What every man should do to remain real after 40

How age-related changes affect muscle growth

Of course, you can gain quality mass at fifty, but what will it cost an athlete at this age? It is difficult to develop muscles after forty, primarily due to testosterone decline.

As you know, the peak of testosterone synthesis, the hormone responsible for muscle growth, strength and energy, occurs at the age of twenty-five. This is an average value and is purely individual. However, for all men, the peak production of the “king” hormones is within the immediate range of this age.

By the age of thirty, testosterone levels begin to decline in men. Every year its level decreases by 1.2% of the norm.

Also read: How to increase testosterone levels naturally?

How testosterone behaves depending on age:

• If at the age of 25 the testosterone level was 35 nmol/liter, then a person with such a high level of the hormone, with a decrease of 1.2% per year, will have enough of his own testosterone for the rest of his life, and he will not experience a lack of it.
• 35 nmol/liter is the upper limit of normal in men, and the lower limit is considered to be 12. That is, if at the peak of synthesis, at approximately 25 years of age, the testosterone level was 12 nmol/liter, it is difficult to talk about weight gain even after 30 years. By the way, such men need to monitor their health very strictly and adhere to a lifestyle in which the negative impact on the sex hormone will be minimal.
• In most men, by the age of forty, testosterone levels drop to a level at which anabolic processes slow down significantly. Naturally, a special lifestyle aimed at gaining muscle mass will help in muscle development, but this will not be enough for full growth.
• The response of muscle fibers to stress also decreases sharply by the age of forty. Testosterone is responsible for both cartilage and bone tissue. The hormone also makes the ligaments strong and elastic, like estrogen in women. That is, ligaments develop much more slowly through physical activity, which means that progress in working weight slows down.

If at a young age an athlete can progress quickly, then in middle years the rate of development of physical fitness is noticeably lower.

DIY activities

Not all men like to run around the fields with weapons or fight in the ring. For some, the best relaxation and pleasure will be creating interesting and unusual things with your own hands.

Here are some ideas for inspiration that you can implement right at home:

• artistic carving on wood, metal, stone, bone;
• modeling – creating models of cars, airplanes, ships, buildings, structures, etc.;
• modeling, sculpture;
• burning;
• modding - improving the design and internal characteristics of equipment and electronic devices;
• weaving baskets, dishes, furniture, hats, bast shoes, carpets, jewelry, etc.;
• origami - creating paper figures;
• painting walls, boxes, dishes, clothes, shoes, souvenirs, etc.;
• scrapbooking – creating beautiful paper albums and cards;
• decoupage is a technique for decorating various objects;
• mosaic;
• knitting;
• sewing;
• felting wool;
• cooking.

Check out our selection of the best cutting and sewing and cooking courses.

How to build muscle in the shortest possible time?

1. It is very important to create conditions for testosterone synthesis. To do this, you need to lead a healthy lifestyle, which includes a balanced diet, proper rest, including eight hours of sleep, and regular cardio training. By the way, you should go to bed early, since the peak of synthesis occurs during deep sleep and continues until the early morning, and deep sleep is the second phase, which begins at approximately two in the morning, provided that a person falls asleep before 10 pm. That is, if a man falls asleep at 24 hours, then the phase of deep sleep shifts and the time for testosterone synthesis is reduced.
2. As for diet, everything is simple. To produce male hormones, you need protein foods, as well as fruits and vegetables. To gain weight, your diet should also contain carbohydrates, but only complex ones. Sugar and flour should be excluded.
3. Bad habits also fall under the taboo: alcohol, tobacco. Also, excessive consumption of coffee, smoked foods, fatty and salty foods should also be limited.

Intellectual hobbies

If you want to spend your free time not only with pleasure, but also with benefit for your brain, choose intellectual hobbies. They will help improve your erudition, develop your thinking, train your memory and broaden your horizons.

Choose what you like best:

• chess, checkers, backgammon, bridge and other board games;
• solving crosswords, sudoku, puzzles;
• participation in quizzes (this is a quiz that is held in pubs and bars);
• quests – team games in specially equipped rooms, the purpose of which is to complete a thematic task;
• studying of foreign language;
• reading educational literature;
• watching documentaries.

Find chess courses on our blog.

Principles of training for gaining weight after 40

1. Training aimed at gaining muscle mass at 40+ differs from training for younger athletes only in the increased time for cardio exercises and a more thorough warm-up. Otherwise, the training principles are the same.
2. It is worth choosing your working weight more carefully and not rushing to increase it.
3. You should also limit yourself to three workouts per week. At least initially.
4. The workout should consist of two cardio exercises, five to six strength exercises, and stretching at the end of the workout.
5. The first workouts should be carried out with minimal intensity, which should be gradually increased.
6. After achieving decent physical shape, the best training option would be a multifunctional training scheme.

