Want to live a happier, longer life? Move your body more! Major research suggests that no matter your age, staying active and maintaining your cardiovascular fitness can significantly extend your lifespan and improve your mental health. But when it comes to women’s fitness—what’s the right balance, decade by decade?
Long story short: As we mature, women experience specific hormonal changes that can wreak havoc on our bone density and muscle mass, among other things, says obé Fitness women’s health and wellness expert Melody D. Luckily, exercise is quite literally a miracle cure for some of those negative impacts and changes.
But it’s not a one-size-fits-all, one-and-done deal. With time, our fitness needs evolve alongside our physiological needs. The workouts you like at age 25 might be impossible (and not as useful) at age 65. This is where working out smarter, not harder applies. You can (and should!) be super strategic about structuring your workout routine in each decade of your life.
Below, we break down how women’s fitness capabilities evolve as you age, the key benefits of lifelong movement, and the types of exercise you should prioritize when.
Staples of a Lifelong Fitness Routine
The best type of fitness routine, no matter your age, is a balanced one, says Melody. No matter what, you should always prioritize strength training and cardio, along with recovery.
According to current guidelines, adults age 18 to 64 should opt for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week, along with two strength-training sessions. (Activities like brisk walking and jogging count as moderate-intensity physical activity, which means you don’t necessarily need to be running up the stairs at the gym to meet your cardio quota.) If you break it up, that could look like 30 minutes of exercise five days a week.
These guidelines, which apply to all genders, don’t account for the changes women experience in their bodies across their lifetimes. Understanding these changes, and how to work with them, can help you adapt your workouts so you can age well.
Women’s Fitness Through the Decades: What to Prioritize
What to Do in Your 20s
Your 20s are a great time for exploration—and that includes in fitness! The best type of exercise is the type you stick with. It’s a great idea to get adventurous and try out different forms of movement. You may find out you love Barre, or have a knack for Boxing. If you develop a fitness habit early on, you’re more likely to continue it as you get older.
On a practical note, strength training is as important in your 20s as it is in later years. That’s because it helps you build foundational strength that can offset the impacts of hormonal changes affecting your mobility. Think of it as an investment—the earlier you start, the greater the payoff down the road.
A fun fact: You can typically handle more endurance-based strength training modalities, such as Sculpt, Pilates, and Barre workouts during this decade, says Melody. It’s also a great way to dip your toe into strength work!
If you’re unsure where to start, obé’s Elevate (strength building) and Vitality (overall fitness boosting) training programs are great options to build a base of strength and endurance.
What to Do in Your 30s
Women’s bodies start to change in subtle ways in their 30s. Progesterone and estrogen, two hormones involved in your menstrual cycle, start to decrease, causing metabolic and physiological changes. It may sound shocking, but women also start losing bone density at age 35.
Lifting weights (yes, even those 8-10 pound dumbbells) in your 30s helps keep your strength up and fights off the natural dips that come with hormonal changes down the road. You can build muscle through progressive overload—that’s just a fancy way of saying you’ll gradually lift heavier for maximum gains. (More easy reading on that, here.)
Need a place to start? Check out strength training classes in the Transformation or BodyComp training programs on obé. We’ve done the heavy lifting for you—literally. Your classes are designed to level up at just the right pace, so you keep getting stronger and seeing (and feeling) the results.
Another note: pregnancy may (or may not!) pop up in your life at some point. If it does, your fitness needs are a little different (check out our full prenatal guide here). Lucky for you, obé also has tailored programs designed for mamas and mamas-to-be!
What to Do in Your 40s, 50s, and Beyond
Women typically start to experience perimenopause, then menopause, from their early 40s to 50s. Menopause brings a drop in estrogen, which can impact bone density and lead to muscle loss—hello, osteoporosis risk. Plus, body composition can shift, making it easier to gain weight around sensitive areas. But don’t worry, there is something you can do about it. (Read more: Everything You Need to Know (and Do!) to Conquer Menopause Weight Gain)
Strength training during this time is absolutely essential—and maybe even more so than in your 20s and 30s. It’s your secret weapon for holding onto bone density and muscle mass so you can keep moving with ease, feeling confident in your day-to-day life, and preserve your longevity plus health.
Melody’s pro tip: mix strength training with low-intensity cardio, plus at least one day of high-intensity cardio to keep that heart strong. “This balanced approach hits all the right notes—strength, endurance, and heart health—so you can keep thriving as you age,” she says. Ready for something more personalized? obé’s got you covered with our Menopause training program, a 6-week program that combines strength, cardio, mobility, and mindfulness to protect your bones, boost metabolism, and reduce stress. Can’t commit quite yet? Try out the Age Well collection, which features fun Yoga + Strength hybrid classes, plus great strength + power conditioning options.
The Bottom Line
A quick cheat sheet for women’s fitness across the decades:
- 20s: Dive into different classes and start building a solid strength foundation for the future with classes like Sculpt, Pilates, and Barre.
- 30s: Begin lifting weights and embrace progressive overload to help your body age like fine wine.
- 40s, 50s, and beyond: Keep lifting to protect your bones and muscles, and add more Zone 2 cardio (with a dash of HIIT) to boost heart health and balance body composition.
And remember, it’s never too late to start moving your body. No matter your age, exercise brings serious perks. For women, strength training should be at the top of the list to fight off some of the (let’s be honest) annoying effects of aging, like bone loss and muscle decline. The good news? obé Fitness has tons of classes for every age, every vibe, and every fitness goal.
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