The 3 Biggest Obstacles to Getting Fit After 40 (And How to Overcome Them)

Once you're over 40, you have three major obstacles that make it harder to get in shape, and once you understand what those obstacles are, the solution becomes simple.

The first obstacle is limited time.

When you were in your twenties, you probably had fewer responsibilities. No kids. No house. Less work. And probably more energy.

But after 40, life gets busy. And suddenly finding time to drive to the gym, change clothes, work out, shower, and drive home becomes a major logistical challenge.

That's why minimalist training is such a great solution.

You don't need a gym or any fancy machines and you can do the workouts at home without having to add travel time into the equation.

You can get an incredibly effective workout with a handful of basic bodyweight movements like push-ups, squats, chin-ups and lunges, and you can often get a productive workout in 20 or 30 minutes.

The goal isn't to make more time. The goal is to make better use of the time you already have.

Obstacle number two: Your body doesn't recover like it used to.

When you're young, you can train hard, sleep badly, eat poorly and still bounce back. But those days are over.

You may notice that the workout that used to leave you feeling great now leaves you feeling like you got hit by a truck.

That doesn't mean you have to stop training hard.

It means you have to train intelligently.

You can build tremendous strength and athleticism without constantly beating yourself into the ground.

In fact, one of the biggest mindset shifts you can make after 40 is realizing that a great workout isn't the one that leaves you the most exhausted. It's the one that stimulates your muscles to grow, while still allowing you to recover and come back to train again tomorrow.

Which brings us to obstacle number three: consistency.

This is probably the biggest one of all. Because it doesn't matter how good your workout program is if you don't actually do it.

Most people don't have an information problem. There are literally millions of free workouts available online. But having information isn't the same thing as having consistency.

And this is where accountability becomes so important.

Because let's be honest: There are going to be days when you'd rather sit on the couch and veg out. That's normal.

You don't need more motivation. You need a system that keeps you moving even when motivation disappears.

That's why having a coach can make such a huge difference. When somebody else is expecting you to show up, you're more likely to do it.

When someone is checking in to see if you completed your workouts, you're much less likely to disappear for three weeks.

And when you're part of a group of people who are working toward the same goal, training becomes something you participate in rather than something you constantly have to convince yourself to do.

So if you're a man over 40 who wants to get lean, strong and athletic, here's the approach I'd recommend.

Keep your workouts simple, use minimalist bodyweight exercises that you can do at home and don't try to train like you're 20.

And most importantly, don't try to do it all by yourself.

Get some accountability. Find a coach. Join a group. Hire a trainer.

Because the secret isn't finding the perfect workout. The secret is finding something you can realistically continue to do for years to come.

If you're struggling with any of these obstacles, I can help! Follow my link in the comments and join my Calisthenics Inner Circle to start my free 10-day Calisthenics Challenge.