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In our 40s, our perspective shifts on what we need & what is important to us and we start showing up in our life a bit more connected to who we are and what we need.
So, before beginning any fitness routine, it is necessary to define what fitness, health and feeling your best is going to look like, which is a hell of a lot different than in our 20's.
Im definitely NOT chasing abs for my low rise jeans, nor am I interested in depriving myself of other things I enjoy: sleep, cookies and building my business. Things like responsibility, childbirth, finances, health conditions all play a factor in how we show up in this new decade to take care of ourselves and align with our mature and wise lifestyle.
So what does being STRONG and HEALTHY look like now, in your 40s?
This is the best thing: getting to define it for ourselves.
We get to define what we need for ourselves, what kind of commitment we can make and even what we WON'T do. That's the best part of aging: not putting up with shit that doesn't work. Setting goals in alignment is key!
When taking those goals and adding them to a routine, think about the following to include in your training.
Compound Exercises:
It is important to incorporate compound movements into any routine, but especially in our 40s. It is important to find movement that can not only strengthen the body and work a variety of muscle groups but also increase balance and core strength.
So for example, doing unilateral movement, single leg stuff like alternating lunges with a bicep curl, can be helpful. You are working your core, muscles around your spine, improving balance and building strength that can improve your daily activities like walking up stairs.
Lunge & Bicep Curl
Stand w feel hip distance apart.
Weights are down by your side
Step back with one leg, making sure the knees and feet are all facing forward
Drop the back knee as close to the ground as you can
Drive the front foot into the ground.
As you as you bring both feel to meet, do a bi cept curl with the weights
Mobility& Flexibility Training
When we think about moving our bodies for a lifetime, it is important to want to get in and out of positions and how well we move in them as part of our training.
Our joints will thank us the more we train our end ranges of rotations that our hips and arms can make.
Hip flexibility:
a pigeon yoga pose
Supine figure 4: laying on your back, placing one foot on the floor, crossing the other ankle across the thigh.
Hip mobility:
90/90 position CLICK HERE for more info
Weights and Resistance training: Doing basic exercises like squats, chest press, etc are amazing to do, especially as we age. Adding weight and increasing the load on our bodies, can actually be a good thing to stress the joints. We are strengthening them and combating the natural degenerative bone loss that will happen over time, slowing down the chances for osteoporosis.
Look, if you can carry bags of groceries in the car in ONE trip, haul a 35lb child on your hip, can swing around a 5 lb mallet to rip through dry wall in the old kitchen, you CAN, I repeat, YOU CAN ABSOLUTELY LIFT WEIGHTS.
Adding in these specific things to your training in your 40's will not only improve the quality of your health, but will give you long lasting movement for more decades to come...
Because I don't know about you, I am going to move forever.
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