Smart Fitness for Grown-Ups: A 10-Week Workout Routine

we know it's hard.

You're fully aware that you ought to develop a regular workout routine, you really mean to...and yet life gets away from you, another year goes by, and you still don't exercise. For those who would like to lay the groundwork for a sustainable, lifelong fitness habit, we're here to help with an easy-to-follow 10-week workout routine designed for grown-ups by Vonda Wright, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in sports medicine and directs PRIMA: the Performance and Research Initiative for Masters Athletes. The workout program, adapted from her book Fitness After 40: How to Stay Strong at Any Age, will introduce you to the four components of a regular exercise routine, which address flexibility, aerobic fitness, load-carrying exercise, and equilibrium. It sounds like a lot, but the 10-week workout program introduces them gradually and allows you to integrate them into your life. We opted for this plan because it's sensible, comprehensive, and stands the test of time (i.e., no trendy equipment or fad approaches to getting in shape). And if you're under 40, don't worry; this workout routine will work well for you, too! It's for anyone who takes his or her health seriously and is in it for the long haul.

Our "Smart Fitness for Grown-Ups" plan officially launches on Monday, April 13, but you can start with Week One whenever your schedule allows. Most weeks, you'll be adding something new or modifying what you're doing, and by the end of the 10 weeks, (that'll be Sunday, June 21, for those of you who jump right in—not so coincidentally, the beginning of summer), you'll be comfortably settled into a workout program that meets the government's recommended physical activity guidelines. And you can keep it up for life.