There are countless ways to work out effectively but no matter what routine you choose to go with there are 3 fundamental rules that are always are always important if you want to build muscle when weight training, especially for those of us in the 40+ crowd.
1. Eat Protein!
You can’t make a house without bricks, proteins are the bricks of our body, it's needed to build everything from our skin to our organs and tissues. A strong body needs plenty of it. Amino acids, pre-workout drinks and supplements, such as vitamins and minerals, can also aid muscle growth and recovery. But high protein, low fat foods are paramount to strength gains.
Tip: A good rule of thumb for protein says that you should consume about one gram of protein per pound of body weight per day. I know this may sound cumbersome. Don’t worry! My book, Get Lean with Dr. Dean coming very soon is filled with shortcuts.
2. Time Under Tension!
The longer the muscle is under tension the more gains will be made. It’s that simple. More stress means more damage. Although damage may sound like a bad thing, it's actually what we want. Our muscles will rebuild even stronger and be capable of handling more stress the next time you train.
Tip: Don’t damage your joints with heavy weight! Avoid torturing yourself when you work out by doing longer sets with lower weight. This will make you stronger over time than shorter sets with more weight.
3. Recover!!!
The best kept secret to getting stronger is allowing your body to heal after the stress of weightlifting. Like I said,The muscle will rebuild itself stronger if given enough time but most people exercise again without allowing for a proper recovery.
Tip: Everyone needs to recover but once you hit 40 it becomes even more important. Never work out the same muscle group twice in one week. You can work out everyday but be sure to hit different muscle groups.