“Balance is crucial when it comes to being safe and active. Improving your balance can not only prevent falls but it can also enhance your daily activities, especially as we age. Having good balance skills allows you to move more independently and doubtlessly, especially when it comes to sustaining control and stability during dynamic movements, such as jumping, running, and changing direction. Maintaining balance is a lot more complex and critical than one might think as it requires coordination between your muscles, tendons, and bones as well as your eyes, ears, and brain,” says Lekshmi Kumar, MS, a Performance Physiologist with Human Powered Health.

Loss of balance is a major concern as you grow older. The good news is that just a few simple exercises can drastically improve your balance and reduce your risk of falls. Performing five to 10 minutes of balance training two to three times a week can greatly impact your quality of life for decades. Check out these expert-approved exercises that can help you regain stability and confidence in your movements.

Single-Leg Balance

“A single leg balance requires coordination of your leg muscles and improves your stability by challenging your overall balance. To perform this exercise, lift one foot slightly off the ground and balance on one leg for about 20 seconds, then switch legs,” says Kumar.

1. Stand up straight and lift one foot.
2. Balance on one foot for 30 seconds.
3. Switch sides.

Heel-to-Toe Walk

“A heel-to-toe walk allows you to improve coordination while also strengthening the muscles crucial for maintaining balance. Start by placing your heel right in front of the toes of your opposite foot and then walk in a straight line,” she says.

RELATED: The Only 4 Exercises You Need for Total-Body Fitness

Tightrope Walk

“A tightrope walk is a great stability exercise to challenge your leg and core muscles. As if you were on a tightrope, stretch out your arms out to your sides and continue to walk in a straight line,” says Kumar.

Seated Pelvic Tilts

“Seated pelvic tilts help with pelvic mobility and support your lower back and hips. Start by sitting on a flat surface and gently rock your pelvis forward and backward. Aim to avoid moving your upper body when tilting your hips,” recommends Kumar.

Overhead Reach

“The overhead reach challenges your balance while engaging your core and leg muscles. Start by standing on one leg. Reach both arms overhead as far up as you can, then repeat on the other leg,” says Kumar.

Dumbbell Goblet Squats

1. Hold a dumbbell close to your chest while maintaining an upright posture.
2. Keep your core tight, push your hips back, and squat down until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
3. Push through your heels and hips, flexing your glutes and quads.
4. Perform 3 to 4 sets of 10 to 12 reps.

RELATED: Over 40? These 7 Exercises Keep You Strong and Fit for Life

Step-ups

1. Place one foot on a sturdy surface or workout bench.
2. Keep your chest tall and your core tight as you lean into the heel of the front leg, pushing off of it to step onto the surface.
3. Flex your quad and glute at the top of the movement.
4. Step back down before performing another rep.

Split Squats

1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Assume a staggered stance, placing one foot forward and one foot behind you.
3. Slowly lower into a lunge until your back knee touches the ground.
4. Get a solid stretch in the hips of your back leg, then push through your front heel, flexing your quad and glutes.
5. Perform 3 to 4 sets of 10 reps per leg.

RELATED: If You Can Hold a Wall Sit for This Long, Your Leg Endurance Is Next-Level

Side Plank Hip Lifts

1. Assume a side plank with your forearm on the floor and your feet stacked.
2. Keep your core tight and your glutes squeezed as you tilt and flex your hips straight up and down, maintaining tension in your obliques.
3. Perform 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 10 reps on each side.

Plank to Pushup

1. Assume a forearm plank position.
2. Push yourself up with one hand and then finish with the other to assume a high plank.
3. Return to the forearm plank position, lowering one arm at a time.
4. Start the movement with the other arm, alternating between your planks and pushups.
5. Perform 3 to 4 sets of 3 to 5 reps per arm.

RELATED: 5 Walking Techniques That Burn More Fat Than Running

Glute Bridge with Reach

1. Lie flat on your back and bend your knees.
2. Bridge your hips up toward the sky, squeezing your glutes hard at the top and holding it there.
3. Once you’re at full extension, bring one arm over and behind you, aiming to touch the ground.
4. Alternate between hands.

