Recommend me a gym routine

[ben5575]

Hope you can provide some advice please.

Background: 50yo. 20+ years kickboxing has now morphed into trail running (30-40k per wk) as my body can't cope with the demands of kickboxing anymore. As a result I have lost a lot of (seemingly all!) my upper body muscle mass and I'm in the process of developing noodle arms.

Goal: To not develop 'ultra face' and become a stick. Wanting to look athletic (think footballer/tennis player) and happy to sacrifice a bit of running speed/time (I run for enjoyment) for a more balanced physique.

Want I don't want: Not interested in bulking nor competing against myself to lift bigger and bigger weights - I appreciate this will be part of the process, but it isn't in and of itself of interest to me. I don't need any cardio nor do I need to incorporate a leg routine as I do running specific strength training separately.

Constraint: Gym two times per week, will probably become 3 times once I'm back into it.

Initial routine (45 mins today + 15 mins plyometrics) doing 3 x 12 of each.

Bench press (barbell)
Incline bench press (barbell)
Lat pull down (machine)
Tricep extension (rope/cable)
Shrug (dumbell)
Bicep curl (barbell)
Front raise (plate)
Lateral raises (dumbells)

Could add in a barbell row for an extra compound lift?

Any thoughts please?

[J4CKO]

Eat plenty of food, loads of protein in particular, doing all that running its easy to just burn through everything you eat.

Would say get a PT and explain your goals and let them set the exercises, show you the form and all that.

[MOMACC]

Ask Chat GPT to design you a 3 day plan and tweak as you need to.

[phil-sti]

Seems decent enough, I'd add a bit of variety to stop it getting boring plus I don't like barbells so use dumbells

2 of these per session, mix up for variety
Bench press (Dumbelll)
Incline bench press (Dumbell)
Alternate grip Incline bench press (Dumbell)
Alternate grip Bench press (Dumbelll)

also try Cable chest flys (upper,lower, mid) to add variety so it doesn't get boring

Lat pull down (machine)
Hammer Curls (rope/cable)
Tricep extension (rope/cable)

super set the below
Shrug (plate)
Front raise (plate)
super set the below
Bicep curl (EZ bar or preacher)
Lateral raises (dumbells)

throw in 21's once in a while

[Brainpox]

Agreed on the PT. Wanting to keep/build upper body muscle mass while running 40k a week at 50yo will take an optimised diet

[WH16]

Since you are looking for size rather than strength keep it mixed up with lots of variations (remember size is all about inefficiency, whereas strength is the opposite).

You've missed some of the best upper body exercises though - pull-ups and dips. Also spam push-ups throughout the day.

[The Mad Monk]

ben5575 said:

Hope you can provide some advice please.

Have you asked AI?

I did, quite recently. I wanted some exercises to improve my arm strength for swimming, plus general fitness.

Very good it was, too.

Have you got ChatGPT?

Download Chatgpt 5.0 now available - Chat and Ask AI Anything

[LosingGrip]

ChatGPT putting the OPs post in.

Thanks for sharing all that detail — it really helps shape a plan. You’re coming from a strong endurance and athletic background, so your goal is less about size/bulk and more about reclaiming and maintaining muscle to stay balanced, healthy, and athletic-looking. You’ve also clearly thought about what you do and don’t want, which is great.

Here are some thoughts on your current setup:


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1. Big Picture

Frequency: 2× per week is fine to make progress. Once you bump to 3×, you’ll see even better balance.

Rep scheme: 3×12 is good for now (hypertrophy range), but you may eventually want to mix in 6–10 reps for your compound lifts (bench, rows, pull-downs) and keep 10–15 reps for accessory/isolation work (curls, raises).

Focus: Keep the bias toward compound pulling & pushing, then sprinkle isolation for arms/shoulders. That will give you that “athletic” footballer/tennis player look vs. bodybuilder bulk.

Time constraint: With 45–60 minutes, you’ll get the most return from compounds + 2–3 focused accessory lifts.



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2. Review of Your Routine

Bench press (barbell): ✅ Great — push horizontal.

Incline bench press (barbell): ✅ Excellent for upper chest and shoulders.

Lat pull-down (machine): ✅ Covers your vertical pull.

Barbell row: 💯 Add it! It balances pressing volume and builds thickness through upper back. Think of it as a must-have.

Tricep extension (cable/rope): ✅ Solid accessory.

Shrug (dumbbell): Optional. Your traps already get work from rows/pulls. If time is tight, you could drop this.

Bicep curl (barbell): ✅ Good, especially paired with rows/pulls.

Front raise (plate): Low priority — front delts already get hit hard with benching and incline. Could replace this with face pulls or rear delt flys for shoulder balance.

Lateral raises (dumbbell): ✅ Keep. They really bring out that athletic shoulder cap.



