Top 12 Exercises That Help Women Over 40 Stay Lean and Strong

Body changes after 40 affect strength, energy, metabolism, and muscle tone. Women who stay active during this stage can protect their bones, preserve lean mass, and increase endurance.

Nutrition, sleep, and stress levels also play a role in how the body responds, but nothing replaces consistent physical movement.

Daily habits matter more than prescriptions. Structured exercises designed for women over 40 can deliver results by improving body mechanics, muscle activation, and calorie use.

This guide provides a practical list of 15 exercises.

1. Barbell Hip Thrust Builds Glute Strength and Protects the Lower Back

Barbell hip thrust is one of the most effective movements for glute activation. Strong glutes support lower back health, improve posture, and help stabilize the hips.

For women over 40, this is a critical movement to prevent muscle loss and reduce pressure on the spine.

Instructions:

• Sit on the ground with your upper back resting on a bench.
• Roll a padded barbell over your hips until it sits on your lap.
• Bend your knees and plant your feet firmly on the floor.
• Keep your chin tucked and drive through your heels to lift your hips upward.
• At the top, form a straight line from shoulders to knees and squeeze your glutes.
• Lower your hips slowly back down without resting on the floor.
• Complete 3 sets of 10–12 repetitions.

2. Dumbbell Lunges Strengthen the Legs and Improve Stability

For women over 40, lunges also protect the knees and help maintain functional movement patterns for everyday tasks.

Instructions:

• Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides with arms straight.
• Step forward with your right leg and lower your body until your front knee is at a 90-degree angle.
• Keep your torso upright and avoid letting your front knee go past your toes.
• Push through your right heel to return to the starting position.
• Alternate legs and repeat.
• Perform 3 sets of 8–10 repetitions per leg.

3. Push-Ups Develop Upper Body Strength and Support Shoulder Health

Push-ups target the chest, shoulders, triceps, and core. They help women over 40 build upper body power, maintain muscle mass, and reinforce shoulder stability.

Proper form prevents joint strain and increases overall control over bodyweight movements.

Instructions:

• Begin in a high plank position with hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
• Keep your body in a straight line from head to heels.
• Lower your chest toward the floor by bending your elbows.
• Stop when your chest is about an inch above the ground, then push back up.
• For a modified version, place your knees on the floor.
• Do 3 sets of 10–15 repetitions, depending on ability.

4. Deadlifts Activate the Entire Posterior Chain for Full-Body Power

Deadlifts are essential for building total-body strength. They work the glutes, hamstrings, lower back, upper back, and grip.

For women over 40, deadlifts help prevent muscle loss, increase bone density, and support safe lifting mechanics in daily life.

Instructions:

• Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and a barbell over your midfoot.
• Bend at your hips and knees to grip the bar with both hands.
• Keep your chest up, back flat, and engage your core.
• Drive through your heels to lift the bar by extending your hips and knees.
• At the top, stand tall with shoulders back, then lower the bar slowly to the ground.
• Start with lighter weight and perform 3 sets of 6–8 repetitions.

5. Planks Strengthen the Core and Improve Spinal Alignment

Planks train the entire core, including the deep abdominal muscles that support the spine. A strong core improves balance, posture, and stability.

For women over 40, planks reduce the risk of back pain and increase body control during daily activities.

Instructions:

• Begin on the floor with your elbows directly under your shoulders and forearms flat.
• Extend your legs behind you and balance on your toes.
• Keep your body in a straight line from head to heels.
• Engage your core, squeeze your glutes, and hold the position.
• Avoid letting your hips sag or rise too high.
• Hold for 30–60 seconds. Complete 3 sets with a short rest between.

6. Resistance Band Rows Build Upper Back Strength and Improve Posture

Resistance band rows target the rhomboids, lats, and rear deltoids. These muscles pull the shoulders back and keep the spine aligned.

For women over 40, strengthening the upper back helps reduce rounded posture and maintain mobility in the shoulders and neck.

Hormonal changes can contribute to muscle weakening and postural shifts, which is why some women use estrogen therapy like Winona to help manage symptoms during this stage.

But physical activity remains essential for lasting results.

Instructions:

• Sit on the floor with your legs extended straight in front of you.
• Wrap a resistance band around your feet and hold one end in each hand.
• Sit tall with your chest up and shoulders relaxed.
• Pull the band toward your torso by bending your elbows and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
• Slowly release to the starting position with control.
• Perform 3 sets of 12–15 repetitions.

