I tend to be a bit pushy about giving my parents exercise advice. There are five strength exercises I regularly encourage them to do so they can stay strong and mobile as they get older. You don’t need much equipment for these exercises. I recommend buying a good set of kettlebells or adjustable dumbbells so you can increase the weight as you get stronger. This keeps the exercises challenging because you can adjust the load and the number of repetitions & sets based on what works for you.
Tip-Toe Farmer’s Walk for Balance and Core Strength
Your calf muscles play a vital role in keeping your lower-body joints stable and enable you to walk and run by driving you forward. The tip-toe farmers walk differs from calf raises because it requires you to stay in plantar flexion throughout the movement. This means you remain on the balls of your feet while walking & keep your calves contracted the entire time. I recommend using lighter weights for this exercise since your balance and stability will be tested. This variation activates all the small stabilizer muscles in your body including your core. Start by walking at a steady pace while holding two weights at your sides as shown in the video above. Then lift yourself onto the balls of your feet and keep walking in this position. If you’re just starting out you can switch between normal walking and tip-toe walking. Gradually work toward doing the full tip-toe walk once you feel comfortable with the movement.
Prisoner Squats to Build Full-Body Stability
Prisoner squats work more of your upper body and challenge the mobility in your thoracic spine along with how well your hips, knees and ankles move when you need to stay upright during the squat. If you usually lean forward when squatting because of limited mobility, this squat version is worth practicing. Sign up to get the BEST of Tom’s Guide direct to your inbox. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews great deals and helpful tips. Prisoner squats require you to place your hands gently behind your head while squatting. Focus on shifting your weight into your heels and keeping your chest lifted as you lower your butt as close to the ground as possible. Sometimes I make things more interesting by having people push their butt back at the lowest point of the squat and then hinge forward at the hips while tilting the chest until it becomes parallel to the ground. This position resembles the bottom part of the good morning exercise shown below. It works the hamstrings effectively but remember to return to the squat position before standing back up. When you build more strength, try adding a resistance band around your thighs or holding a weight behind your head.
Split Squats for Lower-Body Strength and Control
Split squats work well for beginners who struggle with lunges because you keep your feet in one position instead of stepping forward or backward with each repetition. This makes it much easier to maintain your balance. You simply set up in a split stance and then lower your back knee toward the floor before pushing back up to the starting position. When you feel comfortable with both feet on the ground you can try elevating your back leg to make the exercise hbarder and target your glutes more effectively. I recommend holding weights in each hand because this actually helps with balance while also adding resistance to your lower body muscles. One technique I find particularly effective is eccentric loading which means taking longer to lower yourself down and then pushing up quickly in one strong movement. Try taking three to four seconds or even more on the way down. This approach is excellent for building stronger legs and glutes. If you want to emphasize your glutes even more you can lean forward slightly while keeping your back straight.
Pike Push-Ups to Strengthen Shoulders and Core
Pike push-ups work your shoulders and triceps by using your own body weight in a vertical position. The movement is similar to an overhead press except you are upside down. This exercise needs no equipment and challenges your upper body strength along with the flexibility of your hamstrings & shoulders. Begin by getting into a downward dog position and move your hands and feet a bit closer to each other. Shift your weight forward while keeping your hips elevated. Remember that this is not a regular push-up so you should maintain a vertical angle. Lower the top of your head until it lightly touches the floor just ahead of your hands. Push yourself back up to return to the downward dog position.
Overhead Squats for Mobility and Total-Body Power
Like prisoner squats, overhead squats require more engagement from your upper body and test thoracic mobility, as well as squat depth. The idea is to keep your chest lifted and back straight throughout, with your arms locked overhead and arms close to your ears.
I recommend starting with bodyweight or light weights; I get my loved ones to hold a barbell plate with both hands. For an extra challenge, try unilateral movement, which means just holding a weight in one hand (see above) to test stability in each side of your body.
From here, you want to keep an upright torso as you perform a squat, keeping your weight firmly distributed through your feet using something called a tripod position; this means pressing through three points of contact: heels, big toes, little toes.
Your knees will want to cave in, so be aware of this, as well as your chest shooting forward. Over time, see if you can sit lower into the squat, and imagine a tray of drinks in your hands overhead that you don’t want to spill. Personally, I try to think of a gin martini balancing on my barbell plate, as those martini glasses are far from forgiving.
