The Best Anti-Aging Exercises for Women

By | October 19, 2023
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It turns out the phrase “age is just a number” is true according to science. The evidence is stacking up that everyone has the power to slow down the aging process, and perhaps even reverse it to a degree.

We humans tend to prefer quick fixes. That’s why the supplement and cosmetic industries rake in billions every year. However, one of the best ways to look and feel younger than our age suggests requires our time and effort rather than our wallet.

Simply put, regular exercise is as close to the fountain of youth as women can get.

Chromosomes called telomeres, or the end caps of chromosomes, provide the best indication we know of a person’s biological age. That means how long you’ve been alive and how much you’ve aged are indeed two separate matters.

Research by Brigham Young University found that people who exercise regularly and with high intensity have longer telomeres than people who are sedentary or mildly active. They discovered that those who ran 30 to 40 minutes at high intensity five days a week were biologically about nine years younger than people who didn’t exercise.

Workout Strategy for Longevity

Personal trainers often state that cardio is for longevity and weight training is for quality of life. As age, we lose muscle mass unless we work hard to counteract this phenomenon. Thus, the best anti-aging workout will mix cardio, exercises, and weight training.

It’s important to remember that the most important factors are consistency and high intensity. To gain the best results, you need to be dedicated. And the best way to do this is to form healthy habits. You want to reach the point where exercise is part of your daily routine, just as automatic as having lunch.

Atomic Habits by James Clear is a great way to learn about how habits are formed, and how to master building lasting habits. If you use proven strategies rather than wing it, you’re much more likely to reach your fitness goals.

Cardio is Key

Cardio has anti-aging benefits at the cellular level. So, whether you enjoy biking or hiking, you’re working towards healthy aging. The most important factor is that you stick with it. So, choose what suits you, not what you think might be the most effective route.

One great thing about cardio is it’s simple to execute. You don’t need to remember a list of exercises or have any special equipment. And since starting can be the biggest hurdle on certain days, that’s a big plus.

Great, now let’s look at the top cardio options for women with the goals of looking good, and being full of youthful vigor:

  • Running
  • Bicycling
  • Swimming
  • Jump rope
  • Elliptical or stair-climbing machines
  • Classes that are high-intensity such as kickboxing and step aerobics
  • Hiking
  • Dance

Weight Training

After age 30, women start to lose muscle each passing year if they don’t do something about it.

Weigh training counteracts the loss of muscle mass as you age. It builds bone density making you less prone to injury. That’s the tip of the iceberg in terms of the benefits, but the point is weight training is an essential component of any anti-aging workout program you design for yourself.

Most women want toned muscles but don’t want to bulk up. It’s actually a myth that weight training will lead to a “bulky” body with typical exercise.

Anti-Aging Workout for Women

Now that we’ve covered the groundwork let’s dive into the reason you’re here: anti-aging exercises.

Here are the workout instructions:

  • Perform each exercise between 10 and 15 repetitions
  • Complete all the exercises in the circuit then repeat the circuit once more. In between circuits, take a short break of a minute or two.

Basic Squats

  1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, with toes facing forward.
  2. Bend your knees like you would when moving to sit on a chair.
  3. Once you’ve reached the bottom of the squat, hold that position for a second or two, then rise up so that you’re in the position you started at.

Lunges

  1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, with toes facing forward.
  2. Take a big step forward with one leg while bending your knee with the back leg as well until it’s close to the ground.
  3. Use your front foot to push your body up to the starting position, and then repeat the process with the other side.

Standing Calf Raise

  1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, with toes facing forward.
  2. Use your toes to slowly raise your heels, getting them high off the floor.
  3. Pause and lower your heels so they touch the floor again.

Planks

  1. Begin facing down with your forearms and toes touching the floor. Make sure your elbows are directly under your shoulders with your forearms facing forward. Your head should be relaxed and facing the floor.
  2. Use your abdominal muscles to keep your position. Keep your torso straight, and avoid arching your back or sagging your hips. Hold this position for at least 10 seconds.

Modified Push Ups

  1. Start facing down and hold your body up with your arms and with your knees touching the floor. Position your hands so that they’re greater than shoulder-width apart.
  2. Bend your elbows slowly and lower your upper body until your chin almost reaches the floor. Ensure that you engage your abdominal muscles throughout.

Reverse Crunches

  1. Lie flat on your back. Your body should be completely straight with your toes pointing upward. Place your hands near each side of your hips.
  2. Bend your knees as needed and slowly raise your legs until your thighs are perpendicular to the floor.
  3. Lower your legs without allowing your lower back to arch and close contact with the floor. Avoid lifting with your neck at any point.

Overhead Presses

You’ll need a set of dumbbells to do this exercise.

  1. Start with a dumbbell in each hand positioned at the shoulders with an overhand grip.
  2. Slowly raise the weights and pause briefly at the top.
  3. Lower the dumbbells so they’re back at the shoulders.

Lateral Raise

You’ll need a resistance band to do this exercise.

  1. Start with your knees slightly bent, with your front foot forward, and your back foot with the heel raised off the floor.
  2. While holding the resistance band, step on the middle of it so it sits under the arch of your foot.
  3. Raise your arms outwards to the sides so your body forms a ‘T’ shape.

Arm Crosses

  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, with toes facing forward. Extend your arms on each side so your entire body looks like a ‘T.’
  2. Swing your arms toward your chest while allowing your hands to cross each other. Then swing your arms back to the starting position.

Bird Dog

  1. Begin facing down with your hands and knees on the floor, much like a dog. Ensure that your hands are under your shoulders and that your knees are under your hips.
  2. Pull up and extend one leg and your arm on the opposite side at the same time.
  3. Hold the extended position for three to five seconds. Repeat the exercise with the opposite side of your body.

Conclusion

As a women’s years advance exercise just keeps getting more and more vital.

By blending the cardio exercise of your choice with the anti-aging workout routine outlined here you can keep your quality of life high while increasing the potential for a long life.

You might have to work up to it, but you ideally want to be putting in at least 30 minutes of exercise five days a week to get the maximum anti-aging benefits.

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