No matter how hard it is to get six-pack abs, people will desire them nonetheless. Having washboard abs is a sign of commitment to your fitness routine; it's a badge of honour that you started and finished the process of getting fit. People of all ages want to have a toned midriff, starting in their teens all the way to the grave, essentially.
If you're in your 50s and thinking about getting a six-pack, fear not, as it's not an impossible task. Some simple lifestyle tweaks and workout tips can get you there in time. Putting your abs on display is not an overnight process, as Gary Walker from Live Anabolic explains in the video below, but it doesn't have to take forever either, as long as you keep at it and follow the guidelines set out by the clearly buff-in-his-50s Gary.
Is it a good idea to drink protein powder or mass gainer shakes to get a six-pack? Should you do ab crunches over 50? Let's watch the video first:
How to get six-pack abs after 50: Workout tips
"The first tip for getting six-pack abs at home for men over 50 is resistance training", Gary says in the video, "You need to lift weights with resistance and focus on compound lifts." Compound exercises are movements that utilise the combined power of multiple muscle groups simultaneously. This type of workout burns more calories and helps tone the body while building muscle.
Gary says compound lifts give you a hormone boost and a metabolic boost, both being essential for shedding fat and sculpting six-pack abs. As an example, Gary lists a couple of essential compound exercises men over 50 should start doing: deadlifts and squats. These two are some of the best exercises to build overall strength at any age.
"The dumbbell bench press and overhead press can also help you reach your goal and strengthen your core", Gary adds, "I expect you to work out three times a week with your compound lifts to get you all the benefits you need to get six-pack abs after 50. On the days you don't work out, stretch and do low-intensity training such as walking or jogging."
How to get six-pack abs after 50: Dieting tips
As well as putting the physical work in, you need to keep a keen eye on nutrition if you want to get a six-pack over 50. Gary vouches for carb cycling: "As an older guy, you do not need carbs daily." Carb cycling is a dieting method where you eat fewer carbs on non-workout days and eat more when pumping iron.
Gary recommends eating complex carbs such as rice and potatoes, lots of protein and some healthy dietary fat when doing your workouts. "You want to make sure you are consuming lean protein sources, such as chicken, turkey and lean grass-fed beef", he says, "Your complex carbs can be sweet potatoes, white potatoes, red potatoes, and there are a lot of different options of rice you can eat as well."
As for fats, olive oil, fish oil, and coconut oil are good sources of fats for you to have in your diet. Egg yolks are also a great fat to eat and boost testosterone levels. "Fats are perfect for older men, especially when you're trying to get six-pack abs after 50", Gary adds.
On non-workout days, you don't need complex carbs: "I recommend eating fibrous carbs such as broccoli, asparagus and green leafy veggies on rest days", he says in the video, "But you are still gonna combine those with your good fats and lean proteins as well."
