Last Updated on June 18, 2022 by FS Studios Personal Training
Keep Going Strong
By now, most of us are aware we should be making physical activity a part of our daily lives. It’s also becoming apparent to us that weight training and cardiovascular exercise are the two main areas of physical activity that must be addressed. What isn’t always as clear is how to address each of these two areas. Addressing them becomes even more difficult in regards to dealing with the needs of specific populations such as women over 40. This also goes for women over 50 and 60.
Some of Your Needs
Women over 40 are often faced with balancing a career, family, social life and more that can detract from meeting their physical needs. Add to that media inundations that promote an unrealistic figure which may lead to a negative physical image and poor self confidence and you have a group in need of a quick, simple yet effective health and fitness protocol that fosters physical changes to counteract these negative effects to breed benefits such as enhanced self image and confidence. The first part of this protocol is specialized weight training.
Forget 12-15 Reps for 3 Sets
Even if you’re a beginner, an apparently healthy women over 40 with medical clearance from a physician should be able start a guided, structured weight training program that follows a slightly more effective 2 set, 10-12 rep, 4-6 multi-joint exercise format. Example exercises for this 2 time per week evenly spaced format might include: ball squat with lateral shoulder raise or 1 leg hip lifts. Complete both sets of each exercise then move on to the next and finish with 5 minutes of various core abdominal exercises such as knee to elbow crunches.
Now most importantly, as you improve, instead of adding reps or more sets, slowly add small amounts of resistance to increase intensity to maintain challenge within the 10-12 rep range. Science maintains that such protocol should create lean calorie burning muscle to quickly improve a women’s form.
Keep doing some Cardio
To further encourage the above positive effects, women over 40 can offset their weight training with efficient cardiovascular activity on different days of the week. For example, author Sherri Macmillian M.Sc. discusses in her book, Go For Fit that walking 60 minutes, 3 days a week will burn about 1 pound of fat per month. So if you love walking, get out and walk a lot.
If you’re a jogger, Sherri also mentions that 180 minutes of jogging a week would burn a pound of fat in about 2 weeks. Before starting, get clearance from your doctor and then begin with 20 minute walks 3-5 days a week and build from there by slowly adding a brisk walk or walk-jog 1-2 times a week. Adding mild intensity will again breed quicker physical results.
Get it Done
Our world is all about new things that can do everything for us. This can leave us in a state of not doing things for ourselves. Your body needs exercise for the rest of your life. Make sure you do that for it and you’re sure to be better off in many cases. Don’t try to figure out the perfect exercise or the best time to workout or the right kind of routine to do, just do something and build on that. Action has been proven to be the #1 motivator and it will be far more motivating than falling into not getting something done.
Cheers,
FS Studios
