As time passes, the adage “move it or lose it” becomes ever more relevant. But your body’s needs and, therefore, the best exercise routines change, sometimes dramatically, from one decade to the next.
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Best exercises for each decade
Your 30s
Your 30s are the time to build a solid foundation for the future. Many of us become busier at work or with family commitments, so it’s easy to let flexibility and natural movement slide. Yet, maintaining and improving mobility is essential for joint health, good posture and injury prevention in later years.
Exercises that keep joints healthy also boost muscle strength, range of motion and flexibility. Regularly including mobility training, even just 10 minutes per day, can reduce stiffness, enhance posture and lower the risk of injury, setting you up for better athletic performance and healthier ageing.
Recommended exercises
• Dynamic stretching (arm circles, leg swings)
• Hip openers (such as deep lunges)
• Torso rotations
• Yoga flows and Pilates
• Simple bodyweight movements (squats, lunges)
Your 40s
As we enter our 40s, subtle changes occur in muscle mass and bone density. While you can still push your fitness, shifting focus to endurance and moderate resistance work can keep your heart and muscles strong, while lowering the risk of injury or overuse.
Recent studies have highlighted the benefit of gentler, longer sessions for cardiovascular wellbeing, such as steady-paced jogging or brisk walking, which can reduce blood pressure as effectively as high-intensity interval training.
Endurance workouts are also linked with improved mood and better cognitive performance. Resistance training stays important, especially for women undergoing menopausal changes, to defend against bone loss and osteoporosis.
Recommended exercises
• Brisk walking or jogging
• Swimming and cycling (low impact on joints)
• Group classes featuring light weights or resistance bands
• Bodyweight strengthening routines • Hiking in nature
Your 50s
Around the fifth decade, the body experiences a natural loss in muscle mass in a process called sarcopenia. Strength and resistance training therefore become priorities; research shows it can help rebuild muscle, recharge metabolism, reduce fat, support joint health and even lower blood-sugar levels.
Lifting weights or doing resistance exercises at least two or three times per week helps to counteract the rate of muscle loss after 50. Benefits extend to increased confidence, stamina and metabolism, and evidence shows that regular strength training can slow and sometimes reverse age-related bone loss.
Be sure to balance intensity with recovery, as the body’s healing slows with age, and include low-impact cardio, such as cycling or swimming.
Recommended exercises
• Weight training (machines, free weights, resistance bands)
• Functional movements (sit-to-stand, step-ups)
• Pilates and yoga (improves strength and balance)
• Swimming (for joint-friendly resistance)
• Bodyweight exercises (push-ups on a wall, squats, lunges)
Your 60s onwards
In your 60s, 70s and beyond, preventing falls, staying independent and warding off frailty are top priorities. Balance and coordination exercises are shown to vastly reduce risk of falls, which is one of the leading causes of injury in people over 65.
Regular practice of balance and stability moves keeps core muscles strong and reflexes sharp.
Also, research indicates that physical activity at this stage can slow cognitive decline and reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia. Aim for activities that help build confidence, social connection and joy.
Recommended exercises
• Heel-to-toe walking
• One-leg stands (holding on to a chair for support)
• Side leg raises
• Tai Chi or gentle yoga
• Seated or standing calf raises
• Marching in place
• Walking, gardening and gentle hiking
• Swimming and cycling (for joint-friendly activity)
