Simple exercises to help keep you fit as you age.
As we get older, we need to focus more on basic fitness so we can continue to do the things we enjoy without injury or reduced function. Strength and endurance begin to wane after 50 so fighting back will be our key to enjoying an active life as much as we can. By avoiding muscle imbalance with can help our bodies not overload the stronger side to compensate for a weaker side. Exercising each side of the body independently can help you identify imbalances, while also working the supporting muscles, tendons and ligaments that cross your joints. Single-side strength work can also improve your balance, reducing the risk of falls, and boost bone density. Remember the old saying, “use it or lose it”.
Here are a few exercises you will find to be helpful.
Single leg bridge. Lie on your back, pull your feet back so they are almost under your knees and spaced hip-width apart. Now raise one leg with your knee slightly bent or straight and then raise your hips as comfortably as high as you can. Squeeze your glutes to go up and then lower to the floor as you keep one leg elevated. Keep raising and lowering your hips off the floor with one leg bent or straight. After 10 reps do the other side. Repeat for 3 sets.
Alternate arm raise while in a low plank position. Lie on floor face down, keep feet close together and raise up on your elbows with your back straight. Alternate raising each arm off the ground and extending the hand out straight out, palm facing inward. Try to maintain level hips as you shift your weight from arm to arm. Do 10 reps. Repeat for 3 sets.
Side Plank with hip dip. Start lying on the ground on your left side, legs together, feet stacked. Prop your upper body on your bent left forearm with your elbow directly beneath your shoulder. Place your right hand on your hip. Lift your hips off the ground until your body forms a side plank. Don’t let your upper body dip forward or back. Slowly lower to hover above the floor, and repeat 10 reps. Then switch sides. If this feels difficult, lower the hips to touch the ground between reps. Make it harder by raising the top leg as high as you can and keep parallel with supporting leg. Repeat for 3 sets.
Step up with knee raise. Use a box or platform 6-7” high or use stairs. Step up with one foot and then raise the opposite knee as high as you can while on the box. Then step down to starting position and repeat. Do 10 reps and then the other side. Repeat for 3 sets.
Single leg calf raise. While you still have the box available, stand on the box with the ball of one foot at the edge of the box and one foot held up slightly. Using the leg that is one the box, slowly lower down to stretch the calf muscle and then raise up as high as you can on that foot, keep the other foot from assisting. Try 10 reps and switch. Repeat for 3 sets.
Romanian dead lift. Stand on your left foot, knee slightly bent. Hinge at the hips to bend forward. Extend your right leg straight behind you and lower your torso until it is parallel to the floor. Your arms can hang below the shoulders. Keep your hips square to the floor, and don’t let your lower back arch. Keep neck straight as if you were standing. Tighten your abdominal muscles to help protect the lower back. Pause at the bottom and squeeze the glutes to return to standing. Change sides and do 10 more times. This is a good time to use a kettlebell or other weight to help with strengthening. Repeat for 3 sets.
Here’s a few more to be sure you are covering the bases.
Squats, make it harder using a weight such as a dumbbell. Go low enough so your thighs are parallel to the ground.
Overhead press – use dumbbells heavy enough for a challenge but light enough to do 10-15 reps.
Lateral raise – use lighter weights and raise your arms high enough to be level with your shoulders.
Curls – use weights with palms up as you bring the weight towards your shoulder. Squeeze it harder briefly at the top and then lower. Also, you can try raising weight just half way and hold briefly and slower lower. Another is hold weight with forearm parallel with ground and the bring up toward shoulder, pause/squeeze and then slowly lower halfway, repeat for 12-15 reps.
Of course, there are lots of other things you can, do but this is a good start. Try to perform the recommendations every other day. On off days, you can walk/jog, lap swim, bike or play tennis or pickleball for example. Get a friend to join you as it’s more fun and you can have a commitment to be there for them too.
For more information on ways to keep up your strength and flexibility here are some of my favorite trainers on YouTube. Here is a list by channel names:
Redefining Strength – let Corey push you to try something new.
Bob & Brad – two Canadian physical therapists who have some great ideas and some corny humor. Lots of videos are tailored to a specific issue.
Body Project – “30 minute fat burning workout for beginners” 38 million views!
The most important thing about this whole lesson is to get started and keep going. Even if you can only devote 15 minutes on some days, that’s better than zero. You’ll be glad you did.
#training #fitness #exercise