HOW YOUR TRAINING SHOULD CHANGE WITH AGE... Body & lifestyle.

We're into August & the year is 2/3 done already! Which seems like a good time to check in with our training & reassess what improvements we can make. After all, with physical & mental changes as we age, our training should adapt to match our new priorities & goals. We're all different, which makes this tricky, but I will be giving a guide as to how 9/10 of us should be looking to stay on top of our bodies throughout each stage of our lives. Get in touch if you'd like advice a little more tailored to you.

Let us break this into 4 sections, which is incredibly oversimple, but you don't want to be reading this article until next Friday! For each, we will discuss the common physical changes, lifestyle changes & trends of what goals each age group may have. This will allow us to come up with 3 simple principles to integrate into your training in each stage of life.

≈ 15-30 YEARS

Recovery, strength, energy & mobility abilities are all high. Goals often relate to perfect aesthetics or high level sports & fitness achievements. Less money makes healthy eating & looking after the body harder, but active lifestyles often offset this.

1. Enjoy your training & using your body however you find fun. You'll soon have to think much more about how to keep your body feeling good.

2. Balanced lifestyle is fine, within reason, especially when you're young. The easiest way to improve at this stage is often to sleep a little more & drink a little less.

3. If you want to build a physique you're proud of, it will never be easier than now, so lay the foundations for your body throughout your life. Experiment & find what works for you, understanding your body is invaluable.

≈ 30-45 YEARS

Most people start to feel their bodies pushing back & not responding as much for the first time in their lives. Income starts to improve which makes high-calorie/low-activity lifestyles more common. However, your strength capacity peaks within this bracket & parenthood keeps most people active.

1. Introducing more longevity focussed training, i.e. lower impact, with a focus on heart health, bone density & muscle mass retention.

2. Being time efficient with the addition of more work stress, young children & potentially less energy. Short workouts, a PT or home training are all good options.

3. Mobility is often neglected from this point on, later contributing to aches & pains, as well as poor body function. Pilates, yoga or some conscious stretching before &/ after workouts is a non-negotiable.

≈ 45-60 YEARS

This stage is when compromises start having to be made for the first time. You begin having to aim for body maintenance, more so than progress, in many areas.

1. Resistance training becomes far more important than most people realise. You are fighting a rapid decline of bone density & muscle mass capacity, as well as declining hormones (mainly oestrogen & testosterone respectively).

2. With active lifestyles showing just as good results as cardio fanatics, as well as reducing impact on joints, I would suggest plenty of activity. High intensity work is good, but not imperative.

3. You will need a higher protein diet if you want to maintain a fully functioning body. Aim for 2g per kg of bodyweight as a good guide. It's harder than you think!

≈ 60+ YEARS

Enjoyment & functionality are the two main focus points here! Functionality means doing the basics that allow you to keep up with the grandkids. Enjoyment means staying active so that you can enjoy life in relative comfort.

1. Tick the 3 boxes every week of resistance training, mobility & activity. Just once weekly is fine, you can't go far wrong beyond this.

2. Getting professional help is a great idea at this stage, including regular PT, physio or classes. Your body is the best investment you'll make.

3. Community is a great weapon at this stage, keeping you accountable & making activity enjoyable. Sports teams, clubs, classes etc are all great options.

I hope this one helps, thanks for reading, as always!

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Elliot Hutchinson // 03.08.2025

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