How to Get Fit in Your 30s: 10 Exercises You Should Try

Your 30s are a transformative decade. As you approach this age, maintaining fitness becomes even more important for overall health, energy levels, and longevity. But it can also become more challenging, as your metabolism slows, recovery times lengthen, and your schedule becomes busier. The good news is, with the right exercises and a consistent routine, you can not only maintain your fitness but actually improve your strength, flexibility, and endurance.

If you're wondering how to get fit in your 30s, here are 10 essential exercises that should be a part of your fitness routine. These movements will help you build strength, increase flexibility, and boost cardiovascular health, all while being mindful of the needs of your body as it changes over time.

1. Squats

Squats are one of the most effective exercises for building lower body strength. As you age, keeping your leg muscles strong helps with mobility and posture, and squats are a great way to target your glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves.

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Lower your body as if you're sitting back into a chair, keeping your weight on your heels.
• Keep your chest lifted and knees aligned with your toes.
• Push through your heels to return to standing.

Why it works: Squats help with overall functional strength and mobility, and they can be done anywhere, making them perfect for busy schedules.

2. Push-Ups

Push-ups are an excellent bodyweight exercise for strengthening the chest, arms, shoulders, and core. They also engage your lower body to maintain stability. As you age, upper body strength is crucial for daily activities like carrying groceries, lifting children, or moving furniture.

How to do it:

• Start in a plank position with your hands shoulder-width apart and body in a straight line.
• Lower your body until your chest almost touches the floor, keeping your elbows at about a 45-degree angle.
• Push yourself back up to the starting position.

Why it works: Push-ups engage multiple muscle groups, improving upper body strength and helping maintain healthy shoulders and arms.

3. Plank

Planks are one of the best exercises for building core strength. A strong core supports good posture, helps with balance, and can prevent lower back pain, which becomes more common as we age.

How to do it:

• Start in a forearm plank position, with elbows directly under your shoulders and legs extended behind you.
• Engage your core and hold the position, making sure your body forms a straight line from head to heels.
• Aim to hold the plank for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Why it works: Planks are great for strengthening the entire core, including the abs, obliques, and lower back.

4. Lunges

Lunges are another lower body exercise that helps with leg strength, coordination, and balance. They also target your glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps.

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Take a step forward with one leg and lower your body until both knees are bent at 90-degree angles.
• Push back to the starting position and repeat with the other leg.

Why it works: Lunges improve balance and stability, which are crucial for everyday activities and injury prevention.

5. Glute Bridges

As you get older, maintaining strong glutes is important for hip mobility and preventing lower back pain. Glute bridges also engage your core and lower back muscles.

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
• Lift your hips towards the ceiling, squeezing your glutes at the top.
• Lower your hips back down and repeat.

Why it works: Glute bridges target the glutes and hamstrings, improving posterior chain strength and supporting your lower back.

6. Deadlifts (with Dumbbells or Bodyweight)

Deadlifts are a full-body exercise that particularly targets your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. As you age, strengthening your posterior chain is key to preventing injury and improving overall strength.

How to do it (using dumbbells):

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
• Keeping your back straight, hinge at the hips and lower the dumbbells toward the ground, stopping when you feel a stretch in your hamstrings.
• Return to standing by pushing your hips forward and squeezing your glutes.

Why it works: Deadlifts strengthen your lower body, improve posture, and help prevent back pain.

7. Bicycle Crunches

Core strength is especially important in your 30s, and bicycle crunches are a great way to target your abs and obliques.

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and hands behind your head.
• Lift your head, neck, and shoulders off the floor as you extend one leg straight while twisting your torso to bring your opposite elbow to your bent knee.
• Alternate sides, mimicking a cycling motion.

Why it works: This exercise engages the entire core and helps with toning the abs and obliques.

8. Mountain Climbers

Mountain climbers are a dynamic full-body exercise that engages your core, arms, and legs. This exercise also helps with cardiovascular fitness and agility.

How to do it:

• Start in a plank position with your hands under your shoulders and feet extended behind you.
• Alternate bringing your knees toward your chest, one leg at a time, as quickly as possible.

Why it works: Mountain climbers improve cardiovascular fitness, agility, and core strength, making them an excellent addition to any workout.

9. Jumping Jacks

Jumping jacks are a simple, high-intensity cardio exercise that gets your heart rate up and engages your entire body. Cardio becomes increasingly important as you age to maintain cardiovascular health and burn fat.

How to do it:

• Start by standing with your feet together and arms by your sides.
• Jump your feet out wide while raising your arms overhead.
• Jump back to the starting position.

Why it works: Jumping jacks improve cardiovascular health and engage your arms, legs, and core.

10. Yoga or Stretching Routine

Incorporating yoga or a stretching routine into your fitness plan is essential in your 30s to improve flexibility, reduce muscle tightness, and prevent injuries.

How to do it:

• Include poses like Downward Dog, Child’s Pose, and Warrior II for a well-rounded stretch session.
• Hold each stretch for 20-30 seconds and repeat.

Why it works: Yoga and stretching routines help improve flexibility, balance, and posture, all of which become increasingly important with age.

Conclusion

Getting fit in your 30s doesn’t require complicated routines or expensive gym memberships. By incorporating these 10 essential exercises into your fitness routine, you’ll be able to build strength, flexibility, and endurance while keeping your body healthy and injury-free. Consistency is key, so aim to work out at least 3-4 times a week, and remember to listen to your body as you age. With these exercises, you can continue to feel strong, energized, and confident in your 30s and beyond.