Jennifer Aniston’s go-to workout shown to improve strength in women over 40

Jennifer Aniston’s favourite low-impact workout has been shown to improve strength, balance and flexibility in women over 40.

The fitness method, developed by the US functional fitness brand Pvolve, has been shown to be beneficial in a study conducted by the University of Exeter investigating and comparing Pvolve’s low-impact workouts against standard fitness routines.

The Healthy Aging Study, conducted by Professor Francis Stephens’ research group at the University of Exeter, looked at 72 women aged 40-60 years old who followed either Pvolve’s programme or standard physical activity guidelines of 150 minutes of exercise per week.

It found that the “Pvolve method” was effective at improving muscle function, strength, body composition and quality of life in women between 40-60 throughout various phases of menopause.

The women in the study reported experiencing a 19 per cent increase in hip and lower body strength and a 21 per cent increase in full-body flexibility after adopting consistent exercise routines through the company’s method.

The research also indicated that the low-impact workout may influence other parts of whole body health, including lower blood lipids, improved lean muscle without increasing total body mass, improved hip function and lower body strength and balance, mobility, and stability.

“Age-related loss of muscle mass and strength is particularly important to counteract by women over forty because muscle mass and strength of women in their thirties already trends lower,” said Dr Nima Alamdari, Pvolve clinical advisory board member, physiologist and honorary professor of sport and health sciences at the University of Exeter.

“The Healthy Aging Study is a first-of-its-kind, underscoring the efficacy of lower impact, functional fitness on women’s health outcomes, not only protecting and improving physical strength but enhancing women’s quality of life and wellbeing.”

Jennifer Aniston, who officially partnered with Pvolve in June after falling in love with the method, said: “The Pvolve Method has been transformational for me, so I’m excited about this research that shows how Pvolve can help women improve their physical strength and overall wellbeing at any age.”

Beginning in their late 30s, women experience a three to eight per cent decline in lean muscle mass per decade, and yet most workouts are not designed to address these rapid changes in their bodies.

Data shows that effective exercise routines for women over 40 should include a combination of strength training with heavy weights to boost metabolism, short cardio circuits for brain, heart and bone health, and resistance-based training that focuses on balance, mobility, coordination and stability to mitigate common age-related changes such as loss of strength and risk of falls.

Antonietta Vicario, chief training officer at Pvolve, said: “As women age and go through various phases of menopause and other hormonal changes, they can experience a slowing metabolism, sarcopenia and the natural decline of strength.

“It can be frustrating when trying to counterbalance things like weight gain or muscle loss, with a workout routine that is not producing expected results or is counter-productive. Pvolve addresses the needs of women by understanding how to pair fitness with their life stages.”

She added: “We’re proud to share initial research results and provide an effective, science-backed programme that supports women’s overall health-span, especially given that research has historically focused on men or younger athletes.”