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Working Out After 50: How to Build Muscle

In this article, I share exactly how I recommend women over 50 approach exercise so they can build and maintain muscle, protect bone density and support long-term health. I explain why strength training becomes even more important at this stage of life, outline the most effective types of workouts to prioritize and cover key safety considerations to keep in mind. This post is written specifically for women 50+ who value functional strength, longevity and feeling capable in their bodies over chasing fitness trends.

Quick Links:

• Why Exercise Matters After 50
• Best Exercises to Incorporate
• Ideal Workouts
• Tips for Success
• FAQs

Why Exercise Matters After 50

If you’re over 50 and wondering how you should be working out at this stage of life, I want you to know something first: your body is not “past its prime.” It’s simply in a different phase, and that phase requires intention, strategy and strength.

Exercise at this stage in your life is about protecting, strengthening and future-proofing yourself (regardless of your current fitness level).

After 50, hormonal changes – especially the decline in estrogen – accelerate muscle loss, decrease bone density and increase the risk of metabolic changes. Muscle mass naturally declines with age (a process called sarcopenia), and without resistance training, that decline speeds up significantly.

I don’t say that to scare you. I say it because this is empowering: muscle loss is not inevitable at a rapid rate if you train for it. A solid exercise program has a variety of health benefits.

Regular exercise after 50 can:

• Preserve and build lean muscle mass
• Improve bone density and reduce the risk of osteoporosis
• Support joint stability and reduce aches and pain
• Improve insulin sensitivity and blood sugar regulation
• Boost metabolism and help maintain a healthy body composition
• Improve balance and reduce risk of falls
• Support heart health and circulation (reducing your risk of heart disease and high blood pressure)
• Enhance cognitive function and reduce the risk of dementia
• Improve mood and reduce anxiety and depression
• Increase energy levels
• Support independence as you age

I truly believe strength training (weightlifting) is one of the most powerful anti-aging tools available.

Best Exercises to Incorporate

• Squats: These are a foundational exercise that translates to everyday life. Sitting down and standing up safely requires lower-body strength. Squats strengthen the glutes, quads and core while also supporting bone density in the hips and spine.
• Deadlifts or Hip Hinges: Hip hinge patterns strengthen the posterior chain (glutes, hamstrings and lower back). These muscles protect the spine and make lifting groceries, laundry baskets or grandchildren safer and easier.
• Step-Ups: This exercise improves single-leg strength and balance. Stair climbing is a real-life movement, and training it intentionally reduces fall risk and builds hip stability.
• Lunges or Split Squats: These moves challenge balance, coordination and unilateral strength. Training 1 leg at a time helps address imbalances and strengthens stabilizing muscles around the hips and knees. If squats or lunges are uncomfortable for your knees, try working up to them with substitutions and modifications.
• Glute Bridges or Hip Thrusts: Strong glutes support the lower back, improve posture and reduce knee strain. They are foundational for long-term mobility.
• Rows: This exercise strengthens the upper back and improves posture. Many women over 50 experience forward-rounded shoulders, and rowing movements counteract that pattern while protecting shoulder health.
• Chest Press: A chest press will help you maintain upper-body pushing strength. This movement supports daily activities like pushing doors, getting up from the floor and maintaining balanced shoulder strength.
• Overhead Press: Reaching overhead is a functional necessity. This movement supports shoulder mobility and strength while helping maintain bone density in the upper spine.
• Push-Ups: While challenging, push-ups offer an excellent, low-impact way to combat muscle loss, enhance upper-body strength and support joint health – especially when you don’t have access to weights.
• Farmer’s Carries: I love loaded carries. Holding weight while walking strengthens the core, grip, shoulders and hips all at once. Carrying also builds real-world strength that translates directly into daily life.
• Planks (and Other Core Stability Exercises): These build deep core stability, not just surface-level abdominal strength. A strong core protects the spine and improves balance.
• Bird Dogs or Dead Bugs: These deep core movements reinforce controlled spinal stability. They teach the body how to move the limbs while keeping the core engaged, which is critical for injury prevention.
• Single-Leg Balance Work: I intentionally program balance work because fall risk increases with age. Training balance improves joint stability, coordination and confidence in movement.
• Incline Walking or Brisk Walking: I encourage regular walking because it supports cardiovascular health while remaining joint-friendly. Incline walking, in particular, strengthens the lower body and supports bone health.

