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It’s never too late to start exercising, but it’s important to understand that physical activity is beneficial if done wisely. The wrong choice of load can aggravate old injuries and cause irreparable harm to health. Already after 30 years, women become more vulnerable due to gradual hormonal changes. Well-trained women do not need to radically change the program after reaching a certain age, and for those who do not have a long training experience behind their backs, it is especially important to start training correctly and take into account age-related changes.
How to train a woman after 40 years
These rules will also be relevant for 30-year-old women who previously either did not exercise at all, or went in for sports with long breaks. Different types of training activities affect the body in different ways.
Anaerobic (strength) training strengthens muscle and bone tissue, which is extremely important for women 30+ (calorizer). A decrease in the level of sex hormones entails the breakdown of muscle mass and thinning of the bone structure, which is fraught with a slowdown in metabolic processes and the development of osteoporosis. Strength training and sufficient protein in the diet reduce these risks.
Aerobic (cardio) training strengthens the heart muscle and improves overall endurance. Since a decrease in the level of sex hormones is associated with the development of cardiovascular diseases, it is important for women to engage in cardio.
Stretching (stretching) is focused on developing the flexibility of the ligamentous apparatus and improving the mobility of the joints, however, it is extremely difficult to achieve significant flexibility of the body after 30, therefore, stretching is appropriate to use to relax muscles and prevent diseases of the joints and ligaments.
According to the current WHO recommendations, people aged 18-64 years should:
- Perform strength exercises for the main muscle groups at least 2 times a week;
- A minimum of 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobics, or a minimum of 75 minutes per week of high-intensity aerobics. The optimal amount of aerobic activity per week is 300 minutes, including high-intensity exercises, moderate-intensity workouts and long walking;
- A minimum of 3 sessions per week should be devoted to balance training.
Combining all of the above is simple – just do strength training in the gym three times a week, do 20 minutes of cardio and stretching after each session, and on non-workout days you can do it at home, go to the pool or go for a long walk.
Strength training for women over 40
If you have never done strength training for more than a year or never before, then you need to start with a simple beginner’s program and adjust it to the individual characteristics of your body, if necessary.
Key recommendations:
- Work all muscle groups at once for 2-3 months. This is enough time to work out the technique in basic exercises.
- Avoid axial load on the spine (squats, deadlifts, bent over rows, bench presses) – age-related changes make the spine especially vulnerable, so try to do the exercises while sitting and lying down. Instead of squats, do leg presses, instead of bent over rows – leverage or horizontal block traction, work the back of the thigh not with deadlifts, but with hyperextension and bending of the legs in the simulator.
- Start your workout by working out small muscle groups – this is called the principle of pre-fatigue, when you first give an isolated load to the muscles, and then do the basic exercise, where the load falls on the tireless muscles, which will allow you to work out the muscle group with less weight and with less risk to joints and ligaments. This means that it is advisable to do either extension or flexion of the legs before the leg press.
Cardio for women over 40
Cardio workouts are good for heart health and not good for muscles, so doing them is advisable along with strength training.
Key recommendations:
- Start with 10 minutes of cardio after strength, gradually increasing the time to 20-30 minutes;
- On some days, start with 20-30 minutes of cardio, gradually increasing the time to 45-60 minutes;
- Despite the huge benefits of HIIT, if you have not done it before, approach intense training with caution – do light intervals, no more than 2 times a week, gradually increasing the intensity. For example, start with four intervals of moderate jogging for a minute and brisk walking for 3 minutes. Increase your running time or speed and shorten your walking time with each activity. When the body gets used to it, increase the number of intervals;
- Avoid intense jumping training, step aerobics, running on asphalt in uncomfortable shoes. As mentioned above, changes in hormonal levels reduce bone density, and the ankle is the most vulnerable place when doing aerobics. In addition, the spine is also subjected to shock.
Stretching for women after 40 years
Flexibility is inherent in us genetically. It can be improved, but if you did not sit on the twine before the age of 16, then after 30 it is too late to do it. Use stretching to heal and relax.
Key recommendations:
- Always stretch your muscles after exercise.
- For each muscle group, there should be 1-3 exercises – the larger the muscle group, the more exercises.
- Stretch smoothly without unnecessary jerks, lingering in the final position for 15-20 seconds.
- You can stretch on a separate day, but only on warm muscles.
Prepare to work out for a long time. To achieve an average level of fitness with a competent approach, it will take a year of regular training (calorizator). You will see the results of training in the form of reducing fat mass, improving posture and general well-being in two months, provided that you have a properly organized diet, sleep pattern and stress control. You need to have realistic expectations, as training at 20 and at 40 is very different, as well as the capabilities of the body. If you are doing everything correctly and do not see results, you need to consult a doctor, perhaps you have entered the period of menopause and you need to adjust the hormonal background.