As you experience menopause and perimenopause, your body naturally changes. This requires tweaking the way you approach physical activity. In your 40s and 50s, focusing on the long-term health benefits of exercise is the name of the game. According to
Amy Kiser Schemper, MS, CPT, BowFlex fitness advisor, goals like injury prevention, reduced risk of illness, and increased longevity should be at the top of mind. That’s why we spoke with experts who reveal the eight best exercises for women over 45 to live longer, healthier lives.
“Women’s health in midlife is having a moment right now, and many health and fitness professionals are talking specifically about women over 45 and the role that physical activity plays in longevity and independence,” Kiser Schemper says. “While weight loss and body re-composition may continue to be a goal of women in midlife, the focus should also shift to building and preserving muscle, improving bone density, and cardiovascular and metabolic health.”
One of the best ways to ensure your muscles stay strong and healthy is by performing regular resistance training. Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, author of “The Forever Strong PLAYBOOK” and founder of Muscle-Centric Medicine, says strength training is “a cornerstone not just for longevity but also preventing injury” as you age.
“Skeletal muscle is far more than tissue. It’s a metabolic powerhouse that supports blood sugar regulation, inflammation and overall disease prevention. For women over 45, building and maintaining muscle becomes your best strategy for aging well,” Dr. Lyon explains.
8 Best Exercises for Women 45+ To Live Longer
Squat
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“The squat builds leg and glute strength, as well as lower-body stability and mobility for everyday movements such as sitting on a chair, the toilet, or getting in and out of the car,” Kiser Schemper explains.
- Stand tall, feet shoulder-width apart on the floor.
- Extend your arms before you or place your hands on your hips.
- Bend at the knees and hips to lower into a squat.
- Descend until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
- Press through your heels to return to standing.
- Complete 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps, 2 to 3 times a week. Start with just your body weight, then progress to incorporate weights or resistance bands.
Deadlift
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“The deadlift strengthens the entire posterior chain (muscles along the backside of the body) for everyday movements and preventing injuries and back pain,” Kiser Schemper points out.
- Stand tall, feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
- Bend your knees slightly and hold the weights in front of your thighs.
- Press your hips back as you lower the dumbbells down your leg. Maintain a straight back as you do so.
- Squeeze your glutes to stand up tall.
- Complete 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps, 2 to 3 times a week. Start with your body weight, then advance to include weights.
Step-Up
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“The lunge is a great option for all fitness levels, but if bending the back knee is bothersome, a step-up works the same set of muscles and brings an extra challenge,” Kiser Schemper says.
- Stand tall, feet parallel and hip-distance apart.
- Bring your hands to your hips.
- Step one foot forward.
- Engage your core as you bend your knees, lowering to form 90-degree bends in both legs.
- Keep your upper body straight.
- Press through your front heel and the ball of your back foot to rise back up.
- Perform 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps, 2 to 3 times a week.
- Start with your body weight, then advance to include weights.
Pushup
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“The push-up strengthens the upper body push muscles: shoulders, chest, triceps and core and bone loading,” Kiser Schemper notes.
- Assume a high plank position with your hands under your shoulders and your body straight.
- Bend your elbows and lower your chest toward the floor.
- Maintain a long, straight body as you lower.
- Press back up, straightening your arms.
- Complete 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps, 2 to 3 times a week.
Lat Pulldown
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“This move strengthens the upper-body pull muscles along the back and arms, creating pull strength and stability for activities of daily life,” Kiser Schemper says.
- Begin with a gentle load.
- Sit at the cable machine.
- Grab the handle using a pronated, supinated, or neutral grip.
- From fully extended arms overhead, pull the bar toward your chin.
- Use control to release.
- Complete 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps, 2 to 3 times a week.
Plank Twist
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“The main job of our core muscles is to stabilize our spine during all the movement we do,” Kiser Schemper explains. “Holding a plank builds that strength and stability from the inside out; adding a twist (dropping the hips side to side) adds rotational movement, allowing us to bend and twist in our daily activities without pain or tension.”
- Begin in a forearm plank with your body forming a straight line.
- Keep your core engaged.
- Drop your hips down to the right, then the left.
- Perform 3 sets of 30 seconds each, 2 to 3 times a week.
Farmer’s Carry
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The farmer’s carry trains total-body strength, endurance, and balance, Lyon says.
- Hold a heavy dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
- Start walking forward, keeping your torso still.
- Complete 3 rounds of 30 to 60 seconds.
Goblet Squat
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According to Lyon, the goblet squat boosts lower-body strength, core engagement, and joint mobility.
- Stand tall, feet just outside hip-width and toes turned out just a bit.
- Hold a kettlebell or dumbbell vertically at chest height.
- Engage your core and lower into a squat, descending until your hips become lower than parallel.
- Press through your heels to return to standing.
- Complete 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps.
Alexa Mellardo
Alexa is a content strategist, editor, and writer based in Greenwich, Connecticut. She has 11+ years of experience creating content for travel, lifestyle, fitness, wellness, F&B, home, and celeb news publications. Read more about Alexa