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3. Suggested 2×/week Program (Upper Body Only)

Here’s how I’d structure it for efficiency and balance:

Day A (push emphasis)

Bench Press – 4×6–10

Incline Bench Press – 3×8–12

Dumbbell Lateral Raise – 3×12–15

Cable Tricep Pushdowns – 3×10–15

Optional: Face Pulls – 3×12–15 (rear delts/shoulder health)


Day B (pull emphasis)

Barbell Row – 4×6–10

Lat Pulldown (or Pull-Ups if possible) – 3×8–12

Dumbbell Shrugs (optional) – 2×12–15

Barbell Curl – 3×10–12

Rear Delt Fly (cable or dumbbells) – 3×12–15


(Run them on alternating days. If you move to 3× per week, just cycle A → B → A, then next week B → A → B.)


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4. Extra Notes

Plyometrics after lifting: That’s a nice touch — keeps athletic qualities alive.

Shoulder balance: Prioritize rear delts and external rotators (face pulls, rear delt flys, band pull-aparts). Runners especially need to guard against the “hunched” look.

Progression: You don’t need to chase numbers, but make sure over the weeks the weights/reps are creeping upward. That’s the only way to regain noticeable muscle.

Look you’re after (athletic, not bulky): This plan keeps volume moderate, builds width at shoulders/upper back, and maintains chest/arms. Combine with your trail running and you’ll have that lean but strong “footballer/tennis” frame.



---

👉 Question for you: Do you want me to put this into a structured 8-week plan (with rep/weight progression built in), or just keep it as a framework you can follow and adjust?

[Xerstead]

phil-sti said:

Seems decent enough, I'd add a bit of variety to stop it getting boring plus I don't like barbells so use dumbells

Another vote for dumbells from me. They feel more comfortable than a full bar, and I can put them down safely when pushing to failure.
If you like whole body exercises, consider some of the calistenics/bodyweight training.
Depending on your strength, pullup and chinup variations would be a good option. It took me a lot of work (with the lat pulldown) to get there, but now I can do them properly, pullups are far more satisfying. Also dips are another great bodyweight exercise. Lean forward to focus the lower chest, more upright for triceps.
Extra weight can be added if they get too easy for you
Throw in some hanging leg raises, and knees to bar for the core too.

[WH16]

Xerstead said:

phil-sti said:

Seems decent enough, I'd add a bit of variety to stop it getting boring plus I don't like barbells so use dumbells

Another vote for dumbells from me.

The problem with DB vs BB is progression. Once you are close to your limits it is easier to add weight to a BB. With fractional plates you can add as little as 0.5kg a time. Most DBs increase by 2.5kg, so increasing your DB bench from 50 (25x2) to 55 (27.5x2) means a 10% increase in weight, which if it is close to your limit may be very difficult. 50 on the bar can easily become 52.5 (5%), 51 (2%) or even 50.5 (1%) if you really have to. This is more relevant to strength training rather than size, but still a point often overlooked and worth considering.

Of course there is a place for both, it shouldn't be an either/or and I use both, but all my main lifts are with the bar.

[Xerstead]

WH16 said:

The problem with DB vs BB is progression. Once you are close to your limits it is easier to add weight to a BB. With fractional plates you can add as little as 0.5kg a time.

A fair point. I had that problem when the gym was missing two set of dumbells. Jumping from 44kg to the 50kg pair is a big difference. I still manged a few reps which I was pleased with.
That problem aside, progression can also come from increasing the number of reps. When you can do an extra 2-3 reps increase the weight and go back to your starting rep range. In practice 10 reps to (near) failure will have the same effect as 12 but give smoother progression than sticking to fixed rep sets.

[WH16]

Xerstead said:

WH16 said:

The problem with DB vs BB is progression. Once you are close to your limits it is easier to add weight to a BB. With fractional plates you can add as little as 0.5kg a time.

A fair point. I had that problem when the gym was missing two set of dumbells. Jumping from 44kg to the 50kg pair is a big difference. I still manged a few reps which I was pleased with.
That problem aside, progression can also come from increasing the number of reps. When you can do an extra 2-3 reps increase the weight and go back to your starting rep range. In practice 10 reps to (near) failure will have the same effect as 12 but give smoother progression than sticking to fixed rep sets.

Yeah, there is more than one way to skin the proverbial cat, which is why the 'better' argument is often heavily subjective.

[Glenn63]

If only training 2/3 times a week do full body workouts. Don’t need to be pounding each body part into the ground with high volume for your goals.
Eat clean, prioritise protein from good meat sources, and adjust carbs enough to fuel your workouts and the running, eat most of your carbs around your training.
At your age and with you saying you’ve lost a lot of muscle mass I’d be doing a testosterone test also to see where you’re at.

[ben5575]

Much obliged guys.

I hadn't thought about chatgbt, but obvious now you say it!

I'll have a go at the pull ups. Two knackered AC joints means that dips are off the menu sadly. Don't fancy doing them again!

ETA: Muscle loss is more from spending decades focused on one activity many hours per week then dropping to 2 hours per month. I've never been 'big' by any stretch (I just don't have the body type) but I've always found it relatively easy to put on muscle at a hobby level. It will be interesting to see how my age affects it now.

