If you’re over 35 and want a body that doesn’t feel weak, fragile, or 20 years older than you are?
Then here’s 5 physical qualities you must train:
1. Strength & Muscle
This is your armour.
And what will make you feel proud at what’s staring back in the mirror.
After 30, you lose muscle every year unless you deliberately train for it – that’s why picking up your kids feels heavier, your joints gets grumpy, and you don’t look as sharp in photos anymore.
Build strength and muscle and your whole life gets easier.
You feel solid, capable, and even strong enough to pick your woman up without worrying your back will explode.
2. Mobility
Don’t use it, you lose it.
Most guys don’t realise how stiff they’re getting until something tiny takes them out – tying a shoelace, lifting a box.
Mobility isn’t yoga classes.
It’s just keeping your joints moving well enough to train consistently without getting sidelined.
Add a few moves done in your warm-ups and you’ll lift better, move smoother, and avoid those “I must be getting old” moments.
3. Muscular Endurance (Especially Legs)
Listen, a few jogs isn’t leg training.
Know what one of the strongest correlations to longer (and quality) life is?
Your thigh strength.
Elderly people commonly die quickly after falling over and breaking a hip of femur.
Stronger thighs stop you falling, and protect your bones when you do.
Yes, this belongs in the ‘strength and muscle’ department.
But training muscle endurance in the legs kinda covers this too.
And you might not be worrying about that yet.
But right now?
Well…
If you’ve ever struggled on a hill walk or bike ride with the guys, gassed out at 5-a-side, or pretended you “let the kids win”…
Aye, it might be your cardio.
But it’s also strength endurance in your legs.
High-rep bodyweight squats, lunges, split squats, and step-ups build legs that can go the distance.
So you can enjoy the things you love instead of surviving them.
4. Speed & Power
We might not need to hunt food or evade predators anymore.
But you don’t want to make an arse of yourself on the dad race, fail to save a child before they fall near water, or tweak your shoulder throwing a ball for the dog.
Do you?
Fast-twitch fibres are the first to fade with age, and when they go, you feel it.
A little power work (short hill sprints, kettlebell swings, controlled jumps, medicine ball throws) keeps you sharp, reactive, and youthful.
You only need to fling a few bits of this into your workouts.
Just build strength and mobility first, so your joints can handle the impact.
5. Steady State Cardio
Not brutal, punishing cardio – just the kind that keeps your heart healthy, mind clear, and your energy high.
Easy running, cycling or rowing.
Fast walking, hiking, or zone 2 work all count.
If you’re short on time, the minimum effective dose is simple: 2 sessions a week of 20–30 minutes, or even 10–15 minutes after your strength workouts.
It boosts recovery, lowers stress, and makes everyday life feel easier.
You don’t need to do all of this in separate workouts.
A good training plan for busy midlife guys covers most of it just a few workouts a week.
The take homes?
“Feeling old” isn’t just aging.
It’s lifestyle.
If you want to be the fit guy others look up to – not the guy who goes about giving it: “wait til you get to my age”.
Train these five qualities.
They’re the difference between “getting older” and actually living well.
Dean
PS – The best time to build your strength, fitness and capability was 10 years ago.
The second best time is right now.
If you’re ready to start putting you first, so everyone else gets the best of you, for longer, there’s two ways I can help:
1) The FREE dad bod debrief: Get the insider knowledge from and ex military trainer and men’s coach helping hundreds of midlife guys get in shape – link to join is in the page bio.
2) Want to work with me and fast-track your results? Join the Rebirth program by TAPPING HERE.