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After reaching 40, your body naturally begins to lose muscle mass more quickly. This process, called sarcopenia, can diminish strength, slow metabolism, and hinder mobility if not actively addressed. The good news is that targeted strength training doesn’t just stop this decline; it can actually rebuild lean muscle and keep your body functioning optimally.
Standing exercises offer an ideal solution. They challenge your muscles while also keeping your core engaged, balance steady, and posture strong. Unlike machines or seated movements, standing strength exercises directly translate to real-life activities, such as lifting and carrying, or climbing stairs with ease.
This set of six standing exercises makes up a comprehensive program for maintaining strength and stability as you age. They target every major muscle group, increase calorie burn, and reinforce everyday movement patterns. By doing them consistently, you’ll notice improvements in both your power and endurance within just 30 days.
6 Standing Exercises to Stop Muscle Loss After 40
Standing Dumbbell Curl to Press
This two-in-one move builds biceps, shoulders, and triceps while engaging your core. The curl strengthens your pulling power, while the press develops overhead strength, two functions essential for daily life. Combining them elevates your heart rate and maximizes efficiency, making it a smart choice for men and women looking to fight muscle loss.
How to Do It:
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, dumbbells at your sides.
- Curl the weights up to shoulder height, palms facing you.
- Rotate wrists outward, then press weights overhead until arms are straight.
- Lower slowly and repeat for 8–12 reps.
Standing Split Squat
Split squats build unilateral leg strength, balance, and stability, targeting the quads, glutes, and hamstrings. Training one leg at a time evens out strength imbalances and keeps your knees and hips resilient. The upright position also forces your core to stabilize, reinforcing posture and preventing lower-back strain.
How to Do It:
- Stand in a staggered stance with one foot forward and one back.
- Lower into a controlled lunge, keeping your chest tall.
- Press through your front heel to return to standing.
- Perform 8–10 reps per side.
Standing Lateral Raise to Front Raise
This shoulder-focused combo ensures complete upper-arm development while firing up your core for stability. Training the shoulders from multiple angles builds strength and endurance, helping you maintain joint health and upper-body shape. The controlled lifting also challenges smaller stabilizer muscles that often weaken with age.
How to Do It:
- Hold dumbbells at your sides with a slight bend in your elbows.
- Lift weights out to the sides to shoulder height, then lower.
- Immediately lift them forward to shoulder height, then lower again.
- Alternate for 10–12 total reps.
Standing Romanian Deadlift
Romanian deadlifts strengthen the posterior chain: hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. This plays a major role in preventing muscle loss and keeping your body powerful. Standing hinging patterns also reinforce hip mobility, reducing stiffness and protecting your spine. This move keeps your lower body strong and your posture upright.
How to Do It:
- Stand with feet hip-width apart, dumbbells or barbell in front of thighs.
- Hinge at the hips, lowering the weights along your legs while keeping your back flat.
- Stop just below the knees or mid-shin.
- Drive through your hips to return to standing and repeat for 8–12 reps.
Standing Overhead Triceps Extension
Overhead extensions strengthen the backs of your arms and stabilize the shoulders, two areas that often weaken with age. The standing stance keeps your abs and lower back active, turning this isolation exercise into a mini full-body challenge. Building triceps strength also supports pushing movements and protects elbow joints.
How to Do It:
- Stand tall with feet hip-width apart, holding one dumbbell overhead with both hands.
- Lower the weight behind your head by bending your elbows.
- Extend arms fully back overhead, squeezing the triceps at the top.
- Perform 10–12 reps.
Standing Side-to-Side Chop
This dynamic move targets your obliques, shoulders, and hips while challenging coordination and stability. Rotational strength often declines with age, but training it helps protect your spine and improve athleticism. The chopping motion mimics real-life twisting patterns, keeping your core resilient and strong.
How to Do It:
- Hold one dumbbell or medicine ball with both hands at chest level.
- Rotate your torso to one side and bring the weight across your body in a chopping motion.
- Return to center, then rotate to the opposite side.
- Perform 10–12 reps per side.
Looking for more easy ways to lose fat? Here’s How Long Your Walking Workout Should Be To Shrink Belly Fat.
Tyler Read, BSc, CPT
