Beginner Beachbody Programs for the 50+ Crowd

Beachbody has some great programs for those who are deciding to get in the best shape of their lives at a later age. I will share three of the top programs for beginner’s that I recommend near the end of this post. But first, I wanted to talk about why maintaining or increasing our fitness levels as we age is so important, as well as what areas we should pay close attention to.

As I get older, I am finding more and more that age really is just a number. In fact, I try better myself every year, but I also know that as we age, we also need to be more careful, because there are changes happening in our bodies that we need to work with – not fight .

With that said, our fitness goals may also change as we get older. It’s inevitable that our bodies change with time, so we need to be aware of that.

Maintaining Range of Motion in Your Joints and Muscles

As we age, we lose mobility. This is due to both our bone structure gradually changing as well as the shortening of tendons and ligaments within the joints., which is why we feel stiffer as we age.

There are three very complex areas of the human skeletal system that tend to degenerate more quickly than other areas of the body. They are as follows:

  • Thoracic spine
  • Hips
  • Shoulders

Each day, I spend 5-10 minutes stretching these areas with basic static and dynamic stretches. This is my minimum mobility work for the day and helps me to continue to feel amazing and flexible.

Exercises or the thoracic spine:

  • Cobra yoga pose
  • Cow pose/cat pose

Exercises for the hips:

  • Goblet squats
  • Hip circles
  • Hip flexor stretches.

Exercises for the shoulders:

  • Arm circles
  • Various static stretches

When you do these exercises, never push yourself beyond your limits.  Start slow, and if you feel any pain, stop immediately. Stretching should be pleasant and relieving, never painful.

Self-Myofascial Release aka Self-Massage

Trigger points are caused by trauma to the soft tissue. Basically, when the muscle tissue becomes injured, it heals itself together forming what we often refer to as muscle knots. It’s like scar tissue. Have you ever ran your hand down your sore muscle and felt a harder spot that’s sore to touch? That’s a trigger point.

Foam rolling is the preferred way to break up these adhesions or scar tissue. When you hit a knot, you’ll know it, because it is painful, and you can often feel the foam roller going over what seems to be a hard object in your muscle tissue. But don’t let off, instead, maintain pressure on the knot for 30-60 seconds, and it should eventually release. You will notice immediate relief once it does. And don’t fret if you can’t get the knot out in one sitting. I know I can’t always. Just continue to work on it each day until it does.

I have an entire blog post about foam rolling here. Since that article, I’ve also added a lacrosse ball and double lacrosse ball into my mobility kit, which is just an fyi if you are looking to up the intensity of your foam rolling.

smooth foam roller & rumble roller

Maintain or Build Your Core Strength

The core muscles include your abdominals, your back muscles as well as a smaller and complex system of stabilizing muscles around the pelvis that lead down the legs. The core muscles are an important area to focus on as we get older, because we use them so often in our everyday lives.

Pick something up off the floor? That’s right, you’re using those core muscles. Standing up straight? Now that is a lot of core work! When these core muscle weaken, we open ourselves to injuries in other areas of the body, as well as poor posture. Most individuals who undergo back strain have a weakened core.

The good news is that keeping your core tight and strong can be accomplished with a few simple exercises you can do anywhere.

side-plank-for-core-strengthening
Jack’s always my workout buddy.

For the core:

  • Plank
  • Side plank
  • Bridges
  • Burpees

Remember to always keep your core tight when exercising as doing so will give you a lot of indirect core work and lower your risk of injury.

Exercise & Eat Right Every Day

The best thing anyone of any age can do is exercise and eat right. It’s not rocket science. A couple strength training workouts each week, some cardio, a diet that is based around whole, healthy foods, and your body, mind and spirit will thank you.

Three Beachbody Programs I Would Recommendbeachbody-programs-for-fifty-year-old-plus

Tai Cheng: I cannot speak highly enough of the work Dr. Mark Cheng has done in this incredible workout program. This program consists of a beginning round of mobility work, followed up with a session Tai Cheng (basically Tai Chi). This program just does not get recognized enough and is the program I used as my research material for this blog post. I think it’s because the weight loss is not extreme as with other programs, although it helps you lean out, get your mobility back, and keeps you eating healthy. Ordering information can be found here.

