What Is The Best Exercise for Seniors?

As we age, exercise and physical activity become more and more important for our overall fitness and well-being. Beginning around our late 30s and early 40s, we naturally begin to lose muscle mass, strength, and stamina. By the time we reach our 50s and 60s, the the cumulative loss of muscle and strength are visibly noticeable and can be felt each day. And when we lose those enough of those abilities, our health can suffer in many ways, possibly leading to chronic disease and illnesses such as diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and more. Fortunately, everyone can prevent, and even reverse, age-related loss of muscle and strength, also know as sarcopenia.

30 Minute Workout for Older Adults

I recommend strength training - using weights, resistance bands, machines, and medicine balls - for all older adults. Resistance training can improve muscle tone, increase total body strength, reduce body fat, and benefit the cardiovascular system. Workouts can be as little as 30 minutes for seniors and older adults and can create fast results that you will notice. Depending on age, experience, injury history, and overall health, weight training routines for older adults over 60 can be done 3-5 times a week; older adults over 75 can using strength building workouts 2-3 times each week for progress. Here is a sample 30 minute workout for older adults:

Warmup: 2-3 minutes of full body stretches and 2-3 minutes of walking on a treadmill with light dumbbells

Cable Face Pulls: 3 sets of 12 reps

45 Degree Back Raises: 3 sets of 12 reps

Standing Twists with 10lb Plate: 2 sets of 30 seconds

Seated Calf Raises: 2 sets of 20 reps

Box Squats: 1 set of as many reps as possible

The Six Best Exercises for Seniors

The best exercises for older adults are listed in my sample workout above. Here they are in more detail.

1. Cable Face Pulls

Face pulls are performed standing or seated, using a strap or other type of handle connected to a cable pulley weight machine. Grab the handles with knuckles facing up and pull your hands toward your forehead, keeping the elbows high. Pull until your hands are close to the forehead and then go forward and repeat. Face pulls help build the muscles of the upper back, improving posture for all older adults while standing and sitting and reducing pressure on the lower back and neck with good spinal alignment.

2. 45 Degree Back Extensions

Forty-five degree back raises are performed on a special machine with a foot plate and pads angled at approximately 45 degrees with the floor. Place your feet on the foot plate and rest your upper legs on the pads. Your midsection and upper body should be off of the pads so that you can bend forward. Bend at the hips so that your upper body goes down toward the floor. You will feel a nice stretch on your hamstrings and lower back at the bottom of the exercise. Then squeeze your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back to raise up to the starting position with your body in a straight line. This exercise stretches and strengthens your posterior chain muscles, including the spinal erectors, glutes, and hamstrings, thereby helping to prevent lower back pain, sciatica, and disc degeneration in older adults.

3. Standing Twists

Standing twists are one of the easiest exercises to do for seniors. Stand with your feet spread just wider than normal. Then gently squeeze your abdominal muscles to twist your torso to one side, without moving your feet. Twist gently to one side and then to the other side of your body. You may be stiff when you begin the exercise, but your muscles should gradually loosen over the first 5-10 repetitions. Standing twists are a great exercise for older adults in their 60s and 70s to improve mobility around the spine and neck. For example, if you find it difficult to turn in your vehicle while driving to check for traffic behind you, standing twists should improve your flexiblity and help you turn farther while driving.

4. Seated Calf Raises

Seated calf raises are done on a machine in a gym with a seat, foot plate, and pads to place above the knees. Place about the front half of your feet on the foot plate, with the heels of your shoes hanging off of the back edge of the foot plate. Your knees will go underneath the pads. You will then raise you feet as high as possible, onto the big toe of each foot if possible. With your feet high and ankles fully extended, hold for 1-2 seconds and then lower your heels to return to the starting position of the calf raise exercise. You should feel a stretch on the muscles in the bottom of each repetition, with your heels lower than your toes. Seated calf raises strengthen the muscles of the lower leg, including the gastrocnemius and soleus. This exercise helps seniors maintain strong feet, ankles, and lower leg muscles. It can also help to prevent knee pain by strengthening the soleus muscles.

5. Box Squats

Box squats are perhaps the single best exercise for adults in their 60s and 70s. Box squats are simply squats done to a box, chair, bench, or other stable surface. The main difference between squats and box squats is that box squats are done until you physically sit on the box or bench, relax your muscles, and then squeeze your muscles to stand up off of the box or bench. In contrast, normal squats are done without a pause and relaxation phase at the bottom of the repetition. Box squats have direct application to the daily life of all seniors by strengthening the legs and hips and improving flexiblity, leading to as easier time sitting down to a chair or couch and standing back up. Box squats are also beneficial in helping to prevent falls and fractures in older adults.

Why Is It Important for Older Adults in Their 60s and 70s to Exercise?

Here are my top three reasons why I believe that older adults should exercise regularly. Your doctor may have other reasons. You may have other reasons why you think it’s important to strength train and workout. The most important thing to remember is that, regardless of your motivation, the best thing every senior can do is some type of exercise. Something is better than nothing.

Exercise Prevents and Mitigates Disease:

We are seeing dramatic rises in obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis, arthritis, and other health challenges in older adults in 2020. Many of those illnesses and diseases can be traced to a lack of exercise. So the best thing to do is something that you will continue doing. “Motion is lotion” as one health professional has told me.

Exercise Boosts Energy:

Forget coffee, energy drinks, and sodas. The best way to boost your energy levels is through regular exercise. Strength training programs for seniors can elevate physical and mental energy throughout the entire day. If you find yourself feeling sluggish, as many adults in their 60s and 70s often do, a quick 30 minute workout could fix that.

Exercise Can Keep You Out of Assisted Living:

As we age and lose our physical capabilities, we become less and less independent. And as that happens, you may become more and more likely to need assisted living or a nursing home to help us in our daily lives and tasks. Exercise can maintain and improve mobility, strength, energy levels, and cognitive function, helping seniors to maintain their independence for their entire lives.