Side Elbow Planks

1. Assume a side plank position by stacking your feet and aligning your shoulders with your wrists.
2. Lift your hips up and forward while bracing your abs.
3. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds before switching sides.
4. If the regular side plank position is too challenging to hold, start with the bent knee version instead while you build your core strength.
5. Hold the position for 20 to 30 seconds per side.

RELATED: 8 No-Equipment Moves That Build Strength Like Weight Training

Suitcase Carry

1. Hold a dumbbell by your side.
2. Brace your abs, then start walking for 30 to 50 feet.
3. The weight may pull you down to one side, but resisting it will work your core.
4. Once you complete the distance, turn around, switch the weight to your other hand, and walk back to the starting position.
5. Carry for 30 to 50 feet.

Walking Lunges

1. Take a big step forward.
2. Lower your hips by dropping your back knee toward the ground.
3. As your knee approaches two to three inches off the ground, push off the front foot and take a big step forward with your back leg to enter directly into the next repetition.
4. Repeat for the target time.

Single-Leg Stands on Unstable Surface

1. Place a foam pad, rolled-up yoga mat, or another instability device under your standing foot.
2. Perform the single-leg balance as described above.

RELATED: The #1 Bodyweight Workout To Shrink Hanging Belly Fat

Single-Leg Three-Way Touch

1. Balance on one leg.
2. With your non-balancing leg, reach your foot forward to gently tap the ground two to three feet in front of you. Do not put any weight on this foot.
3. Do the same going laterally to the side.
4. Do the same toward the rear, rotating your torso and hips 90 degrees as you step your foot backward.
5. Repeat the cycle on each side for the target time.

The post The 16 Best Exercises To Regain Your Balance After 60 appeared first on Eat This Not That.

“The strength in your legs and glutes is important for balance, mobility, and injury prevention. As we age, we naturally lose muscle mass, which can result in falls, achy joints, and less independence. Lower body strength helps enhance stability and coordination along with the ability to do everyday tasks like walking, climbing stairs, and standing up from a chair,” says Chris Pruit, the CEO of WorkoutHealthy and a certified personal trainer with more than 16 years of experience in fitness and strength training.

To build bigger, stronger legs, you need a comprehensive approach targeting all major muscle groups: quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. The most effective exercises combine compound movements like squats, deadlifts, and lunges with targeted isolation exercises for specific leg muscles.

Ready to transform your lower body? Here are the best exercises men should incorporate into their routine for maximum leg development and strength gains.

Bodyweight Squats (Chair Squats for Beginners)

“Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, lower your hips as if sitting in a chair, then push through your heels to stand back up,” says Pruit. “Keep your chest up and make sure your knees stay in line with your toes. If balance is an issue, use a chair for support or squat part of the way down,” he adds.

RELATED: 8 No-Equipment Moves That Build Strength Like Weight Training

Step-Ups

“Step on and off a sturdy platform (or low stair) to work each leg. Step onto the platform with one foot, pressing through your heel to raise the other foot up, then step back down. Alternate legs,” instructs Pruit. “Keep movements controlled, avoid using momentum, and don’t hesitate to hold on to a rail or wall for balance if necessary. For an added challenge, try using light dumbbells,” he adds.

Barbell Back Squats

To set up for this first exercise, position the barbell so that it’s comfortably resting on your upper back. Avoid putting pressure on your neck. Grab onto the secure bar, placing your hands outside the width of your shoulders. Then, take the bar off of the rack, step back, and assume a tall stance. Hinge at the hips, activate your core, and lower into a squat until your hips reach a parallel position to the floor. Return to standing to finish the first rep. Perform eight to 10 reps.

Barbell Front Squats

For barbell front squats, stand under the barbell so that it’s on the front of your shoulders. Grab onto the bar outside shoulder-width, and bring your elbows forward. Unrack the barbell, step back, and sit back onto your heels. Squat down until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Push through your heels to return to standing, and get a solid flex in your glutes when you finish. Perform six to eight reps.

