I've been meaning to do some strength work for a while, mainly for the health benefits over anything else.
I'll be doing this at home and have access to dumbbells, that's it. Does anyone have a recommendation for a good workout routine. Looking at something like 1 hour, 3 times a week.
Have never done weights or been to the gym so consider me a complete newbie
You can cover everything you need with a set of dumbbells.
Bench press
Curls
Lateral raises
Overhead press
Split squats
Farmers carry
Plenty to get you started there.
One hour, three times a week, with just a set of dumbbells is going to get very old very quickly though. If you can only do it at home, look at other exercises too, ones that don't rely on the dumbbells – simple things like planks, sit-ups, press-ups, Russian twists, squat jumps, burpees etc.
Actually, don't do burpees, they will put you off exercise for life 😉
Something I heard recently (from my instructor), that any grip-strength stuff (like farmer's carry) is really important as we get older.
I signed up to an app with calisthenics workouts - it was on special offer and then when they tried to renew it at full price I cancelled and immediately got an email offering me 80% off to renew.
I did it quite regularly for a month or so then let it slip for a bit, kind of getting back into it now. There are a lot of workouts to choose from so it's easy to mix it up a bit.
Just a warning though that if you search online for calisthenics, your FB / IG etc will be bombarding you with shite for the next 2 weeks featuring ripped blokes telling you that 2 minutes a day for 3 weeks will have you looking like them...
Nowt wrong with body weight stuff, press ups, squats, burpees, lunges, bar hangs progressing to pull ups, sit ups/crunches. I just wish I had the will power to do them
This is something of a curious aside really but a 1950's Canadian Air Force exercise pamphlet went viral in the news recently (link below but there's various articles if you google it)...anyway, it was designed to keep aircrew fit in confined spaces and so on and is, apparently, still pretty accurate and stands the test of time today. Mainly as it covers the fundamentals and that's all you really need.
According to the Mirror, Helen Mirren is a long-time user of it and to be fair she seems in great shape for her age.
Yes, to clarify I'm obviously happy to do stuff that doesn't involve dumbbells, I just meant I don't have any other gym equipment.
I do a bit of cycling, am 185cm and 83kg so not massively overweight, I just want to build/maintain some strength as I get older.
As you get older you need to think of the exercise/movements you’ll need to do in later life. So farmer’s carry’s (carrying your shopping), squats (getting off the toilet), shoulder/chest presses (lifting kids/stuff). Also, muscles waste in later life so look to work large muscle groups as they’ll as they help keep movements.
Ben Plenge the strength factor does a course specifically for the over 40s mountain bikers. Might be worth a look.
THESTRENGTHFACTORY.UK I joined a gym at the start of the year for much the same reasons as you, I used Copilot to come up with a bit of a plan - it gave me a 12 week plan with a mix of deadlifts/Romanian deadlifts, goblet/front/back squats, barbell/dumbell bench press, shoulder press, bentover row, bicep curls, lat pulldown, hamstring curls, face pulls, woodchoppers, farmer's walk, standing/seated calf raises, hip thrusts, crunches, dead bugs and plank. I'm 52 and very overweight, and I've been amazed at how much I've enjoyed it, plus the occasional swim - missed most of the last three weeks as we were away on holiday but I'm genuinely looking forward to going back to it tomorrow.
Something I heard recently (from my instructor), that any grip-strength stuff (like farmer's carry) is really important as we get older.
Just to be clear, grip strength is a good proxy marker for other health outcomes but there's no evidence that training your grip strength improves longevity. It's far more likely that good grip strength is just a by-product of other healthy activities.
OP - my advice is to try a bunch of stuff and then just figure out what will keep you consistently working at it. You can drive yourself insane trying to find the optimal exercise routine but the one that will be most effective is the one you can do several times a week.
An hour is pretty intense for a beginner. I would try a few youtube workouts which you can follow along with as they are easier for a beginner than following a written routine.
Caroline Girvan has some great free content on youtube.
I am a fan of kettlebells as they are more fun (imo) than dumbbells. You can get started with only one and have a fantastic workout in 45 minutes.
