10 Exercises 40+ Women Should Be Doing

Once you hit your 40s, it's time to embrace a different approach to your fitness. There are some fundamental rules for exercise for women in their 40s and beyond that can help you maintain your fitness and age gracefully well into your senior years.

​In this article, we collected and listed 10 activities that will help you stay active in your golden years, improve your cardiovascular fitness and make you stronger while looking after your joints and tendons to prevent injuries. Let's dig in.

#1. Walking

Walking is one of the most straightforward exercises you can do to help improve your cardiovascular health. Regular walking outdoors can also boost your mental health and aid with weight loss. Why not wear a fitness tracker and monitor how much you walk a day to help give you the motivation to get moving?

#2. Hiking

Hiking takes walking a step further, helping to raise your heart rate, challenge the strength of your thighs, glutes, and core and burn more calories. You should make sure that you take appropriate precautions when hiking and wear the proper clothing and equipment.

#3. Running

If you already run as part of your fitness routine, there's no reason you shouldn't continue running in your 40s. It's a highly effective cardio exercise and can be an excellent stress-reliever too. 

However, if you want to start running for the first time (or the first time in a long time), you'll need to take things slowly at first. A coach can help you with an appropriate training program while running on a treadmill could help make running easier on your joints.

#4. Tennis (and other racket sports)

We've just upped the intensity a fair bit. Tennis is a fantastic sport to play in your 40s and beyond, especially if you're an experienced tennis player. Whether you play alone or with a partner, it can be an excellent way to improve mobility and is a great cardio workout.

If you're new to tennis, you could benefit from some lessons to help you master different techniques and ensure you build up your game slowly. You'll also want to add strength training to your routine to help strengthen your joints, which can face a lot of impact during racket sports like tennis.

#5. Strength Training

Strength training provides all kinds of benefits, but most importantly, it can help you maintain bone density and muscles mass. It also helps to boost balance and flexibility while keeping up your strength too. If you've never done strength training before, you might want to consider working with a personal trainer initially to help you master exercise form and teach you how to build a workout with injury prevention in mind.

#6. Golf

Golf is a relaxing sport and is a great way to socialize while being active. As golf involves a lot of walking, you'll also be able to get a lot of steps in as part of your game. Low-impact and enjoyable, golf is a great way to stay active over 40.

Experience golf players will already understand that balance, core strength, and excellent motor control play a big part in success. So, if you want to learn how to play it, working with a coach and including specific strength training in your exercise routine could go a long way.

#7. Swimming

Swimming is low impact, ideal for recovering from injuries or needing to build up their fitness slowly. Swimming can strengthen multiple muscles, including your core, shoulders, arms, and legs, and is gentle on the joints. Regular swimming can help you boost your cardiovascular fitness, a great activity to add to your exercise routine.

#8. Dancing

Dancing is one of the most enjoyable ways to stay fit. Dancing burns many calories thanks to constant movement, and it can make you feel amazing after a session. You'll want to make sure you don't put pressure on your joints, so ask for some alternative moves if you're struggling with some of the steps or choreography.

Jazzercise, Dancercise, Zumba, or traditional ballroom or Latin dances are all excellent in keeping you active while enjoying music and the company of like-minded people. Having fun while exercising will certainly keep you going back for more. 

#9. Pilates

Pilates focuses on strengthening your spine through core-focused exercises. It can help improve posture, balance and helps to improve your muscle and joint strength. Pilates can be a beneficial workout to build into your routine alongside cardio and strength-based workouts and is ideal for helping those who suffer from lower back pain.

#10. Yoga

Yoga is another beneficial activity for 40+ women. It can increase flexibility and relieve tension in your muscles and joints, promoting relaxation and stress relief. Combining a series of slow stretches, yoga can be practiced by people of all abilities and levels. It will complement the rest of your fitness activities. 

Conclusion

Whatever your current fitness level, there are many great activities for women over 40 that will help boost your health and fitness. Working with a personal trainer can help you exercise safely, with appropriate activities for your ability and fitness level. If you want to embark on a training program that works for you, contact Pello Fitness for a commitment-free chat about your fitness goals.