Is it possible to build muscle after 60 years

Despite the fact that with age, we lose a lot of muscle fibers to build muscle in middle and old age is still possible. But it is worth bearing in mind that the process of muscle growth in young and older people is different.

What scientists say

You can gain muscle mass, even if reached middle age (40 to 60 years), or switched to its border.

Our laboratory and others have repeatedly shown that older people muscles also grow and become stronger.

Markas Bamman, director of the medical center exercise at the University of Alabama at Birmingham

In the study,Exercise dosing to retain resistance training adaptations in young and older adults. Which spent Bamman, men and women aged 60-70 years engaged in strength training. Muscle development they took place at the same rate as that of 40-year-olds.

But the muscle growth process is different in young and elderly.

Skeletal muscles are made up of different types of fibers. When we reach middle age, two types of changes happen to them.

Markas Bamman

Some fibers die off, especially if you do not load the muscles to exercise. Adults who lead a sedentary lifestyle, lose 30 to 40% of the total number of fibers in the muscle after reaching 80 years of age. The remaining fibers are compressed with age and atrophy. If we are doing is increasing the size of atrophied muscle fibers, but not their number.

It turns out that despite the training, you will not increase the number of muscle fibers. However atrophied fibers join in the work and will increase in size, so that the muscles still become bigger and stronger.

How to exercise to ensure muscle growth in middle and old age

The idea is to regularly, gradually increasing the weight. Start to visit the gym and create a training plan.

To start the biochemical processes needed to increase the strength of muscle fibers, it is necessary to engage the muscles to failure.

The study participants were trained Bammana with specially selected weights to the subjects were able to perform 8 to 12 repetitions to exhaustion. After that it was time to relax. Participants repeated each approach two or three times and go to the gym three times a week.

If you have never done weight training, consult with a fitness trainer or specialist training with people after 40 years.

An illustrative example of what you can build muscle and in old age - 73-year-old krossfiter Jacinto Bonilla who makes as many never dreamed of many young people.