DB, “Kelso” Shrugs preferredMiddle and Lower traps
 Core 
CrunchesRectus abdominis (“the Abs”, aka Six Pack)Crucial for good posture and lower back health.
Crunches or Sit-Ups with a TwistObliques
 Auxiliary (Supportive) 
Push UpsPectoralis major, Anterior deltoids, CoreChest and shoulder work with crucial core engagement. Postural benefit.
Bodyweight SquatsQuadriceps, Glutes, AdductorsAdditional training of leg muscles. Support progress with other leg exercises. Metabolic benefit.
Wall SlidesRhomboids, Serratus anterior, Middle and Lower trapsContributes to healthy seated posture.
Reverse Push Ups (supine, press elbows into floor)Posterior deltoids, Latissimus dorsiConditions upper back, encourages proper posture.
DB Flat BenchPectoralis major, Anterior deltoidsRequires shoulder stabilizer muscles to work. Additional light work to support progress in heavier chest movements.
Rear Foot Elevated Squats (Bulgarian Split Squats)Quadriceps, Glutes, AdductorsAllows focus on individual legs, one at a time. Removes bilateral deficit.
DB Lu, “Y” RaisesMiddle deltoids, Upper trapsHelps align and strengthen shoulders, crucial to good erect posture.
Plate RaisesAnterior and Middle deltoids, Middle and Lower trapsContributes to stability and good alignment of the shoulder blades, rotator cuff stability.
Hammer CurlsBrachioradialisStabilizes and strengthens the elbow joint.
Triceps extensions, Cable, DB, or EZ CurlTricepsTriceps are an underworked muscle and contribute to balanced tension on shoulder and elbow joints. (Biceps can be overtrained.)

Notes on Exercises for the Beginner

Like any exercise, the ones in the Beginner workout track require good form and can be screwed up beyond all recognition.

Well-made machines nowadays have how-to instructions posted on the machine, or include a QR code to access instructional videos.

All the beginner exercises are easy to learn and master with very little practice.

They were selected also because they require less coordination with other body parts–like the core muscles–and offer more stability until the body acclimates to weight training.

Notes on Exercises for the Intermediate Weight Trainer

Exercises in the Intermediate track require more involvement by the core and the stabilizer muscles of the hips, knees, and shoulders.

These exercises will also impose more metabolic demands. Exercises like the deadlift and squat variants will leave you breathing harder and raise the heart rate more so than the machine exercises will in almost every instance.

About those deadlift reps

Deadlifting for reps is simple, right?

No. Deadlifts are one of the exercises most easily screwed up. And how a set is performed adds complexity.

And, you can really hurt yourself by doing this seemingly simple exercise improperly.

Mike deadlifting

Picking a weight you can lift repeatedly with good form, and executing a series of repetitions correctly will keep you injury free and help you enjoy the benefits of this truly great exercise (although it’s truly not great if done wrong).

Deadlift sets come in two varieties: a set of reps, or, a set of “singles”, where the weight is lifted, set down, then lifted again quickly. A bunch of singles does not make a set.

There’s a time to train “sets of singles” but your basic strength routine is not one of those. This routine has you maintaining the tension on the bar through the entire set without resting it for even a millisecond on the floor.

Sets of Reps

Keep the tension on your muscles for the entire duration of the set during this program. If your form falls apart, like your lower back rounding, then set the weight down, reposition, and re-start the set. But ideally, keep the back rigid and rep through your entire set without letting go of the weight for even a second.

Don’t bang and bounce the weight off the floor. Try starting back up once the weight kisses the floor.

Sets of Singles

Sets of singles is a series of reps that include the weight stopping on the floor for any length of time, even a split second. The lifter lets the bar come to a stop without releasing their grip, repositions and starts another lift.

Powerlifters and strongman competitors train sets of singles as a way to practice setting up for one strong pull at a competition. Because they compete under the constraints of time, they need to practice quick set-up and lifting.

Why are Auxiliary Exercises Important?

Auxiliary Day exercises were carefully selected because they address specific issues faced by the Over-50 group.

People over 50 need to work on stability, mobility, and flexibility in their shoulders and hips. Age and years spent at desk jobs make this true.

Don’t ignore the auxiliary days. Practice the exercises using weights you can lift with exacting form, and you’ll see the benefits emerge in other exercises. For example, mastering the Wall Slide will lay a foundation for more strength in an overhead press. It will also help reverse rounded shoulders.

Final Notes About Postural Conditions and Joint Problems

Pronounced postural issues such as severely rounded upper back, and pain such as chronic sciatica, require the attention of a healthcare professional.

I developed pain in my left shoulder that I trained around for months. Even with my knowledge of how to do that, there came the time when I had to admit there was something going on that my training wasn’t going to solve.

So I called my friendly neighborhood physical therapist, a guy I’ve worked with before professionally.

On exam, he found that the problem wasn’t just shoulder joint, it was an over-shortened biceps. After a couple of treatments, the problem’s getting better.

A big part of making gains after age 50 is being honest with oneself. Not to be confused with giving up. Know when to say when. Seek help from a licensed healthcare provider when necessary.

And of course train regularly with purpose, eat right, and sleep enough.

Suggested additional resources for the Over-50 group:

Download our 90-Day Strength program PDF here:

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Perry Mykleby, ACE CPT

Perry started lifting weights in 1974. He is an ACE-certified personal trainer and holds the ACE Orthopedic Exercise certification.

He holds a journalism degree from the University of North Texas, where he competed in powerlifting. His final competition was the Texas State Open in December of 1982, but has continued to study and practice muscle strength and hypertrophy. He is a four-decade veteran of the medical device industry.

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3 Comments

  1. A very detailed and helpful article and congratulations for clearly showing what program to follow. Many articles about 50+ speak in general terms and do not offer any specific programs. And just the standard advice about sarcopenia, that you should have exercised, etc.
    Congratulations on a job well done.
    Just to add something. It struck me that for both programs on the back day of weeks 9-12, the first two exercises are again in 10-12 reps as in weeks 1-4. Maybe it’s a technical mistake and should have done the same approach as with most of the other muscles, namely 6-8 reps, not 10-12. This number of repetitions may have been deliberately set.

  2. Hello,
    I am just wonderting what is the difference between “halting” rdls and romanian deadlift is in your prescription? It says “no locking out and no touching the ground” for halting rdls, but is this not how romanian dead lift is performed ? I am confused. Thank your for your tips.

    Hiro

    • Hi Hiro,

      Great question! I can see how the difference between halting RDLs and Romanian Deadlifts might be a bit confusing.

      In a regular Romanian Deadlift (RDL), you typically lower the weight to about mid-shin or just below the knee, then lift it back up to full standing position, locking out your hips at the top before starting the next rep.

      However, with halting RDLs, you only move the weight from just a couple of inches off the floor to just above your knees. You don’t go all the way up to a standing position and lock out, and you don’t touch the ground between reps. This means you’re working in a smaller range of motion, focusing on the middle part of the lift, and keeping constant tension.

      Because you’re not locking out or setting the weight down, you keep the weight moving continuously, which makes it more challenging and helps build strength in that specific range of motion.

      Hope that clears things up!

      All the best!

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