The Secret to Building Muscle Naturally Over 40

[@churchhymnsandpsalms]

I’m 51. I finally got back into shape after being 60 lbs overweight for a long time. I started with walking, then walk-running, then running, then adding calisthenics. Now I’m 20 lbs overweight, but I run 5 miles per day, and end with either pull ups, push ups, dips, handstand pushups, rows, lunges, or jump squats.

[@hybridresistance]

Truly impressive my friend, thanks for sharing that.

[@sashineb.2114]

Thank you. This is helpful. I am about to turn 71 (seventy-one). Last year, I had a major heart attack, followed by surgeries for angioplasty and quadruple heart bypass. I lost a lot of weight and recovery was slow. Part of the recovery included Cardiac Rehab exercise programs, beginning about five months after surgery. When the doctors said I was able, I re-joined a gym. I've been going consistently (four times a week for strength training, plus walking at least 7 km every day). I know I won't have the muscles I once had, but I stay true to my plans. And with the diet that I am on now (mainly vegetarian), there isn't a lot there that helps to build muscle. My weight must remain at a certain level, and I cannot take any supplements, except protein powder. But, I keep working out (split routine). Thanks again, and keep up your good work.

[@hybridresistance]

Wow, great story. You're doing awesome and probably more exercise that the majority of Americans. I wouldn't worry about the diet as there's some great info about building muscle on a vegan diet. Maybe a video for another time but way back around 2011, I did a vegan diet on and off for about 2-3 years. Thank you for the positive comments.

[@gambitshotshadow1643]

I just turned 55, and I’ve been hitting the Harambe setup religiously (X3) before for a while. I’ve lost 8 pounds and my body has been getting back to it. I took a weekend off (drinking and eating), and it took me 2 weeks to get back into shape! Like you said, consistency is key! I’d add that intentions are too. Motivation is overrated, discipline is where it’s at.

[@hybridresistance]

Love that practical story. I'm sure we all can relate to that.

[@dariuswalker738]

Consistency is the key to almost everything. I’ve lifted weights regularly since I was 14 (I’ll be 53 in a couple of weeks). I’ve always been pretty consistent with weight training. What I wasn’t consistent with until a couple of years ago was cardio and diet. Those things make a difference too, especially as we age. I need my heart to be healthy as well as my body fat percentage to be low (at least 15% or below) to keep my health into my 50s and 60s. What I’ve found is that adding the cardio and diet makes the weight training even better. Consistency in all of those areas and adding in consistent good sleep habits makes a huge difference.

[@hybridresistance]

Awesome Darius. I'm right there with you on the cardio/diet side.

[@w.adammandelbaum1805]

One of the benefits of having a variety of resistance equipment is it prevents boredom which assists consistency.

[@Brockthedog315]

This has been what has worked for me. Over the years just add on a few new things to workout with. And I love a workout with multiple kinds of equipment. Peace and Happy New Year all!

[@hybridresistance]

Totally agree with you there. Thanks for watching again my friend.

[@hybridresistance]

You too Brock.

[@sydneybird116]

So true. I have owned and cycled through kettlebells (back pain), dumbbells (asymmetry weakness), resistance bands (good and bad, great for RV traveling)), free weights with rack (keeper), Total Gym (ok but moved back to free weights), treadmill (hours of boredom), NordicTrack skier (back pain shuffling), Bowflex Max Trainer (knee pain and not customizable stride), cable tower (keeper), elliptical (hours of boredom, some back pain shuffling), stepper (hours of boredom and just drudgery), stationary bike (my aching a**), recumbent bike (hours of boredom and lazy), rower (never got in the rhythm), trampoline (back compression and silly) and rebounder (even more silly but the video girls are nice to look at), jogging (enjoyed marathons in my 20's, can't imagine now), bodyweight/calisthenics (1960's gym class that I hated). I need props/gismos/crutches. Just this week I discovered a rack-mountable landmine attachment (which can be mounted mid-torso level, and propped up horizontally using my incline bench back, for better overhead mechanics) with a Viking press attachment and boy is that fun to do squat-presses and twist side-by-sides over time as an alternative to boring cardio. Gets the heart rate up there with no impact on this 65 yo creaky body.

