This workout is specifically developed for seniors to build strength. It contains movements that engage all of the major muscle groups to strengthen your body. You can do this workout at a healthy club or home, whichever is most pleasurable and convenient for you.
Being active becomes increasingly vital as you get older. Frequent exercise can help you gain muscle mass, manage illness or pain symptoms, support independent living, and lower your risk of developing cardiovascular or neurological disorders.
There is no need for specialized equipment. You’ll also notice that several of the exercises assist you in enhancing or maintaining functional stability and balance, ensuring that daily activities stay accessible as you age.
Precautions and Security
Before beginning this or any fitness program, consult with your healthcare professional to ensure that it is safe for you. Your clinician may recommend changes to improve your health.
Secondly, you’ll want to select a place where you can do the exercises comfortably. Check that you can fully stretch your arms and move around without collapsing against any furniture or walls. Remove any little area rugs that could cause you to slip or trip. You can use a yoga mat for floor exercises if you have one.
Finally, remember to work within your capabilities. There’s no need to overwork oneself, especially when you’re just getting started. It is acceptable to feel your body working and to expect some level of difficulty, but you should not experience pain.
Overview
Time allotted: 25 minutes (5-minute warm-up, 15 minutes strength training, 5-minute cool-down)
Beginning to intermediate level
Equipment Required: Handheld weights or dumbbells 3 – 5 pounds to start, 8 – 10 pounds as you get stronger). If you don’t have any weights, try using household items like water bottles or soup cans.
What to Expect: If you’re a newbie, perform the exercises with no weight at all at first. Simply concentrate on mastering the exercises with proper form. Once you’ve mastered each technique, add dumbbells (or another kind of resistance) to the workouts that call for them.
5 minutes of warm-up
Warming up is key. Warming up dilates your blood vessels, allowing more oxygen to reach your muscles. A warm-up also gradually elevates your heart rate, reducing stress on your heart.
Make the following four warm-up moves for one minute each. Try not to pause between movements, but pause for a few seconds if necessary.
1-minute jog in place
If low-impact movement suits you better, march for 1 minute with high knees in position.
1 minute of punching
Punching is an excellent way to warm up the upper body and get circulation flowing throughout the body.
- Stand with your feet apart a little bit wider than shoulder-width and your knees slightly bent.
- Strengthen your core muscles to maintain your center still.
- Punch out one arm at a time, keeping a consistent speed.
1 minute of knee thrusters
- Begin by standing with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart and turning both feet in one way, allowing your hips to follow in a shallow lunge.
- Bend the front knee at 90 degrees, while the back heel is elevated. Arms are held in front of the chest in a guard position.
- Raise the back knee to hip height and bring the hands in toward the thigh.
- Rep with the other foot on the floor.
1 minute of basic squats
The basic squat will round up your warm-up. To maintain your hip flexors mobile, try to sink your glutes as low as possible.
- Place your feet hip-distance apart and stand tall.
- All of your hips, knees, and toes should be pointed forward.
- Bend your knees while extending your buttocks backward as if you were preparing to sit in a chair.
- Maintain your knees on your toes and your weight on your heels.
- Get back up.
Workout Time: 15 Minutes
Do the exercises listed below for the prescribed amount of repetitions. Rest for 1 minute between exercises.
Squat Curl Knee Lift
Targets biceps, glutes, and quadriceps
- Begin in a squat with your weight back on your heels and your arms long next to your side, grasping dumbbells.
- While curling the weights to your shoulders, squeeze your glutes to press up and elevate your right knee.
- Return to a squat stance by slowly lowering the weights. Rep with your left knee.
8 to 12 reps per side
Safety Trip: As you sit into each squat exercise, keep your chest open and back straight. While you curl, keep your elbows tight to your ribcage.
Overhead Shoulder Press
Targets shoulders
- Begin with your feet hip-distance apart. Bring your elbows out to the side, arms in a goal post position, dumbbells at the side of your head, and abs firm.
- Slowly raise dumbbells until your arms are straight. Return to the starting position slowly and with control. Rep until you’ve completed the required number of reps.
- To work harder and develop balance, execute half the exercises on one foot, then switch to the other foot.
8 to 12 reps
Safety Tip: Directly over the shoulders, lift the weights. Allowing your arms to float back may cause your back to arch. If you have trouble keeping good posture throughout this activity, do it while seated.
Rowing a Renegade Arm
Targets triceps, back, and shoulders
- Begin with your legs together and sit back into a little squat, working your abs. Arms are extended in front of the body, dumbbells at hip height, and palms facing the ceiling.
- Pull your elbows back past your hips, softly hugging your side body, until you feel your lats and triceps activate, then return forward with control.
8 to 12 reps
Safety Tip: Maintain a neutral spine throughout this movement. Try not to arch your back or curve your spine. Maintain your attention on the floor a few feet in front of your toes.
Bird Dog
Targets the back, glutes, and core
- Kneel on all fours on the floor (or an exercise mat if you have one). Extend one arm long behind you, draw in your abs, and extend the opposite leg long behind you.
- Rep on the opposite side.
8 to 10 reps per side
Safety Tip: Go slowly and steadily, briefly holding the arm and leg out before switching.
The Glute Bridge
Targets glutes and hamstrings
- Lay down on the floor back with your knees bent at and your feet flat and stacked under your knees.
- As you get into a bridge position by lifting your hip, engage your core and clench your glutes. Hold tightly and return to the mat with control.
- To make it more difficult, perform this exercise with one leg at a time. While you thrust your hips up and down, lift the non-working leg into the air.
8 to 12 reps
Safety Tip: To protect your neck, keep your gaze fixed on the ceiling.
Push-Up Kneeling Shoulder Tap
Targets arms, shoulders, and core
- Begin in a kneeling plank position, with hands on the ground beneath the shoulders and a long back extended to the knees.
- Drop your chest to the floor while maintaining your abs taut. As you push back up to the kneeling plank, tap your left hand on your right shoulder, then set it down.
- Perform the push-up, but this time tap your left hand on your right shoulder as you rise. Maintain strong abs throughout, and don’t let your torso tip to one side as you tap.
8 to 12 push-ups
Safety Tip: For this technique, tuck a folded blanket under your knees if they are sore.
Extension of the Mid-Back
Targets back and core
- Begin by lying face down on the carpet. To activate the abs, lift them away from the mat and slide the shoulders down the back. In a low hover, the head is elevated. Your entire body is one big line.
- Exhale and push your chest away from the mat into extension using your back muscles and core. Consider lengthening from the crown of your head.
- Inhale and slowly return to the mat, gaining longer through the spine as you go.
8 to 12 reps
Safety Tip: If this move causes back pain, skip it. If your back is in good shape, you can boost the ante by performing the exercise with your arms out in front.
Sit-ups for the Whole Body
Targets the core, shoulders, and back
- Begin by reclining on a mat with your arms extended overhead, your legs long, and your feet contracted.
- Inhale as you raise your arms and begin curling your chin and chest forward. Exhale as you roll your torso up and over your legs, keeping your abs engaged and reaching for your toes.
- Inhale as you roll your spine down one vertebra at a time, then exhale as the upper portion of your back lowers, and your arms reach the packed overhead. Repeat, moving slowly and lifting and lowering with the abdominals rather than momentum.
8 to 10 reps
Safety Tip: If this is too hard on your back, bend your knees and perform an abdominal crunch instead. Put your hands behind your head and curl your upper body off the floor, with your feet flat on the floor. Lower yourself back down and repeat.
To Conclude
Take five minutes to return your heart rate and breathing to normal. To relax and conclude your workout, walk around the room or in place, or do some simple full-body stretches.