Thanks all. Will have a look at the links and maybe reassess the 1 hour thing. Indie kids bedtimes every other night which for reasons pretty much knock out the whole evening. I need something I can do on the alternate nights when my wife is sorting the kids
I bought a mtb specific plan a few years ago that has 12-week programmes for gym and home (fitness band) set-ups, with intervals alongside on non-gym days. It's fairly intense and is intended as preparation for an 'event.' Each four-week period has a different emphasis - balance (as in getting both sides of the body balanced), strength, speed, power or something like that. The last workout of the week is always a solid circuit/metabolic session.
I did it from start to finish 3 or 4 times in a row (didn't really do the intervals after the first run through 'cos i'd rather just do my normal rides). Each workout taking 40mins-1hr.
What I really appreciated about it was the variety - you could tell that the focus was the same muscle groups, but by using different exercises it keeps it fresh and prevents boredom because you're not just repeating the same stuff all the time. Also, the strict timings mean I stick to things rather than sit staring into space for 5 minutes by mistake.
Now i'm riding and running more and only getting one or two workouts in a week I use sections of the plan or mix and match some of the exercises to make my own sessions.
If you have the space, the world (marketplace) is full of cheap, barely used equipment.
Start watching technique video's for the exercises you are doing and nail them properly, it's all to easy to hurt yourself as you get older. Remember, there is no rush, this is what you are (hopefully) going to do for the rest of your life.
And if you are time crunched do one body part a day, it doesn't take long if you don't have to trail to a gym... And don't beat yourself up if you miss a day, the world won't end, start again tomorrow.
I'm 55 and 18 months into this and still loving it.
Contrary to the above, I happily let me feed fill up with IG exercise video's, it reminds me to get out there and gives me fresh idea's, just be aware that there's lot of BS too so check the comments because much like on here, they will get called out for it 🙂
There is lots of body weight stuff on vinted. I've got TRX system and a couple of kettle bells.
I do 15mins each morning and try to do 15mins of pilates/yoga each evening.
All the stuff is from YouTube vids, just search "15min kettle bell session". Although I might try the ai generated plan idea.
Not really a strength thing but another great free bit of kit is to download a simple interval timer app to tell you when to start and stop each exercise such as skipping.
Start watching technique video's for the exercises you are doing and nail them properly, it's all to easy to hurt yourself as you get older. Remember, there is no rush, this is what you are (hopefully) going to do for the rest of your life.
A million times this, I'm STILL learning to squat properly, actually delighted to have back squatted 20kg this morning (don't laugh) without any issues due to (I think) finally learning how to set myself up properly, all the little cues that mean my body uses the correct muscles rather than trying to do it all with the low back 🙄
I find deadlifts much easier to cue and do properly, I deadlift heavier than I squat with no discomfort.
I would start small and build up, body weight stuff to learn cues and form. A video which really helped me with squatting was the original 'Foundations' video on Youtube which was basically a bunch of variations on bodyweight squat holds (i.e. isometrics) which was low risk for the back but helped me identify what was wrong with my form.
My once a week routine during the summer (maintenance for now) is:
Warm ups
Basic crunch variations, bird dogs, mountain-climbers, and a band exercise where I loop the band around my ankles and do alternate circles with each leg, works all the wee hip extensors etc.
4x6 squats
4x6 deadlifts
4x6 bulgarian split squats (per leg, alternating)
Then something more function, currently step-ups to try and train some stability and form
For arms I'm keeping it bike specific-ish and doing bench press, rows, a single-arm overhead press from a lunge position (using a tip I saw on an Aaron Gwinn video for grip strength, use an inverted kettle bell so you really have to grip the handle) and lateral raises. My shoulders are a bit tweaky at the moment though so I'm starting small with lots of band work.
In the winter I hope to go back to the gym and up it to twice a week minimum, using machines for more weight (I don't think I'll ever be squatting super heavy due to a history of back issues, would rather work the legs without the low back component...)
MTB fitness do a home users course. Me and my partner did it and really did get the benefit…. Then we had a child and all I do now is run around and shoulder carries for strength 😂
Get some advice from a personal trainer specific to strength work and ask that the create a plan for you. I live near a gym so alternate dinner times between strength work and swimming. I work from home so its also good for mental wellbeing for the interactions.