[@azndynomite1277]

Falling in love with the process is key, it makes being consistent basically a non factor, outside of injury and/or illness.

[@hybridresistance]

Excellent point. When you get to tap into that hardwired nature of doing or needing something physical in the day, that's always a good sign.

[@srconrad]

Right on, Mike! I turn 62 later this week. I went through most of life overweight and not working out regularly. In 2021 I had a heart attack and everything changed after that. I started dropping the pounds and working out with weights consistently. I have been working out solidly for 2 and a half years now. Down 60 pounds and now muscular and strong. I switched to X3 a little over a year ago and that got rid of the on and off again joint pain issues. I have learned to turn my brain off and just do the workouts now without fail. Just start. You always feel good afterward and are glad you did it.

[@hybridresistance]

Thank you for sharing that personal story. You're a testament to the work and results that pay off. Love that mindset you have approaching your workouts.

[@buddyryan875]

Wise advice Mike! About to be 42 here and I follow a lot of 60+ lifters/fitness folks on youtube bcuz what they are doing is what I have to do to keep it going! The way they modify rep speed, form, programs.. it's real cool to see! I nearly gave up bcuz what worked in my 20s constantly got me injured in my 30s! Stopped being stubborn and found what does work! And what works in 10 years.. 20 years.. 30 years will probably look completely different again!

[@hybridresistance]

Very wise advice and approaches Buddy. Thanks for adding that comment and for watching. I totally agree, that listening to those that are older and been in the game awhile is always a good thing.

[@NeuronIron]

as with many things in life that require habit formation, consistency is 100% the most important thing. i'm glad you covered this thx

[@hybridresistance]

Totally agree, thanks for the comment.

[@williamsullivan1126]

Thanks Mike. Happy New Year!

[@hybridresistance]

Thanks brother, Happy New year brother.

[@balboa0621]

Absolutely right. A suboptimal session is better than no session. When you feel like doing nothing, at least do something. Walking, biking, eliptical, deload. Something. North of 40, your natural state is decline. A plateau is better than a decline.

[@hybridresistance]

Great points. I actually wanted to hit on what we all know is true that at a certain point it's a game of holding on and simply being better than you were or would have been had you done nothing.

[@Zschopauwand]

Hello Mike! I like this kind of content very much. Its good to hear some wise words from a man who is honest and has the knowledge! I wish you a happy and healthy new year.

[@hybridresistance]

Thank you so much my friend. Hope you have a happy and blessed New Year.

[@DeadLinux]

Yep this was my key takeaway in our session - consistency and 'decent work' and I'd add that, with me, recognizing those barriers or habits that make me inconsistent and creating a plan for making it easier to be consistent has been my goal lately. It's been helping get me back on track

[@hybridresistance]

Thanks Conor. I think it's a struggle for everyone at some point in time for sure. You also nailed it with the importance of recognizing or identifying the barriers to tackle them.

[@sydneybird116]

Mike, a very good video with sound advice. As a 65 yo, I beg everyone to get serious with their exercise and diet right now and stay consistent! Age 63-64 hit me hard with declining energy levels, and man, muscles really deteriorate quickly after a few weeks off, and after 6 months, it's like you never lifted anything heavier than a beer (back to Starting Strength all over again). Recovery after a decent workout can take a week instead of two days. I've been on TRT for 25 years when I discovered that I made very little T in my late 30's.

[@hybridresistance]

Thanks for sending all of that Sydney. Always value the tips and history from others.

[@markandrewkoval8920]

Preach…yes consistency is key & when one has been lifting for decades, some variety to spice things up a bit makes a huge difference.

[@hybridresistance]

Thanks Mark.

[@victoriouswarrior02]

Love your channel. I’m 47 years old. I’ve been training consistently since I was 23. My current routine consists of 2 days of weight training and one or two sessions of hitting a heavy bag. I have also incorporated a sliding bench trainer into my lifting sessions, mainly use it for assistance work.

[@hybridresistance]

I've been wanting to pick up another heavy bag for awhile. That sounds like a solid plan there. Thanks for the positive comments.

[@mrqualityreviewer4752]

Great advice consistency is key I’m 45 and I tell people this all the time

[@hybridresistance]

I've been slacking on being consistent on my grip training. You got any new favorites on those?

