Physical activity allows you to live better and live longer. Beyond the physical and mental benefits provided by sport, it is also a source of pleasure, provided that we move towards a discipline that makes us happy and that respects our physical condition.
Thus, each decade, its sporting activity.
The body does not have the same needs at 20 and at 60, so you have to ask yourself what should be favored and what should be limited.
Rather than feeling frustrated because you can no longer train, you have to tell yourself that it’s time to expand your playing field, by trying new experiences.
The important thing is to maintain a frequent and constant activity, while respecting your body and its abilities.
Discover, in this article, the best sports recommended according to your age.
From 0 to 10 years old: play above all else
The brain and the body develop the most during the first years of life, so it is essential to find physical activities that allow children to develop and stimulate their abilities.
A study (1) published in 2022 also showed that children who were physically active developed their cognitive skills and motor skills better.
According to the guidelines, it is recommended:
- To spend at least 30 minutes a day on the stomach, for children under one year old;
- To participate in at least 3 hours of physical play per day, for young children. Depending on his age, it may involve walking, jumping, playing, picking up objects, etc. ;
- To resort to more intense sports activities, from the age of 5, in order to strengthen muscles and bones, to develop motor coordination and their aerobic skills;
- To practice 1 hour of sport per day, after 5 years, with activities such as football, gymnastics, cardio activities, running or martial arts, which allow, in addition to participating in the good development of their muscles, to teach them good habits thanks to the notions of team sports.
From 11 to 20 years old: Team sports are recommended
From the age of 11, you become a pre-adolescent with all the suffering that this entails: depression, lack of self-confidence, anxiety, fear of the way others look, both physical and hormonal changes.
Thus, the practice of a sporting activity makes it possible to promote the production of endorphinsor happiness hormones, which help fight negative emotions.
Studies (2) clearly show that children who practice group activities have better mental health than children who train alone.
Team sports, such as basketball, football, tennis, volleyball, athletics, dance or gymnastics, are then the most recommended for various reasons:
- They help develop physical abilities as well as agility;
- They promote good communication and compliance with the rules;
- They make it possible to acquire the notions of victories and defeats, of accomplishment and frustration;
- They give the feeling of belonging to a group, which boosts confidence and fights against isolation.
Be careful, adolescence is an age that can be painful, so it is important to let young people practice an activity that suits them, without being an insistent parent forcing them to take up one sport or another.
There is no harm in letting them try different physical activities, without looking for performance, fun and the social aspect being rather the criteria to consider.
Strength training is excellent for building the foundations of a strong body and we now know that it is safe even for the youngest if it is done reasonably and under supervision. That being said, any “aesthetic” sport at this stage of life can have consequences on the mind and lead to permanent bodily dissatisfaction.
We talk more about it in our article: 7 truths no one wants to tell you about bodybuilding after 40
From 21 to 30 years old: boosting strength and endurance
According to research (3), the peak of physical strength is around age 25.
The twenties being the decade during which we have the most power, endurance, and where we are at the best of our physical condition, it is therefore the ideal period to develop our body and our strength.
Thus, it is recommended:
- To practice bodybuilding and lifting weights, in order to boost your strength (be careful, using a trainer is recommended at the beginning);
- Do a cardio activity (cycling, crossfit, aerobics, zumba, etc.) to develop endurance (from 20 to 30 years old, you can easily reach 75% of your maximum heart rate and thus improve your cardiovascular health).
However, between the ages of 20 and 30, we are subject to a busy schedule between studies and the start of working life, also to hormonal fluctuations as women, sometimes we are not always free to exercise a regular rhythm.
It is therefore recommended, to maintain consistency and motivation, to opt for sports allowing a certain flexibility.
Thus, exercises such as weight training or running are recommended.
From 31 to 40 years old: optimizing muscle building and calorie loss
It is not only adolescence that is subject to physical changes, the thirties are also subject to them: bone mass decreases, flexibility also, childbirth changes the body, etc.
At the same time, we have more responsibilities, between work and children.
As a result, we take less time to move and play sports. However, it is absolutely essential to continue an activity in order to maintain your physical condition.