I'd really consider paying for some guidance to begin with. Not buying into a whole plan, but maybe an hour with a PT once a month just to get you started. They can tell you what to do with the kit you have.
Just like with MTB, an hour of coaching is worth £1,000 of suspension upgrades. If you've never used weights before and don't know where to start, 60 mins of coaching is probably the best initial investment before chatGPT/STW/targeted ads bombard you with information overload.
I firmly believe that everyone should lift weights.
I'll be doing this at home and have access to dumbbells, that's it.
Assuming adjustable dumbbells - What's the maximum weight single dumbbell you can put together. and if different what's the maximum you can load onto a pair?
A bench would be a good shout if you have the space. A kettlebell or two also takes up very little space and are really useful.
That being said, unless you are in the middle of nowhere, there is a gym probably quite close and the standard of equipment has sky-rocketed in recent years.
Have never done weights or been to the gym so consider me a complete newbie
Start slowly for the first few weeks and you will be sore.
My 2p is that you should make sure you include the following.
Horizontal Push e.g. Bench/Floor press
Horizontal Pull e.g. Row of some description
Vert Push e.g. Overhead press of
Vert Pull e.g. Pull-up, Pull-down
Hinge e.g. Deadlift
Squat e.g. Dumbbell/goblet squat
Step/Lunge e.g. Dumbbell lung
Some rotation/anti-rotation work e.g. Pallof Press with a band, woodchops with bands.
60 mins of coaching is probably the best initial investment before chatGPT/STW/targeted ads bombard you with information overload
This. I follow a couple of fitness coaches on social media which results in my feeds being full of stuff from other "coaches". There is so much conflicting information out there that it can be overwhelming, and that's before we even throw in AI!
I would definitely recommend getting a coach to start you down the road. Another important consideration as we get older is that any injuries picked up through bad form, ego lifting etc. will take longer to resolve.
I just asked ChatGPT to make me a full body workout programme. I told it the kit i have (which i've now got loads more of) and it came up with a great programme!
I've found teh most useful bit of kit to have is a barbell and a squat/bench press rack. With the weights to go with it, obvs!
Look on facebook marketplace as loads of people sell on racks and such.
DrP
Here's the latest programme AI made for me:
Minimalist 3-Day Full Body Program
Session A – Deadlift Day
Focus: posterior chain + horizontal push
1. Barbell Deadlift
3 × 5
2. Bench Press
3 × 5–8
3. Barbell Row
3 × 6–8
4. Goblet Squat
3 × 8–10
5. Abs Bench (KB)
3 sets
I've added in lateral raises here too.
Session B – Squat Day
Focus: legs + vertical push
1. Barbell Back Squat
3 × 5
2. Overhead Press
3 × 5–8
3. Pull-ups (or lat pulldown)
3 × max reps
4. Reverse Lunges
3 × 8 each leg
5. Calf Raises
3 × 12–15
Session C – Hinge + Upper Day
Focus: lighter hinge + upper hypertrophy
1. Barbell RDL
3 × 6–8
2. DB Incline Press
3 × 8–10
3. Single-Arm DB Row
3 × 8–10
4. Barbell Curls
3 × 10
5. Triceps (DB)
3 × 10
And more kettelbell abs.
Seems to be being effective.
Eat loads of protein too.
DrP
This is something of a curious aside really but a 1950's Canadian Air Force exercise pamphlet went viral in the news recently (
This one, it's been around for years. My dad had a copy back in the 60s as well.
You actually have to do the routine tho....sitting on the bookshelf doesn't get you fitter.
Chatting a GP mate on Sunday who is looking at longevity, and his take on grip strength is same as Stevious, it's a surrogate for good health, muscular tone throughout your upper body
The Hevy gym app lets you build routines, (and will help create your own starter sessions) and is pretty good for tracking your progress
Dr Doug Mcguff 12 minute a week workout for me Great bloke he is too.
