Caroline Idiens reveals the 5 simple exercises women over 40 'need' to do in their home workouts

Strength training is important at any age to help boost strength and mobility - but it becomes even more important after 40 when our bodies begin to lose the protective benefits of oestrogen in perimenopause.

If you've never been interested in going to the gym and working out with dumbbells or kettlebells at home hasn't been in your routine, the idea of working out with weights might feel daunting. The good news is that a couple of simple exercises are all you need in your back pocket to reap the benefits of strength training.

"The exercises in this circuit work the full body and combine two key things for women working out at age 40 and over - functional and compound movements," says Caroline Idiens (carolinescircuits), an expert PT and women's fitness specialist who shares workouts online with her two million Instagram followers.

"Functional mimics the movement we perform in everyday life whilst compound engages multiple muscle groups to perform the exercise. When combined, these resistance exercises will improve posture, balance and stability, and build lean muscle, improving strength and boosting your metabolic rate."

In this video, Caroline reveals the exercises she recommends to women over 40 looking to do strength training at home to maintain muscle, get stronger, and stay mobile through life. While it's best to use body weight to begin with, she suggests adding the "weights as you progress".

Exercises for women over 40

1. Squats

"Squats are a brilliant compound functional move building lower body strength and engaging the core," says Caroline, whose book Fit at 50: Your Guide to a Stronger, Fitter, and Happier (Mid) Life in Just 6 Weeks by DK Red is available for pre-order. "You can do bodyweight squats or use weights or resistance bands. This exercise works quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, [and] core."

There are many types of squats you can do as well - including sumo squats, which focus more on the glutes, and wall squats, which are commonly done in wall Pilates workouts and are great for beginners to practice form and balance.

2. Lunges

Lunges are a single-leg movement, so they're excellent for helping to maintain your balance and boost agility. It's also a useful exercise for walkers, runners, those who enjoy doing weighted Pilates workouts, and anyone else who does activity requiring power from a single leg at a time.

"[It's a] functional move - you can do forward, reverse & lateral lunges. This exercise works the glutes, hamstrings, [and] quads. Again add weights as needed," says Idiens.

3. Push-ups

"Push-ups are a brilliant bodyweight exercise that builds upper body strength and engages the core. Modify as needed (e.g. incline push-ups against the wall or a chair)," she says. "This exercise works your chest, shoulders, triceps, and core."

If you are doing push-ups against a chair, make sure it's stable by resting it against a counter or wall before you start.

4. Rows

"Rows strengthen your back [and] improve your posture," she says. "Great functional move. They work the back muscles as well as engaging the arms, shoulders & core for stability."

Much like Caroline's other exercises, you can do rows using resistance bands, dumbbells, kettlebells, or a barbell at the gym, whatever suits you.

5. Plank

This is one of the best core exercises to do at home. "Planks [are] a great exercise for building upper body & core strength," says Caroline. "They work your deep core muscles."

Deep core muscles are those deeper in the abdomen and lower back that help support the pelvis and spine - including the pelvic floor, diaphragm, multifidus (muscles that run along either side of the spine), and transverse abdominis (a deep core muscle that helps stabilise the spine).

It's important to have strong deep core muscles as they help keep the body stable, maintain balance and good posture, and protect the spine, helping prevent lower back pain.

How many reps and sets?

While Caroline doesn't specify exactly how many sets and repetitions of these exercises you should do, the consensus when trying to gain muscle and strength is three sets of eight to 12 repetitions, with the plank counted in seconds and minutes.

• Squats: 3 sets, 8 - 12 repetitions
• Lunges: 3 sets, 8 - 12 repetitions on each leg then switch over
• Push-ups: 3 sets, 8 - 12 repetitions
• Rows: 3 sets, 8 - 12 repetitions
• Plank: 30 seconds to a minute

Naturally, if you're new to strength training, you may find it difficult to do eight repetitions or three sets of every exercise. Take it at your own pace and build up to this by staying consistent with workouts two to three times a week.