Ideal Workouts

As a personal trainer, when I structure workouts for women over 50, I focus on 4 key categories: aerobic exercise, strength training, functional movement and core plus mobility work. Each one plays a specific role in supporting heart health, preserving muscle and bone, improving balance and maintaining the strength and freedom to move well for decades to come. Ultimately, incorporating different types of exercise targeting all of your major muscle groups will be best.

Aerobic Exercise

Cardio matters at any age, especially for heart health. I recommend that you aim for 150-160 minutes per week of low to moderate-intensity aerobic exercise. I prefer lower-impact exercises that will get your heart rate up while being joint-friendly: walking (especially incline walking), cycling, swimming, rowing and elliptical are all great options. Keep in mind that cardio should support your strength training, not replace it.

Workouts to try:

• 10-Minute Low-Impact HIIT
• 10-Minute Beginner Cardio
• 15-Minute Bodyweight Cardio
• 15-Minute Standing Cardio
• 15-Minute Beginner HIIT Workout
• 15-Minute Standing Cardio
• 35-Minute Low Impact Cardio

Strength Training 

Lifting weights is a non-negotiable in my opinion. It helps combat muscle loss, strengthens bones, supports metabolism and protects joints. I encourage focusing on compound movements that train multiple muscle groups at once: squats, deadlifts, rows, chest presses, overhead presses, lunges, step-ups and core stability exercises are some of the best strength training exercises you can do.

Muscle does not disappear because of age alone – it disappears from lack of stimulus. That means that the key is progressive overload, or gradually challenging your muscles over time. That might mean increasing weight, adding reps or improving control and tempo.

Workouts to try:

• 20-Minute Standing Full-Body Dumbbell Workout
• 20-Minute Full Body Strength
• 25-Minute Full-Body Dumbbell Workout
• 30-Minute Full-Body Strength
• 35-Minute Strength Building Workout
• 35-Minute Full Body Dumbbell Workout

Functional Movement 

Functional movements that support real life should also be a priority. You have to train movements that support the things you do every day, such as carrying groceries, getting up from the floor, climbing stairs, reaching overhead and rotating safely.

Farmer’s carries, step-ups, rotational core work and single-leg balance exercises are valuable.

Workouts to try:

• 20-Minute Full-Body Functional Strength Training
• 20-Minute Full-Body Functional Training
• 20-Minute Full-Body Strength and Abs
• 35-Minute Full Body Unilateral Strength
• 35-Minute Full Body Strength and Abs

Core and Mobility 

Both core training and mobility work are important in keeping you strong and capable. As a whole, the core supports nearly every movement you do. A strong core improves your posture, protects your spine, reduces risk of injury and helps you move with more power and control in your daily life.

Mobility is also crucial because recovery becomes increasingly important after 50. I recommend: daily mobility work (hips, shoulders, thoracic spine), gentle stretching after workouts, prioritizing sleep and managing stress.

Workouts to try:

• 5-Minute Thoracic Mobility 
• 8-Minute Hip Mobility
• 8-Minute Lower Back Relief
• 10-Minute Deep Core Workout
• 10-Minute Standing Mobility and Recovery
• 10-Minute Active Recovery Yoga
• 15-Minute Full-Body Mobility
• 15-Minute Beginner Pilates

Tips for Success

Training after 50 is a powerful tool, but you also need to be smart about how you train. Here’s what I personally recommend:

• Focus on form before load. Quality movement always comes first.
• Warm up properly. 5-10 minutes of dynamic movement can make a major difference.
• Respect recovery. Soreness is not a badge of honor.
• Prioritize protein intake to support muscle repair and growth.
• Avoid drastically under-eating. Under-fueling makes muscle maintenance harder.
• Progress gradually. Tendons and ligaments adapt more slowly than muscles.
• Address joint pain early rather than pushing through it.
• Get medical clearance if returning after a long break or managing chronic conditions.

This is not the time to train as you did at 25, and that’s completely fine. It’s the time to train with intelligence and purpose.

FAQs

Regular, Daily Movement Is Essential

Exercise becomes even more important after 50 because hormonal changes impact muscle and bone health. Strength training, aerobic exercise, functional movement and core plus mobility work should all be included in your exercise routine to support bone density, balance, metabolism and long-term independence.

At the end of the day, the goal is to train for strength, resilience and longevity. Regular physical activity is one of the most powerful investments anyone can make in overall health, energy and quality of life, no matter their age. It’s never too late to build strength.

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