How to regain your strength and muscle mass

A sedentary lifestyle, whatever the reason—injury, convalescence, overwork, or lack of time—has the capacity to oxidize joints, increase fat, and reduce muscle mass in the body.

From the age of 30-35, we begin to lose up to 8% of our muscle mass per decade! That is, about 1% annually.

With a 30% decrease in strength and physical performance, you become more fragile and vulnerable, especially once you pass the age of 50.

If a reasonably good physical condition is not maintained, the loss of muscle mass eventually degenerates into a condition called sarcopenia, which is the progressive and generalized loss of musculoskeletal mass and strength, specifically related to physical disability, poor quality of life, and death.

This doesn't have to be the case. Both men and women can recover a good percentage of muscle mass and, more importantly, stay strong and active until very old age. The key is called strength training.

Developing and maintaining strength is one of the most important things you can do at any point in your life, but it becomes even more important as you approach 50. Though it is NEVER too late to start.

Why do we want to develop strength?

If your muscles are trained, they will achieve what is called "movement economy." This means that the strength needed to complete a task is distributed evenly not only among the muscles but also in the bones and joints involved in the movement. This allows for optimal use of your muscles with less pain and, of course, much less risk of injury.

Benefits of strength training

• Reduces symptoms of osteoarthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis, back pain, and depression.
• Body weight control
• Improves balance
• Improves sleep quality
• Helps the body control glucose and prevent diabetes (study)
• It has been proven that cortisol released by intense exercise suppresses the subsequent cortisol response to a psychosocial stressor. (study) That is, the cortisol released during strenuous exercise or fasting counteracts the cortisol produced by work-related stress, socio-emotional problems, and other factors.
• Increases strength and muscle mass while stimulating metabolism and making the body more efficient at burning fat. (article)
• Promotes and allows you to be self-sufficient as you age. I believe no one wants to reach old age dependent on medication, wheelchairs, or nurses.

Where to start

If kryptonite weakens Superman, for us, it is undoubtedly a sedentary lifestyle. Because humans spend too much time sitting, hip flexor and chest muscles shorten and become stiff. The most prominent consequence is that the antagonist muscles, corresponding to the glutes and lower back, atrophy because they don't get the chance to be activated and used.

For this reason, it is important to train the major muscles of the body and the core area. In reality, all muscles of the chest, back, legs, and glutes should be trained because it is crucial that these muscles are strengthened, as well as those of the torso (abdomen and lower back), as they are fundamental for posture, balance, running, jumping, and lifting heavy objects.

Training

The strength training I propose is useful for both beginners and trained individuals. The only difference is the management of weights.

Almost every exercise done at the gym can be done at home, with some modifications. However, going to the gym and spending time there has its advantages: first, because the machines and weights you need are available; and second, because you meet other people who are training, which can be motivating.

One-month program

Keep in mind that if you are untrained, the exercises practiced over the next 4-8 weeks will serve as muscle regeneration and adaptation. That is, the real results of strength and muscle mass development will begin to be seen and consolidated after about two months of consistent and conscious training.

To start, you can do two sets of 20 repetitions per exercise in the first week. Once these are done easily, weight should be added. The idea is that the last 3 repetitions of each set should be done with great difficulty.

In the second week, you can do two sets of each exercise, the first with 20 repetitions and the second with 15.

In the third week, two or three sets of each exercise, the first with 15 repetitions, the second with 12, and the third with 10.

For the fourth week, two or three sets of each exercise, the first with 12 repetitions, the second with 10, and the third with 8.

There are many exercises that can be included in a training program, but considering that we want to emphasize the major muscles, the following exercises can be part of a workout you do 3 times a week.

• Start by warming up, either on a stationary bike, walking, or jogging for at least 15-30 minutes.

• Stretch, especially the muscles that will be used.

• Exercises:

Squats (with or without weight)

Triceps dips

Push-ups

Pull-ups

Plank

Wall squat

Trunk extension

Step-ups

Leg scissors

• Abdominals. Although the exercises described above involve the abdominal area, it is good to do 1-3 sets of an isolated exercise for this area. There are several abdominal exercises, as well as different levels and intensities.

• Stretching. In my video on how to run without injury, I show some key stretches, so don't hesitate to watch it to avoid post-workout pain and prevent injuries.

According to a meta-analysis of 21 studies, published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research in 2017, people who performed strength training for at least six weeks, doing exercises to exhaustion, showed similar muscle cell growth regardless of whether they were many repetitions with light weights or fewer repetitions with heavier weights.

By using more weight and performing fewer repetitions (of course, to exhaustion of 12, 10, or 8 repetitions), muscle fibers suffer small tears that the body quickly scars and rebuilds. This is thanks to the stimulation of growth hormone, and it is through this mechanism that muscle develops and muscle mass increases. Increased muscle mass, in turn, stimulates metabolism so that the body continues to burn calories up to 17 hours after finishing the workout.

Strength training with weights strengthens bone density, which helps reduce the risk of fractures in old age. Training with heavy weights increases the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, a neurotransmitter involved in the production of new neurons and the optimization of cognitive function.

The ideal is to practice strength exercises with both light weights and many repetitions, as I indicate during the first two weeks of training in this protocol.

Likewise, train with heavier weights and fewer repetitions, as I also show during the second two weeks of this training. This way, the body is given space to adapt, you avoid risks of injury, and you take advantage of both alternatives. How your body will look and feel will demonstrate this.