Edited by ben5575 on Friday 3rd October 15:12

[oddman]

Looks like everyone is answering the question you asked.

The question I have for you is what do you stop to get where you want?

If you're an absolute whippet then 30-40km is 3-4 hours of fairly high intensity running or 5 hours of lower intensity running. If you're not that fast it's even more. Even if you're not in a structured training plan that is a pretty chunky training load and probably incompatible with making the aesthetic changes you're asking about.

If you were asking - What will make me a stronger, faster and more injury resistant runner? - then strength routine is an essential component. But likelihood is if even if you backed off running a little to accommodate a running focussed strength routine and ate really well, you'll get stronger (or over the years get weaker more slowly) but you probably wouldn't look much different.

If you are serious about arresting or reversing age related sarcopenia, then you only have a finite amount of reserve to spend on training and you will have to adjust the balance to do far more weight training. You'll have to factor in recovery where very easy running might have a part to play but for anyone whose first name isn't Kilian total rest is probably more appropriate

I really hate weight training but it's a necessary evil and I find it difficult to do 2 or 3 useful sessions a week (I do the compound BB lifts and specific mobility and balance for skiing) whilst doing the amount of running and cycling I like. To make progress I have to back right off the endurance stuff. You also have to accept some weight gain which can be difficult for uphill athletes.

I'm late 50s. One of my mountaineering buddies is a professional mountain guide who held FKT on Chamonix Zermatt numerous 6000m first ascents etc etc. He is participating in a long term trial tracking body composition in professional athletes. He is absolutely assiduous about diet; has a PT and does regular weights kettlebells and still rock climbs to a very high standard. He has backed off the 50k races and onlly does 'endurance' activity for fun and is always in very easy range. His weight is exactly the same as it was when he was at his peak in his 30s. He is pretty horrified to find that his body fat has increased inexorably from 8% to15%. Obviously loss of muscle mass and bone density to keep weight the same.

I'm not at the same standard but seen 15-20% BF over the last decade despite being more attentive to diet and training than ever (youth wasted on the young). We both maintain decent performance but TBF this is due in part to the fantastic developments in ski/mountaineering equipment in the last 20 years and a certain amount of strategic efficency which comes with experience.

Another buddy who doesn't train has gone down the tubes with obvious sarcopenia, poor posture, repeated back and neck problems that set him further back. Trips together are now planned around his limitations with a plan B if he has to bail.

Your next decade is probably the last where you can realistically expect any 'newbie gains' from weight training. After 60 it really is about setting priorities and limiting losses.

[paw270]

I would have a chat to some personal trainers at the gym and see if there is someone you like and can work with. Be honest about your current fitness levels and goals with them.

It’s easy to get a routine online and give it ago but as I have discovered over recent years getting older increases the risk of injury and form becomes more important. My best results have come when I have worked with a trainer not for motivation but from a learning about myself perspective and learning from past mistakes.

Even if you just do a few sessions to get started workout what does and doesn’t work for you it’s worth it.

Look at what food you are eating as well whilst training. This is another area I have started to learn the hard way especially after having our son. My diets not bad but not eating enough at times has not helped me especially when it comes to recovery and then trying to push myself.

[ben5575]

Interesting posts thanks.

Certainly not a whippet. At 6’1” and 90kg I'm around 26 BMI. Diet is generally fine, but the booze (and subsequent snacks) isn't. Something I've now addressed.

I trail run around 4.5-5hrs per week and it's my thing. 1.5hrs Z2, 1.5hrs structured with fell running club and 2hrs in the fells. I enjoy it and do it for fun/views/headspace etc. Which may be a lot(?) but it's also the same amount of time as a decent day in the hills. I am slow as st but that doesn't bother me, times aren't important.

I do plyos and running specific strength training (tacked on to the end of gym sessions), but the key (for me at least) is the tendon/ligament/fascia strength as this is what I break when I break. This only really comes from running (especially on reasonably technical terrain) and is the first thing to lose when you have a break. I appreciate it's also strength related too, hence the plyos/focused training.

The gym bit and the reason for this post is that I need to balance the upper body out. I enjoy lifting (but definitely not the protein shakes!) so it's not difficult for me to motivate myself to go. I've just fallen out of the habit.

Edited by ben5575 on Sunday 5th October 15:37

[Glenn63]

Food is a big one for recovery, with your size and amount of training I think you’d be suprised how much food you need to keep yourself fuelled and recovering properly. Eating enough clean food is actually a lot of food.
Booze is a big metabolism killer so if your drinking regularly then food wont be being used as well as it can.

[ben5575]

Yep. It’s definitely the booze. It’s also the affect it has on your sleep whether you notice it or not

Guess which night I drank a bottle of wine

[Glenn63]

Your body treats alcohol as a poison so puts all it’s resources into getting rid of it and everything else takes a back seat.