Ok, lots more replies. In answer to everyone saying get some more kit, I absolutely do not have space for it. I won't be getting anything else. As it is the dumbbells have to be packed away and stored under the sofa between uses.
Seems like this is more complicated than I would have liked. Some more reading to be done
If as an adult you're not already following a gym time routine or a training plan, odds are anything you start will get dropped, because:
1. It's not fun, and sometimes it hurts
2. It's boring as hell
3. It's inconvenient.
4 You often have to subscribe to something or defer to some guru.
So the simple solution is don't do any of that crap.
Instead pick a simple physical activity that's fun and do that. Preferably something that doesn't need a partner or a team so you're not subject to someone else's availability.
As cyclists there's an obvious one. Ride your bike more. Hills, headwinds and rough tracks are your friends.
Assuming you're not an athlete with a competition deadline, it doesn't matter if you take a holiday from exertion so long as you resume, and you will resume if your activity is something you like doing.
For a full body workout it's hard to beat a rigid singlespeed mtb. That engages your core, your grip strength, and using the 10" of suspension in your legs and arms means your skeletal structure is getting the impacts that help keep your bones strong.
There are other activities that will give most of those benefits, but in this country it's not as simple as just riding out from your front door with your bike.
I have never lifted weights in my life until about 2 years ago when it became apparent that perimenopause was in full swing.
I just use Caroline Girvan workouts as @Cletus mentioned, no need to decide what to work and how to work it, Just work through her series. Iron is a fave with weights, they are 30 mins long sessions x 30
I just want to build/maintain some strength as I get older.
Most people who are consistent with exercise (not lifting weights) will not really notice any loss on strength in their mid 40s. its typically when they are in their 50s and more prone to injury requiring time off because injuries/niggles take longer to resolve, that they become aware of loss of strength as they try build back to where they were.
If starting new strength exercises in mid 40s its best to do so very slowly and not be silly.
1. It's not fun, and sometimes it hurts
2. It's boring as hell
3. It's inconvenient.
4 You often have to subscribe to something or defer to some guru.
So the simple solution is don't do any of that crap
Some of the worst advice ever.
Another who returned to weights in mid-50s, though I go to the local leisure centre a couple of times a week. Working from home and flexitime mean I can do a couple of long lunch breaks and get in when it's quiet.
Don't forget stretching as you get older. Anything from 10-30 minutes of whatever YouTube plan I fancy also makes a difference to how I feel and move. Tend to use Dynamic Cyclist or Yoga with Kassandra.
Nup, just practical. It works.
What works better is mixing the two. Lifting weights three times a week for the past few years has been massively beneficial to my riding and I’d recommend it to anyone physically able to. I do find it tedious but just get on with it and reap the benefits.
I’m mid 50s not 40s and just do the run of the mill stuff deadlifts, squats, bench press, lunges, etc, etc
Council gym will be around £30 per month and many are good. Solves problems of space, equipment and lack of weight, and provides a mental compartmentalization that is helpful in the longer term.
By all means try dumbells / kettlebells / bodyweight stuff at home but I think it's only a small minority of folk who can make this stick.
I do find it tedious
I've always enjoyed it fwiw, and If you're just starting out in your 40s (ie v young...) you should get a lot of positives from getting stronger in the exercises (stick with the same basic exercises for main body parts whatever you choose), and then from seeing results in musculature.
Couple of half hour sessions a week should do it. There's been times over the years when I've been really busy with work and young kids when I'd just stop to do a few sets of pull-ups, dips, crunches, handstand pressups on my cycle home, which was fine for maintaining.
Ah, here we go: this is sensible though I'd say two sets is enough
Another who returned to weights in mid-50s, though I go to the local leisure centre a couple of times a week. Working from home and flexitime mean I can do a couple of long lunch breaks and get in when it's quiet.
Don't forget stretching as you get older. Anything from 10-30 minutes of whatever YouTube plan I fancy also makes a difference to how I feel and move. Tend to use Dynamic Cyclist or Yoga with Kassandra.
