Age-specific exercises help achieve your fitness goals safely. Here's why

As muscle and bone strength decline after 45, experts say adults should modify their workouts.

While exercises and physical activities lead one to a healthier life, one must adapt their fitness routine to their physical realities, as they age, to prevent unnecessary injuries. According to a report by The Guardian, understanding how age affects muscle mass and bone strength can help individuals achieve their fitness goals safely.

Why you should change your exercise routine as you age to stay strong(Unsplash)

After 45, we lose critical muscle mass

Dr Emily Finkelstein, a geriatrician at Weill Cornell Medicine, says we need to understand that our muscle mass and performance peak in our mid-30s. After that, they start to “naturally decline.”

And since after the age of 45, we start to lose critical muscle mass, Finkelstein advises that we become “flexible in terms of what we’re doing and expecting of ourselves”.

According to The Guardian, reduced bone density can make us more susceptible to stress fractures brought on by stress and repetitive actions. Dr Rosanne Leipzig says people need to realize that “ageing begins at birth, and your abilities are definitely going to change”

Leipzig, who is a professor of geriatrics, says we reach a maximum for our muscle mass and bone strength in our 30s. “And everything starts to decline after that,” she adds.

Flexibility is part of healthy ageing

You cannot force a 50-year-old body to function like it did when you were in your 30s. Therefore, Finkelstein says we must “change our expectations” and how we exercise as we get older.

“One of the best things we can do for our own healthy ageing is to be flexible and adaptable,” Finkelstein emphasized.

Adapt to avoid injuries

Regular self-monitoring and evaluation of how our bodies feel during and after workouts, as well as seeking advice from a qualified medical professional when we begin to notice any signs or symptoms of an encroaching problem, such as pain or discomfort, could be part of a healthy adaptive approach to exercise as we age.

Since the risk of injury naturally rises as we age, we must adapt and exercise accordingly to prevent unnecessary injuries. Dr Melissa Leber, associate professor of orthopedics and emergency medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine, says:

“Some people are really good at adjusting, and they’re comfortable with their bodies changing,” Leber said. “Others go hardcore. I’ve seen some patients who don’t even want a day off,” she adds.

Leber says one must not avoid strength training. “The stronger you are, the more you will avoid injury and falls,” she says.

Leber generally suggests that a person in their 50s should dedicate 50% of their overall exercise time to cardio and 50% to strength training. That measure should be 40% cardio and 60% strength by the age of 60. Cardio should only make up 30% of an exercise regimen by the age of 70.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.