Once you reach your 40s, maximizing the efficiency of your workouts becomes more crucial than simply focusing on their length. As Karen Ann Canham, the CEO and founder of Karen Ann Wellness, points out, extended workout sessions can strain your joints, raise cortisol levels, and slow down recovery. Instead, a swift and effective standing routine that prioritizes compound movements can deliver significant metabolic and strength advantages in just a few minutes. Canham outlines an eight-minute standing workout routine that can build more strength than an hour-long session at the gym.

Standing compound movements are designed to engage your core, stabilizers, and major muscle groups simultaneously. This approach enhances balance, increases neuromuscular activation, and boosts coordination—all crucial for maintaining a healthy and long life.

“In your 40s, recovery from exercise slows down due to hormonal changes, decreased growth hormone, and age-related muscle loss, known as sarcopenia,” Canham elaborates. “The body needs more rest between high-intensity workouts, yet strength training remains essential. Shorter, smarter routines that emphasize quality over quantity facilitate adaptation without the risk of overtraining.”

Warm-Up: 1 Minute

The 8-Minute Standing Strength Workout To Do After 40

Warm-Up: 1 Minute6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

1. March in place while performing arm swings for 1 minute.

Workout: 7-Minute Circuit Style (2x)

Dumbbell Squat to Press

1. Stand tall, feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level, palms facing inward.
3. Bend your knees and press your hips back to lower into a squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
4. Drive through your heels, exploding out of the squat as you extend your legs and press the dumbbells overhead in a smooth motion.
5. Lower the weights to shoulder height.
6. Return to a squat.
7. Complete 10 to 12 reps.

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Reverse Lunge With Bicep Curl

1. Stand tall, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Step back into a reverse lunge.
3. Curl the dumbbells up toward your chest as you rise up.
4. Alternate legs, completing 8 to 10 reps per side.

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Standing Side Crunch

1. Begin standing tall with your hands behind your head.
2. Lift your left knee up toward your left elbow, crunching through the waist.
3. Alternate sides, performing 10 to 12 reps per side.

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Good Morning to Row

1. Stand tall, feet hip-width apart.
2. Place your hands behind your head.
3. Press your hips back while maintaining a tall chest.
4. As you hinge forward, feel a solid stretch in your hamstrings.
5. Activate your hamstrings and glutes to drive your hips forward.
6. Pull your elbows back into a row.
7. Perform 10 to 12 reps.

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Standing Calf Raise With Shoulder Lateral Lift

1. Stand tall, feet hip-width apart, holding an optional dumbbell in each hand.
2. Rise onto the balls of your feet while lifting your arms out to the side.
3. Hold for a moment at the top, then lower.
4. Keep your core activated throughout for balance.
5. Complete 12 to 15 reps.