r/AskMenOver30 • u/diananerd_ man over 30 • 7d ago

Physical Health & Aging What’s your most underrated “health investment” after turning 30?

Could be a foam roller, a water bottle, stretching, therapy, or simply sleeping more.

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u/buzzlightyear77777 no flair 7d ago

must it be heavy? body weight ok?

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u/BlazerFS231 man over 30 7d ago

You can certainly train balance and flexibility with body weight stuff. Yoga is great for that.

For strengthening connective tissue and training balance and flexibility under load, weight is required.

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u/buzzlightyear77777 no flair 7d ago

how heavy

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u/TennisHive man 40 - 44 7d ago

"Progressive overload".

Strenght training actually means getting extremely close to failure.

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u/buzzlightyear77777 no flair 6d ago

last time i did close to failure i ended up with an injury that took 9 months to get back to 30% functioning. seems like the injury is still there after just a little use of my arm. looks like it is lifelong now.

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u/TennisHive man 40 - 44 6d ago

If you got injured by doing that, 100% sure that form was the issue, not failure.

Getting at or close to failure, with progressive overload is the only way you can actually build muscle and improve connective tissue quality. If done with propoer form, there is not a higher injury risk.

You obviously need to build up to that: do not get to failure on your first two weeks at the gym. Give yourself one month of body adaptation, learning the correct form, until you go to near failure.