According to doomers online, your testosterone levels are falling, your energy levels are in massive decline, and everything seems to throw your back out. But contrary to popular belief, you can still muscle up. And Bryan Krahn, 53 years old and as strong as he’s ever been, is proof.
The trainer, who created MH’s Max Muscle at 50 workout program, still works out four or five days a week and has maintained a muscular 210-pound physique.. That doesn’t mean he trains exactly like he did when he was in his 20s. Instead, over the last three decades, he’s made a series of adjustments, shifting his fitness priorities (much less bench pressing) and experimenting with new gym ideas.
All that trial-and-error helped Krahn develop these four critical post-50 training principles, which will allow you to push your muscle-building limits for decades to come without crushing your body. He discussed these ideas (and much more) on MH’s Strong Talk podcast. LIKE MOST GUYS, Krahn relied on dumbbells and barbells for years.
But about a decade ago, those exercises started to hurt his joints. He has since shifted his focus to training that minimizes his risk of getting hurt. He is quick to note this isn’t about being overly cautious—avoiding injury is not the same as training scared.
Part of the fix for Krahn involved taking a little bit of time off. The other part: He headed to a section of the gym that guys often forget about: the machine area. Because yes, dumbbells and barbells and kettlebells seem to build more “functional” strength (so the narrative goes).
But as you get older, those tools don’t always work as well with your joints. That’s a key mechanic for growth. A bonus: Experimenting with machines just may reignite your passion for the gym, too.
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