Pretty similar to what I've been doing. The local gym is family run and very friendly. I stay away from all the testosterone fuelled lifting downstairs and just do classes. One Bootcamp/HIIT, one Strength Circuits, TRX (which I think of as "hard pilates") and a core workout. These are only 45 mins (although the core one feels like about 2 days 😉 ) but going every week has made a big difference to how I feel on a bike both from a strength and balance perspective.
I started going specifically for collarbone rehab, but now I'm seeing the benefit way beyond that. Also have weights and room at home but I need the discipline of the classes.
And as @morecashthandash says, as you get older stretching is so important. I switch between Kassandra, Charlie Follows and occasionally Adrianne but she's a but mung been for me 😉
Oh and I don't know if this qualifies as "strength" but I try and swim once a week. I'm a terrible swimmer - think old dog that's fallen into a canal - but it seems to offer both strength and stretching in one activity. Especially the way I do it 😉
Nup, just practical. It works.
I thought that. I don't need to do strength, I'll just run or cycle more. No bother, I hate the gym anyway.
I'm big enough to admit I was wrong.
It is dull to begin with, you can't get away from that. But for me it's made a really positive and noticeable difference to me. It's made me more injury resilient and I feel generally stronger, which as I (we all) age. I'm also faster which is a nice side effect.
As I said earlier, muscle wastes as we age and so we all need to build to keep current levels. You don't need to over complicate it and spends hours in the gym. A simple programme which works the major muscle groups done once, maybe twice per week can work wonders. On a day to day basis, it means I can get off the sofa without pushing up with me hands, I can pick the dog up more easily, my posture is better and I generally feel better.
So yeah, do some strength, particularly as you got older. You might hate it but it's really good for you.
I'd counter the above disagreement with both sides having a point. People build habits doing things they enjoy more easily than things they have to force themselves to do.
As an example, I enjoy climbing and made a regular slot for it in my week.
I also enjoy lifting weights, I have a reasonable amount of kit to do this at home, but I'm not currently finding/making time to do this regularly. Likely because it reminds me how much I need to tidy the garage where they are stored and which is also something I find boring.
Overall though, whether it's 15 minutes of kettle bells a few times a week, or an hour in a gym grinding out Olympic lifts, my personal opinion is that we should all be doing some of this at least. Cycling is great too, but my thighs are already larger than most trousers will accept 😉
I'm not sharing this for exercise routine, more as the reason as to why we should train. I've been watching from the start and found it very inspiring.
I strength train 3 times a week. Each session is just under an hour. Have done it for 15+ years. Each session focusses on one of the main 3 lifts: deadlifts, squats or bench press, with a range of other lifts across each session. I'm 48 years old, just under 80kgs and I can deadlift, squat and bench press multiples of my bodyweight in each exercise with ease. My 1RM for squats and deadlifts is more than 2 x bodyweight, chest is around 1.5.
I do all that because I hugely enjoy it, I'm becoming increasingly focussed on longevity and being fit, healthy, strong and mobile in old age, and most of all, all the gym work I do benefits my cycling massively. I'm a stronger and fitter cyclist because of the gym work, not despite it. I can bang out 100 mile+ road or gravel rides with ease thanks to all the cycling and gym work I do together.
I started strength training two years ago at the age of 53. I've always hated gyms but the science around weight lifting and longevity was getting too loud to ignore. On longer mountain bike rides I was beginning to notice my upper board strength was starting to be a hindrance. I contacted a local gym and the owner invited me down for a chat. He couldn't have been more friendly or encouraging. I booked 4 personal sessions with him and then he told me to just do pay as you go to start with instead of joining. My first session was particularly humbling and I graded myself as 'weak kitten'.... I kept at it and the owner kept his eye on me and kept encouraging me. Eventually I joined the gym and I do at least two sessions a week. I use the App Gravl to build my sessions and I've found it a great way to increase the range of lifting I do whilst keeping me on an upward path of progressively overloading. When I look back as those first sessions in 2024 its staggering the difference from then to now. Now, I look forward to going. I certainly feel stronger on the bike. I would encourage anyone to look around for a local gym that focuses on lifting. I'm fortunate that the first one I found near my house is brilliant. Its a bit spit and sawdust but I like that and its a good atmosphere.
