Exercises for in Your 40s

It's always important to take care of your body and stay physically active. After the age of 30, on average you lose one-half pound of muscle a year, which leaves you feeling weak and depleted of energy -- with a loss of muscle definition and a gain of body fat. A workout consisting of targeted muscle-building exercises and fat-burning cardio will help prevent a decline in your metabolism and keep you strong and sculpted, even in your forties.

  1. Cardio is Key

    • Don't try to spot reduce from one area such as your abdomen or arms -- the spot reduction technique is nothing more than a myth. To lose body fat, you need to incorporate full-body cardio into your total workout plan. Brisk walking, jogging, cycling, rowing, jumping rope and jumping jacks are all examples of effective cardio exercises you can do in your forties to keep your body fat percentage low and your metabolism high.

    Dumbbell Kickback for Toned Triceps

    • The dumbbell kickback is one of the most effective exercises for the upper arms, working your triceps muscles, but also the deltoid muscles in your shoulders and the trapezius muscle in your back. Kneel on a weight bench, resting on your right palm and the front of your right lower leg. Keep your left leg straight, foot flat on the floor, so your left leg is positioned slightly further back than your right knee. Bend your left arm on a 90-degree angle to the floor, keeping your upper arm aligned with your back and your back straight, your hand grasping a dumbbell with your palm facing in. Keeping the rest of your body rigid, extend your left arm back until it's completely straight, then lower it back down for one rep.

    Squat it Out with a Barbell

    • The barbell squat is one of the most effective strength-training exercises, because it targets nearly all of the muscles in your body. That includes the quadriceps and hamstrings in your thighs, calf muscles, and the rectus abdominis and oblique muscles. Start in a standing position with your feet about hip-width apart, back straight, holding a barbell so it's resting at the back of your shoulders. Squat down as far as you can without straining. Try to keep your knees aligned with your toes and avoid arching your back. Stand back up for one rep.

    Lunge Down for Strong Legs

    • The lunge is an essential exercise for building muscle, working your quads, hamstrings and calves, and it also helps to build strength in your abs and core. Stand straight with your feet about shoulder-width apart, then lunge forward with your left leg, lowering down without arching your back, until your right knee nearly touches the floor. Return to your starting position, then repeat on the other leg. Add dumbbells to increase resistance and maximize the benefits of this exercise.

    Schedule Your Workout Time

    • Scheduling your exercises is essential, so you can plan ahead and keep up with your workouts. At age 40 on, fat storage is more common and harder to get rid of, so aim to include at least three to five sessions lasting between 45 and 60 minutes during the week to fight fat and help show off those muscles underneath. Do your strength-training workout at least three times a week, completing three sets of 12 reps of each exercise, or two sets of 20 reps for alternating exercises such as the lying hip adduction. Aim to work your upper and lower body with resistance exercises on alternating days, to give your muscles time to rest in between workouts.

    Keep it Safe

    • Taking on too much weight at once with your strength-training exercises is not going to help you get fit faster. Instead, you're minimizing the results of your workout and increasing the risk of injury. Take on a manageable weight you can handle without straining, but which is still enough to create resistance so you're challenging yourself. When you can complete a set of 12 reps of any exercise, safely increase the amount of weight by adding weight that is no more than 5 to 10 percent more than your current weight.