[@mrqualityreviewer4752]

@ nothing new but I heard sports grips has a new forearm device.

[@vincentlivoti4184]

Solid advice Mike. Wishing you and your family a Happy and Healthy New Year 🎊.

[@hybridresistance]

Thanks Vincent. Same to you brother .

[@aynrandfan7454]

Consistency and avoiding injury is key

[@hybridresistance]

Amen brother.

[@HughLeFitness]

Great tips my guy! I’m hitting 40 in a few months and this was useful!

[@hybridresistance]

Thanks brother, appreciate you watching. You got a solid build my friend, so keep doing what you're doing.

[@ktfo4620]

So true. At 56 I'm a stickler for getting a workout in every other day. Sometimes I don't want to but I push through the laziness.

[@balboa0621]

Right, a suboptimal workout is better than no workout. Do SOMETHING when you feel like doing nothing.

[@hybridresistance]

I know as I get older (actually the day of this recording) I need to listen to my body more and take more time off to recover or least call an audible for the day of physical activity.

[@hybridresistance]

I like that.

[@scotchbudmeister9018]

Age 64 here. Last month, I missed workouts for almost two weeks from Covid and lost some strength in that short period. It has come back and I'm on track again but how quickly progress can be derailed. I can't help but think if you were in shape before, the body can bounce back pretty quickly. TRT or HRT nah. Consistent workouts don't come in a bottle 😄

[@hybridresistance]

Thanks for that and happy to hear you're back at it!

[@robertpina1881]

I'm a new sub, I was pleased to see saints up on your wall. 🙏 look forward to see more vids.

[@hybridresistance]

Thanks so much. Looking to get some more up soon.

[@adamgalvan3181]

I'm 46 and have been weight training for 30 years. One of the biggest take aways I've learned is don't try to force a movement if its painful. Better to try it another day and not hurt yourself and have to take a week off. Especially with your back. I do a lot of corrective exercises to keep the body able to still lift weights. The reason for this is if I would develop a shoulder, wrist, back, or knee issue I realized it was caused by a weakness or imbalance in some stabilizer muscle. Pain is usually a sign of weakness somewhere that can usually be corrected. Also if you are just not feeling it and don't want to work out you can always just do half the workout. Sometimes I tell myself I'm only doing half and once I get going I end up doing the whole workout. Other times I finish the other half later in the day. Don't eat junk and get plenty of sleep.

[@hybridresistance]

Very important and great points. Even during my heavy lifting days / programs. I still would be cautious about not pushing through sticking points when it comes to heavy barbell exercises.

[@loulopez554]

Also remember getting on TRT is a long term commitment. You can't just quit like smoking or drinking. I still wonder of it's very long term effects

[@hybridresistance]

I'm with you Lou. Like I said in the video, if were like a supplement you could jump on and off, I'd probably be all in for at least a ride.

[@Deckard-]

I’m 50, and started going to the gym 18 months ago. 3 times a week, 50 mins a time. Consistency is key. Even when I don’t want to go, I go. That and a high protein diet. I still eat bad stuff, but I eat less bad stuff. I don’t want to be a monk. I still want to enjoy certain foods. But 3 times a week and getting a lot of protein has made a big difference for me. But it takes time. I didn’t have visible results until at least 6 months. There is no quick fix. Creatine is also a solid supplement to use.

[@hybridresistance]

Love hearing that. Thanks for sharing your experience and keep up the good work. I have to ask what your favorite Blade Runner cut is?

[@Deckard-]

@ I prefer the directors cut over the original, but honestly, I’d watch any version of it whenever it’s on! It’s such a good film.

[@carlosfarias6012]

I have an x3 bar system at home, I started using it 3 weeks ago doing fullbody workouts. BUT, I feel like I’m not getting a pump or working the muscles. Don’t get me wrong, fullbody works have me sweating a lot and it’s good because I have about 75 lbs. to lose. But I was wondering if I should switch over to a 5 day bro split? I am 53 years old and I do have the time. What are your thoughts, advice? Thanks for another great video.

