70-Year-Old Fitness Veteran Shares the Exact Workout Routine and Supplement Stack He Uses to Build Muscle and Stay Lean
At one point or another, we've all paid witness to athletic seniors—whether it was admiring them as they crossed the finish line at a foot race or seeing them consistently hitting the weights each morning at the gym. Often, we stare in admiration, mumbling to ourselves, "I hope I'm like that one day, too." But to attain that level of fitness as we get older, we certainly can't just sit around, hoping to remain strong and healthy. We have to work for it, and that's a sentiment 70-year-old John D. Markunas puts into daily practice.
Markunas, a Florida-based real estate industry PropTech advisor, strategist, and business development consultant, has adopted a health-centered lifestyle, built on three pillars: diet, exercise, and discipline. He's not a professional bodybuilder, personal trainer, or strength coach, either. Just a normal guy who cares about his longevity.
c/o John D. Markunas
"I realized I was on a slow but inevitable path toward middle-age and senior-citizen health mediocrity without a structured plan or disciplined routine to support my well-being over the next two decades," Markunas tells Men's Journal. "I remain fully committed to a long-term, natural approach to muscle development and overall health optimization. I believe I can continue to improve my physique—or, at minimum, maintain it—well into my 70s."
Combining consistency with a disciplined focus on progressive overload has proven to work well for Markunas. Want to build muscle in your 70s and beyond? Read on for a detailed look at his workout routine, diet plan, and daily supplements.
Workout Routine
Markunas does seven workouts a week, taking the occasional recovery day as needed. Sessions last around two hours, and he always stretches before hitting the weights. After workouts, he spends about 10 minutes doing cardio on the elliptical or treadmill.
To follow the principles of progressive overload, he tracks his performance by keeping a detailed log of written notes during each workout. If you don’t know where you’ve been, you don’t know where you’re going, as Markunas says.
c/o John D. Markunas
"Aging does not preclude progress," he adds. "The primary risk is not exercising too much, but exercising too little—or not at all. With appropriate programming, staying active as people age is not only safe, but one of the most powerful tools for preserving health, autonomy, and quality of life."
Chest Workout
He performs this chest workout twice a week.
- Dumbbell Bench Press
- Pec Deck
- Dumbbell Incline Bench Press
- Bench Decline Barbell Press
Legs Workout
Due to stage 1 knee osteoarthritis, Markunas is unable to do lunges and squats, so he does the following instead.
- Calf Raises
- Hip Adduction Machine
- Hip Abduction Machine
- Hip Thrust Machine
- Seated Leg Curls
- Leg Extension
Shoulders Workout
Perform once per week.
- Standing Dumbbell Lateral Raise
- Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press
- Seated Dumbbell Flies
- Seated Dumbbell Bent-Over Flies
- Dumbbell Shrugs
Back Workout
Perform once per week.
- Lat Pulldowns
- Hammer Strength Isolated High Rows
- Hammer Strength Isolated Low Rows
- Reverse Grip Lat Pulldowns
Arms Workout
Perform once per week.
- Cross-Body Dumbbell Curls
- Dumbbell Hammer Curls
- Seated Dumbbell Curls
- Cable Triceps Pushdown
- Hammer Strength Seated Extension
- Kneeling Donkey Dumbbell Kickbacks
Abs Workout
- 300 to 400 reps of abdominal exercises; varies
c/o John D. Markunas
Nutrition and Diet
No matter how much exercise we get, proper nutrition remains of the utmost importance for overall health. Currently, Markunas follows a diet that prioritizes whole, minimally processed, nutrient-dense foods, with an emphasis on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins.
"In 2015, I was 60 years old, and while I was generally in good shape, I found it difficult to shed the few extra pounds I carried—nor could I effectively build muscle," Markunas explains.
In 2018, Markunas tested out the keto diet, but quickly concluded this was not a sustainable approach for him. By 2023, he was fully committed to a low-carb, high-protein diet, which helped him control body fat and assisted in building lean muscle mass.
His low-carb approach restricts sugars, starches, grains, certain fruits, and processed foods. As for protein, Markunas aims for roughly 0.93 grams of protein per pound of body weight. At 215 pounds, this comes out to about 200 grams of protein per day.
Related: This Mediterranean Diet Meal Packs 70 Grams of Protein and Supports Weight Loss
Supplements
Vitamins and supplements are the cherry on top of Markunas' holistic approach to wellness. Along with keeping up with annual blood work, he sees his family physician and other specialists periodically throughout the year.
The testosterone and peptides are taken by injection, and Markunas credits them as the difference maker in supporting muscle growth, enhancing recovery, and staying injury-free. Find his full stack below:
- Whey Protein
- Collagen
- Creatine
- Glutamine
- Fish Oil
- Multi Vitamin
- Vitamin B12
- Vitamin K2+D3
- Magnesium Glycinate
- Testosterone
- BPC-157 Peptide
- GHK-Cu Peptide
Related: The 2 Non-Negotiable Habits That Helped One Man Lose 200 Pounds Naturally