Guys over 40 don’t have time to waste on inefficient exercises...

By that I mean...

Any exercise that doesn't build as much muscle as possible... and assist with fat burning in one big swoop—shouldn’t be a priority.

At our age...

You want to get in and out of the gym as fast as possible with the best exercises…

You also don’t want to be reckless either...

This is why you need to utilize, not only the best exercises for men over 40 but also the best exercise variations for men over-40 as well…

Variations that’ll still give you the biggest bang for your buck without putting your joints on high alert for injury…

And that’s exactly what I have for you today.

Here are the...

5 Best Exercises For Men Over 40— Add These To Your Workout Today To Get Ripped And Strong:   

Neutral Grip Pull-Ups

Pull-ups are a staple exercise in any workout program because they’ll give you back width and posterior muscle... and it's a great overall exercise for strength. 

My favorite kind of pull up is a neutral grip pull up.

Here’s how to do them:

1. To find your natural grip, relax your arms at your side. Then, raise your arms straight in the air. That is your natural pull up position. (no need to widen or narrow your grip)

2. Grab the pull up bar using your natural grip. Allow yourself to hang from the bar. 

3. Driving with your elbows, pull your torso upward until your upper chest is near the pull-up bar. (your elbows should be near your rib cage)

4. Slowly descend and control your extension until you reach extended position again. You should feel a good stretch at the bottom of the movement.

Over-40 Pointers:

Instead of using a “natural grip” for all sets of pull-ups, use a NEUTRAL GRIP for a few or all of the sets. Neutral grip pull-up bars are those that are narrow and extend forward instead of sideways. When using the neutral grip, you’re actually internally rotating your shoulders which is going to be less stressful on your shoulder joint, elbow joint, and wrists.

Barbell Deadlift

Though this exercise has been around for a long time, it seems like the deadlift has gained more popularity as of late.

The deadlift is easily one of the best exercises for men over 40 because it recruits a variety of large muscle groups—which triggers a heightened anabolic hormone and metabolic response during and after exercise.

Here’s how to perform the deadlift: 

1. Stand over a loaded bar so that as you look down at it, the bar sits at about mid-feet (not in front of your toes and not on your shins).

2. To get in starting position, sink your hips back while dangling your arms straight down until you can grip the bar (DO NOT squat down to the bar as if you were performing a squat. you don’t want to use all legs when you deadlift). Your hips should be up high, not low. This is your starting position.

3. Keep your neck and spine straight and your chest up and back arched. Drive through your heels to pull the weight upward, keeping the bar close to your shins and thighs the entire time.

4. After the bar passes your knees, pull the bar backward with your shoulder blades. 

5. Keeping the bar close to your shins and thighs, lower the bar by bending your hips and returning the bar to the floor. 

Over-40 Pointers: 

If your gym has one, feel free to use a trap-bar deadlift variation. For some guys, it’s difficult to get the bar over their knees when deadlifting. If this is you, the trap bar eliminates that problem. Perform the deadlift the exact same way, only you’ll grip the bar as the trap bar allows (at your sides rather than in front of you). 

Squat

If you’ve spent any time in the gym, you’re familiar with the squat.

Like the deadlift, the squat is one of the best exercises for men over 40 because it recruits large muscle groups—quads, hamstrings, and glutes—to complete the exercise. 

Plus, squats involve your core and help strengthen your abs and lower back.

Here’s how to perform a squat: 

1. Begin by getting under the barbell and lifting it off the rack using your traps. Step back and keep your chest up and your head facing directly forward. Bring your feet to about shoulder-width apart. Turn your toes out slightly. This is your starting position. 

2. Keeping your core tight, hinge at the hips and drop down until your hamstrings are parallel with the floor. Your knees should track over your toes. 

3. When you reach the bottom of the movement, contract your leg muscles and drive upward through your heels. 

Over-40 Pointers:

If you can take your squat down to parallel position, do that. However, if reaching parallel is difficult for you, squat down to wherever is comfortable for now, and work your way towards getting down to parallel over time. 

Incline Bench Press

When you walk into the gym...

You see most guys gravitate towards the flat bench press.

And I don’t blame them because typically, there are about four flat benches for every one incline bench press in the gym… 

Still, I prefer an incline bench.

And I’m convinced this is one of the best exercises for men over 40 because it’ll give you a full upper-chest—so you get a broader and stronger upper chest that people can’t help but notice.

Here’s how to do incline bench press: 

1. Lay on the bench with your feet completely flat on the ground. Keep your back flat against the pad and your shoulder blades retracted. Grip the bar with a medium grip (your thumbs should be in line with the outside of your shoulders. 

2. Remove the bar from the rack and hold the weight above your chest with your arms extended. This is your starting position. 

3. Slowly lower the bar towards your sternum by flexing your elbows and bringing your shoulder blades together. Keep your core tight the entire time. 

4. After touching your torso lightly with the bar, explode your arms upward until they are extended back to the starting position.

Over-40 Pointers:

When performing an incline bench press, make sure you don’t arch your back and don’t lift your butt of the pad. You want to feel the natural incline of the bench when you perform the exercise. Keep your core tight and flat for the safest and best results. 

Be careful not to grip the bar with a wide grip. The wider your hands are when performing a bench press, the more you put your shoulder joints in danger of injury. 

Standing Overhead Shoulder Press

The overhead shoulder press is another one of the best exercises for men over 40 because it works the shoulder muscles on your upper back—where a majority of your body’s androgen receptors are.

As you exercise these muscles you’ll trigger greater testosterone boosting response than you ever could if you weren’t to emphasize your shoulders and upper back…  

Plus, it’s a great exercise for developing a rock-solid core because it requires stability on your end.

Here’s how to do a standing overhead shoulder press: 

1. Stand directly under the racked bar (which should be positioned at your upper chest). Grab the barbell with palms facing outward.

2. Lift the bar off the rack and balance it with your chest. Stabilize your core and keep it tight. 

3. Keeping your wrists directly in line with your elbows, press the bar overhead without locking your elbows. 

4. Lower the bar slowly and in a controlled motion. Keep your abs tight throughout the movement. 

Over-40 Pointers:  

To keep your joints as safe as possible, substitute barbell overhead press with dumbbell overhead press. You’ll perform the movements the exact same way as above, except your shoulders and your elbows will be internally rotated a little bit. This gives you a little more flexibility with the movement and feels more natural on your body. 

Next Step

So there you have it…

The 5 best exercises for men over 40.

These exercises are a surefire way to boost testosterone, raise your metabolism, build muscle and strength, and get lean… both during your workout and for hours afterward. 

Add these big 5 exercises to your weekly workout rotation and you’ll see incredible results… 

Put these to work with my Ripped After 40 For Men protocol for noticeable muscle building and fat burning results in just weeks!

Get busy. Get after it. And God bless. 

—Gary Walker