A woman’s body goes through many changes when she grows older, and the body you’ve at forty may be drastically different from the one you had at twenty.
Rather than ignore these changes, women over forty can perform certain kinds of fitness routines and exercise strength-training and lifting weights, in particular, to stay in great shape, maintain bone density, increase muscle mass and reduce the effects of aging.Strength training for women over forty is very different from the typical workouts most youngsters follow. With age, our bodies are less able to hold up to the rigors of running and jumping, especially on the joints and bones. Boot camps are highly competitive and tend to involve high-impact movements, resulting in sore knees, back pain and other strains.
If you are in relatively good shape with no joint problems, then by all means, go for the hardcore boot camp but if you suffer from bad knees, sore hips or other joint problems, you may want to try more isolated and gentle movements than a boot camp would typically offer.
Follow along with these demonstrations at home and get better every day!
1. Burpees
Burpees are a full body strength training exercise With every rep, you will work your arms, chest, quads, glutes, hamstrings, and abdominal muscle.
1. Stand straight on your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Squat and place your hands in front by your feet.
3. Jump back until your legs are fully extended and your body is in plank position.
4. Do a push-up and jump forward, push through the heels and return to the starting position.
5. Repeat until the set is complete.
Do 3 sets of 10 reps.
2. Squats
Squats help to build your leg muscles (quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves), also help you to burn more fat, as one of the most time-efficient ways to burn a lot of calories
Stand tall on your feet hip-width apart and your arms down of your side
Start to lower your body back as far when you can of pushing your hips back and bending your knees and pushing your body weight into your heels
As you’re lowering into the squat your arms will begin to raise out in front of you as balance
Keep a neutral spine at all times and never let your knees go over your toes
The lower body should be parallel on the floor and your chest should be lifted at all times not rounded.
Repeat until the set is complete.
Do 3 sets of 15 reps.
3. Planks
The plank is one of the better workouts for core conditioning but them too works your glutes and hamstrings, supports proper posture, and ameliorates balance.
Get into pushup position on the floor.
Now bend your elbows 90 degrees and rest your weight on your forearms.
Keep your torso straight and rigid and your body in a straight line from ears to toes with no sagging or bending.
Your head is relaxed and you should be looking at the floor.
Hold the position for as long as you can.
Remember to breathe. Inhale and exhale slowly and steadily.
When your form begins to suffer, pull the plug. You’re only benefiting from the plank by actually doing the plank.
Do 1 minute.
4: Lunge
The lunge aids to sculpt strengthen and tone your legs and glutes, and improve the flexibility by the hips.
Place the hands with the hips, pull the shoulders back and stand tall
Step forward on your right leg and slowly lower the body until the front knee are bent to 90 degrees
The back knee should never touch the floor
Push yourself back up to the starting position for quickly but safely for possible
Repeat on the left leg
Do 3 sets of 20 reps.
5: Straight Leg Raises
Aids to increase the strength and definition of your abdominal muscle and too ameliorates your overall flexibility and stability.
Top 5 Exercises For Women Over 40 Should Do Every Week
1. Lie on your back with your hands by your sides or underneath your glutes. Keep your legs straight or just slightly bent.
2. Raise your legs until your body is in an L shape.
3. Pause, lower both legs slowly and then return to the starting position.
4. Repeat until the set is complete.
Benefits Of Strength Training
Physiologically, the benefits of consistent strength-training include an increase in muscle size and tone, improved muscle strength, and improvements in bone density. This is particularly important for older women, who are at an increased risk for osteoporosis and brittle bones.
Adding muscle can also give your metabolism a well-needed boost during the years when it tends to naturally slow down. Plus, lifting weights has also been shown to improve psychological health also, by increasing self-esteem, confidence, and self-worth.
Besides increasing your endurance, power, and strength, some studies suggest that strength-training can result in improved intellectual capacity and productivity, too. Workout gets the blood flowing to your brain, which helps keep the mind sharp.
Finally, many older adults find they get less sleep and are more tired than their more youthful counterparts. Strength training workouts have been linked to better sleep and more restful nights which we all know is great for looking and feeling young.
Do not let age hold you back from pursuing your fitness goals, whatever they may be. If you’re a woman over 40 seeking an exercise routine, there’s no better way to reverse the aging process than with strength training. Pick up some weights and get to work!