{"id":68343,"date":"2017-08-24T19:45:13","date_gmt":"2017-08-24T19:45:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/breakingmuscle.com\/\/\/uncategorized\/modified-leg-training-for-the-older-lifter"},"modified":"2022-10-25T16:49:29","modified_gmt":"2022-10-25T21:49:29","slug":"modified-leg-training-for-the-older-lifter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/breakingmuscle.com\/modified-leg-training-for-the-older-lifter\/","title":{"rendered":"Modified Leg Training for the Older Lifter"},"content":{"rendered":"

When you\u2019re a young newbie, you tend to think and act with extremes when it comes to training\u2014bone-crushing, intense workouts coupled with a sense of unwavering drive to perform better at all costs. When starting out in the iron game, novelty and newness reign as you peer through a never-ending telescope toward your goals<\/strong>. It seems that the bullet train you’re on won\u2019t be making any stops any time soon.<\/p>\n

Fast-forward. Later in life numerous things change and you may find yourself in a very different place. Family, work, social obligations, and other unexpected occurrences crop up and training takes a back seat, and most likely one area in particular no longer even gets a seat.<\/p>\n

You Really Need Leg Training<\/h2>\n

Leg training<\/a>, I mean real, intense leg training, hurts<\/strong>. Trained properly, lower body sessions should be memorable more than just in the sense of soreness. Brutal squat sets<\/a>, intense supersets, and pain-inducing, extended high-rep sets are usually just the tip of the iceberg. As you get older you tend to pump the brakes on intensity<\/a> and soften those brutal sessions. Your leg training downshifts as you feel your hips, knees, and ankles have had about enough.<\/p>\n

Now, you find yourself on the leg press and the leg extension machines going through the motions while focusing on joint safety with a little lack of motivation. Or maybe you\u2019ve ditched leg training altogether and rely on running or biking to train your lower body. No longer do you find yourself under the coveted squat bar patiently preparing to take the load and fight against the bar on your back. Why bother?<\/p>\n

The fact is that you really need lower body resistance training<\/strong>. No, you don\u2019t need to squat the house or load up the leg press with every weight plate in sight, but it would behoove you to formulate a comprehensive plan<\/a> to effectively strengthen your legs, if not only for mobility strength and function, but also for metabolic benefits.<\/p>\n

Nothing revs up our metabolism like a challenging leg session. Since your legs provide you with over half of your musculature and strength, leaving them on the table, so to speak, is like training only half of your body and getting only half of the results<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The Old, the Able, and the Necessary<\/h2>\n

So, maybe now you want to overhaul your lower body training but don\u2019t know where to start. First define what you\u2019re able to do<\/strong>, then prioritize your programming then modify that programming to fit your goals.<\/p>\n

Just because you\u2019re older doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019re incapable<\/strong>. Traditional leg exercises<\/a> like squats are still manageable along with the adoption of a few modifications to old favorites. You\u2019ll also want to look into unilateral training methods as well as alternative exercises.<\/p>\n