If you’ve never had a regular exercise routine, or you haven’t for many years, it can be a daunting prospect to start.
We know it’s good for us, but that doesn’t make it any easier to pull on a pair of leggings.
Whether due to an ongoing injury, a change in life circumstances or a lack of motivation, even the thought of stepping into a gym can break many of us into a sweat.
But according to Malin Svensson, midlife is the perfect time to start moving – regardless of what shape you’re in.
She has spent the past 35 years working with clients over 50, and is a firm believer that movement starts with mindset.
“You have to ask yourself what it means to be ‘old’,” Malin says. “Society has brainwashed us to believe that after 50, it’s all downhill.”
This couldn’t be further from the truth. At 62, the LA-based trainer is the fittest she’s been and says that she has worked out with people in their twenties who are in bad shape and those in their seventies who are in great shape.
“I work out more now than I did in my thirties. I do more strength training in my sixties because I’ve seen what happens when you don’t.”
Beyond how you look, keeping your body in functioning order is paramount as we hit 40 and beyond. With the onset of menopause and lower oestrogen levels, women lose muscle mass as well as the stamina they had in their thirties, which means that incorporating strength training is vital.
“I work out to be able to live to 100 without any aches and pains and to live a life of quality. If you’re in your sixties, how do you picture yourself as an 80 or 90-year-old? If you want to travel and enjoy it and not be pushed around in a wheelchair, think about how you plan to do that.”
Move more to live longer
Countless studies prove it’s worth fitting some movement into your day. Not only can it help stave off chronic health conditions and improve your mood, but it aids longevity.
Researchers from the University of Cambridge found that sedentary adults aged between 40 and 80 who increased their physical activity level to 150 minutes a week were 24 per cent less likely to die than those who remained inactive.
This is what prompted Malin to create Nordic Body, a walking and fitness club for those over 50. Her aim? To make people feel empowered and motivated to exercise, regardless of their age. The program caters to all abilities to meet people where they’re at in terms of fitness.
Among her clients is a 92-year-old woman who started working out in her eighties, and fitness icon Jane Fonda, who at 86 has been training with Malin for over a decade.
“There’s nothing that stops her. She has this incredible drive and purpose.
“In the beginning, it was so surreal. I was starstruck for the first three seconds, but she was so down to earth. I sometimes joke that it’s like the Dalai Lama hiring a spiritual teacher.”
Pinpoint your pain
One of the main reasons many of us stop moving in midlife is due to aches and pains. If you are dealing with an ongoing injury or chronic health condition, it’s unlikely exercise is something you feel like doing. Unless advised by your health care practitioner not to, Malin says exercise can help.
“People often think they have aches and pains because they’re getting older so they can’t exercise because it hurts, but a lot of the time they can. It’s a vicious circle of hurting more and moving less.”
While she acknowledges everyone needs to work at their own capacity, the key is to learn the difference between bad pain and good pain.
“It’s important to be able to differentiate between injury pain and that pain you feel when the muscle is fatigued. You don’t want to feel pain, but you want to feel the burn. Like Jane Fonda used to say, you want to ‘feel the burn’.”
If you’re not sure where to begin, Malin recommends starting with a simple 10-minute stretching routine or a daily walk around your neighbourhood and building up your fitness from there.
“I’ve had people in their nineties start working out with me and feel better. Age is just a chronological number. It’s never too late to start.”
Join the midlife movement club
Sidestep the expensive gym membership and get moving at home. All you need is a bit of space, a yoga mat and a chair.
Single-leg bridge
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. At the highest position of your hips, slowly stretch out one leg in the air keeping both knees and hips level. Engage your buttocks muscles and apply pressure to the heel on the floor. Hold for 30-60 seconds, then slowly lower your hips back down. Repeat on the other side, maintaining a comfortable range of motion.
Squats
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, and toes pointing forward. Use a chair for support if needed. Slowly lower your body down as if you’re about to sit in a chair, keeping your chest up and weight in your heels. Hold your arms straight above your head or out in front of you for balance. Pause briefly, then press through your heels to stand back up. Do 10-15 repetitions.
Calf raises
Stand behind a sturdy chair or countertop for support, with toes facing forward. Lift your heels off the ground, rising onto the balls of your feet as far as is comfortable. Hold briefly at the top, then slowly lower your heels back down. If this is too easy, try single-leg calf raises by keeping one foot slightly off the ground as you go up and down on one leg. Do 10-15 repetitions.
Plank
Begin by kneeling on the floor, then place your forearms on the ground directly under your shoulders with your hands clasped together. Extend your legs behind you, keeping your knees on the ground for support. If this is easy, lift your knees so your weight is on your toes. Hold this position for 30-60 seconds, ensuring your body forms a straight line from your head to your knees or heels. Then, gently release back down to the ground.
Bridge
Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor hip-width apart and arms relaxed by your sides with palms facing up. Tilt your pelvis back and forth and settle in a neutral position between a flat back and arched. Gently raise your hips towards the ceiling while keeping your arms and shoulders relaxed on the ground for support. Hold this position for 30-60 seconds, focusing on engaging your stomach and buttock muscles, then slowly lower your hips back down.
Side plank
Lie on your side with your knees bent and stacked on top of each other. Prop yourself up on your bottom forearm, ensuring your elbow is directly beneath your shoulder. Lift your hips off the ground slightly, engaging your core muscles for support. Reach with the opposite arm to the ceiling. If this is too easy, straighten the legs and stack the feet on top of each other. Hold the position for 30-60 seconds, then switch to the other side.