PiYo: Yoga and pilates combined, although I could say stretching and strengthening exercises combined to create a heck of a good workout. This program fixed some of my very own muscle imbalances and built my endurance, while giving me a long, lean, toned look. It contains two core workouts to really help with posture, too. Here is the link to my results and full PiYo review.

21 Day Fix: This is the renowned portion control and 30-minute daily exercise program that was made with the beginner to exercise and diet in mind. It is a program based around creating habits (it takes 21 days to create a habit) that you can live with to lead a healthy lifestyle for life, not just the three weeks. And, being based around whole-foods, does not hurt either! You can read the review I did here.

Don’t Think It Can Be Done?

Two of the finest transformations I have been privileged to be a part of is from a 53-year-old male and a 58-year-old female. He, who has now completed three programs and dropped over 30 pounds, is currently Maxing Out with INSANITY MAX:30 as we speak. She is building muscle while maintaining her flexibility with PiYo, loving every minute of it. I hope to add their transformation pictures here soon if they let me!

PLEASE NOTE: I am not a doctor. If you have concerns about previous injuries, future injuries or whether or not you are healthy enough to do a particular program, please consult your physician. I say this, because I want you to be safe.

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31 thoughts on “Beginner Beachbody Programs for the 50+ Crowd”

  1. I’m 74 and need to loose about 75 lbs. I haven’t exercised in years and have some balance and mobility issues. I also have type 2 diabetes. Can I do this program

    1. With any Beachbody workout program or when beginning an exercise program in general it is always advised to consult with your physician before beginning. With that said a program like Tai Cheng sounds like a good on e to look into. Bethany

  2. Gardner Calibuso

    Hello, my wife and myself will be starting TAI CHENG very soon. Just waiting for the order to arrive, we are very excited and thank you for your research! God bless

  3. Hi. I’m just starting out and am 59yrs old. I need a realistic program for me. Low impact for the knees and I’m not into yoga. What do you recommend ?

    1. Hi Tamara, Out of the three listed in the post. Tai Cheng and PiYo are both low impact. PiYo while low impact is still very intense, it is really not Yoga as it always fluid movements.

  4. Johanne Chamberland

    I’m 57 yrs old and would like a 21 day program. My daughter is doing the 21 day extreme and this is too rough for me. Is there one for 50 years and over?

  5. I am 73 and have been exercising more or less most of my life. But, lately, it has been lot less than more, so I asked for PiYo for Christmas. It just came and after going through the align program, I have reluctantly concluded that I am not ready for this. went on line to beachbody and found the Tai Cheng program which I have just ordered. The 21 day fix sounds good as well, but I really feel the need to address mobility issues right now. Would like to lose twenty pounds as well, but mobility is more pressing need. Would like to know how other people my age feel abput the Tai Cheng program.

  6. Thanks so much for including us more “life experienced” folks. I’m 62 years old and have been struggling with my weight for a few years now. My husband(age 63) and I have done P90x(with our own modifications of course!), T25, and I’m now in my sixth day with the 21 Day Fix Extreme. I have already lost about 4 lbs. and feeling more comfortable with the eating plan and those colored containers. I’m feeling stronger and am looking forward to completing my first round of the program. My goal is to lose a total of at least 20 pounds. Over the last year I’ve lost over 12 pounds but I think the key to not losing more was mostly the food component AND not staying consistent with any workout program over the past year. The Fix containers really help me with portion control.
    Thanks again for your attention to the older folks. I feel my age is just a number and I’m working to keep my mind pushing my body to do its best to get in the best shape possible!

    1. HI Janet, Thank you for the kind words and for sharing your journey with us! You’ll get to your goal, just stay consistent with it! Bethany

  7. Hi Bethany!
    Your website inspires me a lot. Every post is very insightful. I could not help but leave a reply here because I am recovering from the second hip replacement surgery and suffering from the back and shoulders pain. Despite the fact that I am only 37 years old and based on my research, I truly believe that those three programs are great for such beginners as I am. Again, I want to thank you for your reviews, support and motivation!

