Strong full body work, all from the floor
This floor strength workout for women over 40 is the one you reach for on the days you want to train but just can’t face being upright and jumping around. 🔥
Maybe you’ve had a rough week of sleep. Maybe you’re nursing a niggle. Maybe you just feel flat and need something that meets you where you are. This is that workout.
Everything is on the floor. No standing, no jumping, no impact. And I promise you, this floor strength workout is still a seriously good session. You’ll lift heavy, get your heart rate up, and work your entire body including your abs. You’ll just do all of it from the mat.
Grab a couple of sets of dumbbells and a mat. Let’s go.
What you’ll gain
This floor strength workout works your whole body without a single move on your feet.
- ✔️ Full body strength from the mat, chest, back, glutes, arms and core
- ✔️ Six tri-sets that keep your heart rate up while you lift heavy
- ✔️ Zero impact and zero standing, so it’s kind to knees, hips and off days
- ✔️ Dumbbells only, at home, and fully scalable to any level
- ✔️ Finish feeling strong and capable, not wiped out
Workout overview
| ⏱ Duration | 45 minutes including warm-up |
| 🔥 Calories | Around 200 |
| 🏋️ Equipment | Dumbbells and a floor mat (optional booty band or ankle weights) |
| 💪 Focus | Full body strength, chest, back, glutes, arms and core |
| 📊 Level | All levels, fully scalable |
| 🎯 Format | 6 tri-sets, 2 rounds each, plus a cardio burst finisher |
Why this format works for women over 40
Strength is still the priority, even from the floor
Strength training is the single most valuable thing we can do for our bodies in our 40s and beyond. As we age we naturally lose muscle mass, and muscle is what keeps our metabolism ticking and our bodies strong and capable. Training from the floor still loads your chest, back, glutes and arms properly, so you protect and build that muscle where it matters, just without the standing impact.
Tri-sets keep the intensity honest
Each tri-set mixes upper body, core and lower body so no single muscle group goes to failure. That’s what lets you keep the intensity honest all the way through without burning out early. This floor strength workout gives you real strength work and metabolic conditioning in the same session, and you finish strong rather than wiped out.
The right kind of challenge for perimenopause
Floor work is lower stress on your nervous system. Standing heavy compounds and high intensity circuits create a bigger cortisol response, which matters when your hormones are already doing their own thing. This floor strength workout still gives you a meaningful strength stimulus without the same systemic load. On a good week it challenges you. On a harder week, when you’re flat or tired, it’s something you can still show up for without it beating you up further. Consistency over intensity. Energised, not exhausted. Always.
The full workout
Warm Up
1️⃣ Deadbug
2️⃣ Glute Bridge March
3️⃣ Bird Dog
4️⃣ Mt Climbers
Tri-Set 1 | 2 Rounds · 40s work / 15s rest
1️⃣ Floor Chest Press | 12.5kg/27.5 lbs
2️⃣ 4 Point Row | 12.5kg/27.5 lbs
3️⃣ Glute Bridge | 12.5kg/27.5 lbs
*30 secs rest
Tri-Set 2 | 2 Rounds · 40s work / 15s rest
1️⃣ Half Kneeling Curl to Press | 8kg/17.5 lbs
2️⃣ Pullover to Leg Lower | 8kg/17.5 lbs
3️⃣ Bicycle Crunch
*30 secs rest
Tri-Set 3 | 2 Rounds · 40s work / 15s rest
1️⃣ Skull Crushers | 5kg/10.5 lbs
2️⃣ Renegade Row and Rotation | 5kg/10.5 lbs
3️⃣ Donkey Kick (L then R, switch halfway)
*1 min rest
Tri-Set 4 | 2 Rounds · 40s work / 15s rest
1️⃣ Wide to Close Push-Up
2️⃣ Half Kneeling Hinge Curl | 8kg/17.5 lbs
3️⃣ Frog Pumps | 12.5kg/27.5 lbs
*30 secs rest
Tri-Set 5 | 2 Rounds · 40s work / 15s rest
1️⃣ Seated Snatch | 5kg/10.5 lbs
2️⃣ Russian Twist | 5kg/10.5 lbs
3️⃣ Scissor Kicks
*30 secs rest
Tri-Set 6 | 2 Rounds · 40s work / 15s rest
1️⃣ Kneeling Hip Thrust + Overhead Tricep Extension | 12.5kg/27.5 lbs
2️⃣ Plank Punch
3️⃣ Fire Hydrant (L then R, switch halfway)
*20 secs rest
Cardio Burst Finisher | 2 Rounds · 20s work / 10s rest
1️⃣ X Body Mountain Climbers
2️⃣ Plank Jacks
3️⃣ Butterfly Sit-Up and Punch
4️⃣ Heel Taps
Workout Complete 🔥 Burn ~200 Calories
Exercises worth calling out
A few moves in this floor strength workout deserve a special mention:
Kneeling Hip Thrust + Overhead Tricep Extension. This one in Tri-Set 6 is my favourite in the whole workout. Add a booty band if you have one. You’re loading the glutes and the triceps at the same time, and the band adds resistance right where you need it. A brilliant little total body move.
