One of my go to YouTube channels for fitness advice as I age is Train Right Fitness.

They talk about strength training performed twice per week, at a high level of intensity, with minimal sets. By minimal sets I mean 3-5 total for upper body, 3-5 sets total for lower body, 1-2 for core. That takes about one hour total per week, this leaves plenty of time for recovery and doing other things.

Their philosophy is about taking your muscles to momentary failure in a controlled way. This means on your last couple of reps the weights slow down and you cannot do one more rep in good form, at that point you stop.

A lot of there videos are based on peer reviewed scientific studies. As I get older I find it a lot more interesting and safer than watching a 25 year old fitness influencer secretly on steroids.

The video above is about stretching and weight training. When I was younger I would stretch religiously before weight training and cycling. These days I do not and I find I am way more flexible from just doing weight training in the way they suggest.

If you are interested in starting strength training I would binge watch their videos.

I have been weight training consistently since 1985. I have not missed a week since then. Because I am often asked for advice about beginning weights training.

These days I mostly do a full body workout three times a week and have three days a week for cycling or riding an exercise bike. I aim for 30 minutes of either weights or cycling per session. This is enough to keep me fit and maintain muscle in my late 50s.

Please note: Please be aware that this is only advice, I am not a qualified fitness trainer. Weight training is my hobby and I explain this to people who ask my advice.

When starting out I give people one exercise per major body part and do one set of ten repetitions. Then wait a minute or two and move on to the next exercise on the list.

An example might look like this below.

• Shoulder press with dumbbells
• Lat pulldowns for back
• Dumbbell bench press for chest
• Dumbbell curls for biceps
• Tricep pushdowns
• Leg extensions for thighs
• Dumbbell squat for thighs
• Leg curls for hamstrings
• Calf raises on a small block
• Cross body crunch

On the exercises above I have added links to the exercise demonstrations on bodybuilding.com. This website has lots of beginner workouts too.

The key to remember when you start out is to not over do it. Start with lighter weights than you think you need and slowly progress over 6-12 months.

One final piece of advice is to rest for 48-72 hours after your gym session. This is to allow your muscles time to recover and grow after your workout.