Could someone recommend a beginning program for my dad to start on? He’s about 40 pounds overweight (6’0" 220), 57 years old, and has done little more than use a treadmill for quite some time.
His main concern is weight loss as it would help with his high blood pressure, but would a good program help with stuff like back pain and bad posture as well?
If any more kind of info is needed just ask, i’ll be checking this every day.
Thanks
Wek, hi, the first thing I would suggest for your father, is to have a thorough check-up from a respectable MD, which should include a complete health history, cholesterol screening,stroke risk,thyroid function, etc. he (depending on the MD), could and should have baseline cortisol studies, and endogenous testosterone, this due his age which may put him at higher risk for excercise related problems as well it is just a good idea… second and perhaps foremost, your Dad, should “want’” to change his lifestyle for health and appearance. The cornerstone of any sound, effective program should be nutrition, the higher protein,moderate fats(omega3,6,etc),combined with lower carbohydrates would be suited well for the goals you mentioned, part of his health screening is to find out if he has any organ dysfunction which would preclude him from this type of diet.5-6 small meals throughout the day would be reccomended, he should start an excercise regimen, which should include weight bearing excersise, however he should start out within his own limitations and increase fairly quickly as he develops more endurance and muscle,Ex. cardio 4 sessions per week- moderate intensity for 30 minutes, a circuit routine for weight bearing is a good place to start, it places emphasis on range of motion, and general conditiong, such as a full body circuit 2x week, along with the cardio, compound movements are great, such as push-presses,rows,deadlifts…etc.etc, his workouts should take about 45 minutes to complete and he should be appreciably fatigued afterwards (ie-you get out what you put in), the more organized and determined he is the better results he will have, after a while then he can start pushing the 120#s on the incline bench, hope this helps,Peace, Splint
Wek,
My dad is 54 and same build. Hasnt worked out in years. I just put him on a plan that I put together off of ABBH guidlines.
I just followed the guidlines of ABBH and kept it to big compound movements. Didnt use the 1rm as a rating of what weight to use. I just tiold him to start slow, but I am hving him consistantly raise the weight on the high rep days and reps on low rep days after a break in poeriod of a few weeks.
He is just starting it this week so no feed back from him yet.
But,
I did the same with my mom, and she is in recovery fro cancer surgery 6 months ago. The results are fantastic. She loves the program and after the frst two months and swapping the rep and set schemes I changed the excersizes for her. She is making great progress, ppl tell her she looks ten years younger.
So I say something like ABBH with less load, and attention to form more than moving big weight for a while
Hope that helps.
Phill