If you want to maintain a muscular and fit physique now and well into your old age, it’s no secret that strength training reigns supreme. This beneficial form of exercise helps you build a healthy, capable muscle base and melt away body fat, he says Matthew Maddox, AFAA, Vice President of Sales and Operations Training for BODY20. Today, Maddox shares some of the best daily strength exercises for men to stay fit.
“For every pound of muscle that is put on one’s BMR (basal metabolic rate, which is the number of calories burned at rest) will increase in significance now that the individual is burning more calories at rest,” Maddox explains. When it comes to strength training, you truly get the best of both worlds by reducing your body fat percentage and sculpting lean muscle mass at the same time. Maddox recommends doing strength work a minimum of three to five times a week as you age, and the moves below are a perfect way to incorporate it into your routine to preserve healthy muscle mass and avoid the risk of injury.
“To get the benefits of strength training, you need to exercise for at least 45 to 60 minutes,” says Maddox. “If you find it difficult to get to the gym for your strength sessions, you can incorporate EMS training into the BODY20 just once a week for 20 minutes and you won’t have to worry about lifting those heavy weights! BODY20 is low impact and you will recruit up to up to 36,000 muscle contractions in just 20 minutes. Maximum results in minimum time.”
Read on to learn about Maddox’s five daily strength exercises for men to stay in shape. And when you’re done, don’t miss the 7 exercises men should do every day to stay muscular.
“Push-ups are a staple of a great upper body workout; they allow for strength building and a cardio aspect,” Maddox tells us. “Push-ups can also be used in a variety of ways, from a quick isotonic movement to a slow, controlled isometric grip.”
Begin the push-ups in a high plank on your toes, wrists under your shoulders and your body forming a straight line. Bend your elbows to lower your chest to the ground. Then, push yourself back up to a high plank.
“The squat is capable of engaging most of the primary muscle groups in your legs. From your quads to your glutes and hamstrings, these muscles are important to build day after day for leg muscle development,” says Maddox. Squats usually require added free weights to boost the muscle building process.
To begin squats, plant your feet shoulder-width or hip-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand. Bend both knees and push your hips back as you come down into a squat. Lower yourself until your thighs become parallel to the floor. Then, press your feet to stand up.
The pull-up is an excellent move that activates the upper posterior chain muscles. In addition to working your back muscles, this exercise can build strength in your arms and shoulders.
Begin pull-ups by standing under a pull-up bar. Using an overhand grip, place your hands wider than shoulder width apart. Activate your core and bring your shoulders back as you hold on to the bar. Then, bend both elbows and bring your upper body toward the pull-up bar until your chin clears it. Once you reach the top, use the control to lower yourself to the starting position.
“Lunges are great for the hamstrings and glutes with an emphasis on the quads,” Maddox explains. “They can be done in many different variations to keep each muscle group engaged properly and tailor each variation to the individual.”
To perform a forward lunge, place your feet shoulder-width apart and keep a tall upper body. Hold a dumbbell in both hands. Take a big step forward with one leg as you come down into a lunge. Make sure the knee of the front leg doesn’t go beyond the toes. Press into the front heel to stand up. Step your back leg forward and lunge to that side.
The last of the best daily strength exercises for men to keep fit are plank holds. “The plank grip is another exercise that incorporates many muscles at once. Even though there’s a heavy focus on the abs, the rest of the body is working hard to keep everything stable and aligned,” Maddox explains.
You can do a straight arm plank or a forearm plank. The straight-arm plank requires you to press into your toes and have your wrists aligned with your shoulders. The forearm plank requires you to get down on your forearms and hold that position, all while maintaining a tight core and straight body. Make sure your lower back doesn’t sag.
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Alexa Melardo
Alexa is the Deputy Mind + Body Director of Eat This, Not That!, who oversees the M+B channel and provides readers with interesting fitness, wellness and self-care topics. Read more about Alexa
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