  8. Hi Bethany,
    I am 100 plus overweight and purchased the 21 day fix last month. I am finally ready to start it, however, I find the Shakeology a tad too expensive for my budget (single income here). Can you suggest an alternative?

    1. Hi Deanna, For a simple after workout shake, look for a 100% whey protein without any fillers in the ingredients, Optimum whey is a good one. For a meal replacement, I understand it is not the cheapest shake out there, but you have to remember the quality, vitamins and nutrients you get with this meal replacement shake. The way I look at it is you would spend more than $4.33 if you went to any fast food place for one meal, which is how much Shakeology costs per serving. There are numerous meal replacement shakes available, however buyer beware, because other meal replacement shakes have a list of cheap alternative ingredients like maltodextrin or soy derivatives to make them more affordable, which are no better than stopping at the drive-thru at McDonald’s. Hope this helps! Bethany

      1. I am 50 and I am lactose intolerant. It is because of this that I am reluctant to try Shakeology or any shakes. Whey protein is not good for people with lactose intolerance. Drinking a shake on an empty stomach can lead to disastrous results. Can you suggest an alternative shake without milk by products?

      2. Hi Christine, Have you looked into the Vegan version, it is pea and oat protein based and contains no dairy. I actually just made the switch to this type myself. Bethany

  9. It’s kind of sad that you think anybody over 50 has to do boring yoga and pilates. We aren’t all sedentary, stiff and out of shape. I was looking for an honest review, since you work for the company. Certainly you are patronizing toward those over 50.

    1. Hi Sarah, I’m sorry you took offense to the post, my intention was not patronize in the least. There are 50 year old that can run circles around me, I know that. I tried to explain how mobility exercise is important for people of every age, since I began mobility work and foam rolling I have not been getting those little nagging injuries. This post was written for beginner’s in mind, I updated the title to make that clear. I don’t find PiYo to be boring and though it is low-impact it is not low-intensity. Bethany

  10. I have a guestion. I just had major surgery and cannot exercise for 6 weeks. I would like to start the nutrition part of the 21 Day Fix but do not know how many calories to use without the exercise. Any thoughts? Thanks.

    1. Hi Jean, You would stick to the same calorie level. The diet alone should create a calorie deficit. But, remember your body is in a state of recovery. providing yourself with the nutrition to recover should be your first goal. Good news is the Fix diet is well rounded and will get your body the nutrition it needs to recover by sticking with the approved foods. Bethany

  11. Hi Bethany, I purchased the 21-day fix and received it last week. I have a question – I did the metrics to get my calorie level (2,100-2,300). I am 100+ lbs over and know that I will need to a couple rounds. Do I recalculate the calorie level with each round? I would assume that I would not need to follow the high level if I’ve lost a substantial amount of weight. Thanks!

    1. Hi Deb, Yes, after every round you will want to recalculate your calories. This will lead to a gradual and sustainable weight loss that you will be able to keep off. Bethany

  12. I’m very thankful I found your site…
    I ordered the 21 Day Fix a month ago and have not started it yet…(not quite sure why I am hesitating), but reading about the over 50 crowd is encouraging me to get going and not to look back! I’m 58 yrs. old and about 20 lbs. overweight and totally sedentary. I’m feeling motivated to start TODAY- so I’m off to the grocery store to stock up on healthy foods.
    I normally don’t reply to things like this, but wanted you to know that you’ve inspired me to get going!!!! :)

  13. Thank you for focusing on the fitness needs of older people. You could cite even older groups, as I will be 60 soon! I know there are people in 60s, 70s and beyond that could use the Beachbody programs.

    1. Thanks, It is meant for all age groups even younger, maintaining and getting better what everyone should aim for. I think everyone in the age groups you said could benefit from the first program I cited, it contains a good mobility workout prior to the actual workout. Bethany

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