“Strength training helps you stay strong, capable, and resilient enough to do the things you want to do”—a trainer and physiologist recommends this dumbbell workout for women in their 50s

There's more to working out than building muscle and improving your cardiovascular fitness. As you get older, it's important to think about how your training can support the way you move in everyday life.

That's why stability work is so important. Balance can become an increasing concern as you age, as can joint issues. Stability exercises can help you feel steadier on your feet and reduce your risk of injury by strengthening the smaller muscles around the joints, providing them with more support.

According to physiologist Dr Alyssa Olenick, stability work is particularly important for women once they reach midlife. "The drop in estrogen that occurs during and after menopause has a major impact on muscle and bone health," says Olenick.

"Estrogen helps your body build and maintain muscle and bone, as well as recover from workouts," she says, adding: "Aging is directly associated with declines in muscle strength, power, and mass, which may be further impacted by estrogen loss."

"Strength training helps you stay strong, capable, and resilient enough to do the things you want to do," Olenick explains.

As part of ALO Wellness Club's new female-focused workouts, Olenick has created a series of workouts alongside trainer Jade Smith for women at different stages in their lives.

Below, they've shared a short dumbbell workout for women in their 50s designed to improve strength and stability. If you’d like more of the same, explore ALO Wellness Club's Balanced program for the over-50s.

How to do the ALO Wellness Club stability workout for women over 50

You'll need two sets of dumbbells for this workout between 8-20lb. Choose one lighter weight and a heavier option—both should feel challenging for whatever move you’re doing and if you repeat this workout, make sure to increase the weights you’re lifting as you get stronger to ensure you’re still challenging your muscles.

You might also want an exercise mat, because a lot of the moves are done from a lying position.

Warm-up

1. Jumping jack

Time: 30sec

• Stand with your feet together and arms by your sides.
• Jump and simultaneously raise your arms out to the sides and overhead, and move your feet out to the sides, so you land with your feet wider than hip-width apart.
• Keep a soft bend in your elbows and land lightly on your toes.
• Jump and return to the starting position.
• Continue for time, keeping a steady rhythm.

2. Lateral hop

Time: 30sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Push off your right foot to jump to the left, landing on your left foot and keeping your right foot just off the floor.
• Push your left foot to jump to the right, landing on your right foot and keeping your left foot just off the floor.
• Continue for time, keeping a steady rhythm.

3. Twist hop

Time: 30sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your elbows bent.
• Jump and simultaneously rotate your lower body to the left side and your upper body to the right side.
• Jump and reverse the movements.
• Continue for time, keeping a steady rhythm.

Strength circuit

Do two rounds of the following.

1. Reverse lunge with knee drive

Time: 30sec Rest: 30sec

• Hold dumbbells by your sides.
• Step your right foot back and bend both knees to lower until both knees are bent to 90°.
• Push through your left foot to extend your legs and stand, and bring your right knee in front of you to hip height. Move slowly and prioritize form over speed.
• Continue, using the same side for the first round, then switch to the left side for the second circuit.

2. Romanian deadlift

Time: 30sec Rest: 30sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and a slight bend in your knees, holding dumbbells in front of your thighs with your palms facing you.
• Hinge forward from your hips and push your hips back to lower the weights, keeping a flat back and the weights close to your legs throughout.
• When you feel a slight stretch in your hamstrings, drive your hips forward to stand upright.

3. Chest press

Time: 30sec Rest: 30sec

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, holding dumbbells above your chest with your arms extended and palms facing your feet.
• Bend your elbows and lower your arms to bring the weights slowly to either side of your chest.
• Press back up with power, but control too, keeping a slight bend in your elbows at the top.

4. Dead bug

Time: 30sec Rest: 30sec

• Lie on your back and lift your knees so they’re directly above your hips and bent to 90°.
• Extend both arms straight up.
• Gently press your lower back into the floor and engage your core—this is your starting position.
• Slowly lower your right arm behind you and lower and extend your left leg in front of you, keeping your lower back pressed into the floor.
• Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
• Continue alternating sides, breathing steadily and focusing on stabilizing through your core.

Cool-down

1. Knees to chest

Time: 20-30sec

• Lie on your back and hug both knees into your chest.
• Rock gently from side to side to release tension in your lower back.

2. Standing forward fold

Time: 20-30sec

• Slowly stand up from the mat.
• Hinge forward from your hips, and hold your right elbow in your left hand and vice versa.
• Let your head hang and sway gently from side to side.

3. Slow roll-up

Time: 20-30sec

• From the standing forward fold, bend your knees slightly and slowly stand upright, rolling up through your spine.
• Once standing, swing your arms out to the sides and take a deep breath to finish.