RELATED: 5 Walking Techniques That Burn More Fat Than Running

Leg Press

The leg press begins with you getting situated on a leg press sled. Your feet should be outside your shoulder span and your toes pointed a bit out. Push the weight up, then unlock the machine. Lower the weight with control, then drive through your heels to finish. Perform 10 to 15 reps.

Hack Squats

The machine hack squat begins with you placing both feet in front of your body and turning out just a bit. Push yourself up before hitting the switches below to unlock the machine. Descend using control as you would for a classic squat until your hips are at least at a 90-degree angle. Then, push yourself back up through your heels, flexing your quads and glutes to finish. Perform 10 reps.

Leg Extensions

Next up in our exercises for bigger legs is the leg extension. Sit on the leg extension machine, placing both legs under the pad. Press the weight up, and squeeze your quads at the top of the motion. Lower the weight all the way down before completing another rep. Perform 10 to 12 reps.

RELATED: The Only 4 Exercises You Need for Total-Body Fitness

Machine Lying Leg Curls

Set up for this strength exercise by lying down on your stomach on the leg curl machine—your chest and hips should be pressed against the pad. Then, drag your heels toward your body, flexing your hamstrings to finish. Using control, lower the weight as you keep tension in your hamstrings until your legs are extended. Perform 10 to 12 reps.

RELATED: 7 Best Exercises for Men to Gain Muscle Without Equipment

Bulgarian Split Squats

Begin this exercise by standing tall with a dumbbell in both hands. Place your back foot on a workout bench, couch, or sturdy surface, and step out with the other foot a couple of feet away. With control, descend into a split squat until your back knee almost touches the floor. Then, press back up to the start position. Perform 10 reps per leg.

Barbell Romanian Deadlifts

For barbell Romanian deadlifts, grab onto a barbell and hold it in front of your body. With a tall chest and soft knees, hinge at the hips as you lower the barbell down your thighs. When you feel a nice stretch in your hamstrings, move your hips forward and squeeze your glutes. Perform 10 reps.

RELATED: The #1 Bodyweight Workout To Shrink Hanging Belly Fat

Machine Standing Calf Raises

If you have access to a machine for standing calf raises, begin by positioning yourself underneath the pad. You should be on the balls of your feet on the edge of the step. With straight legs, begin to lower your heels down toward the floor while flexing your toes toward your body. Once you feel a solid calf stretch at the bottom, push through your big toes, flexing your calves hard at the top. Perform 15 reps.

The post 11 Best Exercises for Men To Get Bigger, Stronger Legs appeared first on Eat This Not That.

Certain activities you can seamlessly do in your 30s and 40s you may not be able to safely perform as you grow older. Don’t fret—these bad exercise habits can be fixed, as we’ll discuss below. But first, it’s important to listen to your body and not push yourself or take on more than you can physically handle. When in doubt, consult with your healthcare professional to develop the right fitness regimen for you. You may also work with a personal trainer who guides you through a personalized workout plan that works well.

Without further ado, here are four bad exercise habits you should ditch if you’re 60 or older.

Performing Exercises That Give You Any Sort of Pain or Discomfort

This should be a no-brainer and something you should never do, regardless of age. Listening to your body and knowing what it can and can’t handle is critical when working out.

As you continue to grow older, joint health becomes increasingly important. As mentioned earlier, there are exercises you can do when you’re younger that are likely unsafe to perform as you get older. It might be due to mobility issues or because these exercises place more stress on your joints. Some common exercise examples include upright rows, skull crushers, or behind-the-neck presses and pulldowns.

If an exercise causes you pain or discomfort, stop it immediately and replace it with a similar, joint-friendly substitute.

RELATED: Doing Cardio Regularly But Not Losing Weight? Here’s Why

Prioritizing Cardio Over Strength Training

Although cardio is extremely important for heart health, burning calories, and improving endurance, many people go overboard with it and completely ignore strength training. The problem with this is that as you age, you lose muscle mass and bone density at a faster rate—especially if you don’t do anything to maintain them. If you’re not strength training regularly, start incorporating it into your routine to build and maintain lean muscle.