Pullover to Leg Lower. A proper full body move that links your upper body and core in one rep. The pullover opens up the chest and lats while the leg lower fires your lower abs. Keep your lower back gently pressed into the mat and control the whole thing.
Renegade Row and Rotation. Rowing from a plank already challenges your core and back, then the rotation adds an anti-rotation demand on top. Go a touch lighter here and keep your hips steady, no rocking side to side.
Trainer tips
- ✔️ The last 10 seconds of each 40 second interval should feel genuinely hard. Breezing through means go heavier, form breaking down early means drop down.
- ✔️ Complete both rounds of a tri-set before moving on to the next one.
- ✔️ Add a booty band or ankle weights on the glute and hip moves (donkey kicks, fire hydrants, frog pumps, glute bridges) for extra work.
- ✔️ Take the full 1 minute rest after Tri-Set 3. Your chest, shoulders and core have earned it.
- ✔️ On the single side moves, switch halfway so each side gets equal work. Stay controlled, don’t rush.
Who this workout is perfect for
This floor strength workout is for women over 40 who want a proper strength session without any standing or impact. If you’re nursing a knee or hip niggle, having a low energy day, or you’ve been told to avoid squats and lunges, this lets you train hard and still feel good afterwards.
This floor strength workout is also perfect on the harder weeks of perimenopause, when your energy is all over the place but you still want to move. Start lighter if you need to, use the full rest periods, and pause the video whenever you like. The format stays the same the whole way through, so it’s easy to follow once you’re in it.
Save this workout
Want to take this floor strength workout with you? I’ve made a fully interactive workout card with every tri-set, all the timing and space to log the weights you use, so you can watch yourself getting stronger week by week.
👉 45 Min Floor Strength Workout Card | Interactive PDF
What to try next
👉 Full Body Strength Workout for Women Over 40 | 1 Hour
👉 40 Min Athletic Strength and Conditioning Workout for Women Over 40
👉 Barbell Lower Body Workout for Women Over 40
Frequently asked questions
Is this floor strength workout suitable for perimenopause?
Yes. It’s a great option on both high energy and low energy days. The floor based format keeps cortisol in check, the tri-set structure holds the intensity without overdoing it, and the session is built to leave you feeling strong rather than depleted. It’s exactly the kind of training that works with your hormones rather than against them.
What weight dumbbells should I use?
For this floor strength workout, I used 5kg, 8kg and 12.5kg across the different exercises. The last 10 seconds of each 40 second set should feel hard but your form should stay clean. Most people will want at least two weights, lighter for the arm and core work and heavier for the chest and glute moves.
Is this good for bad knee days?
Yes. Nothing in this floor strength workout puts load through your knees in a standing position. It’s a great choice if you’re nursing a knee niggle, have been told to avoid squats or lunges, or just need a lower impact session without giving up the strength work.
Can I do this workout as a beginner?
Yes. Start lighter on the weights, take the full rest periods, and pause the video whenever you need to. The format is consistent throughout, so it’s easy to follow once you find your rhythm.
How many calories does this workout burn?
Around 200 calories, though this varies with your body, your effort and the weights you choose. Set your watch to “Traditional Strength Training” or “Weights” for a more personalised number.
How often should I do this workout?
This floor strength workout fits beautifully once or twice a week alongside your other training. It works especially well on the days when you want to train but need something that doesn’t demand everything from you.
Do I need a gym?
Not at all. Dumbbells and a mat, and a bit of floor space. That’s the whole list.
Give this floor strength workout a go, especially on the days when it would have been easier not to. Drop a 💪 in the comments on the video and let me know how you felt afterwards.
Remember: consistency over intensity. Strong and energised, not exhausted. Always. 🔥
Penny x
