How Much Protein Do You Need Over 40?
What the research says about protein, muscle and strength after 40
Men 40+ · Anywhere in Australia
Get back into training after 40, without wrecking yourself in week one
You used to be fit. Then work, kids, an injury or a rough year got in the way. This is how I bring blokes back, written down so you can do it at home.
Start with Week Zero. It's free.
- A 30-second test so you know where you're starting
- A complete 35-minute session you can do at home today
- The pain traffic lights: which aches to ignore and which to listen to
- The 5 mistakes that end most comebacks by week three
Sound familiar?
"Mick, I used to be fit."
That's the line I hear more than any other from blokes walking into my studio. The next one comes a bit quieter: "I'm worried I'll hurt myself."
You've tried to start again. You went hard in week one, were stiff for days and quit by week three. That worry is sensible. It's also why so many blokes never start again.
Why most comebacks die in week three
It isn't willpower. It's the plan. Most blokes come back training like they're 30: same weights, same intensity, same ego. Your muscles can handle it for a week. Your joints and tendons can't, not yet.
- Start gentler than you think you need to
- Leave reps in the tank: every set at about 5 or 6 out of 10
- Build in small steps, every two weeks
- Know which aches matter
Boring on purpose. Boring is what gets you to week eight.
Your way back
Three steps. Start with the free one.
1
Week Zero · Free
The test, the first session and the traffic lights. Do it this week and see how your body feels.
2
The Comeback · A$39
My 8-week home program: three 35-minute sessions a week, 11 exercises with pictures, easier and harder versions of every move, and 8 weekly trackers.
3
Reclaiming Your Prime
My 12-week program for men over 40 who want to build real strength and drop the gut. Join the Week Zero list and you'll hear about it first.
Who's writing this
G'day, I'm Mick
I've coached for 23 years and run around 50 half-hour sessions a week from my private studio in QLD, mostly with people over 40.
- I coached Marion to the title of Australia's strongest woman over 70, and her story featured on Sunrise
- ICN Queensland Champion Trainer Award and ANB Oceania Coach's Award
- I race HYROX in my mid-40s, so I train too. I'm not just writing about it
Week Zero and The Comeback are how I'd start you if you walked into my studio tomorrow.
Free reading
Training after 40, backed by research
Questions
Do I need a gym?
No. Week Zero and The Comeback are built for home: a sturdy chair, a bench or firm table, a mat and a pair of light dumbbells or a kettlebell. If you have a gym, they work there too.
I'm really unfit. Is that a problem?
That's who it's for. The first exercise is standing up from a chair. If you can get out of a chair, you can start, and every move has an easier version.
I've got a dodgy knee, back or shoulder.
See your doctor or physio before you start and use the easier versions. The pain traffic lights tell you when to keep going, ease off or stop. If something is sharp, stop that exercise.
Is it only for blokes?
No. It works for anyone over 40. I just wrote it the way I talk to the blokes I train.
Where are you based?
I coach from a private studio on the Redcliffe Peninsula in QLD. Week Zero and The Comeback are online, so they work anywhere in Australia.
Start this week
One test, one session, and you'll know exactly where you stand. Free.
General fitness information only, not medical advice. See your doctor or physio before starting, especially if you have a health condition, injury or take regular medication.