A recent issue online has been the criticism of middle-aged women for the way they choose to exercise. TikTok users have filmed them doing a variety of non-traditional workouts (cardio drums, trampolines, aerial bungee, moon boots, etc.). In the videos, the women are mocked for “doing something completely different from a normal workout,” “doing anything to avoid lifting weights,” and “doing triple sets of nonsense.”
Unfortunately, shaming middle-aged women and the way they move is nothing new, but what these detractors ignore is the fact that the benefits of these movements go far beyond the traditional definition of fitness.
Christopher Gagliardi, an ACE-certified personal trainer and health coach, says the American Council on Exercise has done research to back up some of these workouts as effective exercises. Cardio drumming has been proven to be effective in terms of fun, burning calories, and increasing your heart rate to improve cardiovascular fitness. A trampoline workout uses the same energy as running at 6 mph on flat ground or biking at 14 mph, but with much less impact.
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“We haven’t studied all of these methods, but as long as the method of exercise is safe, Several “Physical activity is much better than nothing,” Gagliardi says. Physical activity guidelines for Americans recommend that adults do 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity per week (or an equal combination of both). If you can achieve these target levels of intensity with your exercise, you’ll reap the health benefits, no matter how “silly” it may look or feel, Gagliardi says. As a rule of thumb, people who do moderate-intensity aerobic exercise can talk but not sing while exercising; people who do vigorous-intensity exercise can’t speak more than a few words without holding their breath.
After all, these “midlife workouts” have traditional benefits for cardiovascular health and are nothing to scoff at. But they also go beyond meeting general physical activity guidelines. The reasons we work out are very personal and different for each person, says Gagliardi. “For some, health benefits may be most important; for others, it may be weight maintenance; for others, it may be social connection. The results you should strive for are ones that are personally meaningful and align with your values.”
Criticism of these workouts ignores the fact that not everyone has the same fitness goals. Much of the criticism centers on the idea that “middle-aged women will do anything to avoid lifting weights.” While strength training has proven benefits, it’s not for everyone. As Gagliardi and science tell us, any movement is better than no movement. What’s more, these group fitness classes not only provide the same benefits as training alone, Gagliardi says, but also provide the added benefit of social connection. Group fitness has been shown to affect perceptions of effort, recalled enjoyment and pleasure, and a “sense of group,” all of which can positively impact how long you stick with exercising.
Women tend to exercise less than men on average, but interestingly, they see better results from the same amount of exercise. That’s why getting this group together in the gym, regardless of how they exercise, is so important. The community and enjoyment of exercising may be more important to these women than the physical results. But at the end of the day, their motivations are none of our business, or anyone else on the internet’s. They’re exercising, and they’re having fun. You can’t ask for more.
Thankfully, these workouts have their defenders online as well as their haters. Dr. Tommy Martin commented on the unfair, disrespectful, and unnecessary criticism of these workouts. “Everyone works out differently,” he said in a reaction video. “We’re all at different levels of fitness… [some people]”If you join this class and do any kind of movement, you’ll see a big improvement,” he says, noting that exercise has myriad benefits beyond keeping you healthy. Exercise has been shown to reduce anxiety and depression, improve body image, sleep, bone density, and even academic performance. Finally, he says, we don’t know these women’s backgrounds, health conditions, or physical limitations. So, rather than judging, try putting on some moon boots or a bungee harness. Not only will you get a great workout, you might just have a great time.
Kaley Rohlinger is a freelance writer for PS focusing on health, fitness, food, and lifestyle content. She has experience in the marketing and communications industry and has been writing for PS for over four years.
