Build real strength at home after 50, try these 4 NASM-CPT exercises today.
The cold, winter weather can make it challenging to maintain a regular exercise routine. When temperatures drop, outdoor workouts also require extra caution, as our bodies take longer to warm up and are more susceptible to stress without proper clothing and preparation. Whereas Walking remains an excellent form of exercise because it is low-impact, accessible, and easy effectiveWorking out indoors can be a safer and more comfortable option during cold conditions.
As always, please check with a medical professional before starting any new exercise regimen.
Once you’re ready to go, here are five exercises that will help you build strength indoors.
heel lift
Stand with your feet together, toes pointing forward. Lift the heels so that you are as high on the balls of the feet as possible, keeping the legs straight without locking the knees together. If you need extra support for your balance, you can gently place your fingers on a supportive surface like a kitchen counter or the back of a chair. Be careful not to grab your support or change your posture. Keep your torso straight with shoulders over hips throughout the duration of the exercise.
These are great for increasing calf strength and improving posture and balance.
standing woodcutter
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointed forward, core engaged. Raise your arms up on a right diagonal, slightly in front of your torso. Lift your left knee into marching position, thigh parallel to the floor. Bring the arms down diagonally to the outside of the left hip. Change left foot. Move the exercise in the opposite direction.
To increase the intensity of this exercise, you can hold the dumbbells at length, so that one side of each hand rests on the other. To avoid injury, make sure you can maintain a straight spine and that you are not extending your seat out while completing the turn.
This exercise is great for improving balance. It also works the core and obliques.
standing march
The standing march is a great abdominal workout that doesn’t require crunches or getting on the floor. Standing march also helps improve single-leg balancing activities.
Stand with your feet parallel, shoulder-width apart, hands on your hips. Slowly lift one leg until the thigh bone is parallel to the floor. Then, switch legs and do the exercise on the other side. The higher you raise your leg, the greater the impact on the abdominal muscles.
If you need more support, you can gently place your fingers on the back of a chair, couch, or kitchen counter. Be careful to remain straight throughout the duration of the exercise, so you can bring your legs close to your torso to get the maximum benefit.
split lungs
Lunges target your glutes, quads, and even your hamstrings. As a bonus, they also stretch your hip flexors.
Start with your feet shoulder-width apart. Place right foot directly behind hip, keeping space between feet. Only the ball of the right foot should be on the floor; Heels should be raised. As you gently bend both knees, make sure your front knee doesn’t go over your toes. (If this happens, shift your weight and right leg further back and try again.) As you exit the lunge to return to your straight leg position, squeeze your glutes.
Repeat the exercise on the opposite side.
squat
Start with your feet forward, shoulder-width apart. Engaging the core, send the hips backward as if you were going to sit on a chair. The thigh bones should be parallel to the floor. Make sure the knees point forward and do not bend inward. Be careful to ensure that your feet remain flat on the floor. Return to your starting position by squeezing the glutes.
In addition to being a great lower body workout, squats are also a powerful functional movement. We can improve our squat form so that we can better support ourselves in everyday activities, moving from a sitting to a standing position and vice versa.
I recommend doing each of these exercises at your own pace for two minutes. For single-leg lunges, try completing two minutes on each side.
All of these exercises help strengthen the muscles of the legs and lower body, which is especially important as we age. research shows Lower body strength plays an important role in balance and fall prevention. As the warmer weather returns and you can start walking outside again, these exercises can be easily incorporated into your routine to help you improve and maintain lower body strength year-round.
Anne Landry, MA, NASM-CPT, CES, CNC, BCS, VCS, AFAA-CGFI
Founder, Create Movement Collective Read more about Annie