[@hybridresistance]

Thanks Carlos. There's a number of things I could suggest but might need more information. But I would switch it up if I were you. Maybe try going upper/lower body split. Did you ever try their "hypertrophy program" on their site? I got a video I actually might make today about how to change up a few variables to make a big difference.

[@carlosfarias6012]

I haven’t tried their hypetrophy training. I don’t enjoy doing 1 set to failure and I hear that in the hypertrophy program you have to do sets to failure, no thanks. I want to enjoy the workouts not suffer 😆. I am looking forward to your next video, thanks.

[@FrankZen]

I would say 50s is where the joint issues and slow recovery take hold. Because I was lifting heavy well into my late 40s. Occasionally injuries but nothing like in the 50s. I've found that working with the bands really offsets that. To be honest, I'm feeling I look better on bands mainly because I'm recovering better and training more often. I'm going to compare when I go back on weights but at my age I don't feel like I'm missing much with the bands. I found ways to be just as intense with bands as with weights. Especially with loops. But spot on with the consistency. That's still #1. No secrets or shortcuts or side effects with that!

[@hybridresistance]

Appreciate you chiming in Frank. I try to check myself because I'm sure I could be signing another when I hit that. Always love to hear about your progress with the bands. Are you still going to Home Gym Con or the Arnold?

[@FrankZen]

@hybridresistance definitely home gym con and very likely the Arnold too. I'll know for sure within the next two weeks.

[@hybridresistance]

I'm leaning on that Arnold this year.

[@FrankZen]

@@hybridresistance nice! It'll be cool to meet up. I'll send you a little writeup on the last one I went to.

[@Nicholas19823]

Consistency and patience, hard to get your head around and to accept it. But it’s the only way. Mike what’s your opinion on looser form v stricter form? For instance i recently see a video stating that heavier weights for example on side lateral raises and cheating is better than using lighter weights in strict form? From your experience is controlled always best?

[@hybridresistance]

Great question and one that probably deserves its own video. Of course I wouldn't advise "loose form" in the sense of mindlessly swinging weight around without a focus on the muscle, but I do think there's a place for a faster tempo (or at least as a variable to incorporate) to increase stress. I personally will use a little of both. I'm not really planning on it prior to a set, really just doing what I feel is stimulating in that set and of course isn't causing any joint pain.

[@Nicholas19823]

@ that would be great Mike! I think with me I’m looking for answers externally all the time , as I get more advanced I’ll probably be looking more internally like your good self Mike. I’m a 3DMJ sub, I watch all Jeff Albert’s videos, great guy and bodybuilder, everything is strict impeccable form. Then again I follow Kevin Richardson , another great guy and body builder, complete opposite! Looser form heavy weights as possible. I guess the only way is to try for yourself as we are all different?

[@hybridresistance]

Love this Nicholas. I personally think each of those approaches has their place. Kevin is a good example of proving that just because you're moving weight fast (and at high intensity), you're not by default going to hurt yourself as he can has progressed to that point of controlling it.

[@Nicholas19823]

@ Yh I like Kevin, I’m v interested in his training style, I love Jeff Albert’s also, mr cool , shows zero discomfort on the weights

[@wilfredotorres6628]

Hi Mike, there's a problem with health is it bodybuilding or real health there's a distinction bodybuilding is more ego-driven more muscle-head mentally or is it building functional muscle for activities or a sport where large muscles are not what is required size and strength are not the equivalent. That's where people must make the distinction between what they are looking for when training and having obtainable goals to what condition they're looking for.

[@hybridresistance]

I agree that some people, being purely ego driven isn't ideal, more so from a mental stand point. Personally I don't really know what I'd classify my training as, but it certainly started out and could be considered bodybuilding centric. One thing across the board that I would say is always "functional" for real life is putting on muscle and increasing strength.

[@ronburgandy3339]

As a guy in his 40s the best thing I’ve done is move to only 2 weight workouts per week full body. Having those other days for just anything else like Rope flow, sprints, jump roping things like this has helped my body not feel like crap. Also with only 2 sessions a week weight training I have to think intensity because that’s it until the next week.

[@hybridresistance]

This year was one of the first in a long time where I committed to a decent number of total body workouts. They were high intensity and at least with my body now, that's all I had in me to recover for the next session. Great comment.