{"id":31445,"date":"2025-07-29T16:24:25","date_gmt":"2025-07-29T16:24:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/31445\/"},"modified":"2025-07-29T16:24:25","modified_gmt":"2025-07-29T16:24:25","slug":"im-53-years-old-with-six-pack-abs-heres-my-exact-weekly-workout-routine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/31445\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018I\u2019m 53-Years-Old With Six-Pack Abs\u2014Here\u2019s My Exact Weekly Workout Routine’"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u2018I\u2019m 53-Years-Old With Six-Pack Abs\u2014Here\u2019s My Exact Weekly Workout Routine’<\/a> originally appeared on Parade<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Walter Gjergja<\/a> has always been active. As a teen and young adult, he practiced martial arts, competing at an elite level. But in his 30s, he noticed that his performance was stalling, despite a dedicated training schedule.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn your 30s, speed, power and flexibility start declining slightly and then in your 40s, there\u2019s a substantial change in metabolism and recovery,\u201d Gjergja says, adding that he experienced these changes first-hand as he moved through his 40s and into his 50s.<\/p>\n

Gjergja explains that he has seen many people in their 50s<\/a> de-prioritize fitness, assuming they just can\u2019t be as active anymore. He didn\u2019t want to do that. But he also knew that he couldn\u2019t keep working out the way he used to in his 20s. Here, he shares what his workout routine is now and how he\u2019s using AI to help others achieve their health goals.<\/p>\n

\ud83e\ude7a<\/a>SIGN UP for tips to stay healthy & fit with the top moves, clean eats, health trends & more delivered right to your inbox twice a week<\/a>\ud83d\udc8a<\/a><\/p>\n

‘I’m 53-Years-Old With a Six-Pack\u2014Here’s My Weekly Workout Routine’<\/p>\n

Before seeing what Gjergja\u2019s workout routine is, it\u2019s important to know that just because this routine works for him, it\u2019s not for everyone. Gjergja spends 1.5 hours working out every day, which he says is too intense for those who aren\u2019t used to being as active. \u201cStart where you are and work up from there,\u201d he recommends.<\/p>\n

As mentioned, Gjergja works out an hour and a half every day\u2014that is, unless something organically comes up. \u201cI don\u2019t build days off into my workout schedule because I find that they happen naturally because life happens,\u201d he says. \u201cFamily plans come up, traveling\u2026So I just always have the intention of working out every day and my days off happen as life unfolds.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gjergja structures his workouts into three sections: cardio, strength training, and mobility and flexibility. They aren\u2019t always the same length, but he says he hits every area each day.<\/p>\n

Related: ‘I’m 70 Years Old and In the Best Shape Of My Life\u2014Here Are the 5 Workout Moves I Swear By’<\/a><\/p>\n

Cardio<\/p>\n

Typically, Gjergja does 45 minutes of cardio a day. \u201cCardio fitness is important for daily activities, like being able to chase your kids or grandkids around,\u201d he says. Often, Gjergja says he\u2019ll get his cardio in by going on a 45-minute run.<\/p>\n

On top of his 45-minute cardio workout, Gjergja shares that he tries to work as much movement into his day as possible, which serves as smaller bursts of cardio. This can look like, for example, taking the stairs instead of the elevator or parking a block away from somewhere he needs to go.<\/p>\n

Related: ‘I’m 67 and in the Best Shape of My Life\u2014Here’s What a Typical Day of Exercise Looks Like for Me’<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Hiking<\/p>\n

Hiking with his kids and spouse is a go-to workout for Gjergja.<\/p>\n

Strength training<\/p>\n

Since Gjergja does some form of strength training every single day, he varies how he does it to prevent overworking his muscles. For example, he says that on Mondays, he does pushing exercises, like bench presses, overhead presses and dumbbell lateral raises. The next day, he\u2019ll do pulling exercises, like pull-ups, bicep curls and deadlifts. The day after that, he\u2019ll focus on core strength<\/a>. Then, the cycle repeats.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI push every rep until I\u2019m close to failure on the last rep,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n

Related: The #1 Type of Exercise You Should Start Doing ASAP if You Want To Live to 100, According to PTs<\/a><\/p>\n

Mobility and flexibility<\/p>\n

This is the part of fitness that Gjergja says many people neglect, but it\u2019s increasingly important with age. \u201cWhen we are kids, we have a lot of flexibility. Think about how a baby can put their foot in their mouth. But with age, we become more rigid and stiff. That\u2019s why flexibility exercises are so important,\u201d he explains.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Related: Exactly How Many Times a Week To Do Yoga To Increase Flexibility, According to Instructors<\/a><\/p>\n

How He\u2019s Using AI To Help Others Achieve Their Health Goals<\/p>\n

As a former athlete, Gjergja knows more than the average person about fitness. He also studied exercise physiology at Stanford University and is a Shaolin Master, trained at a temple in China. With the help of technology developers, he created Zing Coach<\/a>, an app that uses AI to help people reach their fitness goals.<\/p>\n

He explains that Zing Coach creates a personalized training program based on the individual\u2019s current health, what their goals are and how they prefer to be motivated. (For some people, it\u2019s all tough love, but others prefer gentle encouragement.)<\/p>\n

One way Gjergja says that people can track their progress is through the app\u2019s virtual body composition scan. \u201cThis is more accurate than using a scale because you can be losing fat, but gaining muscle,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n

The app can also measure flexibility. \u201cYou put the screen far enough away where it can see your whole body and then move through some guided exercises. From there, it will tell you what you can do to improve flexibility and feel better in your body,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Nutrition advice<\/a> is also a cornerstone of the app. Users can take photos of their meals and the app can estimate what the nutrient and calorie content is, then offer recommendations related to their health goals.<\/p>\n

\u201cI primarily use Zing to track my workouts and progress,\u201d Gjergja says, explaining how he uses it himself.<\/p>\n

His Advice for Getting Fit After 50<\/p>\n

If you are 50 or older<\/a> and want to start being more active but aren\u2019t sure how to get started, Gjergja recommends starting small. \u201cMaybe it\u2019s just moving your body for 15 or 20 minutes a day and gradually working up from there,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Instead of focusing on aesthetics, Gjergja says to think about how you want to feel. \u201cInstead of focusing on wanting six-pack abs, more muscle-toned arms or wanting to weigh less, focus on wanting to feel more energized so you can go hiking with your spouse or play with your kids, for example. Aesthetics and fitness are not the same. If you prioritize feeling more fit, the aesthetics will come anyway,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n

Gjergja also reiterates the importance of moving throughout the day<\/a> (not just sitting around all day and then heading to the gym for a strenuous workout) and also prioritizing eating nutrient-rich foods<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cA workout at the end of the day doesn\u2019t make up for spending the rest of the day sitting,\u201d Gjergja says. One way that he says can help with working more movement into your day is spending 60 seconds every hour doing one type of exercise<\/a>, such as squats<\/a> or push-ups<\/a>. Over the course of the day, these mini workouts<\/a> add up!<\/p>\n

Most importantly, he says to just get started. Start small, but start today. Over time, you may be amazed to see how far you come.<\/p>\n

Up Next:<\/p>\n

Related: This Is the Type of Fat You *Want* To Have To Stay Healthy as You Age<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2018I\u2019m 53-Years-Old With Six-Pack Abs\u2014Here\u2019s My Exact Weekly Workout Routine’<\/a> first appeared on Parade on Jul 26, 2025<\/p>\n

This story was originally reported by Parade<\/a> on Jul 26, 2025, where it first appeared.<\/p>\n