Personal trainer Janet Osborne has shared a strength routine she highlights for her 87-year-old mother to help maintain strength, mobility, and independence in later life.
The 65-year-old fitness expert, who has 1.7 million Instagram followers, demonstrated that staying active and building strength as we age does not require complicated, hour-long gym sessions.
Osborne recommends aiming for 10 repetitions of each exercise, doing each side where applicable, and holding single-leg balances for 10 to 20 seconds per leg. She suggests trying to fit the movements in a couple of times a week, noting that a few exercises throughout the day can use a chair or counter for support whenever needed.
- Sit-to-stand: Sit in the middle of a chair with arms crossed and hands on opposing shoulders. Keep the back straight with feet on the floor, then rise to a full standing position without using hands before sitting down again.
- Single-leg calf raise: Holding onto a surface like a kitchen worktop or chair back, stand on one leg while balancing lightly with fingertips, push up onto the ball of the foot, and slowly lower before repeating on the other side.
- Hip hinge: Stand with feet hip-width apart, chest tall, and back flat. Keep a slight softness in the knees, drive the hips back to hinge forward with a straight spine, then drive the hips forward and engage the glutes to return to the start.
- Counter push-up: Place hands on a counter shoulder-width apart and walk feet back until leaning forward on toes in a straight line from heels to shoulders. Keep elbows close to the sides, lower the chest toward the hands, and push back to the starting position.
- Side step: Stand tall with feet hip-width apart, engage the core, and maintain a slight bend in the knees with the chest up to improve lateral stability and help prevent falls.
- Single-leg balance: Hold for 10 to 20 seconds per leg, using a chair or counter for support whenever needed.
According to Women’s Health, studies show that resistance training at retirement age can lead to gains in muscle mass and function over a period of years while increasing longevity and healthy years of life.
Among the recommended movements, the sit-to-stand exercise is a longevity stalwart that medical professionals have long used to assess how well a patient is ageing, as studies show it can help predict the risk of both natural and cardiovascular-related deaths among older adults.
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