Don’t let age stop you from building your physique
Losing muscle while you age is something that just about everyone has to look forward to (sarcasm). No one wants to deal with this type of thing, you work so hard to put on muscle mass only for it to go away as you get older, what’s the point of even hitting the gym? Well, Lee Labrada is pretty confident that he has the solution. In a Youtube video he recently uploaded, the bodybuilder went into detail about how to build muscle after reaching 50 years with just three simple and effective tips.
Labrada stated “If you’re over 50 and you want to know whether you can still build muscle, the answer is yes. In this video, I’m going to go over some basic things that you can start doing today to help you build muscle”.
Let’s break down exactly what he advises to keep on that muscle mass as you age.
Who is Lee Labrada?
The first thing we should address is who exactly Lee Labrada is and why he has the credentials to give fitness advice. Labrada is a Men’s Open bodybuilding standout from the 1980s, competing against some of the greats. He is certainly well-versed in sculpting a physique similar to a Greek God, and competing against some true talent on the Olympia stage. Labrada even placed in the top four at the Mr. Olympia contest for seven years, which is the highest level of bodybuilding there is. Though he did not take home the title, Lee Labrada was routinely testing himself against world-class competitors such as the former eight-time Mr. Olympia winner Lee Haney.
He is now 64 years old but he still maintains some great muscle and strength, appearing as though he has discovered the fountain of youth. However Labrada didn’t get to where he is by chance, but instead through hard work. Even though he has stepped off of the bodybuilding stage, Labrada has stood by healthy eating, staying active, and resistance training to avoid losing muscle mass as he ages, and this is where so many people fall short.
Lee Labrada’s 3 Tips on How to Build Muscle Over 50
Age-related muscle loss, also known as sarcopenia, is something that becomes more prevalent as we age. However, Labrada has certainly found some ways to avoid that, so let’s check them out.
Resistance Training
One of Lee Labrada’s biggest pieces of advice to build muscle over 50 is to continue with resistance training. Too many times do people abandon this practice as they get older, stating that their joints hurt or they aren’t as strong as they used to be, but Labrada states that it is crucial to keep going.
“To build muscle you have to use resistance training and that means lifting weights. Here’s what you can expect from a good weight training program. Weight training increases muscle volume and density and that’s important because how much muscle you carry is one of the biomarkers of aging.
Typically, as we get older we experience muscle loss especially if we’re sedentary. Age-related muscle loss is called sarcopenia and quite frankly, it sucks! But the good news is that you can mitigate muscle loss as you get older if you’re willing to train with weights and eat right.”
However, he states that resistance training also benefits bone density, stating that weight training can help to prevent osteoporosis as we age. Aside from that, he explains that resistance training as you age also helps to keep body fat off.
Change Your Diet
One of the biggest things when it comes to building a physique is what you eat, and too often do people “let themselves go” and not care about what they eat, but Lee Labrada states that this is very important to keep in mind. He emphasizes that if building muscle is your goal after hitting 50, then you should focus on proper nutrition with a diet that is made up of lean protein and moderate amounts of complex carbohydrates.
Labrada stated some complex carbs that he approves of are sweet potatoes, rice, and oatmeal. With added fruits and vegetables, these can help you to build muscle as you age. Labrada also adds that when it comes to diet, a few supplements such as a multivitamin, some fish oil, and creatine are also useful tools to help build muscle as you age.
Get Your Hormones Checked
This is a subject that so many people will ignore, but as you age your hormone levels get thrown out of loop, which can result in unwanted side effects. That being said, Lee Labrada says that if you want to build muscle as you age, you need to get your hormone levels checked, and keep them in check, especially your testosterone levels.
Testosterone declines significantly as you age, and being that this is one of the biggest muscle building hormones, a decline can result in age related muscle loss. Now there are over the counter testosterone boosters, but they may not be strong enough to treat you, hence the reason Labrada says that you need to get your hormone levels checked. You never know if you need something more serious, like testosterone replacement therapy.
Put as Much Muscle on While You’re Young
Aside from using Lee Labrada’s 3 tips for avoiding age related muscle loss, one of the best things that you can do is put on more muscle mass while you’re young. The body will peak around age 30, and after that you can expect to start experiencing declines in muscle mass year after year.
That being said, put as much muscle mass on in your youth as you can, get active and get stronger.
Building Muscle After 50 Wrap Up
Overall, building muscle mass after you hit 50 is not something that is impossible, and Lee Labrada is a prime example of it. He has shared some great tips for building muscle in his old age, and it is clear that he reaps the benefits. That being said, will you be giving Labrada’s methods a try?
Let us know!
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
