As we age, declining muscle mass and strength can impact on our quality of life and increase the risk of falls or other injuries. The great news is that strength training can help you stay stronger for longer, and it also has many other benefits, such as increasing the strength of your bones and improving your heart health.
Here are three great exercises that will help boost your strength and allow you to keep up with everyday activities.
Lower body exercise
The Sit to Stand exercise is a simple and highly effective way to increase the strength of the muscles in your lower body. It’s a functional movement that directly translates to activities in everyday life, such as taking a seat on the bus and getting up to disembark.
Sit to Stand
Step-by-Step Instructions
From a seated position with your feet shoulder width apart, drive upwards through your feet using your leg muscles and gluteal muscles (buttocks) to stand upright. Pause for a moment, then bend your hips and knees to slowly lower your body back to a seated position. That completes one repetition of the exercise.
Technique and Safety Tips
For your safety, choose a sturdy, stable chair. For extra security, you can position the chair so that its back rests firmly against a wall or other solid surface.
Focus on driving upwards using your leg muscles and gluteal muscles (buttocks). Slowly lower yourself back down to the chair. Try not to lean forward and swing yourself up. Maintain an upright posture, with your shoulders back and chest up.
For the seated position, ensure that your heels are positioned directly below or slightly behind your knees. If your feet are placed too far forward, then it can be very hard to avoid leaning forward and swinging up. It also helps to sit more towards the front of your chair, rather than being fully seated at the back of the chair.
To assist with the movement, you can place your hands on your thighs or on chair arm rests for support if required. Only use arm rests if they are strong enough to support your weight.
The height of the chair can affect the difficulty of the exercise. Taller chairs will be easier compared to shorter chairs.
Alternative Exercises
Healthy Living membership includes alternatives for every exercise, such as easier variations, or more challenging progressions. Not a member? Sign up today to get full access to guided workouts and structured programs, plus your own personal dashboard to track your progress.
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Wall Sit
Decreased difficulty
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Squat
Increased difficulty
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Sumo Squat
Increased difficulty
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Dumbbell Squat
Increased difficulty
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Sumo Dumbbell Squat
Increased difficulty
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Dumbbell Sit to Stand
Increased difficulty
Pull movement exercise
Rowing is a fantastic ‘pull movement’ exercise that works the muscles in your back and arms (your biceps). This functional movement helps with everyday activities, such as picking up heavy items from the ground, or holding onto the lead of a boisterous furry friend!
Bent-over Row: Seated Unilateral (one arm)
Step-by-Step Instructions
From a seated position, holding a weight in your right hand, lean your torso forward by hinging at the hips and place your left forearm on your left leg for support. The weight in your right arm should be positioned towards your right foot. Bend your right elbow and pull the weight up and back until your elbow is behind your body, pause for a moment, then slowly straighten your elbow to lower the weight back down towards your right foot. That completes one repetition of the exercise.
Once you have completed the desired number of repetitions on your right side, perform the exercise on your left side.
Technique and Safety Tips
For your safety, choose a sturdy, stable chair. For extra security, you can position the chair so that its back rests firmly against a wall or other solid surface. Use a chair without arm rests, otherwise the exercise may be difficult to perform.
You can use dumbbells, wrist weights, or everyday household items, such as tinned food or bottles of water for weights. To start with, you could also just clench your fist and use no weights.
To maintain the correct technique, keep your elbow in close to your body and pull the weight up and back, as if you are drawing the weight back towards your belly button. When you straighten your elbow to lower the weight back down, think about returning the weight towards your foot.
Alternative Exercises
Healthy Living membership includes alternatives for every exercise, such as easier variations, or more challenging progressions. Not a member? Sign up today to get full access to guided workouts and structured programs, plus your own personal dashboard to track your progress.
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Bent-over Row: Standing Unilateral (one arm)
Standing
Push movement exercise
The Overhead Press exercise is a ‘push movement’ using your upper body. It works the muscles in your arms, in particular your shoulder and tricep muscles. This functional movement mimics activities such as putting items up on a high shelf, or lifting up smaller and younger family members!
Overhead Press: Seated Bilateral (both arms)
Step-by-Step Instructions
From a seated position, hold weights in both hands slightly above and just in front of your shoulders, so that your thumbs are facing towards you and your little fingers are facing away from you. Push your hands straight up in the air, until your arms are almost completely straight overhead (keep a very slight bend in your elbows), with the weights coming towards each other above and slightly in front of you. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the weights until your hands are back down in front and just above your shoulders. That completes one repetition of the exercise.
Technique and Safety Tips
For your safety, choose a sturdy, stable chair. For extra security, you can position the chair so that its back rests firmly against a wall or other solid surface.
You can use dumbbells, or everyday household items, such as tinned food or bottles of water for weights. To start with, you could also just clench your fist and use no weights. You can perform the exercise using both arms at once (bilateral) or one arm at a time (unilateral). For an increased challenge, pause for longer (e.g. 3 seconds) at the top of the movement.
Maintain an upright posture, with your chest up and eyes looking forward. Do not have your shoulders ‘shrugged up’ as you perform the exercise, keep your shoulders down. Do not swing your body by leaning forwards and backwards to assist with the exercise, focus on just using your arms to perform the movement.
You may find that positioning your hands slightly wider than shoulder width makes the movement feel more comfortable. You can adjust the placement of your hands until you find the angle that feels best for you. As the position of your hands moves wider apart, your palms will naturally begin to face forward and this is your body making the correct adjustment for the exercise. Regardless of the angle you choose, the important thing is to ensure that you keep each elbow positioned directly below your wrist and hand.
Alternative Exercises
Healthy Living membership includes alternatives for every exercise, such as easier variations, or more challenging progressions. Not a member? Sign up today to get full access to guided workouts and structured programs, plus your own personal dashboard to track your progress.
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Overhead Press: Standing Bilateral (both arms)
Standing
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Overhead Press: Seated Unilateral (one arm)
Seated
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Overhead Press: Standing Unilateral (one arm)
Standing
Ready to start strength training?
The Healthy Living Strength and Balance membership takes the guesswork out of it. You get guided workouts and easy-to-follow programs that build your strength week by week, clear visuals and instructions for every exercise, and simple tools to track your progress along the way. Membership costs less than $5 a month, or under $2.50 a month with a Seniors Card. Join Healthy Living today
