Top Fitness Exercises for Women Over 40

As a women in your forties, I’m sure you can understand the barriers women face in this age group. There’s that change in your body that suddenly sets in that is difficult to combat like you did in your thirties. Although completely unfair, this process of your body changing in shape is a natural process of aging. Luckily with the correct exercises, you can slow this process and help to maintain the body you already have. Here are some of the top fitness exercises for women over 40.

Crunches

Want to keep that tone tummy? Time to start crunching. Abdominal crunches performed daily are the best way to maintain a toned stomach. Do a variety to abdominal crunches including traditional sit ups, side sit ups, sit ups with a twist or crunches. When you’ve mastered all of these exercises, add in the plank and build up your endurance with time.

Weight Training

If you’ve never done weight training prior to now, then there really is no better time to start. Weight training is critical in preventing the age related decline in muscle mass (sarcopenia). Don’t worry, you don’t have to bench press heavy weight to get these benefits. Start with simple exercises such as bicep curls, shoulder press, chest press, lat pull downs, leg press and leg extension. As you gain confidence in this form of training, you can add int triceps extension, assisted pulls ups, push ups, squats and lunges.

Pilates

Pilates is a great choice of exercise for women over forty. This form of exercise promotes the strengthening and stretching of your muscles through the a series of exercises done with your body weight or light resistance bands. Regularly attending Pilates can help you to improve your flexibility, strength and endurance.

Walk if off

Walking is a great way to reduce your weight or better yet, maintain a healthy body shape. It helps to burn energy, which will help to reduce your fat stores. If you really want to burn more calories, then try power walking. Power walking can burn almost double the amount of calories then normal walking. Similarly, if you have access to a beach or pool, try walking on the sand or waist deep in water. The added resistance of the sand or water makes the workout a lot harder which ultimately helps to burn more energy.

Boxing

Most women perceive boxing to be beyond their capabilities when it comes to exercises, however it really is not that hard. It is a great way to train both cardio and resistance. Furthermore, it also helps to improve your endurance and conditions most of the major muscle groups in the body, when performed correctly. If you have never done boxing before, you should enroll in a couple of group boxing classes or personal training sessions prior to trying yourself. Boxing requires correct technique and equipment to ensure you get the most out of it and don’t injure yourself during the workout.