Summary

A man in his 40s adopts a new fitness regimen focused on low-impact exercises to overcome injuries and health issues, achieving his best shape yet.

Abstract

The author, a genetically lean individual, struggled with weight gain and fitness due to gym closures during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to unhealthy weight gain and alcohol use disorder. After suffering from a slipped disc and facing the realities of aging, he realized the importance of injury prevention and adjusting his exercise routine. He transitioned from high-impact activities like running and weightlifting to a low-impact regimen consisting of stair climbing, push-ups, pull-ups, and chin-ups. This change allowed him to build muscle, improve cardio health, and maintain fitness without further injury, emphasizing the significance of tailoring workouts to one's body's needs, especially after 40.

Opinions

The author believes that injury prevention should be a priority in fitness routines for those over 40.
He suggests that high-impact exercises may need to be replaced with low-impact alternatives as one ages.
He emphasizes the effectiveness of bodyweight exercises like push-ups, pull-ups, and chin-ups for building strength without causing injury.
The author values the ability to exercise consistently over pushing the body to its limits, recognizing that fitness cannot be maintained if one is frequently injured.
He shares a personal transformation that challenges the notion that aging must result in a decline in physical fitness.

Do these 4 exercises and you’ll be in the best shape of your life

I am a tall, genetically lean person. Prior to the whole COVID mess, I was working my butt off at the gym trying to gain weight.

This has been the story of my fitness life.

Being very slim is not typically seen as an advantage for guys, and my 160-pound weight was not cutting it for me.

My goal in my late 30s in the lead-up to the pandemic was modest: hit 170 pounds. I was starting at around 160 and I got to 167 before everything fell apart.

With the world (including gyms) shut down, I first lost weight, then gained a lot in the wrong way.

I drank alcohol heavily during that entire period and, with the gym closed, didn’t move around enough.

In the lead-up to last Christmas, I slipped a disc in my back for a second time.

Now I had alcohol use disorder AND a sedentary lifestyle.

In the week between Christmas and New Year’s, I wound up weighing myself for some reason.

I stepped on the scale and immediately and loudly exclaimed, “THAT CAN’T BE RIGHT?!”

My mom, who was visiting for the holidays, chuckled in the kitchen.

But it was right.

I had blown past my 170-pound goal all the way to 175 pounds, but for all the wrong reasons.

Some people might look at 175 and say “that’s nothing!” and others might see it as a lot. For my genetics, this was significant.

Trying to bounce back

I tried to go back to my old ways after the COVID lockdowns in order to get back in shape, pushing too hard with weights and not taking enough time to rest.

All I got in return was a string of irritating injuries.

It’s no fun getting older, especially when your deterioration constantly puts you on the shelf.

My joints, my muscles, my discs, they were all telling me to stop doing what I was doing.

Remember: You can’t stay fit if you can’t exercise.

It seems obvious, but it takes forever to click. I couldn’t get away with pushing my body too much anymore.

My body had started pushing back.

If you want to stay fit after 40, injury prevention must move to the forefront of your exercise routine.

Believe me, I’m speaking from personal experience.

Since turning 40 (I’m 41 now), I’ve had to come to terms with the fact that a big part of staying in shape now is keeping myself off the shelf.

Over the past two years, I’ve dealt with myriad challenges, from the minor (typical but still annoying muscle strains) to the fairly serious (an MS scare and two slipped discs).

One thing I’ve learned through it all is that, if I don’t manage my body at this age, I won’t manage to get it to the gym.

Just back from the gym. How’s my hair? (Author’s photo)

Making the adjustment

Crossing the 40 years old barrier meant I had to let go of certain exercises I absolutely loved.

I really enjoy running, and it was an activity I could do with my then 11-year-old son during COVID lockdowns when the weather was nice.

He loved it too, and we ran a lot.

But it was also one source of the numbness that doctors at one point thought to be Multiple Sclerosis. The impact of running was compressing my discs and causing major problems. My hips were shot too.

So that was the first thing to go.

Weights were next. My joints could no longer handle the strain of pushing myself in that way and they were constantly preventing me from doing the lifting I wanted to.

Bye-bye.

I instead shifted to low-impact, high-value exercises.

Just because I couldn’t run or lift, doesn’t mean I had to consign myself to the DadBod life.

I pared down my routine to just four exercises and I’m now in the best shape of my life.

Stairs (40–60 minutes): I needed a cardio option that could also build muscle in my legs. Enter the stairmaster. The beauty of doing the stairs as opposed to running is that I can multitask, too. I do all my reading on this site while climbing. I’ve noticed muscle gain, so this serves as my leg workout too. Last weekend, I was staying at a hotel for my son’s hockey tournament and the elevators were super busy. Every day, I would bound up the stairs to our fourth floor room with nary a heavy breath. It suddenly dawned on me that I was literally running up and down flights of stairs as though I were on a casual walk. Stairmaster!
Push-ups (15 x 5 sets): I was fascinated by a couple videos I saw of guys doing 100 push-ups per day for a month, and the transformations were actually pretty significant. What I do is just keep adding reps as I get stronger, usually about 1 per week. My goal is to hit 20 x 5 sets and go from there. This hits pecs, triceps, shoulders, core.
Pull-ups (6 x 5 reps): Pull-ups are really tough when you first get going — you may only be able to do one — but you’ll be shocked how quickly your strength picks up. In my first ever Spartan race, I posted a pretty sad time of an hour and a half. After a year of pull-ups, I shaved 40 minutes off my time and all the rigs were easy. I was like a chimp swinging around up there. As with the push-ups, I intend to keep adding reps as my strength advances. These hit the back, chest, shoulders, arms and core, all with low impact. One of the best exercises there is.
Chin-ups (8 x 5 reps): These are primarily for bicep and upper arm strength, but they too hit your shoulders and core.

By focusing solely on these four exercises, I can get a full workout done in just over an hour, build muscle, and support my cardio health — all without getting hurt.

If you’re over 40 and you’re tired of missing time in the gym, consider focusing on low-impact, body weight exercises.

It has changed my life and my fitness level.

Hello friends, I just wanted to say thank you so much for taking the time to read this story to the end. If you found it helpful, please don’t hesitate to give it a few claps so others can find it!