There are five compound exercises I believe you should be able to perform, whether you’re in your 30s, 40s, or 50s. As a personal trainer, I can tell you that your body doesn’t just suddenly give up and decline when you reach a new age milestone.
In fact, staying fit, active and healthy will keep your muscles, joints, bones and cardiovascular system strong. This will help prevent injuries, lower the risk of developing chronic health conditions and slow the impacts of aging.
I was delighted to see that a recent study found lifting weights can help you burn energy as effectively as cardio. The more muscle you can build or maintain as you age, the healthier your metabolism at any age, but particularly during those later years, as it naturally declines.
With that all in mind, here are my favorite “benchmark” exercises that work your entire body while strengthening your core muscles, which are responsible for safe movement and proper posture. I call them benchmark moves because I believe you should keep doing them whether you’re in your 30s or 50s, so here’s how.
What are the five strengthening exercises?
Give these a try.
Eccentric push-ups: Upper-body strength
Push-ups are functional because they target key upper body muscles, such as the chest, shoulders and triceps. These muscles assist with daily activities, such as pushing a door open or moving a pram.
One study found that a higher baseline push-up capacity (40 push-ups) is associated with a lower incidence of cardiovascular events.
- Start in a high plank position with your hands beneath your shoulders and your hips aligned with your shoulders
- Engage your core muscles
- Bend your elbows and lower your chest toward the floor for the count of three to four seconds (this is known as the eccentric phase, and should be slow and controlled)
- Pause, then push upward for one count and straighten your arms
- Use your knees for extra support.
Bosu jump squats: Lower-body balance and power
I think the Bosu balance trainer is underused. It's exceptional for balance training and anything that requires power, like plyometrics. The instability of the inflated half-ball will challenge your coordination and stability while recruiting those smaller, stabilizer muscles in the body responsible for keeping you injury-free.
This move challenges your leg drive and power, building stronger, more powerful legs, which is important for daily tasks like climbing, getting up out of a chair and running.
One study found that strength and power declined in men and women beginning at age 40, and from there on, power declined roughly 10% more than strength in men.
- Stand on the Bosu trainer either with the flat side down for more support or facing up for a more challenging variation
- Position your feet shoulder-width apart, stand tall and engage your core muscles
- Bend your knees, then jump into the air and extend your legs as your feet leave the ground, driving upward with power
- Land into a low squat with bent knees and thighs roughly parallel to the ground. Keep your chest lifted and back straight
- Continue jumping for reps. Your hands can be by your sides, on your hips, or behind your head
- If you don't feel ready to jump, performing squats on the Bosu trainer still challenges your balance.
Deadlifts: Full-body chain
Deadlifts require varied techniques depending on the equipment you use, so I recommend learning how to deadlift here, plus variations you can try, depending on the equipment you have. For beginners, the dumbbell deadlift is easier to learn than the barbell deadlift, but both are effective and target the full body.
This exercise strengthens your posterior chain, including your back, glutes and hamstrings, which are muscle groups crucial for posture and injury prevention. However, deadlifts also build a strong core and hips, while increasing grip strength and recruiting the upper body. Grip strength is a key indicator of longevity.
Weighted step-ups: Power and unilateral balance
Step-ups are as functional as they come, mimicking the movement of stepping onto a raised surface or climbing the stairs. The exercise is unilateral, which means you work one side of the body at a time, which is great for your balance and coordination as you age. The better your stability, the less likely you are to fall or get injured.
You can do this exercise using your bodyweight or holding weights; if you choose to use weights, hold them by your sides or rack them up onto your shoulders and drive your elbows forward to create a shelf. As you become more confident, increase the load or the height of the bench.
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and a bench or box in front of you
- Step your right foot onto the box or bench
- Engage your core
- Push upward through your right leg to fully stand on the box or bench
- Pause with your feet hip-width apart
- Step down with the left leg first, then the right
- Switch sides, alternating each rep.
Pull-ups
Pull-ups strengthen your back, rear shoulders, biceps and core muscles, and depending on how you grip the bar, you can change the emphasis on the muscle groups.
I believe that, where possible, everyone should be able to pull their own weight, as this translates to real-life scenarios like getting out of a swimming pool. Pulling exercises also support posture and can help you perform daily tasks better, like pulling a heavy door open.
Pull-ups test grip strength, which, as I mentioned, is an indicator of longevity. If you cannot perform a pull-up straight away, wrap a resistance band around the bar and step your foot or knee through the band for extra support. The thicker the band, the easier the pull-up will become.
There are a few ways you can perform pull-ups, and most people find chin-ups easier to start with, which uses a different grip. My guide on pull-ups versus chin-ups and how to do both should be a good starting point.
Why should you lift weights?
You can still become fit and improve your overall health at any age, but alongside lifting weights and moving often, a balanced diet high in protein will help you build and maintain lean muscle mass, supporting your bones and joints.
It’s about finding movement that works for you, rather than doing what you think you should. That said, if I can convince you to lift weights even just once or twice per week, your body will thank you for it. And if you need motivation to pick up the weights, I urge you to learn about the one-set rule, which involves lifting weights near failure for just one set per exercise. Doable, right?
Create a circuit of the movements or incorporate them into a strength routine. Every three to four weeks, incrementally increase volume in some way, like adding weight by 2.5kg. This is known as progressive overload.
We all want to feel good as we get older and continue living life how we want to, so safeguarding this means maintaining strength, balance, stability and coordination, all of which can be improved with resistance training.
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