Essential Workouts Every Woman Past Fifty Should Incorporate (Yet Many Disregard)
In a recent interview, Shanna Missett Nelson, the CEO and chief choreographer of Jazzercise, has shared her insights on the fitness needs of women over 50. According to Nelson, who is herself postmenopausal and over 56, maintaining fitness in the later years requires a different approach.
Nelson noticed changes in her body composition that could not be corrected merely by moving more or eating well. This led her to research what it truly takes to feel strong, energized, and capable, not just now, but for years to come.
Nelson advises prioritizing three crucial pillars of movement for women in their 50s: strength and High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), impact training, and functional movement. These pillars help maintain muscle, boost metabolism, ensure bone health, enhance mobility, and promote independence.
For strength and HIIT training, Nelson recommends incorporating exercises like dumbbell thrusters and push-ups into your routine. For dumbbell thrusters, stand tall with feet shoulder-width apart, holding heavy dumbbells at shoulder level. Lower into a squat and then drive up to press the weights overhead. For push-ups, start in a plank position and lower your body until your chest almost touches the floor, then push back up.
Impact training, essential for bone health, can include jumping, skipping, hopping, or knee lifts with a hop. To perform knee lifts with a hop, start by standing tall with your feet hip-distance apart. Lift one knee towards your chest, then hop gently on that foot, and lower your knee back to the starting position. Repeat with the other leg.
Functional movement exercises, such as the plank walk-out, are also crucial. To perform a plank walk-out, start in a plank position and walk your hands out as far as you can, then walk them back to the starting position.
Nelson suggests doing general cardio movements four to five times a week and strength training at least two to three times a week. By challenging the body enough to promote bone, muscle, and metabolic health, without pushing to the point of burnout, women over 50 can maintain their strength, energy, and mobility.
While Nelson shares these exercises, she emphasizes that everyone's body is unique, and it's essential to consult a Jazzercise publication or contact their services directly for a detailed list of the six specific exercises recommended for women over 50.
- Shanna Missett Nelson, the CEO of Jazzercise, highlights the importance of strength and High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), impact training, and functional movement for maintaining fitness in women over 50.
- For strength and HIIT training, Nelson recommends incorporating exercises like dumbbell thrusters and push-ups, such as performing dumbbell thrusters by standing tall while holding heavy dumbbells and pressing them overhead after lowering into a squat.
- Impact training, important for bone health, can include exercises like jumping, skipping, hopping, or knee lifts with a hop, such as lifting one knee towards the chest and hopping gently on that foot while performing knee lifts.
- Prioritizing wellness and fitness in the health-and-wellness and fitness-and-exercise sectors, Nelson suggests doing general cardio movements four to five times a week and strength training at least two to three times a week while also considering yoga and other methods to promote long-term health, energy, and mobility in women over 50.
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