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Exercise is an excellent way to start any healthy day. After the age of 30, you start to lose lean muscle mass at a rate of 3% to 8% every decade. Regular cardio and resistance training can help maintain your body’s strength, mobility, and resilience over time. We’ve compiled the most essential morning exercises every woman should do to stay youthful after 45.
“As women progress through their 40s and beyond, maintaining strength, mobility, balance, and pelvic health becomes increasingly essential,” notes Stephanie Guasco, a physical therapist at East Jefferson General Hospital, an LCMC affiliate. “A daily morning routine focused on these aspects can help reduce stiffness, enhance posture, support hormonal and bone health, and maintain independence in the long run.”
Indeed, Heather Lachance, owner of Made Possible Personal Training in St. Pete, Florida, describes morning movement after 45 as being akin to “coffee for your joints.” Without it, “things get creaky real fast.”
7 Morning Exercises Women Should Do Daily After 45
You don’t need to dedicate an entire Netflix episode’s worth to morning exercise. Lachance says just 10 to 15 minutes in total is enough to activate your muscles and joints and get your blood flowing.
“This kind of consistent, low-impact movement absolutely helps fight age-related muscle loss,” Lachance explains. “It’s not about doing burpees until you cry, it’s about showing up daily and moving with intention. Your body loves routine (so do your joints).”
Below, Guasco and Lachance outline the best morning exercises for women to do after 45.
Cat-Cow
- Assume a tabletop position on your hands and knees.
- For cow pose, breathe in, drop your belly toward the floor, concave your back, and gaze upward.
- For cat pose, breathe out, round your back, tuck your chin in toward your chest, and tuck your tailbone.
- Do this exercise for 1 full minute with slow breaths.
Glute Bridges
- Lie flat on your back with bent knees and feet hip-width apart on the floor.
- Press through your heels to lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from head to heels.
- Squeeze your buttocks, holding at the top for a moment.
- Lower your hips back to the start position.
- Complete 2 sets of 10 to 15 reps.
Bird-Dog
- Start on all fours.
- Extend your left arm and right leg.
- Hold for a moment before returning to the start position.
- Switch sides.
- Alternate sides for 1 minute each.
Bodyweight Squats
- Stand tall, feet shoulder-width apart on the floor.
- Extend your arms ahead of you or place your hands on your hips.
- Bend at the knees and hips as you lower into a squat.
- Descend until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
- Press through your heels to rise back up to standing.
- Complete 10 to 15 controlled reps.
Arm Circles
- Stand tall, feet hip-width apart.
- Extend both arms at shoulder level.
- Make tiny, controlled circles with your arms, slowly increasing the size.
- Do a minute in each direction.
Wall Pushups
“Wall pushups are a low-impact way to maintain strength in the arms, shoulders, and chest, ideal for joint protection and postural control,” says Guasco.
- Stand tall, arms-length away from a wall.
- Place your hands shoulder-width apart on the surface.
- Bend your elbows to lower your chest toward the wall.
- Press back up.
- Complete 10 to 12 reps.
Planks
“A well-executed plank strengthens the deep core muscles, improves postural endurance, and enhances shoulder and hip stability,” Guasco tells us.
- Assume a forearm plank with your forearms on the floor—elbows under your shoulders—and body straight from head to heels.
- Engage your legs, glutes, and core. Don’t let your hips sag.
- Hold your plank for 20 to 30 seconds, gradually working up.
Looking for more easy ways to lose fat? Here’s How Long Your Walking Workout Should Be To Shrink Belly Fat.
Alexa Mellardo
