The Longevity Workout to Stay Healthy and Strong-NICK RANA

Maintaining strength and athleticism into your 30s, 40s, and beyond means doing all you can to prevent injury—and that means checking your ego at the gym door. Training for longevity isn’t the same as training for aesthetics. It’s not even close.

Loading up a bar as heavy as you can and going for broke on each set is no longer an option; working muscles you’ve long neglected is your new priority. This routine is perfect to build your future training on, as it covers all the bases for keeping you healthy and athletic.

In particular, it focuses on boosting explosive strength, improving conditioning, and fortifying the stabilizer muscles in your core and hips that protect your back and knees.

1. Lateral Band Walk

Sets: 2

Reps: 10 (each direction)

Rest: 30 sec.

How to do it: Wrap an elastic band around your ankles and step sideways for 20 feet, then come back, keeping tension on the band throughout.

2. Trap-Bar Deadlift

Sets: 3–5

Reps: 3

Rest: 60 sec. Use 60-70% of 1-rep max.

How to do it: Use a trap bar and stand with feet hip-width apart. Hinge at your hips and grasp the handles. Keep the natural arch in your lower back as you drive through your heels to stand. Extend through your hips and knees, then lower down under control.

3.1 Neutral-Grip Dumbbell Bench Press

Sets: 3

Reps: 8–12

Rest: 60 sec.

How to do it: Hold a dumbbell in each hand and lie down on a bench. Hold the dumbbells at shoulder level with palms facing each other. Press them over your chest.

3.2 Suspension Trainer Row

Sets: 3

Reps: 10–15

Rest: 60 sec.

How to do it: Hold the handles of a suspension trainer and lean back with arms extended so your body is supported by the trainer and only your feet are on the floor. Brace your core and hold your body in a straight line. (The lower you set the handles, the harder the exercise; you can elevate your feet to make it even harder.) Keep your palms facing together as you row your body up.

4. Calf Extension on Leg Press

Sets: 3

Reps: 8 (each leg)

Rest: 90 sec.

How to do it: Sit at a leg press machine with your feet on the platform about shoulder-width apart. Raise the platform until your legs are straight without locking out your knees. Place your feet on the platform so your heels are over the edge. Drive through the ball of your foot without bending your knee.

5.1 Kettlebell Swing

Sets: 3

Reps: 20

Rest: 45 sec.

How to do it: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointed out. Hold a kettlebell with a two-handed, overhand grip. Hinge at your hips to bring the kettlebell between and behind your legs. Squeeze your glutes and extend through your hips to swing the weight up. Let it swing back between your legs as you bend your hips and knees slightly.

5.2 Alligator Crawl

Sets: 3

Reps: 20 feet

Rest: 45 sec.

How to do it: Start in a high plank and walk hands forward while maintaining a perfectly straight line between head and feet. Resist the urge to sway your hips as you go. Your feet should drag in a straight line, not wriggle back and forth.

5.3 Farmer’s Walk

Sets: 3.

Reps: Walk for 30 sec.

Rest: 45 sec.

How to do it: Stand holding two dumbbells at your sides with your shoulders pulled back and down. Brace your abs and slowly walk forward, keeping the weights close to your body. After 15 sec, turn around and walk back to start.

Topics: Cardio workouts

Topics: Weight Loss

The Longevity Workout to Stay Healthy and Strong-NICK RANA