RELATED: 5 Exercise Habits That Are Aging Your Body Faster

Ignoring Flexibility and Mobility Work

Besides trying to maintain your lean muscle and performing joint-friendly exercises, a bad exercise habit to quit now is ignoring mobility and flexibility. In addition to losing lean mass when you get older, you also lose range of motion and flexibility—especially if you don’t do anything to maintain them. It’s important to incorporate stretches, mobility drills, or even yoga classes to improve your flexibility and range of motion in your movement patterns.

RELATED: 6 Harmful Walking Habits You Should Quit Now, Experts Say

Using Exercise To Burn Off “Cheat Meals” and “Cheat Days”

This is more of a psychological habit than a physical one, affecting people of all ages. You may like to add “cheat meals” and “cheat days” to your weekend eating and end up over-exercising because you feel guilty about how overindulgent you were. Unfortunately, this can lead to an endless cycle, and you likely won’t make solid progress with your fat-loss goals.

Instead, use exercise to improve your fitness instead of a method to burn off “cheat days.”

The post Over 60? Quit These Bad Exercise Habits ASAP appeared first on Eat This Not That.

It’s incredibly important to start strength training because building and preserving muscle is the key to not only aging well but also reshaping your body. If you’re over 60 and already strength training regularly, below are two trainer-approved tricks you can incorporate into your routine to reshape your body.

Trick #1: Superset a Compound Move with an Isolation

It’s important to note that as you grow older, your training should be slightly modified to reflect your training age. If you’re 60 or over, taking care of your joint health becomes more crucial than ever before. This means working in higher rep ranges and choosing exercises that are joint-friendly and create good muscle tension.

A great way to make your muscles work harder is by pairing a compound movement with an isolation exercise that targets almost the same muscles. Below are a couple of examples.

1. Dumbbell Shoulder Press

1. Stand tall and hold the dumbbells up next to your shoulders, with your palms facing each other.
2. Keeping your core tight and glutes squeezed, press the dumbbells up, flexing your shoulders and triceps at the top.
3. Lower the weight under control before performing another rep.
4. Do 3 sets of 10 reps.

RELATED: 6 Daily Habits To Regain Muscle Mass After 60

2. Dumbbell Lateral Raise

1. Grab a pair of dumbbells, and stand with your chest tall and your head slightly tilted back.
2. Begin the motion by raising both dumbbells out to your side, just right where your arms are parallel to the floor.
3. Flex the sides of your shoulders at the top, then lower the weight under control.
4. As you lower the dumbbells, maintain tension in your shoulders the entire time.
5. Do 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps.

RELATED: How To Effectively Build Muscle As You Age

Trick #2: Add Partials at the End of the Set

Another trick to make your body work harder to burn more calories and build more muscle is to include partial reps after you’re done with your set. Once you’ve finished all of the prescribed reps in your exercise, come all the way back down to the bottom of the movement and perform tiny pulses up and down for a few reps. This will make those muscles burn, elevate your heart rate, and torch some extra calories! Below are two examples.

1. Goblet Squat

1. Stand tall and hold a dumbbell close to your chest.
2. Keeping your chest up and core tight, push your hips back, and squat down until your quads are parallel to the ground.
3. Drive through your heels and hips to stand back up, flexing your quads and glutes to finish.
4. Once you finish 10 reps, return to the bottom and perform 5 partial reps.
5. Complete 3 sets of 10 reps + 5 partials.

RELATED: 13 Best Resistance-Building Exercises To Do as You Age

2. Seated Row

1. Grab the attachment on a seated row machine, and place your feet firmly on the footpad.
2. Pull the handle out, then straighten your legs fully.
3. Keeping your chest tall, drive your elbows back towards your hips, squeezing your back and lats hard to finish.
4. Straighten your arms fully, and get a good stretch in your shoulder blades before performing another rep.
5. On your last rep, return just ¼ of the way, and perform 5 shoulder blade squeezes to finish.
6. Do 3 sets of 10 reps + 5 partials.