7. Shoulder Presses Strengthen Deltoids and Support Overhead Mobility

@aichasaesthetic Replying to @aletseyhinojosa HOW TO FIX UR OVERHEAD PRESS (whilst also acheving an amazing set of delts 😏) save this for your next delt day and get those bad boiiiiis popppin okurrr 💃🏽 #howtooverheadpress #overheadpress #overheadpresses #exerciseeducation #growdelts #delttraining #aefitness #onlinefitnesscoaching ♬ Hip Hop Background(814204) – Pavel

Shoulder presses build muscle in the deltoids and triceps. These muscles help with overhead movements, lifting objects, and stabilizing the upper body.

For women over 40, strong shoulders prevent fatigue and reduce strain during everyday tasks.

Instructions:

• Stand or sit with a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height.
• Keep your elbows under your wrists and palms facing forward.
• Press both dumbbells overhead until your arms are fully extended.
• Avoid arching your back by bracing your core.
• Lower the weights back to shoulder height with control.
• Complete 3 sets of 8–10 repetitions.

8. Glute Bridges Strengthen the Hips and Ease Lower Back Tension

Glute bridges activate the glutes, hamstrings, and core. This simple movement builds hip strength and releases tension in the lower back.

For women over 40, glute bridges help restore pelvic control and improve alignment when walking or standing.

Instructions:

• Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
• Place your arms at your sides with palms facing down.
• Press through your heels to lift your hips off the ground.
• Squeeze your glutes at the top and pause briefly.
• Lower your hips slowly back to the floor without relaxing completely.
• Perform 3 sets of 12–15 repetitions.

9. Bird-Dogs Improve Core Coordination and Enhance Spinal Stability

🦅 Bird Dog: Because Balance is Harder Than It Looks! 🐶

Looks easy… until you’re wobbling like a newborn giraffe. 🦒😂 The Alternate Arm & Leg Extension (aka Bird Dog) is a core and stability game-changer—but only if you do it right!

🚀 Key checks:
✅ Hips level—no accidental… pic.twitter.com/y6G7yl95aK

— TRAINFITNESS (@trainfitnessint) March 17, 2025

Bird-dogs teach the body to move the limbs without shifting the spine. This exercise develops control in the core, back, and hips.

For women over 40, bird-dogs help reduce the risk of lower back injury and improve coordination across both sides of the body.

Instructions:

• Start on all fours with your hands under shoulders and knees under hips.
• Extend your right arm forward and your left leg back at the same time.
• Keep your back flat and hips level as you reach.
• Pause, then return to the starting position.
• Alternate sides and repeat.
• Do 3 sets of 10–12 repetitions per side.

10. Supermans Strengthen the Lower Back and Activate the Glutes

Superman exercises target the erector spinae muscles and glutes. This movement supports spinal health, improves posture, and enhances balance.

For women over 40, Supermans provide a bodyweight option to reinforce the back without equipment.

Instructions:

• Lie face down on a mat with arms extended forward and legs straight.
• Squeeze your glutes and lower back muscles to lift your arms, chest, and legs off the ground.
• Hold for a second at the top, then lower with control.
• Keep your neck in a neutral position to avoid strain.
• Complete 3 sets of 10–12 repetitions.

11. Step-Ups Strengthen Legs and Enhance Balance on Each Side

For women over 40, step-ups help prevent muscle imbalance and support knee health during everyday climbing or walking.

Instructions:

• Stand facing a sturdy bench or step that reaches knee height.
• Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
• Place your right foot on the step and push through your heel to lift your body up.
• Bring your left foot to meet your right at the top.
• Step back down with your left foot, then the right.
• Complete 8–10 repetitions per leg for 3 sets.

12. Russian Twists Build Rotational Core Strength and Support Oblique Activation

Russian twists engage the entire abdominal wall, especially the obliques. This movement builds rotational power and improves core control.

For women over 40, it strengthens the torso and supports daily movements like reaching or turning.

Instructions:

• Sit on the floor with knees bent and feet slightly elevated.
• Hold a weight or medicine ball with both hands at chest level.
• Lean back slightly to engage your core and maintain a neutral spine.
• Twist your torso to the right and bring the weight beside your hip.
• Return to center, then twist to the left side.
• Perform 3 sets of 16–20 total twists (8–10 each side).

Last Words

Staying strong after 40 demands more than general activity. Specific, targeted exercises support lean muscle, protect the joints, and improve body control.

Every movement listed above serves a clear purpose and addresses key needs for women in this stage of life. Muscle tone, posture, balance, and power all depend on deliberate training choices.

Adding any of these exercises to a weekly plan builds more than visible results. It shapes how the body performs in daily routines, how energy feels each morning, and how aging affects mobility.

Results depend on consistency, form, and patience. Always choose weight and intensity based on current ability, then progress with control.