Adapting Exercise for Age Groups

Dr. Kareem worked with over 70,000 clients to date, over 1,000 in-person clients and patients, and coached over 700 people online, we've learned a thing or two about program adaptation by age, gender, or situation.

Program 'adaptation' or 'customization' is the key to your success, rather than a single variable such as age.  However, age does come with some 'rather' normal changes, such as:

• 15-25:  Body is very youthful, resilient, and has not experienced pain from previous injuries yet.  Risk tolerance is higher and should be kept in check, while continuously pushing limits and maintaining safety.   This is the era for body design.
   
• 25-35:  Body is extremely capable and muscle is easiest to grow; rather than focus on 'impact'-based activities, we're going to focus on joint stability, core strength, and developing a 'life' muscle base.  This way, your metabolism stays high for a very long time to come.
   
• 35-50:  Physical endurance, speed maintenance, and youthful aging become the priorities.  Working on the 'inside' of your body becomes more important than ever before, and you experience the consequences of years of prolonged sitting, standing, or repetitive motions you've done at work and at home.  Counter-acting aging becomes the highest priority to maintain and improve the quality of your life, and time is more of a factor than ever before.
   
• 50-65:  This is the era that requires you re-build strength.  Your metabolism is naturally slowing down, hormonal changes related to aging are taking place in both genders, and anti-aging exercise, nutrition, and mindset become the focal points of life, rather than career or education.  This is the peek of your career, the onset of golden years, and the moment that makes you want to give back and teach others.  The example you set now is one others will live by for years to come.
   
• 65+:  Body, figure, balance, pain elimination.  Time to 'tune in' your body, activate as much muscle as possible, and take your body slightly out of the comfort zone every day, so you can move like a kid again. 

You see, the same exercise program can work for all age groups, if designed effectively.  Depending upon how much you want to focus on strength vs flexibility vs fat loss, you can adjust the amount of weight you lift, the rest periods you take, and the reps of every exercise you do.  For 99% of exercisers out there, bodyweight -- or simple at-home equipment -- is all you need to get a phenomenal workout.