Look Great At Any Age With Weight Training

No matter how old you are, get ready to get in the best shape of your life. Its simply a matter of making all the right moves, says renowned fitness pro Brad Schoenfeld, author of the hot new book Look Great at Any Age: Defy Aging, Slim Down, and Optimize Health
in Just 60 Minutes a Week.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it's time to uncork a great new workout program because -- like a bottle of fine wine -- your body can get better with age.

In this eDiets exclusive, Schoenfeld will take you by the hand and teach you how to remain forever young with easy-to-follow tips from his newest book.

This Fountain of Youth has nothing to do with a magical potion or pill. No, the secret lies in old-fashioned exercise. We all know that Father Time can be hard on a fellow. There's loss of muscle mass, lowered metabolic rate and decreasing bone mass to worry about. Relax. With the right workout, you can ward off the worst for a long time to come!

Schoenfeld, author of the best-seller Look Great Naked: Slim Down, Shape Up and Tone Your Trouble Zones in 15 Minutes a Day (Prentice Hall Press), is quick to point out that our body begins to show wear and tear in our 30s. Between the ages of 30 and 35, we start to lose muscle mass at a rate of one-half to one percent per year. That means by the age of 50 you face the risk of losing 15 to 20 percent of your muscle mass.

Another thorn in our size: losing muscle mass slows the metabolism, which in turn leads to an increase in body fat. So, you may be following the same diet at 40 that you were at 20, yet now you’re gaining rather than maintaining.

Of course, there’s also the appearance issue. When gravity takes its toll, you’re often left with a droopy derriere, dimply thighs and a pooching belly. Why? Well, it's partly because you no longer have muscle supporting the fat in those trouble spots and that gives the body a loose appearance, Schoenfeld explains.

But just 60 minutes a week (3 daily sessions of 20 minutes) can change all that. Schoenfeld has created a total body workout that can be done in the comfort of your own home with nothing more than a set of dumbbells and a set of leg weights.

“This is not a body sculpting workout,” he stresses from his office in Scarsdale, New York. “This workout focuses on maximal results in minimal time. While my other books use multiple exercises to intensely work the trouble zones, Look Great at Any Age takes a streamlined approach, working the entire body.

Using the compound-movement workouts, you’ll take years off your body, he says.

“You’ll improve your posture... nothing makes you look older than poor posture," he says. "You’re going to improve muscle tone, which makes you look younger. When you have sagging skin, you look older than you are. You’ll also feel better, which will make you look better. You’ll also combat depression and stress, which makes you look haggard and older than you are.

“It helps in so many ways. This workout really is a youth builder.”

In Look Great at Any Age, Schoenfeld shares 3 workouts made up of 10 exercises that target the different muscles. Here is a sample of 3 exercises you can do any time, any place.

Step Up
Grasp a dumbbell in each hand and allow the weights to hang at your sides. Stand facing the side of a flat bench with your feet shoulder-width apart. Pushing off your right leg, step up with your left foot and follow with your right foot, so that both feet are flat on the bench. Step back down in the same order, first with your left foot and then with your right, returning to the start position.
Tips: Use a moderate step height. Dont rush the movement. Keep your toes pointed straight ahead.

Modified Push-Up
Begin with your hands and knees on the floor. Your torso should remain rigid, keeping your back perfectly straight throughout the move. Bend your arms and slowly lower your body downward, stopping just before your upper chest touches the floor. Feel a stretch in your chest muscles and then reverse direction, pushing your body up along the same path back to the start position.
Tips: Dont allow your butt to drop down. Dont let your elbows come close to your body. Alter the movement to suit your needs. If you have trouble with the movement, perform half-reps.

Side Jackknife
Lie on your left side with your right leg in the air. Make a fist with your right hand and keep it pressed to your right ear. Raise your torso upward as far as possible, so that your elbow approaches your leg. Contract your oblique muscles and then slowly reverse direction and return to the start position. After performing the prescribed number of repetitions, repeat the process on the left.
Tips: Dont flex your torso too far. Dont lift from your leg. Keep your head stable.