As the years add up, we all have to begin to accept that our lives will start to change. Some of us will no longer be able to conquer the same feats as we were able to when we were younger. Running and vigorous exercise might be more difficult than we thought. Unfortunately, as we age our body will wear out and become more fragile.
This means that you will have to pay more attention to the types of activities you tackle head on because they can inflict long-lasting and potentially dangerous damage to your body. However, you still have to exercise on a regular basis because it is vital for your health and it will help you keep your body functioning properly as long as possible.
Those of you who have been keeping up a regular workout routine should have no problem transitioning into your 40s. but those of us who have been skipping out might have a bit harder time getting back into the swing of things.
The 5 Best Workouts
Well, the idea is to lower impact on your body but to still continue challenging yourself. Luckily, there are plenty of workout methods out there that reduce the impact the exercise has on your body whilst still maintaining somewhat of a challenge so that your body is kept in excellent condition. Here are a few suggestions that we have come across after doing some research of our own.
TRX Suspension Trainer
Basically, this is a gym in a bag. It consists of two nylon straps connected to a handle. You can hang these nylon straps over doors, benches, railings, pull up bars, basically whatever is sturdy enough to support a bit of force, and then use them to increase muscle strength across all of your body. There are very few limitations so you can use them to get a whole body workout.
Furthermore, when working with the strap, you end up using natural balance to counteract the force from the strap. This improves your natural balance a lot, which is especially important for people over 40.
Even better, after your workouts are done you can do some post workout stretches to get some extra flexibility and improve your range of motion over time. Overall, this type of exercise is an excellent choice for anyone over 40. It promotes strength while reducing direct impact on your joints and bones.
Tai Chi
We have all seen that group of people in the park on a warm day, doing a strange form of exercise that we don’t recognize but can only describe as some sort of martial arts. Well, that group of people might be a step ahead of us when it comes to finding a healthy workout after 40.
As it turns out, Tai Chi is an excellent meditative form of exercise that improves balance, helps reduce stress, and lowers blood pressure. One of the best parts of undertaking Tai Chi is that you can make it more or less challenging for yourself depending on your wellbeing and overall health goals. So if you are experiencing more aches and pains in certain areas, you can reduce the amount of tension you put on those specific parts of your body when using Tai Chi.
We strongly recommend working with a professional who is experienced working with your age group, as this way you are guaranteed to do the correct exercises and you aren’t stressing the wrong parts of your body.
Pilates
This is an amazing way to build full body strength and flexibility. The Pilates approach is rather simple in nature: work your muscles in the most effective way to gain the best results possible. This principle is so well ingrained in Pilates that there is generally even a limit on repetition which is usually around 3 to 5 times, no more.
The whole “no pain no gain” philosophy is avoided as much as possible when it comes to this workout method and this is exactly why it is so useful for those who are over 40. When you are aging, nothing is more important than getting as much out of each exercise as possible without putting too much stress on your body. This is exactly what Pilates does.
Yoga
Yoga can do wonders for your body as well as your mind. If you are seeking to maintain your flexibility throughout the years, there is no better alternative to Yoga. But that’s not the only positive take away from Yoga. Some of the exercises that can be done whilst performing Yoga promote major core strength and an elevated peace of mind. Stress management is one of the many benefits of Yoga, as well.
Unlike other activities out there, Yoga has certain levels that you can take on. So for those of you who are new to it or aren’t in the best of shape, you can start at a lower level and move your way up as you become more comfortable with your body and its capabilities.
Stand-Up Paddleboarding
This one may seem a little off the wall, but it’s a wonderful way to keep in shape after 40 without putting too much risk onto your body. It isn’t one of those extremely difficult to learn workouts.
It’s rather simple, and the only thing you have worry about is whether you can incorporate it in your daily life. So if you are located near a lake or perhaps on a shoreline where temperatures are acceptable throughout the year, then this is the perfect choice for you.
And again, levels of intensity can be changed depending on how fit you are or even how you feel. Just take it slow and turn it into a leisurely activity simply to get your body moving. Once you are ready for something more intense, give yourself a distance goal or a time limit and get to it.
Final Thoughts
In the end, it’s all really up to you. We haven’t mentioned all the fitting exercises for those over 40, but there are plenty. All you have to do is look. So if the five workouts we mentioned here aren’t for you then keep searching. We guarantee that you will find something perfect for you.
