Today between sets of chest press, Debbie came up and asked me if it was impossible to build muscle after menopause. Apparently that’s what she’d been told by a younger woman, and it made her feel defeated.
My answer? “Bullsh-t.”
The beautiful Ernestine Shepherd, who was in her 80s at the time this was taken.
A woman can build muscle at just about any age, unless there are unusual circumstances hindering it like cancer, not eating enough, having reached your genetic limit (in which case you’re already muscular), or swinging weights around haphazardly in a way that only taxes the joints, not the muscles.
But I also told her that there are ways to make your progress skyrocket, like hiring a personal trainer.
I didn’t want to be too obvious about dropping that hint, and I’d never critique someone’s form… but even if a person is only using machines, where there’s less potential for error, there can still be some herky-jerky movements where the exerciser doesn’t appear to know what muscles are even supposed to be working.
And there’s nothing embarrassing or shameful about having a professional teach you stuff, yet it seems like that older generation is the least likely to seek help. That’s pretty weird.
Personal trainers are amazing. I can count about 15+ coaches and trainers who’ve worked with me since 2000, and all of them have taught valuable lessons or changed my body in dramatic ways.
From Upper-Lower to Full
I’ve been doing an upper-lower split for well over a year. So this week I tested out a full body scheme and quickly learned a few things. Namely, to limit volume and intensity techniques, like drop sets and extra partials at the end.
Today’s Full Body Workout
Banded iso squat holds: 3 x 60 seconds
Speaking of professionals, Trainer Rebecca taught me to use these last fall, and it’s kind of a tough activation drill. Your glutes, quads, hams, calves, and abs wake up pretty quickly. And it seems to get the knees warmed up too. Excellent way to start a workout.
Leg press: 3 x 15, 10, 10
Walking lunge 3 x out and back
Booty machine: 3 x 15 heavier than usual
T-bar row: 3 x 15, 8, 8, 8
Seated chest press: 3 x 15, 10, 8
Bicep curl: 3 x 8-10
Tricep push-down: 3 x 10-12
Today’s workout was incredible. There was less volume per muscle group, but more work actually got done. I left the gym feeling fantastic.
Also, a guy said that my upper back is vicious, and that got me pretty psyched up too.
