After 40 our training goals often shift from performance and aesthetics to strength and mobility for everyday life – and they are achievable with some SMART strategies and handy lifestyle hacks.
The most important thing is to start with realistic goals tailored to your lifestyle and current fitness level. Setting Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART) goals will help maintain your motivation and allow you to track your progress.
Here are some tips to frame your approach to training after 40.
Strength training – Emphasise strength training at least twice a week to maintain muscle mass, enhance metabolism and support bone health.
Daily hacks – Look for opportunities to stay active throughout the day. Take stairs instead of the lift, use public transport when you can and try walking meetings. Small increments of activity add up to a significant difference.
Enjoyment – It’s a no-brainer to focus on doing things that you love. Whether it’s dancing, hiking, cycling or swimming, if you love it you’re more likely to stick with it long-term
Prioritise yourself – After 40 it’s time to prioritise your health. Make training part of your weekly schedule, sign up for regular classes and prioritise them like work or other commitments.
Get SMART with getback™ programs
getback™ programs are by definition a SMART way to achieve strength and mobility goals for people over 40. Importantly, getback exercise devices include in-built protocols to guarantee a safe and effective transition into strength and mobility training.
The devices adapt load in real time based on your recorded strength and mobility data to ensure gradual, safe progress without overloading the joints. Regardless of load, your movements will be smooth and your exercise is supported and safe.
SPECIFIC: getback™ develops personalised programs to fit your specific needs and goals based on your measured strength, strength-balance and mobility data.
MEASURABLE: Regular assessments monitor your progress against your specific strength and mobility targets. Seeing the measured data behind your improvements is a great way to maintain your motivation.
ACHIEVABLE: getback™ programs are designed by Physiotherapists and your targets are based on benchmarks for your age, height, weight and gender. Ninety-four percent of people who complete their getback program achieve their strength and mobility goals.
RELEVANT: getback™ programs focus on strength and mobility in the areas that matter most for older people, including the spine, *hip, knee and shoulder. The most important benefit of building strength and mobility in these areas is improved functional capacity for real-life activities, like playing a pain-free round of golf or picking up your grandkids without strain.
TIME-BOUND: After your Initial Consultation, a customised plan of between 12 and 24 treatments is designed for you. getback™ recommends two treatments a week of approximately 30 minutes each. You begin with clear targets to get back to normative levels of strength and mobility and can track your progress to a defined finish line.
Ultimately, getback programs align perfectly with the mindset shift after 40 – less ego, more intent. It’s not about doing more, but doing what matters, SMARTer.
getback™ ticks every box of the SMART framework by helping people over 40 train smarter, recover better and live stronger, well beyond their forties.
*Knee, hip and shoulder exercise devices will be available soon at our new getback South Melbourne clinic.
