How to Stay Jacked After 40 (Without Joint Pain)

Hitting the magic age of 40 is just another milestone, but subtle changes may already be settling in your body at this stage of life. In our 20s, exercise was about looking good. In our 30s, it is about function and looks. After 40 though, begins a shift in the importance of lifelong and continued exercise.

The content ahead focuses on how to stay jacked after 40 and to continue to do it without joint pain. 

For many adults, hitting 40 is just a number or a formality.  For others, this time of life begins to show small injuries, aches, pains, and changes that are to be expected. One change that may be surprising after 40 is how the body builds muscle. 

Does the Body Build Muscle After 40?

It seems that muscle building is something that comes from our genes, as some people can build muscle easier than others. For most of us, building muscle is quite prominent from birth and hits a peak at around 35 years of age. After 40, muscle building efficiency decreases linearly until around age 65 years, which then drops significantly. 

With this in mind, maintaining muscular strength after 40 is crucial for keeping what you have throughout later years. Adults should aim to follow strength guidelines and push the body with regularity over a lifespan to help keep every muscle fiber possible. 

What can Adults do for Exercise After 40?

While there is a slowing of muscle formation after 40, it doesn’t mean you can’t keep what you got or continue to build. With this in mind, growing or keeping muscle can happen by mixing up exercise, pushing the body, and maintaining protein consumption. Here are some options to consider:

• Perform High-Intensity Interval Training.  A 2022 systematic review examined the effects of HIIT training on middle aged adults and found that this type of training can help to improve body composition and muscular strength. Adults after 40 should consider this option as a fun and effective way to maintain strength. 
• Boot Camps for Group Exercise.  A growing trend in training in recent years is working out with others. Many trainers have gone to a group format where they perform a boot camp with anywhere from 2-5 people per group and sometimes more.  This type of exercise helps to boost motivation, can help to burn fat, build general muscle, and help you to be consistent. 
• Mobility Exercise.  While it works muscles in a much different way than with resistance training, mobility exercises can help to ensure optimal length of muscle fibers. In addition, many mobility exercises add an eccentric movement phase that works smaller muscles, making this type of exercise ideal throughout aging. 

Is There a Best Time of Day to Workout?

There are many theories on which time of day works best for building muscle. For anyone after 40, building muscle should be as efficient as possible to help maintain every fiber as possible. 

• Mornings. For a large collection of adults, working out in the morning is best. The morning offers top energy levels and is a time of day when tasks haven’t piled on.
  • Pros: The mind and body are restored and ready to go before fatigue sets in. Morning exercise can help to boost metabolism for the rest of the day. 
  • Cons: It can be hard to wake up early and get going in the morning.  In addition, some people have joint and body pain in the morning, making this not the best time of day for this group. 
• Midday. Midday exercise can be great for adults after 40 to help avoid joint or body pain problems that may come earlier in the day. Look to these pros and cons to help stay jacked midday:
  • Pros: Ideal for anyone who doesn’t want to get up early.  Typically the gym is quieter this time of day so equipment selection is usually more available. 
  • Cons: Midday lags can drain energy levels. Business hour distractions such as texts, emails, phone calls can take away from mental focus. 
• Late Afternoon and Evening.  Another popular option for some adults is the later the day workout. This is an option that works for many and has potential perks and cons to weigh.
  • Pros: More likely to find personal training times.  Group fitness is robust during these hours. Exercise after work is great to help free the mind. 
  • Cons: Late day fatigue is real and can take mental and physical energy away. Childcare and children’s extracurricular activities get in the way.  Exercising close to bedtime can interrupt optimal sleeping patterns. 

Should Adults Take Supplements to Stay Jacked After 40?

The short answer is yes. The long answer is which supplements to take. Supplements are not federally regulated so finding the ones that actually work and safe is important. Here are some known supplements to use to help stay jacked after 40. 

• Protein. One of the most common supplements is protein. Most protein options contain amino acids to support optimal tissue growth and repair and are important for the recovery process. Look for whey protein around your workout for quick absorption and casein for slow-release delivery of amino acids, which is ideal during sleep. 
• Creatine. This supplement has been used by athletes for decades and continues to be an excellent option for muscle growth. It helps to work at the cellular level by supplying creatine for metabolic reactions that help to maintain energy throughout exercise, which may be a great option for adults after 40.  
• Vitamin B6.  This common vitamin is ideal at night to help support cellular metabolism and sleep. Taking vitamin B6 may help to encourage brain activity for deep sleep, which is important for the recovery process. 
• Magnesium. Another night time supplement, magnesium comes in many forms. Consuming magnesium glycinate can help to calm the nerves to help encourage a restful night of sleep to help the body recover torn tissues. 
• Pre-Workout. A common supplement used before hitting the gym is pre-workout. It can come in a powder for you to mix or in a carbonated treat and often contains amino acids, creatine, vitamin B12, guarana, and ginseng. This can be an excellent option for adults who want to stay jacked after 40 and for early in the day energy. 

Conclusion 

While muscle mass and generation can slow throughout the years, working to stay jacked after 40 is possible for long-term success. Be mindful of the exercise programs above to help you accomplish this success without experiencing joint pain along the way. 

Resources 

https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/how-can-strength-training-build-healthier-bodies-we-age

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9557068