Standard Disclaimer — Be sure to check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program. If you are uncomfortable with how to do an exercise safely, be sure to consult a qualified coach.
Skeletal muscle is awesome! It acts as a sponge for glucose which, over time, can help your body process modest carbohydrates for the occasional treats. It’s also critical to aging well. If you hope to travel in your later years and forestall assisted living as long as possible you need to add as much muscle as you can NOW (no matter your age). At some point, biologically, you won’t be able to add any more but you still want to maintain as long as possible. Here is a suggestion on how to get started, regardless of your starting point. The goal is NOT to become a body-builder. It’s highly (highly highly) unlikely for this to happen without far more work than I’m suggesting.
Suggested Objectives of Strength Training
In short, spend the least amount of time possible strength training BUT get the biggest impact from what you do. To do this we exercises that work large muscle groups all at once. No bicep curls here. Instead, we want movements that work many muscles at once with a bonus if they improve flexibility and balance at the same time.
Short sessions but make the time count! For each session I’d suggest doing three exercises, tree times each, to failure (or near failure). To put it more concretely, lift the heaviest weight you can such that you cannot do one single more repetition with failure occurring between 8-12 repetitions (reps). You absolutely don’t want you doing dozens and dozens of easy reps, nor do you want to be doing 10-12 reps easily and calling it done. You must go to failure (or near failure) to build strength.
Over time you should determine what works for you. Perhaps you want to add or substitute exercise to fit your evolving goals, body mechanics, or just to keep things interesting. That’s great. Just try to thing in terms of minimum amount of time to accomplish your goals and lifting to failure.
Getting Started Building Muscle At Home
Going to a gym can be intimidating for some. It can also can mean an adjustment to daily schedules that may not be practical for others. No worries! You can start at home with simple body weight exercises. No machines or equipment required. In fact, there are many people who have amazing results with ONLY body weight exercises. If it works for you, you like it, and can be consistent then go for it.
Pushup Progressions
Wait! Don’t tune out and assume you can’t do pushups. Almost everybody can do them. The key here is to think in terms of a progression. Its totally acceptable to start with wall pushups where you are standing/leaning against a wall and doing a pushup mainly supported by your legs. What this series of pushup progressions from Jerry Teixeira, and find the body weight version that meets your current abilities – the version where you can’t do any more after between 6-12 reps.
Body Weight Squats
Hope you are sensing a theme here… Most people absolutely can do squats and there are plenty of ways to start in a way that meets you where you are. Start with this series of squat variations that begins with using a chair to help you get started before progressing to more difficult versions.
Once you have gotten comfortable you can move on to more difficult squat variations that add weight. You don’t even have to buy weights to start. Think about objects you may have around the house like water bottles, larger jugs of water, that sack of flour that you will never use (see fixing your diet) but don’t yet have the heart to throw out.
Overhead Press Without Equipment
Sure, eventually you will find you need to find a gym or some equipment to progress with the overhead press. However, you certainly can start at home with items you probably already have. Here is an example with one arm at a time and a backpack and a little weight inside (books, water bottles, whatever).
Here is a variation that supports your long term goal of airplane travel! Simply use a suitcase to do an overhead press. In either case you can add weights so that during each set you are doing ideally 6-12 repetitions before you just can’t lift it anymore. Reminder, you need to go to failure (or very near) during each set to really make progress and build skeletal muscle.
How Often to Strength Train
A reminder here we are looking for a minimum amount of time to effectively build muscle. Can you do a bit more? Sure, but if you are starting at zero there may be a reason why, like having an impression you need hours at a gym. Consider this a suggested starting point that you can build on in a way you enjoy, or at the very least can tolerate as a regular routine. Make sure you don’t overdo it though. REST is also important. You need to stress the muscle and then give it rest to actually build muscle.
| Day | Activity |
| Monday | 3 Sets (Pushups, Squats, Overhead Press) x 6-12 Reps Each Set to Failure) ~ Roughly 15-20 minutes. |
| Tuesday | Rest Day – Go for a Walk |
| Wednesday | 3 Sets (Pushups, Squats, Overhead Press) x 6-12 Reps Each Set to Failure) ~ Roughly 15-20 minutes. |
| Thursday | Rest Day – Go for a Walk |
| Friday | 3 Sets (Pushups, Squats, Overhead Press) x 6-12 Reps Each Set to Failure) ~ Roughly 15-20 minutes. |
| Saturday | Rest Day – Go for a Walk |
| Sunday | Rest Day – Go for a Walk |
Long Term Strength Building
I hope you have an appreciation now for why you want to build skeletal muscle as well as how you can get started right now. As you build muscle and confidence you will likely find a point where you need to either buy weights or spend time at a gym. By this time, hopefully, you will have incorporated strength training into a regular routine.
Think in terms of building as much strength/muscle as you can before your biology doesn’t allow you to build more. Then continue to lift as heavy as you can to maintain strength as long as possible. This is critical for maintaining muscle as a sponge for blood glucose, keeping strong bones, and maintaining an active lifestyle as long as possible.
Google and YouTube are AMAZING! As you progress with strength training be sure to explore new exercises to keep things interesting, allow you to progress, and support your evolving strength objectives.
Finally, Be Sure to Feed Your Muscles
One last note… Most of eat too little protein. The American dietary guidelines are a MINIMUM to live. They are not OPTIMAL to build and maintain strong muscle and bone. You need enough essential amino acids to build and maintain muscle. If you can get it on a plant based diet all the power to you. For most, the easiest way is with animal proteins – meat, fish, eggs. As a baseline shoot for 0.72 g to 0.91 g of protein per pound of body weight. More is just fine unless you have kidney disease (then be sure to talk to your doctor).