The post The Best Exercise Habits to Totally Reshape Your Body After 60 appeared first on Eat This Not That.

These moves combine strength training with high-intensity conditioning work. They help you trim down the stomach area because they are compound movements that target multiple muscle groups. This increases calorie burn, which helps elevate your heart rate and metabolism. Higher-intensity cardio enhances blood flow to your body and may release fat around the stomach.

If you want to get rid of your stomach donut, here are the exercises to include in your fitness routine.

Dumbbell Clean, Squat, to Press

1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Keep your chest tall and core tight, and press your hips back.
3. Then, pop your hips forward and clean the weight up to your shoulders.
4. Squat down until your hips are parallel to the floor.
5. Drive through the heels and explode up.
6. Use the momentum of the squat to press the weight up, then lower it back down to the starting position before performing another rep.
7. Complete a total of 8 reps.

RELATED: 5 Floor Workouts To Shrink Your ‘Apron Belly’

Renegade Row

1. Assume a pushup position with a wide stance, with a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Keeping your core tight and glutes squeezed, take one hand and row the weight up by driving your elbow toward your hip.
3. Return the dumbbell to the ground, and then perform a row with the other arm.
4. Perform 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps on each arm.

RELATED: 5 Core Moves to Sculpt a Leaner Waistline in 30 Days (Without Crunches!)

Dumbbell Walking Lunges

1. Stand tall and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Step forward with one leg and firmly plant your foot into the ground.
3. Lower yourself under control until your back knee gently touches the floor.
4. Walk forward with the other leg, and repeat.
5. Complete 10 to 12 reps on each leg.

RELATED: The Only 10 Exercises You Need To Melt Lower Belly Fat

Rower Intervals

1. Hop on a rower and warm up for 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Once you’re warmed up, sprint hard for 60 seconds and see how many meters you can row in that timeframe.
3. Rest for 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Complete another 60-second round, trying to match the distance from your first sprint.
5. Rinse and repeat for 5 rounds total.

RELATED: 5 Best Kettlebell Exercises for a Lean, Sculpted Waistline

Bike Sprints

1. Warm up by cruising at a comfortable pace for 2 minutes.
2. Begin sprinting as hard as you can for 15 to 20 seconds.
3. Cruise at a slow pace for 20 to 40 seconds.
4. Repeat again for 6 to 10 rounds.

The post 5 Best Exercises To Lose Your ‘Stomach Donut’ For Good appeared first on Eat This Not That.

The good news? Muscle is anti-aging. It helps keep your metabolism up and allows you to continue having a high quality of life. Muscles allow you to continue doing the activities you enjoy, and when you think about it that way, strength training can take on a whole new—and very important—meaning.

To build strength, you have to choose the correct exercises that challenge your body and force it to grow. The best exercises to build stronger muscles, in general, are compound movements that fire up multiple muscle groups at a time. Ideally, you’ll want the exercises you perform to cover each one of these movement patterns: Upper body push, upper body pull, legs (squat, hinge, and lunge), and core.

If you’re just starting out, I recommend doing full-body workouts with exercises that cover all of the above. Not sure how to put it together? I have you covered with the best workout for stronger muscles after 50. Perform 3-4 sets of each move.

Dumbbell Goblet Squat

1. Grab a dumbbell and hold it with both hands underneath the handle.
2. Keeping your torso as upright as you can, push your hips back and squat down to where your hips are parallel to the floor.
3. Drive through your heels and stand back up, flexing your glutes and quads to finish.
4. Perform 8 to 10 reps.

RELATED: The #1 Workout To Slow Muscle Aging

Lat Pulldowns

1. Grip the lat pulldown bar with your palms facing away from you just outside your shoulders.
2. Lean back slightly and pull the bar down towards your sternum with your elbows, squeezing your lats at the very bottom of the movement.
3. Resist on the way up, maintaining tension in your lats.
4. Get a good stretch at the very top by letting your shoulder blades come up before performing another rep.
5. Do 8 to 10 reps.

