How I Plan on Getting Fitter as I Age (And How You Can Too)
Many people assume that getting older means getting weaker, slower, and less capable. But I see it differently. To me, getting older means training smarter, developing better habits, and integrating fitness as a lifestyle so I can keep getting fitter, stronger, and more capable for years to come in the most sustainable way possible.
In my 20s, I thought fitness was all about lifting heavy weights and building muscle. I skipped cardio because I feared getting too skinny, and mobility wasn’t even a thought. But now? My focus has completely shifted. My goal is to be well-rounded—to improve my strength, mobility, endurance, muscle mass, power/speed, balance, stability, and coordination.
I’ve realized that looking good but feels and moves poorly. It isn’t a body that will serve an older Chris (me). If I’d stayed on this route, I would have worn out my joints sooner, not be mobile enough to sit with my future kids, couldn’t run or hike without knee pain, and would have developed poor conditioning because of its natural decline with age.
I want to share my approach to getting fitter as I age and the blueprint I follow so you can do the same.
How My Training Has Evolved Over Time
The biggest mistake I see people make as they age is trying to train like they’re still 20—skipping warm-ups, eating whatever they want, pushing through joint pain, ignoring sleep, drinking too much, and thinking they can do it just because it “worked before” is a recipe for injury and disappointment. Training like that won’t work anymore. You need to develop a system to get stronger, more mobile, and better conditioned.
You have to adapt. Here’s how my training has changed, and yours can too:
More Mobility & Stability Work: I used to ignore mobility, but now I realize it’s the key to staying pain-free and injury-resistant. I plan to work out and explore until I die, so if I want to do that, I need to make sure my joints stay healthy for as long as possible.
Balanced Conditioning: I no longer avoid cardio. I incorporate it to support endurance and heart health without sacrificing muscle. I no longer believe it will kill my strength and muscle mass progress.
Smarter Strength Training: I focus on progressive overload, but I don’t chase max lifts at the expense of my joints. Increasing the weight isn't the only way to progressively overload.
Recovery First: I listen to my body. If my performance is dipping, I adjust my training, sleep, and nutrition.
The Blueprint: How to Get Fitter As You Age
If you want to stay strong, fast, and mobile for life, you need a plan that evolves with you. Getting older doesn’t mean slowing down—it means training smarter and prioritizing the things that keep you moving well, feeling strong, and performing at your best.
The key isn’t to train like you’re in your 20s forever but to adapt your approach so you continue making progress while avoiding injuries and setbacks. That means focusing on strength, mobility, endurance, power, and recovery in a sustainable way.
The good news? You don’t need to guess. Follow these 7 essential rules, and you’ll build a body that stays capable for decades to come.
1. Strength Train 2–6x/ Week
Muscle mass and strength are two of the most significant indicators of longevity. Strength training keeps your body functional and injury-resistant. But lifting heavy weights won’t give you all the benefits—focus on movement quality, proper technique, and recovery.
Training elements that are Non-Negotiables:
Warm up before every workout
Prioritize technique over ego
Don’t push through joint pain
Follow a structured plan
Use progressive overload (adding more weight isn’t the only way)
Take rest days seriously
2. Do Cardio 1–6x/ Week
You don’t have to run marathons, but you should challenge your cardiovascular system regularly. Improving your endurance—measured in part by your VO₂ max—comes with serious perks: faster recovery between strength training sets, enhanced power output, and quicker bounce-back after intense workouts. It also supports a stronger heart and lungs, which are linked to better long-term health and a slowed rate of biological aging. Not to mention, consistent cardio has been shown to boost brain health and cognitive function.
To improve your cardiovascular endurance, aim for the following:
Low-intensity steady-state cardio (LISS) — walking, running, biking, or swimming for 20–60+ minutes
VO₂ max workouts — HIIT, 4x4 Norwegian protocol, sprint repeats, etc...
3. Train Power At Least 1x/ Week
Power is the fastest-declining physical attribute with age, dropping at nearly double the rate of strength due to the rapid loss of fast-twitch muscle fibers and slower neuromuscular response. If you don’t train explosiveness, you’ll lose speed, agility, and reaction time—making everyday movements harder. Quick reactions help you catch yourself if you trip, so a decline in power increases injury risk.
How to Train Power:
Jumps & Plyos – Box jumps, broad jumps, or low-impact squat-to-toe raises.
Sprints & Fast Movements – Hill sprints, sled pushes, jump rope.
Medicine Ball Throws – Rotational throws, overhead slams, chest passes.
Explosive Strength Work – Kettlebell swings, speed squats, dumbbell thrusters.
