Age is just a number. You can’t avoid adding numbers to your age but you can slow down the process by being more active. Move, exercise and enjoy doing activities that keep your mind and body in shape.
At age 50, your body will start showing signs of aging. Your body’s muscles may start to lose strength due to lack of movement.
What happens when women age
Compared to men, women are usually the ones who have more concerns when it comes to aging.
Women ages 50 and above are twice more likely to break a bone compared to men. This is because women tend to have smaller and thinner bones. When a woman reaches menopause, her estrogen decreases, resulting to bone loss.
Strength training for older women
You cannot bring back lost time, but you can build and strengthen your body and bones with exercise and help give back a few years to your body. Studies have shown that when you exercise often, increase your life expectancy.
Activities like running and jogging are cardiovascular exercises that are good for your heart. On the other hand, strength training helps strengthen your muscles, increase your metabolism and helps make you less prone to injuries.
Benefits of strength training
Sedentary adults who are aged 30-80 years old are more prone in experiencing 30%-40% loss of muscle strength due to decreasing stages of muscle mass.
Keeping your body active will give you a healthier body that isn't prone to sickness or injuries.
Strength training also improves your mental state. It lessens one’s chances of having chronic diseases and lowers body fats. This training also builds muscle mass and bone density.
Working out
Strength training can be done for just 15-30 minutes a day. This training can help improve stability and synchronization. Here are the 7 best exercises for a female workout you can do at home. You’ll just need a couple of dumbbells, a mat and an exercise ball.
1. Basic Squat
- Stand up straight. Remember to keep your feet apart at the same distance as your hips. Make sure that your hips, knees, and your toes are facing forward. Take a hold of your dumbbells.
- Bend your knees. Extend your buttocks in a backward direction. Maintain your weight on your heels. Rise and repeat.
Strengthens hamstrings, glutes and quads
2. Forearm Plank
- Place your upper arms on the floor. Make sure the elbows are below the shoulders.
- Elevate your body as you engage your core. Maintain the whole body in a straightforward line. As you keep abdominals engaged, make sure the hips don’t go up or down. Do this for less than a minute.
Strengthens core and shoulders
3. Push-up
- Kneel on the mat. Keep your hands below your shoulders. Make sure your knees stay behind your hips.
- Bend your elbows, constrict your abdominals. Don’t forget to tuck your toes under as you lower your chest towards the mat.
- Press your chest up to go back to the starting position.
Strengthens arm, shoulders and core
4. Bird Dog
- Begin by kneeling and putting both hands on your mat. Reach out with one arm then pull in your abdominals.
- Extend your other leg behind you. Repeat this 8-12 times. Switch sides.
Strengthens back and core
5. Single Leg Hamstring Bridge
- Lie on back. Keep bent knees hip distant apart. Make sure feet stays flat on the mat.
- Squeeze glutes. Lift hips off the mat into a bridge.
- Lower and start lifting hips for 8-12 times. Repeat on the other side.
Strengthens hamstrings, glutes and quads
6. Exercise Ball Overhead Tug
- Get adjustable dumbbells and place them close to the chest. Put your shoulders, as well as your head, on top of the ball. Make sure that your entire physique is in a tabletop manner. Maintain your feet at hip distance.
- With palms facing in, raise both dumbbells above your chest.
- Lower your arms behind your head’s back.
- Squeeze your lats as you tug your arms back slowly to go back to starting position.
Strengthens back and core
7. Exercise Ball Side Leg Elevation
- Start by kneeling on the floor with your exercise ball placed at the right.
- Use that side to lean on the ball and wrap your right arm around it.
- Extend your left leg to the side. Your right leg must stay curved on the floor.
- Gradually lift and lower your left leg for a dozen times. Switch sides.
Strengthens core and legs
Final thoughts:
Weights for women are necessary to be able to maintain a stronger physique. It’s recommended to exercise daily even just by yourself for an hour. An adjustable set of dumbbells is ideal for at home workouts.