5 Effective Strength Moves for Busy Women Over 50: Quick Muscle Building Tips

SQUATS

Squats are an excellent way to engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously, targeting the lower body while also involving core stability. 

To Perform:

• Starting Position: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing slightly outward. Keep your back straight, chest up, and look forward.
• Lowering Phase: Initiate the movement by bending your knees and pushing your hips back as if you’re about to sit down in a chair. Keep your weight on your heels, and lower yourself down by bending your knees.
• Depth: Aim to lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor or as low as comfortable while maintaining proper form. Keep your back straight and avoid letting your knees go past your toes.
• Rising Phase: Push through your heels, engage your leg muscles, and drive your hips forward as you straighten your legs. Return to the starting position by extending your hips and knees simultaneously.
• Breathing: Inhale as you lower yourself down, and exhale as you push yourself back up to the starting position.
• Form Tips: Keep your chest lifted, back straight, and avoid rounding your spine. Ensure your knees track in line with your toes throughout the movement, and don’t let them collapse inward. Engage your core muscles to stabilize your body

Remember, start with bodyweight squats and gradually add weights as you become more comfortable with the movement. It’s crucial to prioritize proper form to prevent injury and get the most out of your squatting exercise. If you’re new to squats or have any health concerns, consider consulting a fitness professional for guidance.
Need a modification check out this video

ROWS

Dumbbell rows are effective for strengthening the back muscles and improving posture. 

To Perform:

• Set Up: Start by grabbing a dumbbell in one hand. Stand next to a bench, place your knee and hand on the bench, keeping your back straight and parallel to the ground. Your other leg should be slightly bent on the floor for stability.
• Positioning: Hold the dumbbell with your palm facing your body. Keep your back flat, engage your core, and ensure your head is aligned with your spine.
• Execution: Pull the dumbbell up toward your hip, keeping your elbow close to your body and squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement. Your arm should be close to your torso as you lift the weight.
• Lowering: Slowly lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position, fully extending your arm without locking your elbow.
• Repeat: Perform the desired number of repetitions on one side before switching to the other arm.

Remember to maintain proper form throughout the exercise to avoid injury and maximize its effectiveness. Start with a weight that allows you to perform the exercise with proper form and gradually increase the weight as you become more comfortable with the movement.

DEADLIFT

Deadlifts primarily target the lower back, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and forearms. This exercise promotes overall strength development in these muscle groups. They are a functional movement mimicking picking something up off the floor and are a move you can do if your knees are bothering your.

To Perform:

Stand with your feet about hip-width apart, holding your dumbbells .

• Take a deep breath, engage your core muscles, hinge at your hips, your knees should be slightly bent, not locked out.
• Keep the dumbbells close to your body as you lower them down to a point where you feel your glutes and hamstrings engage.   Pause for a moment here and squeeze those glutes.   We want them to do the heavy lifting not your low back..
• Exhale as you lift up with the big glute and leg muscles. Inhale as you lower back down

Safety Tips:

• Keep your spine neutral throughout the exercise to prevent injury. Avoid rounding or arching your back excessively.
• Engage your core muscles throughout the movement to provide stability and support for your spine.
• If you feel you back pull at all down lower down so far -you should still feel the glutes work.
• Start with a light weight to master the technique before gradually increasing the load.

SHOULDER PRESS

The shoulder press-up is an exercise that targets your shoulder muscles. Here’s a simple explanation on how to do it:

• Starting Position: Begin by standing or sitting upright with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a pair of dumbbells or a barbell at shoulder level, palms facing forward, elbows bent, and the weights positioned just above your shoulders.
• Execution: Keeping your core engaged and your back straight, slowly push the weights upward above your head by straightening your arms. Exhale as you press the weights up.
• Top Position: At the top of the movement, your arms should be fully extended but not locked out. Your biceps should be close to your ears without shrugging your shoulders excessively.
• Lowering Phase: In a controlled manner, lower the weights back down to the starting position, inhaling as you do so. Keep your movements slow and controlled throughout the exercise to engage your shoulder muscles effectively and prevent injury.
• Repetition: Aim for a specific number of repetitions according to your fitness level and goals. Start with a weight that allows you to perform the exercise with proper form. As you get stronger, you can gradually increase the weight.

Remember, it’s important to use proper form to avoid straining your shoulders or other muscles. If you’re new to this exercise, consider starting with lighter weights and focusing on mastering the technique before progressing to heavier weights. Consulting a fitness professional or trainer can also be beneficial to ensure you’re performing the exercise correctly and safely.

CHEST PRESS

The chest press is fantastic for building upper body strength, particularly the chest, shoulders, and triceps. Modified versions can accommodate different fitness levels: Can’t get on the floor do push ups on the wall. Want more? Graduate to a push up or add more weight. Align your goals with your overall fitness vision. If you’re aiming for muscle gain, focus on strength training rather than excessive cardio.

To Perform:

• Grab a set of light dumbbells to start and gradually roll down on the floor/mat.
• Bring your elbows wide and slightly lower than your shoulders.
• Engage your core by pushing your low back into the mat.
• Press straight up and you breath out, working the chest muscles.
• Inhale and lower down to the floor.

As you get stronger, you can increase the number of repetitions or dumbbell size or graduate to a push up. Here is a video I did showing How To Do A Push Up

Overall Tips For Success

• Warm up your muscles first to get the blood flowing.
• Proper Form ALWAYS : Emphasize correct form over quantity to prevent injury and maximize effectiveness.   Aim for 6-12 repetitions with the heaviest weight you can do with perfect form 
• Consistency is Key: Aim for regular workouts, even if they’re brief. Short, focused sessions can yield significant results.  Aim to do each of these 2-3 times a week (2 times is perfect)
• REST 1-2 days in between.   Make sure you’re not overly sore before starting the next workout
• Progressive Overload: Gradually increase repetitions, sets, or weights to challenge muscles and promote growth.

Check out this article from Harvard Health on How To Stay Strong and Coordinated As We Age

Bottomline

Strength training for women over 50 doesn’t have to be time-consuming. By incorporating these five efficient strength moves into your routine, even with a busy schedule, you can effectively build muscle strength and improve overall fitness. Prioritize your health by dedicating small pockets of time to these exercises, and experience the transformative benefits they bring to your life.

Start Your Strength Building Journey Today

Ready to embark on your own personalized strength training journey? Strength training is my passion and I have several programs to choose from or get started with our monthly workout calendar where every week we are working on building strength because I know it is the secret to longevity. Learn more by joining Be Healthy Enough – a platform curated for women over 50.

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