The fundamentals of fitness don’t change based on your age. No matter how old you are, you need to start smart. “A good program always establishes stabilization first, and then goes onto strength,” says Murphy. This will help prevent injury and make your speed and strength work more precise. (That doesn’t mean you can’t build muscle while you’re getting stable – moves like forearm planks and twisting lunges, which you’ll find in Patrick Murphy’s Camera Ready Core workout, strengthen essential stabilizing core muscles while toning and sculpting).
However, depending where you are in your life, you may need to shift your focus to ensure the best, safest, and most effective workout. Depending on your age, pay attention to these target areas:
In Your 20s: While your body is young, strong, and healthy, it’s tempting to focus on the showcase muscles that look great at the beach. But be sure to give attention to smaller, but just as important, body parts, like rotator cuffs, as well as the opposing muscles to the bigger groups. “If you just do pushups and dips, you’re strengthening only certain parts of your body. You’re going to tighten your chest muscles and shoulder muscles and over time you create rounded shoulders,” says Murphy. To fight against this, include moves like the bent over reverse fly with dumbbells and reverse flys with resistance bands. To compliment ab work, be sure to do some back strengthening moves on a Swiss Ball.
In Your 30s and 40s: You have to walk
before you run – literally. “When you’re in your
20s you can get out there and just start: your body is always
warm,” says trainer Marco
Reed. “With someone who’s now getting into their 30s and 40s
you have to be a lot more conscious about warming up. Make sure you
warm up for five to ten minutes to get your blood flowing.”
Allow yourself a few minutes of brisk walking before you start to
run or cycle, and be sure to stretch before and after to limit
next-day pain.
50s, 60s, and Beyond: Just because your joints may not be
as loose as they once were doesn’t mean you have to put up with
silly chair exercises or low-intensity moves that make you feel
more fragile than you are. Reduce the impact on your joints while
making a major impact on your waistline with Pilates, a floor-based
exercise that, to be honest, kicks your butt, like
Lizbeth
Garcia’s Zero Limits Ab
Blast. “It’s a no-impact exercise and a great way
to start,” says Teri Ann
Krefting, who recommends starting off in private lessons or
smaller groups due to the intensity of the workout. Once you’ve
built some strength and stability, it will be easier and more
comfortable for you to get back to a traditional
routine.
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[photo credit: Getty Images]
