At the age of 50, a man is still a long way from physical deterioration – and yet muscle atrophy is clearly noticeable from the age of 50. If you are consistent and disciplined, you can still create a dream body à la James Bond.
There are almost 900,000 Google search results for the keyword «dream body», and the question of how long it takes to achieve it is the most frequently asked question. Dream bodies like Michelangelo’s «David» are marble statues in the Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence. They come from Hollywood films like «Tarzan», «James Bond» or «Pumping Iron», in which Arnold Schwarzenegger lifted weights until his muscles burned. They grace ads like that of panty-clad model Mark Wahlberg for Calvin Klein in the 1990s. Today, the blueprints of the muscular body ideal can be found on Instagram and are presented on YouTube as the result of «crazy transformations».
What is a dream body?
«That he’s athletic and exudes strength» is a frequent answer in a survey¹ looking for attributes for the «ideal man». The medical model, which is primarily about avoiding obesity, is certainly weaker. In our age of self-optimization, obesity is considered a sign of weakness of will. The muscular male body ideal, on the other hand, continues to be fueled: 24-hour fitness studios, diet programs. Today, more men are dissatisfied with their bodies – particularly their pecs, weight and waist (the ideal is a V-shaped torso). This is the result of a study from 1987².
All of this shows that men have internalized the muscular body ideal. The zeal may level off over the decades – after all, 50 is an age when a man is completely himself and no man today would want to swap brains for his 20-year-old self. But the dream of a dream body remains for many.
So what to do to get that dream body in your 50s, men?
We did that with the sports scientist Dr. dr Discussed by Michael Despeghel. He is a lecturer in health behavior at the Institute for Sports Science at the University of Gießen and is a member of the board of the German interest group for preventive male medicine.
Mr. Despeghel, how would you describe the dream body of a man over 50?
dr dr Michael Despeghel: «Man wants an athletic build. Six pack is a huge topic, visible abs are in greatest demand. I observe three types of men over 50: The avoidant says to himself: ‘If I had that much time, I could do it too’. The attacker has an ideal, is strong-willed and willing to reach the comfort zone for his goal. But he needs a clear concept. In fact, a dream body is hardly attainable for anyone because the way to get there is contrary to the lifestyle of most. Nine out of ten are not.”
And the third guy?
«The easygoing guy, often married, who’s in good health, but says to himself, ‘The days of my dream body are over.’ His motivation is enough to perceive small stories to improve his health values - e.g. B. with 10,000 steps a day, little sitting, little meat, alcohol a maximum of three times a week. Interestingly, after a breakup, you often see these men suddenly start working on their bodies intensely again.”
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Let me guess – only the attacker has a realistic chance of a dream body over the age of 50?
«Absolutely. A 50-year-old who has a lot of desire and is mediocre at it can achieve a dream body. Regardless of whether he was fit as a young man or not. The decisive factor is that he focuses on his goal for twelve months. You have to draw it up like a business plan. Seriously ask yourself: Am I right for this right now? A job change or starting a family is certainly a bad time for the goal of a dream body.”
Get hormone status checked
So what should a man do first?
“Diagnostics are the starting point. First you should have a physical check-up with a doctor, have your body fat measured and the status of your micronutrients determined. I recommend working with a personal trainer. Do you have all the minerals, fats you need? It is also very important that the hormone status is correct, testosterone and DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone, Note d. editor) checked. From the age of 30, the muscles shrink by three percent a year, so it is very important that everything is hormonal. If not, eating spinach is not enough. Then you can help with plant steroids (from spinach) if necessary. But that has to be decided on a case-by-case basis. Otherwise you won’t get the dream body, no matter how hard you train for it.”
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Cycling better than running for the man over 50
What does dream body training look like for the man over 50 who doesn’t have a coach by his side?
“It consists of endurance training and very intense strength training. Each week there are three units of around 60 minutes each for both training sessions. For endurance you look for something that you enjoy. I advise men over 50 to bike, ideally outdoors and indoors, and less to run, because at that age the knees often get in the way. And the lung volume is significantly lower than that of a 20-year-old. Ultimately, however, it is a matter of preference. When it comes to strength training, the key is to step up. You do exercises for chest, upper arms, abs, legs, buttocks. In any case, you need equipment.”
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Dumbbells from 5 to 35 kilograms and an abdominal wheel
Which one?
“Anyone who trains at home should get a small set of additional weights. I consider a dumbbell relief of 5 to 35 kilograms, i.e. 5.10, 20, 30 and 35 kilograms, as well as a barbell bar with discs and a similar level to be optimal. In addition, the man over 50 on the way to the dream body should get a belly wheel that is not too small with a diameter of 20 to 25 centimeters. This is great for the core and abs. Resistance bands in three strengths are also great, and of course you need a mat.”
And that works – even if our man was previously untrained?
“The adjustment happens in the first six to eight weeks – you start a little softer, especially if you start the dream body project untrained. After three months you’re training hard. Muscles are happy to accept the stimulus, even over 50 – if the hormones are right.”
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150 grams of carbohydrates – it doesn’t matter what you spend them on
What does the man over 50 have to pay attention to in his diet in order to achieve his goal?
“On average, men have between 20 and 25 percent body fat. In order to be able to see the six-pack, it must be reduced to 12 to 15 percent, i.e. halved. I recommend consuming 150 grams of carbohydrates daily. It doesn’t matter what you spend the carbohydrates on, for example pasta or bread. But you shouldn’t do without it, otherwise the fat metabolism will suffer. In the evening you leave out the carbohydrates and eat protein.
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Daily requirement of protein
The German Nutrition Society recommends 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight for untrained adults, whether male or female. Trained people need about twice as much. The guideline after training is: About 20 grams of protein – of course, this can either be done with a shake or with two slices of wholemeal bread, 100 grams of salmon or two large glasses of whole milk (about 700 milliliters).
In general, you should take in plenty of protein, even 30 minutes after each vigorous workout. It is important that the proteins – whether of animal origin or whey – are of high quality. Overall, I recommend three meals, with a break of four hours between each. Have fun! It’s going ok.»
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