The Best Women’s Workouts for Every Age

April is “Move More” month, so we’re sharing a few of our favorite ways for women to stay active in every stage of life!

Late Teens & Early 20’s

When you’re younger, working out doesn’t take as much of a toll on your body, so we recommend incorporating a variety of activities (such as running, swimming, or biking) into your workout routine. We also recommend switching up the intensity of your workouts to ensure you’re building muscle mass and bone density to help avoid osteoporosis later in life

Weight lifting, body-weight exercises, and stretching are also great ways to move your whole body. Many people find that joining a class or working out with a friend also helps them stay consistent.

In Your 30’s

While not always the case, many women find they have less time to dedicate to themselves in their 30s. This often leads to a decrease in exercise and may make it harder to do once you do start. Our best advice for women in their 30s is to maintain their activity levels (if they’re still high) or prioritize a regular exercise routine to work up to higher levels. Interval training is a great way to get in a quick exercise when you’re short on time. We recommend 20 minute HIIT (High-intensity interval training) workouts to start.

According to webmd.com, “muscle mass tends to decline about 5% per decade after age 30, while body fat tends to increase. Resistance training is thus important to raise metabolic rate given that muscle is more metabolically active, along with many other benefits."

We recommend bodyweight exercises (like push-ups, pull-ups, or squats), and resistance band training to help build up muscles. All of these can be done in the gym or in your home, whichever is more convenient and likely to result in a regular routine.

Staying Active in Your 40’s

Much like women in their 30s, women in their 40s should focus on maintaining or establishing a daily exercise routine. If you don’t have one, there are tons of resources online to help you come up with one that works for you. If your current routine isn’t working, it may be time to switch it up as variety can be good for not only your body but also your mind.

According to globalnews.com, "The concept of threshold training is you should do things until you get good at them, and then make sure you're still challenging yourself with other things you're not good at, because if you do that, you not only will have physical responses but your brain and your mental capacity is being challenged at the same time."

As you get older, the ability to keep learning and doing new exercises is important and can help keep you safe from falls and broken bones.

50’s & Beyond

You’re never too old to get active! While it may be harder getting started once you’re in your 50s and beyond, it’s important to keep moving and work your way up. Exercise can help increase bone mass (and prevent bone loss), so having a well-rounded workout routine is crucial to your overall health. Recovery is especially important as you age, so make sure to give your body time to rest in between exercises, and stretch before and after.

We recommend easy-on-the-muscle workouts like tai-chi, yoga, or swimming. And, as always, it’s a great idea to try new exercises to challenge your mind and find the ones that work best for you.

https://www.webmd.com/women/guide/women-over-50-fitness-tips

https://globalnews.ca/news/4343034/best-exercises-for-women/