The four-week fitness plan for midlifers
One good thing to come out of the global pandemic is a growing awareness of the importance of exercise, particularly in midlife. Fitness experts have credited regular workouts with boosting immunity, slimming our waistlines (vital in the fight against covid-19) and improving our mental wellbeing in lockdown.
Of course, in 2021 things are going to be slightly different. Under the current national lockdown restrictions, gyms are closed meaning we will once again be turning to home workouts. But, as we learnt last time, you don't need an expensive gym membership of fancy equipment to get fit.
Dean Hodgkin, 57, is a personal trainer and a head of programming at fitness and wellness community app TRUCONNECT by TV.FIT. He believes that regular training, through a mixture of cardio and strength exercises, becomes particularly important as we approach midlife, and beyond.
“As we age, we experience more sarcopenia which is age-related muscle loss. So if you don't do resistance training, you are going to lose muscle,” he says. He adds that bone mineral density reduces with ages too, leading to a greater chance of osteoporosis, which can also be offset with lifting weights.
Hodgkin has recently started a new series called Silver Sessions, which are available on the app. The series of full body exercises - made up of cardio and strength training - are targeted towards preventing muscle loss, improving balance and encouraging “bone loading” - when stress is deliberately placed on the bones. Hodgkin has exclusively shared a 4 week fitness plan with the Telegraph for midlifers looking to get in shape.
“All the exercises can be done in the home, and you don’t need any fancy equipment,” he says. Hodgkin's workouts, which work the arms, buttocks, legs, chest and tummy, are focused on progress, with each exercise gradually becoming slightly more challenging each week.
“Progress is key to my training regimes. All too often, people start a workout, enjoy it and don’t challenge themselves to something a bit harder - but that is how you get results,” he says.
Here is Hodgkin’s four week fitness plan to see you through the next four weeks.
Workout Schedule
Always warm-up with 5-10 minutes of gentle mobilising exercises, rotating the joints, knee lifts, arm circles and brisk walking on the spot.
A cool-down is important to avoid dizziness and is achieved by similar exercises to the warm-up. In addition, try stretches for each of the major muscle groups, holding end positions for 20-30 seconds.
Research from the University of New Mexico suggests that to obtain maximum benefit from your workout you should perform your strength exercises first and then immediately follow with cardio.
Aim for 15 repetitions of each exercise (both sides if single) and 10 minutes of cardio. While the exercise regime will vary for everyone, you should aim to complete the workout 3 times per week.
Week one
Strength training
15 x normal squat
Stand with feet hip width apart, feet pointing directly forwards, head up and chest lifted. Bend the knees to lower your body down and push your bottom back, keeping the weight in your heels not toes. Go as low as is comfortable, keeping your abdominals braced, then return to standing position.
Squats are the best exercise you can do for your glutes. They are a functional movement; if you want to maintain any independence into later life, you need to be able to sit down and stand up again.
15 x seated tricep dip on the floor
Sit on the floor, with your hands behind you, and your fingers pointing forwards. Lift you bottom off the floor. Bend the arms, then lower your bottom down, and back up again. These are great for building up strength in your arms. Pushing and pulling are two of our most primal movements, so it’s important we can do them to prevent injury later on in life.
15 x static lunge
Take one foot a stride length in front of the other, rear foot on the ball of the foot and front foot pointing forwards with hips facing square to the front. For balance, split the feet as if standing on rail tracks rather than a tightrope. Bend the front knee to lower the body down and rear knee down towards the floor. Keeping your tummy pulled in and shoulders back, extend the legs to return to the start position.
Lunges are a great way to improve balance and flexibility. We are designed to move dynamically, so by week four you should have built up the lunge so that you are jumping between each movement.
15 x incline press with your hands on sofa and knees on the floor
Kneel in front of the sofa and place the hands on the edge at about shoulder width with arms straight. Keeping the body in alignment, slowly lower the chest towards the sofa by bending both elbows. To return to the start position, push with the hands, keeping the neck relaxed and avoid locking out the arms.
This is an easier take on the classic press up, which works the upper pectorals. In week two, build up to a flat press, with your hands on the floor.
15 x dead bug
Lie on the floor on your back, with your legs bent and your knees lifted directly above hips. Your hands should be extended up to the ceiling directly above your shoulders. Lower your alternate arms to touch floor behind head, ensuring your legs don’t move.
Cardio - Dance
10 minutes
Week one is all about gradually building up your fitness. So put on some up-tempo tracks and dance like crazy - remembering that nobody is watching! You don’t have to be good, but just keep moving and enjoy exploring the fluidity your body can achieve if it is let go.
Try the following either in isolation or mix and match in mini- combos: the twist, mambo to front/side/rear, cha cha, chasse, grapevine, hip thrust, sexy walk, step tap, pivot turn, leap, Charleston, can-can.
Week two
15 x squats, but with a single leg. You can hold a chair for balance
15 x seated tricep dip on floor with one leg raised
15 x rear step lunge. This activates more into the glutes and hamstrings than a forward lunge
15 x flat press up with your hands and knees on floor
15 x dead bug. From same start position as discussed in week one, lower alternate feet to touch the floor, ensuring that your arms don't move
Cardio - Combat
10 minutes
Time to grit your teeth and kick away the calories. Again, technique is not important; it’s just about keeping moving. Be careful not to lock out your elbows and knees, abdominals tight at all times and keep your kicks low. Try to link techniques together if you can.
Ali shuffle, speedball arms, jab, cross, uppercut, hook, elbow to side/up/down, front kick, back kick, side kick, knee-strike, head-butt, chop, etc.
Week three
15 x single leg squat - this time, without holding on to the chair
15 x tricep dip with hands on chair feet on the floor
15 x rear step lunge from box or bottom stair to floor
15 x decline press up with hands on floor knees on sofa
15 x dead bug. From the same start position as previous weeks, lower left arm and right leg to the floor, keeping the other arm and leg still, then alternate
Cardio - Aerobics
10 minutes
With or without music, ensure all impacting work is done through soft landings. Jog on the spot, knee lifts, heel to backside, jumping jacks, spotty dogs, grapevine, easy walk, v-step, pendulum legs, etc.
Week four
15 x single leg squat holding water bottles or food tins
15 x tricep dip with your hands on one chair and feet on another
15 x rear step lunge from box or bottom stair to floor with a jump to switch feet between each repetition
15 x full press up with hands and feet on floor
15 x dead bug. Repeat week 3 exercise, but this time with legs straight and holding a water bottle or food tin in each hand.
Week four - sports drills
10 minutes
Here, there is no equipment necessary; simply mimic the professionals. Run on the spot between each movement pattern and each repetition. Try incorporating a fencers lunge, volleyball dig/set/spike, basketball dribble/jump shot, tennis forehand/backhand/smash, rugby pass/sidestep/line jump, cricket bowl/bat/run, etc.
Dean Hodgkin’s Silver Sessions are available exclusively on fitness and wellness community app TRUCONNECT by TV.FIT
