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“Getting older doesn’t have to mean slowing down. It’s about moving from living really long to living really well,” says certified personal trainer Carter Lee. better than me Who has almost a decade of experience in helping customers of all ages.
He specializes in creating strength and mobility programs to guide clients to move better and stay consistent, and below, he shares five of his exercises with Tom’s Guide.
As a reminder, if you are a complete beginner or returning to exercise after a long break or injury, it is always advisable to seek personal advice from a qualified professional to protect yourself from the risk of injury.
What are the exercises?
Here are the functional exercises recommended by Lee for building strength and stability as a senior. The focus here is on building a strength that will keep you independent for longer periods of time, not only in your workouts, but when carrying groceries, getting up from a chair, or catching yourself before stumbling.
All exercises use a chair or wall for support to reduce the risk of falls. To increase intensity, you may want to invest in one of these best resistance bands For some exercises.
1. Sitting March
“This move improves hip flexor strength and coordination while squatting, which serves as an effective low-impact way to increase heart rate. To maximize this, using hand weights or small dumbbells is highly beneficial. This creates a ‘cross-crawl’ challenge that forces your core to stabilize against additional movement of the limbs, turning a simple mobility drill into a functional strength exercise,” says Lee.
2. Back folds
“A gentle way to keep your spine well-mobilized. It targets flexibility through the lower back and neck, so range of motion stays where it needs to be,” says Lee.
3. Standing leg abduction
“With a chair for support, this works the muscles on the outside of your hips, which are responsible for keeping you side-to-side and level with your pelvis as you walk,” says Lee.
4. Chest Mobility with a Band
“This movement opens up the chest and helps the shoulders move more freely. Over time, it helps correct the forward bending posture many of us develop, and it really makes breathing easier, too,” says Lee.
5. Alternating leg abduction
“By lying on the floor with your feet propped up against the wall, it focuses on the outer hips and glutes, while keeping your lower back completely supported and out of the equation,” says Lee.
What are the benefits?
All of the above exercises help build full-body, functional strength while reducing the risk of falls and injuries while doing so. Exercises like seated marches and leg abductions also help correct imbalances in the body, allowing you to work on your weaker side to improve overall stability.
If you spend a lot of time sitting, back bending and thoracic mobility exercises can improve the flexibility of your back and neck, helping to prevent stiffness and discomfort.
Ultimately, all of the above exercises will help improve your core strength, which can in turn help protect your lower back from injury. Really think about engaging your core throughout the workout. To do this, imagine you’re trying to wear a pair of jeans that’s too small – draw your stomach up and in and tighten your core as you walk.
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