The Power Trio: The Game-Changing Workout Routine After 50

Has the workout routine that got you through your 30s and 40s stopped delivering results? You’re not alone.

As we enter our 50s, our bodies start shifting in ways that demand we shift our fitness approach, too. 

You may experience changes such as weight gain, decreased muscle mass, joint stiffness, and the onset of menopause—all of which require you to rethink your weekly workout routine.

When I hit my late 40s, my body staged what felt like a full-blown rebellion. Extra weight appeared seemingly overnight. My energy levels crashed. And don’t get me started on the joint pain that made my morning stairs feel like scaling Everest.

Sound familiar?

Here’s what you need to know: You’re not crazy if you feel like you don’t recognize your 50+ body. All the more so if menopause is in the mix. 

Your body isn’t broken—it’s just shifted to a new operating system. Once you crack the code of how best to work it, everything changes. 

Why You Need Variety in Your Workout Routine After 50

Before diving into specifics, let’s get clear on one critical point: menopause and aging don’t mean it’s time to slow down or throw in the towel. Quite the opposite! 

Midlife is the perfect time to embrace variety in your exercise regimen because your body needs different types of movement to stay healthy, energized, and resilient.

Research consistently shows the benefits of addressing different aspects of fitness (such as endurance, strength, and flexibility) to promote healthy aging. 

So why specifically walking, rowing, and strength training? Each offers distinct but complementary benefits that together create the perfect fitness foundation for women over 50.

As we age, we naturally lose about 1 percent of muscle mass every year unless we actively work to stop it. That decline can start as early as your 30s in fact! 

That’s why the sooner you can get into a consistent habit of exercising the better off you’ll be. The good news is research shows you can continue to build muscle well into your 80s, so it’s basically never too late to start.

The Power Trio: Your Secret Weapon for Midlife Vitality

If you’re hanging around here you probably already know about one of the best tools out there for fighting aging: Rowing!

Put that together with strength training and daily movement like walking and you’ve got a powerful combination to build longevity.

Pro tip: Get the right workout shoes for the job. As much as you might want to wear the same shoes for rowing and walking, for example, a thicker-soled walking shoe is not the best thing for rowing, where a thinner, flatter sole tends to work better.

Your feet truly are the foundation of any fitness routine, and the right shoes make all the difference in consistency and comfort.

Why the rowing-strength-walking trio works so brilliantly for our changing bodies:

Walking: The Daily Non-Negotiable

Many people dismiss walking as “not real exercise,” or they feel like it’s too hard to work it into their daily routine. 

That’s a shame. Its benefits are massive and you can do it cumulatively throughout the day. No need to change clothes or break a sweat.

Walking is great for:

• Reducing inflammation (which can increase during menopause)

• Boosting brain health and mood—and it’s excellent for the stress management that’s so critical in menopause

• Building bone strength and fighting osteoporosis
• Reducing arthritic joint pain 

Practical tips for hitting your step goal:

I sometimes hear from people that they have trouble getting enough steps in.

It can take some planning initially, but once you have the habit down it just becomes part of your day. 

And since this isn’t a workout, the goal is simply to accumulate as many steps as possible during the day, not to accomplish it all at once in a big chunk of time.

Here are some easy ways to add steps to your day: 

• Take a 5- to 10-minute morning walk. Bonus: That exposure to morning light can help you sleep better at night.

• Walk any time you’re on the phone. I often walk in circles around my office and can log thousands of extra steps this way).
  

• Evening walks after dinner. Known in Italy as a “passeggiata,” these are 10- or 15-minute strolls that support digestion and help lower your blood sugar after eating.
  

• When all else fails, a walking pad is a great option for getting steps in inside. 

Note: Don’t obsess over getting 10,000 steps per day. Research shows the biggest health benefits happen between 7,000-8,000 daily steps. If that’s too much too just try to add more steps wherever you can and work on building up your volume gradually.

Rowing: The Full-Body Miracle Worker

When running started to be too much for my knees, I discovered rowing—and it’s been a game-changer.

Why rowing is perfect for midlife fitness:

• Works 86% of your muscles in one smooth motion
• Delivers high-intensity results without high-impact punishment
• Improves posture (goodbye, tech neck and rounded shoulders!)
• Builds functional strength for everyday movements

Aim to get at least two to three rowing sessions in per week. You can either make your entire workout rowing, do it as a warmup or cooldown around your regular workout, or mix it with strength training.

In my Zoom rowing class, we mix more meter-focused workouts with others centered on strength training and Frisky Fridays, where we use the machine for high-intensity work. 

It’s pretty much a perfect combination.

Strength Training: The Non-Negotiable Foundation

As a rowing coach, I’m not going to tell you not to get your cardio in. Besides, it’s more important than ever for your cardiovascular health. 

But I’m also going to tell you that strength training is non-negotiable now. 

It’s the best way to preserve–and even build–muscle mass that would otherwise be lost as we age. 

Preserving or adding muscle also helps fight the weight gain that can come with age, especially if you’re dealing with menopausal weight gain!

It’s also your ticket to continuing to do all the things you love as you get older, whether that’s putting your luggage in the overhead bin on an airplane yourself, going on a bucket-list adventure, or maintaining your independence for decades to come.

How to Incorporate Strength Training Into Your Midlife Fitness Routine

• If you’re just getting started with it, two 30-minute strength training sessions a week is a great goal. If you can add a third session down the road, all the better.

• Aim to increase your weights gradually (this is known as “progressive overload”) to get the most out of your sessions. 

• Once you can do all the repetitions in your workout easily, it’s time to increase the weight. You want the last few repetitions of a set to feel hard, but still doable with proper form.

• Finally, be sure to include mobility exercises like stretching or yoga on rest days to support recovery and flexibility.

Your Ideal Weekly Workout Routine: A Practical Example

To make your fitness routine simple, sustainable, and effective, here’s a practical weekly schedule:

• Monday: Rowing (20 mins steady-state) + Upper Body Strength Training (30 mins)
• Tuesday: Brisk Walking (30-60 mins)
• Wednesday: Rowing Intervals (30 mins) + Lower Body Strength Training (30 mins)
• Thursday: Gentle Walk + Yoga or Mobility Work (20-40 mins)
• Friday: Moderate Rowing Session (20 mins) + Full-Body Strength Circuit (30 mins)
• Saturday: Longer Walk or Outdoor Adventure (60 mins+)
• Sunday: Rest Day or Gentle Walk

Feel free to adapt this based on your energy levels, life responsibilities, and recovery needs.

Embracing Your New Midlife Fitness Routine

It’s completely normal if this feels like a shift—because it is! But it’s a shift toward something even better: a weekly workout routine designed specifically for the unique needs of fitness for 50-year-olds.

Rather than chasing unrealistic standards or punishing routines, this balanced, adaptable approach keeps you energized, strong, and ready to embrace all midlife has to offer.

Your Homework:

Take a moment today to schedule your walking, rowing, and strength sessions into your calendar. Prioritize them like appointments with yourself—you deserve that level of commitment.

And remember, comfortable gear helps. Start by making sure your feet feel great for all the activities by getting the right workout shoes. You’ve earned it!

Let me know what questions you have in the comments. Here’s to feeling strong, confident, and vibrant at every age!