RELATED: 11 Tips To Maximize Muscle Recovery

Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Press

1. Start by having the dumbbells up next to your shoulders.
2. Keeping your core tight and glutes squeezed, press the dumbbells up, flexing your shoulders and triceps at the top.
3. Lower the weight under control before performing another rep.
4. Do 8 to 10 reps.

RELATED: 5 Worst Exercises for Men To Regain Muscle

Dumbbell Reverse Lunge

1. Hold two dumbbells at your sides while standing with your feet together, keeping your chest tall and core tight.
2. Then, take one foot and step back, firmly planting your back foot and bending your knee to lower yourself down until your knee touches the floor gently.
3. Drive through your front heel to raise yourself back up to the starting position, standing with your feet together.
4. Do 10 reps on each leg.

RELATED: 5 Best Workouts To Slow Muscle Aging

Dumbbell Hammer Curls

1. Grab a pair of dumbbells with both hands facing each other in a neutral grip.
2. Keeping your shoulders pulled back, curl the weight up, flexing your forearms and biceps the entire time.
3. Squeeze hard at the top, then resist on the way down.
4. Perform 10 to 12 reps.

Ab Wheel Rollout

1. Assume a kneeling position with your hands holding the ab wheel.
2. Keeping your core tight and glutes squeezed, extend your body forward toward the ground, leading with your arms and hips.
3. Go down as far as you can while maintaining tension in your abs.
4. When you reach the bottom, exhale all of your air out before returning to the starting position.
5. Perform 8 to 10 reps.

The post The Best Workout for Stronger Muscles After 50 appeared first on Eat This Not That.

When you think of doing cardio to lose fat, you may automatically believe you need to jog or run for long distances, but that isn’t necessarily the case. In fact, you don’t need to do either one to get into shape. Rather than jogging, I recommend the following equipment-free exercises you can do to burn fat fast.

1. Sprints

One of the best ways to burn fat and build a lean body is to incorporate sprinting into your fitness routine. It burns more calories than slower steady-state jogging and can be completed quickly.

1. Once you’re warmed up, lean forward and begin running at a fast pace—about 80% of your max speed.
2. Aim for 40 to 100 yards to start, repeating for 4 to 6 rounds.

RELATED: 5 Strength Workouts To Maintain a Lean Body as You Age

2. Stair/Hill Runs

1. Find an area in your neighborhood or city with a hill or high set of stairs you can run up and down.
2. Run your way up to the top, then carefully go back down.
3. Rest for 1 to 1 ½ minutes (if needed) before performing another set.
4. Depending on the length of the hill or stairs, aim for 6 to 8 rounds. It should take you between 15 to 20 minutes.

RELATED: A Trainer’s Simple 20-Minute Power Walking Workout To Lose Weight & Torch Calories

3. Bodyweight Leg Circuits

One way to get a solid cardio workout in is to perform a bodyweight leg circuit. It elevates your heart rate and recruits muscles in your quads and glutes.

Below is an example of one you can do. Perform the following movements back-to-back with no rest for 4 to 5 sets.

RELATED: 5 Treadmill Walking Workouts for Weight Loss

Bodyweight Squats

1. Stand tall with a tight core.
2. Press your hips back and bend your knees to lower into a squat.
3. Descend until your thighs are parallel to the ground
4. Press back up, flexing your glutes and quads at the top.
5. Complete 15 reps.

Walking Lunges

1. Take a big step forward with one leg.
2. Firmly plant your foot, then lower yourself under control until your back knee gently touches the ground.
3. Once your knee touches the floor, step through with the other leg and repeat.
4. Complete 10 reps for each leg.

RELATED: How To Get Lean & Lose Weight With Resistance Bands

Hip Thrusts

1. Position your upper back on a bench or sturdy platform with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Keep your core tight, and lower your weight down.
3. Push through your heels and hips until they’re fully extended, squeezing your glutes hard at the top for 2 seconds.
4. Complete a total of 15 reps.

