“I’m a 44-year-old grandmother. I’m 5’5″ and wight about 150 pounds. I work out three days a week, focusing on the upper body. My goal is to lose weight and sculpt muscle all over.” – Maria V., Stockton, CA
Congrats on being such an active grandmother! You’re working out often enough to meet your weight loss and muscle development goals but need to focus on the quality of your training and nutrition. For workouts, try to include compound (multijoint) exercises for upper and lower body, done at high enough intensity that you feel fully fatigued by the end of each set. Progression is critical: Every four weeks, increase the weight while hitting the rep counts outlined here. To help keep you diet on track, use a food log. I would also recommend emphasizing valuable macronutrient responsible for supporting tissue repair and muscle growth and retention. Add in a whey protein post-workout shake, like Optimum Nutrition Standard 100% Whey, which has 24 grams of protein in every serving and is low in fat and carbs. – Evan Shy, Owner of Shytown Fitness, Chicago.
Workout Lingo
Periodization: Just as a business needs a plan to map its growth, your body needs a fitness plan. That’s where periodization comes in. A long-term, cyclical trainnig strategy meant to maximize gains, prevent injury, and avoid plateaus by varying time, volume, and intensity, periodization can help those just starting out to safely progress and allow avid exercisers to see continued improvements. Most periodization plans cycle between a build phase of mostly higher-intensity workouts and a taper phase and recovery period. Before you being, take a moment to defind your goals, whether it’s prepping for a competition, training for a race, or reducing body fat and adding muscle. Then think about your time frame — how long do you have to reach your primary goal? Finally, write down the increase in weights or reps, cardio or HIIT sessions, etc. Use a notebook or an online program to stay organized. – Gino Caccavale
Old Workout Routine
James Farrell
3 sets, 15 reps
Triceps Pushup
DB Biceps Curl
DB Shadow Press
Shadow Box (30 sec.)
Speed Bag (30 sec.)
Air Jump Rope (30 sec.)
DB Bentover Row
BD Lateral Raise
Triceps Chair Dip
Shadow Box (30 sec.)
Speed Bag (30 sec.)
Air Jump Rope (30 sec.)
Rest 1 minute
3 sets, 12 reps
DB Triceps Punch Out
DB Hammer Curl
DB Triceps Extension
DB Bench Press
Concentration Curl
DB Shoulder Press
DB Shoulder Raise
New Workout Routine
Tom Corbett
Day 1
Repeat 3 to 4 times, 2-min. Rest between circuits.
DB Squat Curl and Press: 15 reps
Shadow Box (hold 3-Ib dumbbells): 30 sec
Plank into Pushup: 10 reps each side
DB Lateral Raise/Front Raise (superset): 15 reps
Weighted Stepup (on bench): 15 reps each leg
Day 2
Repeat 3 to 4 times, 2-min. Rest between circuits.
DB Straight-leg Deadlift: 20 reps
Body-weight Jumping Split Squat: 20 reps
DB Bentover Row: 20 reps
DB Reverse Flye: 20 reps
Squat and Cable Row: 20 reps
Day 3
Repeat 3 to 4 times, 2-min. Rest between circuits
DB Lunge with Shoulder Press: 12 reps each leg
Assisted Pullup: 15 reps
Pop Squat: 20 reps
DB Squat: 15 reps
Long Lever Plank (elbows extended past shoulders): 1 min., increase duration with each set.
