Build Muscle Slowly

Those middle-aged gals at the gym aren’t moving in slow motion because they’re old (and they're not old, anyway!) They just know the fastest way to great muscle tone.

And they never want to be the lady in the "I’ve-fallen-and-I-can’t-get-up" commercial.

A University of Salzburg 12-week study of women ages 45-55 found that strength training that uses slow movement and fewer repetitions builds more muscle and reduces more fat than standard weight lifting. Not that they set out to make menopausal women more buff, although that is an added benefit. Their hope was to delay or reduce the onset of age related muscle deterioration, meaning fewer injuries and therefore, better quality of life later on. And they seem to be on to something.

How slow should you go? Count to 10 as you lift, hold for 10, then count to 10 again as you lower. Also, do four to eight reps instead of three sets of 10.