Jump Squats

1. Stand tall and place your feet about hip-width apart.
2. Keep your core tight, and press your arms and hips back at the same time.
3. Swing your arms forward, and jump up as high as you can.
4. Land softly into a half squat before jumping again.
5. Complete 10 reps.

The post The Best Cardio Exercises To Get a Lean Body Fast—Without Equipment appeared first on Eat This Not That.

Besides getting in regular cardio, you need to strength train consistently, at least two to three times weekly. When choosing your weight training exercises, you want to select compound movements, which incorporate multiple muscle groups at the same time. This helps you burn more calories, recruit more muscle fibers, and reach your fitness goals quickly.

Want to get back into a regular workout routine? I recommend starting with full-body workouts. Below is a sample session, complete with the four best exercises to get rid of a dad bod.

Dumbbell Front Squat

1. Hold a pair of dumbbells up to your shoulders.
2. Keep your core tight, push your hips back, and squat down until your quads are parallel to the ground.
3. Drive through your heels and hips to stand back up, flexing your quads and glutes to finish.
4. Perform 3 to 4 sets of 10 reps.

RELATED: I’m a Trainer & Give These 10 Strength Training Tips to All Men Over 40

Dumbbell Row

1. Position yourself parallel to a workout bench so that one hand and knee are firmly planted on the surface for balance.
2. Grip a dumbbell with your opposite hand and arm extending toward the floor.
3. Pull the dumbbell up to your hip, squeezing your lats and upper back at the very end of the movement.
4. Lower your arm, and get a nice stretch at the bottom before performing the next rep.
5. Perform 3 to 4 sets of 10 to 12 reps on each arm.

RELATED: 5 Best Weight-Loss Tips From Men Who Have Lost 50+ Pounds

Incline Dumbbell Bench Press

1. Lie down flat on an incline bench, holding a pair of dumbbells.
2. Position them straight up above you with your arms fully extended.
3. Pull your shoulder blades back and down onto the bench as you lower the weights toward your chest.
4. Get a solid chest stretch in, then press the weights back up to the starting position, squeezing your pecs and triceps at the top.
5. Perform 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 10 reps.

RELATED: 9 Exercises Men Should Avoid for Weight Loss

Dumbbell Walking Lunges

1. Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Step forward with one leg and firmly plant your foot.
3. Lower into a lunge until your back knee gently touches the floor.
4. Walk forward with the other leg, and repeat.
5. Perform 3 to 4 sets of 10 to 12 reps on each leg.

The post The 4 Most Effective Exercises To Lose Your ‘Dad Bod’ appeared first on Eat This Not That.

Along with consuming a nutritious diet, strength training is a must to help burn off excess fat. However, one activity that’s pretty underrated when it comes to losing visceral fat is walking. It’s simple, low-intensity, and can be done just about anywhere. For those who are currently sedentary, this is a great way to start leading a healthier lifestyle.

If you’re already walking regularly, here are some of the best ways to increase your visceral fat burn.

Walk uphill

One of the best ways to increase your calorie burn while walking is to increase the difficulty level. You can do this by walking uphill in your local community. When you walk uphill or on an incline, you force your body to work harder. You recruit more muscle fibers in the hips and quads and ultimately burn more fat.

It’s so easy to get started. Lace up your sneakers, find a hill, and start walking all the way up, then back down. Repeat for a few more rounds.

RELATED: People Are ‘Retro Walking’ & Swear by the Benefits: ‘My Posture Is Now Nearly Perfect’

Pick up the pace

Besides increasing the incline, another excellent way to burn more calories and fat is by walking faster. If you’re used to walking leisurely, you can pick up the speed and do fast/power walking instead.

On your next walk, challenge yourself to go a bit faster. You can time how long it usually takes to walk your regular route, then try to beat that time. If you’re just getting started and building up your stamina, alternate between periods of short, brisk walks and your regular pace.

RELATED: Why People Are Ditching Regular Walks for ‘Nordic Walking’

Hold hand weights

Another way to get your body to work harder is by holding hand weights while walking. Grab a pair of lighter weights (two to three pounds), and carry them with you on your usual walk route. If you want, you can also add in some exercises, such as curls, presses, and lateral raises to work your upper body.