For women who have had children, the hips and waist have widened, the back has been under a lot of pressure, so it is essential to practice muscle strengthening, both before and after pregnancy.
In this case, the Pilates method is the most recommended, because you strengthen your abs and your muscles in depth, you strengthen your internal wall, and you eliminate stress while maintaining a firm and toned silhouette.
Men can also get started in order to maintain good flexibility and suppleness because the latter decreases by 1% per year, from the age of 30 (4).
Pilates therefore will help pull the muscles well.
If your goal is to keep your line, le HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) is then recommended.
This method, alternating high intensity training with recovery phases, allows you to burn a maximum of calories in a minimum of time (which can be very useful when you have a busy schedule), and also allows you to strengthen muscle tissue that tends to decline with age.
From 41 to 50 years old: resistance and endurance at the center of the exercises
Running is one of the sports to favor when you reach your forties.
According to Strava data from 2019, it appears that middle-aged runners run longer than younger joggers, which is believed to be due to more developed endurance abilities.
In addition, jogging can effectively reduce hypertension, provided that you practice your training correctly, that is to say that you should limit the intensity (not to exceed 70% of your maximum heart rate), but to increase, in parallel, the distance covered.
The practice of a sports activity, in particular resistance training, makes it possible to maintain the production of hormones which can tend to decrease with age.
Thus, for men, a drop in testosterone can impact their energy and libido, while in women, a drop in estrogen can cause osteoporosis.
For this, fitness or dumbbells are a good way, and their practice is recommended twice a week.
From 51 to 60 years old: gentle activities that respect the joints
According to statistics, osteoporosis-related fractures in people over 50 affect almost 20% of men and 50% of women.
Bone mass decreases, joints are more fragile, which favors accidents, but also prevents you from practicing sports that are too intense, such as running, crossfit or HIIT.
Thus, we can continue training, but at a less intense and less frequent pace.
It is therefore advisable to turn to gentler activities that do not martyr the joints, in order to reduce the risk of accidents and aggravations.
Cycling is a very good choiceas it helps prevent loss of muscle mass and maintain strength and endurance.
Similarly, swimming and Nordic walking bring beneficial effects to people in their fifties, since these disciplines reduce the level of insulin and lipids in the blood.
Studies show that recovery time gets longer with age, and it’s important to follow this natural cycle to stay fit and healthy.
It is therefore recommended to practice an activity for 30 minutes a day and not to exceed 3 intensive training sessions per week.
From 61 to 70: Power and coordination exercises
According to some recent research (golf is THE sport to practice after 65, and it’s not for nothing, because it allows you to:
- Lower blood sugar and fat levels;
- Limit the risk of blood pressure thanks to a slow but regular heart rate;
- Maintain flexibility and mobility;
- Maintain coordination and balance.
In the same way, arrived in the sixties, it is necessary to work its power and its muscular force. This tends to decrease over the years, so it should be maintained with small exercises such as squats, step-ups and lunges.
For those aged 70 and over: Activities that combine body and mind
It is imperative to get out of the head that when you are old you cannot do sports, it is essential not to stop, even if you go more slowly.
Stopping all sporting activity involves the following risks:
- Muscle atrophy that grows faster;
- A loss of self-confidence and abilities, which can lead to isolation or depression;
- A situation of dependency.
Thus, any training, insofar as it remains moderate and makes you feel good and makes you happy, is absolutely recommended, since it improves physical and mental condition.
Moreover, the two activities which make it possible to better merge the body and the spirit are yoga and Tai Chi.
In addition, these sports promote muscle resistance, balance and flexibility, but also improve the quality of sleep.
They are therefore the most strongly recommended for people aged 70 and over.
To sum up, it is important to practice physical activity throughout your life, it allows you to maintain good health and, according to studies, even to live longer.
But the secret of longevity is happiness, so it is above all essential to choose a discipline that brings joy and well-being.
Over the years, the body changes, the needs also, and we do not take pleasure in practicing the same sport. It is therefore a real plus to be able to change it every 10 years!
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