The Best Workouts For Different Age Groups To Stay Fit & Healthy

No matter what your age, making the effort to exercise can have long-term health benefits. And it’s never too late to get off the sofa and start getting fitter. You can maximise the benefits by choosing workouts best for your age.

Studies show regular exercise reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke by 35%, diabetes by 50% and both bowel and breast cancers by around 25%.

LATE TEENS AND 20s: THIS IS THE TIME FOR WEIGHT TRAINING

Most people reach their peak bone mass between 25 and 30 — so this is the time to focus on high-impact weight-bearing activities that will build the bone-bank needed to minimise the risk of brittle bones in later life. Activities such as weight training and skipping — which stress the bones with additional weight, or impact — are the best way to build bone density. Studies show that investment at this stage of life has a profound impact on what happens in your 50s and 60s. For maximum aerobic benefits, you should aim to work at a pace where you can’t quite maintain a conversation. Support these activities with a diet that is rich in bone-building Vitamin D and calcium.

30S AND 40S: FOCUS ON BOOSTING STAMINA AND STRENGTH

This is the time for everyone to work on stamina and strength. Focusing on activities to boost stamina slows the loss of muscle mass, which begins in our early 30s. As muscle burns more calories than fat, this decline makes it harder to maintain a healthy weight.