4. Prioritize Mobility & Flexibility
If you neglect your mobility, your body will force you to pay attention—through pain, stiffness, and reduced movement quality. Poor mobility leads to compensations, increasing the risk of injuries and limiting your ability to train effectively. Tight hips, stiff shoulders, or an immobile spine don’t just affect workouts—they impact daily life. That’s why I make mobility a non-negotiable part of my routine, prioritizing it before workouts to prepare my joints for movement and improve my range of motion. Even if I'm not training that joint or muscle, if I have a particularly tight or weak area, I add it to every warmup to mobilize it more often. After training, I focus on flexibility work to enhance recovery and prevent tightness from setting in. This approach keeps me moving well, lifting efficiently, and staying pain-free as I age.
Ways to incorporate Mobility into your routine and save time:
In warmup — Perform your mobility before every workout.
Active recovery between sets —Perform mobility after strength exercise. Be sure that the mobility exercise won’t limit the strength exercise.
Mobility HIIT — Perform higher intensity mobility exercises back to back to double as a conditioning workout.
Not sure what you should do? check out my post on Joint stability
5. Eat a High-Protein, Nutrient-Dense Diet
No matter how well you train, your results will only be as good as your nutrition. Strength, endurance, recovery, and even mobility are all influenced by what you eat. A solid nutrition plan doesn’t have to be complicated—it just needs to be consistent and built around the correct principles. Here’s what I prioritize:
Protein: 0.7–1.2g per pound of body weight to support muscle growth, recovery, and overall health.
Veggies: Included in most meals for micronutrients, fiber, and gut health.
Cook your food: Cook at home as much as possible to give you the ability to tweak recipes for your specific goals.
Minimally Processed: Prioritize nutrient-dense foods, but don’t stress about being perfect.
6. Get 7–9 Hours of Quality Sleep
Sleep is often overlooked, but it’s one of the most powerful tools for fat loss, performance, and overall health. During sleep, your body recovers, builds muscle, resets hormones, and regulates metabolism. Poor sleep leads to slower fat loss, poor workouts, and a higher risk of injury. It seems like a lot of benefits for just laying there and doing nothing, so you might as well get them!
Simple Ways to Improve Sleep
Set a Consistent Sleep Schedule – Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. This regulates your circadian rhythm, making falling and staying asleep easier.
Create a Wind-Down Routine – Reduce blue light exposure an hour before bed, read a book, stretch, or practice deep breathing to signal your body it’s time to sleep.
Optimize Your Sleep Environment – Keep your room cool, dark, and quiet. Use blackout curtains, white noise machines, or earplugs if needed.
7. Listen to Your Body
There’s a difference between pushing through fatigue and pushing through pain. Train hard, but train smart. Adjust based on how you’re feeling, and don’t ignore warning signs.
Progress Comes One Step at a Time: Improve, Maintain, Repeat
One of the biggest mistakes people make when trying to get fitter is attempting to improve everything at once. Optimizing strength, endurance, mobility, power, and stability simultaneously can be overwhelming, if not impossible, after a certain fitness level. So don’t try to do it all at once.
The key to long-term progress is understanding that it’s much easier to maintain a fitness attribute than it is to improve it. So rather than trying to push all areas forward at the same time, you should:
Focus on improving one area at a time
Maintain the others with minimal effort
For example:
If you want to build strength, prioritize heavy lifting while maintaining your endurance with short, simple cardio sessions.
If you need to boost endurance, make that your main goal while doing just enough strength work to maintain muscle mass.
Why this works:
Progressing in one area requires focused effort and recovery.
Maintenance takes much less effort—you can keep strength or endurance with just 1–2 sessions per week.
By cycling your focus over time, you gradually improve all areas without burning out.
How to Apply This to Your Training
If you’re feeling stuck or like you have too much to work on, simplify:
Pick ONE main fitness attribute to improve (strength, endurance, mobility, power, etc.).
Structure your training around that goal.
Keep everything else at a maintenance level.
After a few months, shift your focus to a new area while maintaining the previous one.
By following this strategy, you’ll consistently get fitter over time—without the frustration of trying to do too much at once.
The Lifestyle Factor: You Can’t Out-Train Bad Habits
Your training plan won’t matter if the rest of your life is working against you. The choices you make outside the gym matter just as much:
🚫 If you eat out constantly, drink often, and sit all day—achieving your goals will be more complicated.
✅ If you cook most of your meals, stay active outside the gym, and prioritize sleep—you’re setting yourself up for success.
Small habits compound over time. Make the right ones stick.
Final Thoughts
Aging doesn’t mean getting weaker—it means training smarter. If you want to stay fit for life, the formula is simple: lift, move, eat well, sleep, and listen to your body. Stick to these principles; you won’t just slow aging—you’ll keep improving.
Now it’s up to you. How will you train for the future version of yourself?
