The best workout for every decade, according to a fitness expert

Many of us want to stay in shape as we age, but once the natural fitness of our early twenties is gone, it can be hard to know where to start.

But the key is to know which types of fitness are best suited to your body’s ability at different stages of life.

Experts from Circuit Society, a London-based fitness brand, spoke to FEMAIL about the best workouts to do in any decade, from HIIT in your ‘performance’ decades of your 20s and 30s to cycling and Pilates in your years ’60s and ’70s.

“The key to sustaining high fitness for a long time is listening to your body,” explains Circuit Society’s Kris Pace. “Your body changes as you get older, and so should your training.

“This doesn’t mean you can’t apply yourself in the same way, it just means you have to adapt to the changes you see and feel in your body.

‘Training low impact – taking the pressure off your joints and bones – will benefit you both in the short and long term. Your back and knees need care whether you’re 18 or 78.’

‘Do your research, be informed and take your time if you are looking for a new way of exercising. Keeping your routine consistent will give you long-term results, both physical and mental — and never forget the saying ‘you can’t outsmart a bad diet’.

Here’s an overview of the exercises you can do at any age…

If you’re in your…20s-30s

Types of workouts: HIIT, Crossfit,

Types of Exercises: Compound strength training exercises such as Dumbbell Thrusters, Kettle Bell Swings, Deadlifts. Interval cardio training such as sprinting on a treadmill and boxing

For most people, this will be the ‘Performance’ decades.

Whether people train for specific sports, fitness competitions, mental wellbeing or simply to feel good on vacation, these years will probably be the years when we train at the highest intensity,

Some form of HIIT training would benefit us immensely in these years.

Higher intensity cardio and strength training will develop a strong heart and lungs and build the muscle mass that will benefit us so much in later decades.

If you’re in your… 40s-50s

Types of workouts: Low-impact HIIT, structured strength training programs

Types of Exercises: Airbike and Ski-Erg cardio intervals.

Most people will be able to get on with HIIT in these decades, but for most of us, these decades will be our “maintenance years,” with the goal of ensuring we maintain the strength, fitness, and mobility we put in. have built up in previous years.

Keeping your mind sharp and clear is also a major reason people continue to train during these years, especially as they are usually the years when you are at the sharp/decisive end of your career.

We may be looking for lower impact cardio, such as the Airbike or the Ski-Erg, that allow us to maintain the intensity of our cardio workout without the impact of running or anything like that.

Strength training will remain crucial as we strive to maintain our bone density and muscle mass as we age.

The 40s and 50s are your ‘maintenance years’ and people will build on the results of how much exercise they performed in their early years (stock photo)

If you’re in your… 60s-70s

Types of workouts: Cycling, Incline walking or jogging, TRX, Pilates, Yoga,

Types of Exercises: TRX Squats, BW Plank

We will inevitably slow down as we get older, but that doesn’t mean we have to stop exercising.

How we train depends on any physical limitations we have. These are the years when we may need to ‘adjust’ our education.

For most, this will mean a significant reduction in impact exercise and a gradual reduction in high-intensity cardio, and for most of us it will be about getting around any physical ailments or injuries we have.

We are probably more focused on our overall health than our ability to perform.

TRX and suspension training can help us perform exercises that we may struggle with, Pilates and Yoga can help us maintain our mobility and strength, and low-impact strength training will be as important as ever to maintain muscle and bone density. preserve.