The best thing you can do to maintain strength and flexibility, and balance is exercise.
Exercise provides many benefits that help your body function at its best for years to come, even into old age. Specific exercises are recommended for women by age group. Although the list order begins with teenagers because it's easier reading, you can start exercising at any age. The main thing is to get started. Once you are physically active, keep it up!
At MPower Fitness Coaching, we tell everyone that exercise can do more than make you look good or help you lose weight. People who exercise recover from illness faster, live longer, and have a better quality of life than those who don't. Exercise in middle age reduces the risk of heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and osteoporosis in later life.
my power fitness moves: best exercises for women in their 20s
Starting at age 20, women can prevent health problems later in life by being active. Women in their twenties should do aerobic exercise for 30 minutes - five days a week. Walking is an ideal beginning activity because it's easily adapted to any fitness level or weight loss program. To increase the intensity of your workout, speed up your walking pace. Or, try jogging in place for five minutes or run up and down a flight of stairs.
You can also vary your aerobic exercise with biking, swimming, dancing, skating, cross-country skiing, rollerblading, hiking, climbing on gym equipment at the MPower Fitness Coaching HQ - anything that gets you moving. And don't forget strength training which helps keep muscles strong and healthy. To tone and strengthen your muscles, 15-20 minutes of aerobic exercises should be done first to increase your heart rate and warm up your muscles. Then do three sets of 8-12 repetitions (reps) for each muscle group: chest presses with light weights or push ups, leg curls or lifts, bicep curls, and tricep dips.
my power fitness moves: : best exercises for women in their 30s
By the time a woman hits her thirties, she should be exercising five days a week, doing both aerobic activity and strength training. Start with at least 20 minutes of aerobic exercise, then do strengthening exercises that work all major muscle groups (legs, back, stomach, chest, shoulders, and arms).
MPower Fitness Coaching also advocates exercises for a stronger back including the pelvic tilt to strengthen lower back muscles, abdominal crunches, or leg raises while lying on your back with knees bent. For toning biceps and triceps, do arm curls using light weights. To strengthen the front of thighs/hip flexors, stand with your back against a wall and one foot in front of the other, bending the knee.
my power fitness moves: : best exercises for women in their 40s
In your forties, you should be doing the same types of exercise as you were in your thirties. However, strength training becomes essential to maintain muscle mass and bone density which start dropping after age 30. By the time you move into your fifties, you should reduce the amount of high-impact exercises or any activities that risk injury to bones or joints. If these are too strenuous on your body, start replacing them with low-impact exercises such as swimming, biking, and walking.
Be sure to warm up before starting your workout at MPower Fitness Coaching HQ in Chino Hills, CA. Minimize or avoid high-impact activities because they can lead to bone fractures, especially in the hip and spine regions. Try low-impact exercises like walking, water aerobics, biking, or swimming instead. Don't forget about strength training! Even though you may not be as 'toned' as you were in your thirties, adding weights to exercises like abdominal crunches can help maintain muscle mass and bone density.
my power fitness moves: : best exercises for women in their 50s
In your fifties, it's imperative to keep an eye on bone and joint health because osteoporosis becomes a real threat. Strength training exercises using resistance bands or weights are best for maintaining muscle mass which keeps bones strong but chooses activities that have a less intense impact on joints to avoid injury. Swimming can be great for water resistance exercises, plus it provides an overall body workout.
If you are over 50, check with your doctor before starting any new exercise routine or sports activity. For milder activities such as walking or water aerobics, you can start by gradually increasing your distance to three miles a day for several weeks. Gradually increase your speed if you are biking.
If you're doing low-impact exercises, don't forget to include strength training two to three times a week for 30 minutes per workout using weights or resistance machines. Better yet, sign up for a one-on-one fitness trainer so we can help you do these exercises correctly and efficiently.
my power fitness moves: : best exercises for women in their 60s and beyond.
After age 60, most people become less active due to health concerns or changes in how they feel physically. Although exercise becomes vital as you age to maintain good health, it's also essential to ensure the proper support system is available before starting any activity. Take time to ease into an exercise routine by doing short periods of activity and slowly increasing time as your body gets stronger.
Start small – five minutes a day for five days to see how you feel. If it feels good, try adding another couple of minutes or so each day until you can reach at least 30 minutes of activity.
For a woman over 60, you should check with your doctor or physical therapist before starting any new exercise or sports activity. Walking, water aerobics, and cycling are examples of low-impact exercises that may be initiated by gradually increasing distance to three miles each day over several weeks. Increase speed if you are biking. If you are doing low-impact exercises, don't forget to include strength training two to three times a week for 30 minutes per workout using weights or resistance machines.
In closing, MPower Fitness Coaching would like you to remember this:
Exercise is essential no matter what age you are, and however, your exercise routine must meet your needs at every stage of life. To get the most out of your exercise program, be sure to check with your doctor, physical therapist, or personal trainer to create the best fitness plan for you.
Weightlifting is still essential for bone and muscle mass maintenance. However, it should not move too quickly towards heavy lifting without an experienced coach/professional supervision. Water workouts are generally low impact and easy on bones and joints. Be aware of changes to your fitness level as you age.
Give us a call at MPower Fitness Coaching today!