If you adhere to the requirements described in the article, the result will not take long to arrive. It should be remembered that the most important thing in sports is motivation!

Also read: 5 sports nutrition supplements for men after 40 → How many push-ups should a man do at 40? How many pull-ups should a 40-year-old man do?

Traditional activities for the stronger half

Let's start, perhaps, with the most obvious hobbies that have always been associated with representatives of the stronger half of humanity:

• fishing;
• hunting;
• sport shooting from different types of weapons - bow, crossbow, air rifle, pistol, etc.;
• blacksmithing - making knives, swords, etc.;
• leatherworking – creating leather products;
• repair and restoration of cars and motorcycles;
• carpentry - making wooden furniture, household items, tools, etc.;
• “edible” hobbies – brewing, smoking, winemaking.

Dietary recommendations

Is it possible for a 40-year-old man to get pumped up? The answer is yes, but you must follow all the recommendations voiced earlier and not overload your body. To achieve effective changes, in addition to training, it is worth adjusting your diet:

1. Eat food in small portions.
2. The norm is 2 grams of pure protein per 1 kg of weight.
3. Vegetables and fruits should always be on the table.
4. Replace animal fats with vegetable oil.
5. Boiled, baked, stewed dishes, except fried ones, are allowed.

You can also watch video workouts of a man how he got pumped up after 40 years. But to get quick results and consolidate them, you should think about a personal trainer.

Creative and relaxing hobbies

Any hobby can help you fight stress. But there are those that allow you to relax your body, mind, or even catch Zen as much as possible:

• standing on nails;
• yoga;
• meditation;
• sauna;
• coloring mandalas (geometric patterns of repeating elements);
• aromatherapy;
• painting;
• writing poetry and prose;
• dancing (ballroom, salsa, hip-hop, house, etc.);
• theatrical performances;
• growing plants on the windowsill.

Talk about his strength

During a crisis, a man becomes vulnerable. It seems to him that all his merits are worthless, and attempts to do something worthwhile have not brought any results. Men begin to beat themselves up, which is why they turn into vulnerable boys who are even ready to cry over trifles.

It is important for a man to hear that he is still the head of the family and a support for his chosen one. Smart women feel this moment subtly, so they begin to praise and give compliments. If a man feels his own importance, his negative thoughts will become a thing of the past.

A 40-year-old man lives with his mother: psychology, reasons

Some men continue to live with their mother, and this raises many questions for women who want to build relationships with them.

A 40-year-old man lives with his mother, psychology, reasons:

• Lack of funds to rent separate housing. Usually this is a man with a low salary who does not strive to improve his financial situation. Everything suits him.
• Psychological connection between mother and son. Usually formed in childhood, the man for some reason did not separate from his mother. This is often associated with complexes and instilling feelings of guilt by parents. Sometimes a man feels indebted to his mother.
• Parents' health problems. A man cannot move away from his parents due to their poor health, because there is no necessary funds for the services of a nurse. Therefore, he is forced to live with his parents.
• Addiction. This could be alcohol, drug or gaming addiction. Men “nightmare” their parents by extorting money from them, often taking away their pension.
• These categories are not suitable for creating a family; they are lacking initiative and inert. In most cases, it is enough to make some effort to find additional income and rent a separate home. Sometimes it’s so convenient for a man, because after work he has dinner, a clean house, and no need to do housework on his own. Such men are lazy, so they are not suitable for starting a family.

Income-generating activities

In fact, almost any hobby can be monetized. For example, selling handmade items or bred fish and dogs, preparing smoked products for sale, learning to play a musical instrument, while simultaneously filming educational videos and uploading them to YouTube.

The most important thing is desire, ingenuity, the ability to advertise yourself and present your product in an unconventional way.

Here I will give the top 5 hobbies, the result of which is now very popular, and therefore can be sold at a high price:

1. Blogging. You can read a separate article about how to become a popular blogger and make money from it.
2. Programming. I suggest you familiarize yourself with a selection of programming courses from scratch.
3. Photo. Learn about a variety of ways to make money from photography online.
4. Video shooting and editing. Here you can see a selection of the 10 best video editing and filming courses.
5. Investment. Trading on the stock exchange can also become a fascinating, highly intelligent and very profitable hobby. I’ll leave you with a complete beginner’s guide to investing here.