Late 50s. Best Workout for Natural Lifters or Other Program?

Bigger Stronger Leaner Christian Thibaudeau Coaching
1

Hello,
I am looking for input as I am quickly approaching 60 and seeking help with your program, “The Best Workout for Natural Lifters.”
I have been lifting all my life and have done different programs, but as I approach 60, I have noticed that my recovery is not what it once was.
I am very interested in starting Christian’s program I shared above. The question I have is this a program that someone my age would be recommended to start, or is there another one that would be better? I am interested in building muscle, staying healthy (keeping my old injuries at bay), and maybe losing weight.
My other question centers on recovery. If I start the program, can I work out five days a week with an extra day of rest and recovery, and would walking daily hamper any of the time spent in the gym lifting.
Thanks,
LFM

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If interested, check out Dardens extreme HIT or his Killing Fat routines…at 58 myself, i find them to be rewarding as i am entering my senior years

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Au contraire, walking daily will improve your recovery and gym performance. It becomes even more important as you get older to maintain mobility, stability and improve blood flow to your joints, ligaments and muscles along with better insulin sensitivty and improved nutrient partitioning.

This is really non negotiable honestly, walking or a similar daily form of activity is so beneficial to maintain (or even improve health depending on your current lifestyle) health and improve longevity.

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Lou,
Thank you for your response. What would you recommend on the time to walk and for how long?
I workout first thing in the morning, so should I walk after my lifting or in the evening when I am home from work?
Thanks again,
LFM

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Thanks for the reply, I will look into his routines.

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It doesn’t really matter that much when you do your walking (i’m talking regular strolls here where you are only supporting your own bodyweight) because it has ZERO impact on CNS fatigue. It does have a positive impact on CNS recovery, which is important not only for training performance but also for quality of life in general.

The greatest benefit of daily walks imo, especially when performed in or around green environments like forests, lies in its ability to decrease the sympathetic and increase the parasympathetic response.

This means you could use walking effectively as a cool down protocol post-workout to decrease neurological activity and start the recovery process.

For health benefits, I would suggest at least 8000 steps which could translate to multiple short walks or one single bout of around 20-30 minutes. Again, I’m talking normal intensity here, no grandma tempo but no super fast paced walking either.

I personally prefer to split my total walk time in 3-4 short walks over the course of the day because it comes with so many added benefits:

  1. you’re not sitting for hours on end which over time can develop physical issues or complaints
  2. you’re optimizing your circadian rhythm and your sleep drive which increases your chances for a good night’s sleep which in turn improves your recovery rate.
  3. you can use your early afternoon walk as the perfect substitute for coffee to decrease the unproductive effects of the inevitable afternoon slumber. By going outside for a quick stroll, you increase heart rate, core body temperature and you expose your eyes to light. These are all signals for your suprachiasmatic nucleus (the main body clock in the brain that regulates your circadian rhythm) to increase alertness.
  4. the little break from work and fresh air allows your brain to process information better and creates more room for you to come back strong and focused on the task at hand.
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