For those of you in your 20s and deciding on the best strength exercises for your exercise routine, I've got some expert guidance. I've spoken with a personal trainer to find you the top moves to try to boost longevity and strengthen your body.
“It’s easy to ignore thoughts about getting physically older when you’re in your 20s,” Samantha Cubbins, lifting club manager at GymShark told me. “We typically reach peak physical capacity with muscle mass and bone density during this time. However, it’s never too early to start thinking about the future and preparing your body with exercises to help you as you age.”
So, I'd recommend you incorporate the following types of exercises into your routine and thank yourself later. Here they are.
1. Sun salutations
“Your 20s are a great time to set the foundations for the future, find a routine that works for you, your needs and enjoyments, and to establish something that can be sustainable for your future,” says Samantha.
Sam recommends adding sun salutations from yoga, which feature a series of poses that flow together, which you can find in the video above. This is taught as a beginner-friendly sequence and connects the body with the breath early during a yoga class, improving mindfulness and helping you find a better rhythm in your body.
“Beyond the mental benefits, this sequence and yoga in general, help to increase strength, flexibility and balance, which are all important foundations as you age.”
I would personally recommend doing this either first thing in the morning or before bed, as moving your body this way can feel energizing or help you physically move the day out of your body, ready to wind down.
2. Foundation strengthening exercises
Sam recommends functional strength movements that can be performed with or without weights. Think squats, lunges, push-ups and planks, which are essential exercises everybody should practice.
“These movements help strengthen the key muscles we use for everyday activities, while building bone density, which is important as we age and become more vulnerable to falls,” she says. “I suggest incorporating weights and/or resistance bands to further boost these benefits while you’re younger.”
Picking up a set of the best resistance bands or adjustable dumbbells will allow you to work at your own pace and build slowly.
3. Dancing
“Following and practicing a dance routine requires more than just physical skill,” Sam explains. “It requires mental focus through concentration and memory, which improves neural connections. This unique aspect makes dancing a fantastic exercise to practice in your 20s and keep up as you get older.
“The balance, core strength and social engagement are also all lasting skills that are valuable as you age.”
Try this dance workout if you want to get started.
4. Walking
From color walking to Japanese walking, there’s something for everyone, of all abilities.
“Walking is one of the simplest, yet most effective forms of exercise we can do, and its benefits should not be underestimated,” Sam says. This form of cardio boosts cardiovascular health, mood and metabolism, and spending time outdoors in nature is also great for mindfulness.
“Incorporating daily walks into our routine in our 20s will set healthy habits for our later years, while helping to maintain our physical and mental health,” Sam adds. “If you’re able to walk outside, the sunlight can also elevate your mood through the Vitamin D and serotonin produced, helping to improve your mental health.”
5. Swimming
“Like running, swimming is good for our heart health, but it also helps improve our breathing muscles and lung capacity even more.”
Swimming is the definition of a full-body workout, engaging nearly every muscle in your body while being low-impact and joint-friendly. “All these benefits are vital for age, and as swimming is an excellent exercise for our later years, it’s wise to develop the habit early on,” she adds.
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