I'm a Trainer. These Are the Only Exercises That Matter for Men Over 40

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As we get older, some exercises start taking more out of our bodies than they give back. That doesn’t mean your training has to slow down. It just means picking smarter exercises that protect your joints while still building strength.

Jeff Cavaliere, C.S.C.S., of Athlean-X shared his top 10 exercises that every man over 40 should keep in his program. These exercises are all about longevity, stability, and staying strong without risking injury.

Box Squat

“A lot of times, especially at the age of 50, as I get older here, I want to have the confidence of knowing that when I go down to perform a squat, I’m not going to get pinned under the bar,” Cavaliere says. “The box gives you that target point.”

How to do it: Set a barbell along your traps, stand with feet shoulder-width apart in front of a box, then sit back and lower until your glutes lightly touch the box before driving back up to standing.

Reverse Lunge

If you deal with knee pain, reverse lunges are a game-changer. Unlike forward lunges, stepping backward minimizes knee stress while challenging your frontal plane stability. This move strengthens the glute medius, keeping your hips level and protecting your lower back

How to do it: Step one leg back into a lunge, lowering until your front thigh is parallel to the ground. Push through your front heel to return to standing.

Dumbbell Bench Press

“I like to say a dumbbell bench press over a barbell variation every single day of the week because I feel like it’s a lot easier on your joints, particularly your shoulders. And with a dumbbell bench press, you can still weight this exercise adequately to get that overload needed to provide the change that you’re looking for,” Cavaliere says.

How to do it: Lie on a bench with dumbbells held at chest level, palms facing forward. Press the weights straight up until arms are extendes.

Dumbbell High Pull

Unlike upright rows, high pulls keeps your wrists above your elbows, promoting external rotation and shoulder health. It targets the middle and rear delts while allowing for heavier loads than traditional lateral raises.

How to do it: Hold a barbell or dumbbells in front of your thighs with an overhand grip. Explosively pull the weights up toward chest height, leading with your elbows and keeping them above your wrists.

Pullups

Pullups will always be essential for overall pulling strength. They work the arms, forearms, back, and grip while promoting functional strength. Even beginners can benefit by using resistance bands.

How to do it: Grab a pullup bar with an overhand grip, hands just wider than shoulder-width. Pull your chin above the bar, then lower yourself under control to full extension.

Related: This Underutilized Pullup Hack Builds Upper-Body Strength and Bulletproofs Your Core

Seated Cable Row

Seated cable rows are ideal for back development without stressing the lower back. By adjusting elbow position, you can emphasize lats, rear delts, or traps.

How to do it: Sit at a cable machine with your knees slightly bent. Grab on to the handle and pull toward your torso.

Barbell Curls

“The barbell curl gives me this chance to build up the biceps, but it does so in a way that still maintains that neutral wrist position that we all should strive not to lose no matter what decade we’re in,” Cavaliere says.

How to do it: Stand tall holding a barbell with an underhand grip at hip level. Curl the bar up toward your shoulders without swinging.

Lying Tricep Extension

Lying tricep extensions stretch the long head of the triceps and lats simultaneously. Overhead positioning encourages proper movement mechanics.

How to do it: Lie on a bench holding a barbell or dumbbells overhead. Bend your elbows to lower the weight behind your head, then extend your arms back to the start.

Cable Pull-Through

If you have trouble with RDLs, the cable pull-through teaches proper hip hinge mechanics, protects your lower back, and strengthens your glutes.

How to do it: Stand facing away from a low cable with a rope handle between your legs. Push your hips back to let the cable pull back, then squeeze your glutes and thrust hips forward to stand tall.

Face Pull

“The reason why I stress the face pull being so important is because it hits so many muscles that tend to get almost zero attention in any comprehensive even training program,” he says.

How to do it: Attach a rope to a high cable pulley and grab with both hands. Pull the rope toward your face while flaring your elbows out, squeezing your upper back and shoulders at the end.

Related: As a Trainer, I’m Begging Men Over 40 to Quit Doing These 5 ‘Inefficient’ Exercises

This story was originally reported by Men’s Fitness on Sep 9, 2025, where it first appeared in the Training section. Add Men’s Fitness as a Preferred Source by clicking here.