RELATED: The #1 Walking Workout for Weight Loss

Perform bodyweight movements in between

One final way to torch calories and burn more visceral fat while walking is to incorporate bodyweight movements in between. You can keep it simple and just do squats, walking lunges, pushups, and dips. Here’s how you do each movement:

1. Bodyweight Squats

1. Stand tall, keeping your torso upright and core tight.
2. Sit back onto your heels and hips until they are parallel to the ground.
3. Press back up, flexing your glutes and quads at the top.
4. Complete 10 to 15 reps.

RELATED: 5 Treadmill Walking Workouts for Weight Loss

2. Walking Lunges

1. Take a big step forward with one leg.
2. Firmly plant your foot, then lower yourself until the back knee gently touches the ground.
3. Step through with the other leg, and repeat.
4. Perform 10 to 12 reps on each leg.

3. Pushups

1. Assume a plank position with your body in a completely straight line.
2. Start the movement with your feet together and shoulders in line with your wrists.
3. Keep your core tight and glutes squeezed, and lower your chest toward the floor.
4. Push yourself back up.
5. Complete 10 to 15 reps.

4. Bodyweight Dips

1. Find a sturdy surface you can place your palms on, such as a ledge or beam.
2. Firmly plant your hands on the surface and extend your legs before you.
3. Keep your chest tall and core tight, break from the elbows, and lower until your arms are about parallel to the ground.
4. Drive yourself back up, flexing your triceps hard to finish.
5. Perform 10 to 15 reps.

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When it comes to targeting your shoulders, lateral raises through various angles should be a top priority. In addition, the shoulders respond well to higher reps. Working your delts is also key because of modern living, where many individuals are hunched over their desks all day long. After you finish focusing on your rear and side delts, you can wrap up by working your front shoulders through presses. This allows you to achieve the full development of your shoulders.

Looking to sculpt broader shoulders? Let’s dive into the best exercises to build boulder shoulders.

Reverse Pec Deck

1. Sit down at the machine with your chest supported on the pad.
2. Grip the handles with your palms facing each other.
3. Pull your arms back toward your body, leading with your wrists and pinkies.
4. Squeeze the back of your shoulders hard at the end.
5. Resist on the way back to the starting position before performing another rep.
6. Complete 3 sets of 15 reps.

RELATED: 11 Best ‘Arm Day’ Exercises, According to a Trainer

Dumbbell Lateral Raise

1. Start by standing tall with a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Bring the weights up and out to your sides, where your arms are parallel to the ground.
3. Flex your shoulders at the top of the motion.
4. Lower the dumbbells with control. As you bring the weights back down, keep tension in your shoulders.
5. Complete 3 sets of 15 reps.

RELATED: 5 Best ‘Arm Day’ Workouts To Build Muscular Biceps

Rope Face Pulls

1. Attach a rope handle to the cable pulley station at neck level.
2. Grip the rope so that your thumbs are facing you.
3. Pull the cable out and take two steps back.
4. Assume a split stance and pull the rope toward your face, flaring your elbows back at the end of the motion.
5. Squeeze the back of your shoulders and your shoulder blades together before returning to the starting position.
6. Complete 3 sets of 15 reps.

RELATED: The Best Compound Workout To Build Muscular Shoulders

Dumbbell Bus Drivers

1. Hold a dumbbell (or weight plate) out in front of you with your arms slightly bent.
2. Keep your core tight as you turn the dumbbells back and forth, flexing your shoulders and maintaining tension.
3. One full turn back and forth counts as one rep.
4. Complete 3 sets of 10 reps before taking a rest.

RELATED: The #1 Daily Workout To Build Shoulder Strength & Boost Mobility

Arnold Press

1. Stand tall and hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height with your palms facing your body.
2. As you lift the dumbbells over your head, rotate your palms and elbows out and away from you and press the weights up smoothly.
3. Flex your shoulders at the top.
4. Reverse the movement back to the starting position before doing another rep.
5. Complete 3 sets of 10 reps.

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