How to get the most out of your body at any age
Did you reach your fifth decade of life? To increase muscle mass you will need to increase proteins consumption on the menu - and divide them equally into several large meals
At any age, it is important to build muscle mass and preserve it, but from the fourth decade of life, a natural process begins that causes the muscle tissue to thin out - a process that may lead to sarcopenia. In the sixth decade of life, muscle wasting accelerates, both due to age and due to certain diseases such as diabetes that accelerate the process
Although aerobic activity such as walking or running is very important for maintaining cardiopulmonary endurance and reducing the risk of disease, it does not contribute to increasing muscle mass and mitigating its depletion. In simple words: if you only perform aerobic activity, it is important that you combine strength training at least twice a week and at the same time increase the consumption of protein in the daily menu.
The optimal amount for building and preserving muscle tissue is 1.2 grams of protein per 1 kg of body weight
Prevent muscle cramping after training
In the studies conducted in the last 20 years, it was found that there is no connection between the two, and that the reason for this originates from damage to the function of the nervous system responsible for muscle contraction, which causes an involuntary spasm.
It is recommended to continue consuming foods rich in magnesium since processed foods are low in magnesium and so is desalinated water. If you drink mineral water, compare the amount of magnesium per liter between the different brands and prefer the ones with the higher magnesium content.
Caffeine before training
Caffeine is a stimulant that increases the secretion of adrenaline and reduces the feeling of pain during exertion. Studies conducted in recent years challenged two concepts that were accepted in the past: one - caffeine is only effective among people who do not consume it on a daily basis. The second - caffeine burns fats and thus causes a decrease in the percentage of fat in the body. However, it was found that consuming caffeine as a supplement (in an amount of 3-6 mg per day) or as drinking two cups of coffee before training, stimulates and even reduces the feeling of effort, which may improve training performance.
Synchronize the training time to the biological clock and according to the goal
Our brain has an internal clock that dictates the daily rhythm of the various body systems (SCN), and it controls the daily cycle of smaller clocks called circadian clocks that are found in every tissue and organ in our body. These clocks allow our various activities to synchronize with the influence of the sun throughout the day. Studies conducted on these clocks have shown that every activity we perform has an optimal time in which the body's systems will allow us to achieve optimal results. Accordingly, and according to a review of studies published in recent years, a list of recommendations was drawn up for performing fitness training at certain hours to achieve different goals
When the goal is to increase the breakdown of fat - it is recommended to perform aerobic activity in the morning. This is the time when there is an increased secretion of catecholamines (organic compounds) such as adrenaline, which helps to break down the fat more efficiently and to move the fatty acids from the bloodstream to the skeletal muscles - something that prevents its storage in the tissues and reduces sensitivity to fat.
When the goal is to build muscle - it is recommended to train between the hours of 14:00 and 20:00. A new study shows that between these hours the anabolic efficiency (increasing muscle mass) is at its peak, so this is the optimal time for exercisers wishing to increase muscle mass.
When the goal is to increase glycogen storage - it is better to perform aerobic activity in the evening
Try to separate the strength training from the aerobic training
To get the most out of your fitness training, it is recommended to separate aerobic training from strength training. If it is not possible to separate the days, you can perform aerobic training in the morning and strength training in the evening. If the schedule does not allow you and you must combine the two trainings, schedule the activity according to the goals. For example:
To strengthen the muscles and maintain normal cardiopulmonary function - it is advisable to start with strength training and then switch to aerobic training.
To develop strength - it is advisable to start with strength training and try to do a short aerobic activity afterward. If it's intense aerobic activity, 15-20 minutes is sufficient. If the activity is moderate - up to half an hour.
To improve aerobic capacity with high effort - it is advisable to perform aerobic activity first and then strength training. This is also the case for men who suffer from high blood pressure and wish to reduce it during training.
