Why you should do strength training at 70. Simple exercises to improve your stamina, strength, mobility, balance and flexibility

February 25, 2024

Vitality is possible at any age, if you are prepared to work for it.

Recently, I played golf with a 96-year-old. Not only did he walk all 18 holes but he also carried his golf bag! I’d consider myself fortunate if I can get out of the house at that age.

Skeletal muscle mass and strength decline with age, but strength training can counteract this. A study in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism found that elderly people respond well to resistance exercise.

Participants over 85 who did a supervised full-body resistance routine three times a week for 12 weeks saw an 11% increase in muscle mass and a 46% increase in strength. Those aged 65-75 saw a 10% increase in muscle mass and a 38% increase in strength. Even participants in their eighties and nineties who had never lifted weights showed significant improvements.

The World Health Organization recommends that all adults engage in muscle-strengthening exercises two to three days a week, alongside 150 minutes of aerobic exercise. People over 65 should also include balance training.

A study in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism (IJSNEM) highlighted the benefits of such routines. Participants aged 65-75 saw significant gains, but those over 75 benefited the most. They improved their ability to stand up from a seated position unsupported by 13%, even without any debilitating illness or obvious physical limitations.

Here are some simple exercises to do.

Building Stamina and Strength for Older Adults

Walk to Build Stamina

• Aim for 6,000-8,000 steps a day.
• Walk at the fastest pace you can manage.
• Even slow walking helps build a base level of fitness, increasing energy and stamina.

Supported Squats for Stronger Legs and Resilient Knees

• Hold the handles on either side of a door for support.
• Place a chair behind you as a target.
• Slowly lower yourself to the chair, then rise up faster.
• Aim for two sets of ten repetitions, with as much rest as needed between sets.

Perform this exercise at least twice a week.

Exercises for Stronger Legs and Fall Prevention

Standing from Seated for Stronger Legs

• Sit in a chair with arms extended straight in front of you.
• Plant your feet on the floor.
• Press into your heels and push your hips forward to stand up straight.
• Bend your knees and lower yourself back onto the chair gently.
• Repeat 10 times or as many as you can.

Do this at least twice a week.

Single Leg Stand to Help Prevent Falls

• Place both hands on the back of a chair for support if needed.
• Lift one foot off the ground slightly and hold for up to 30 seconds.
• Switch feet and repeat on the other side.

This improves balance, knee, and ankle stability.

Aim for three times on each side, twice.

Do this at least twice a week.

Exercises for Mobility and Flexibility

Arm Circles for Shoulder Mobility

• Kneel on a cushion or stand with arms in front, elbows in line with shoulders, and palms facing each other.
• Raise one arm overhead and move it backward in a circle until it’s by your side.
• Reverse the motion.
• Repeat on the other side.

Do five circles in each direction on each arm, ideally every day.

Cat-Cows to Keep Your Spine Mobile

• Kneel on all fours.
• Round your back upwards while breathing out.
• Arch your back while breathing in.
• Repeat 8-10 times.

Do this exercise ideally every day.

Strength-Building Exercises

Reverse Lunge for Stair Climbing

• Stand tall with feet together.
• Step back and lower the back knee to the ground, keeping weight forward over the front foot.
• Push through the front foot to come back up.
• Aim for eight repetitions, twice, with a rest in between.
• Add a dumbbell when confident and strong.

Do this twice a week.

Wall Push-Ups for Upper Body Strength

• Start with hands on the wall or the top edge of a sofa, keeping your body straight.
• Lower your chest towards the surface, keeping elbows at a 45-degree angle to your torso.
• Push away to straighten your arms.
• Progress to using a lower bench, then the bottom edge of the sofa, and finally the floor as you get stronger.
• Aim for multiple repetitions, working towards full body weight push-ups.

Try five times, twice, with as much rest as you need in between. Do this twice a week.

Balance and Core Exercises

Standing Hip March for Balance and Hip Mobility

• Shift weight to one leg, lift the opposite knee and foot with toes pulled up, keeping the other leg straight.
• Pause briefly, then lower the leg and repeat on the other side.
• Alternate arms in a “running action” while marching on the spot.
• Aim for five repetitions on each side, twice.

Do this twice a week.

Dead Bug Heel Taps for Core Strength

• Lie on your back with arms and legs up, legs bent at the knee.
• Keep arms steady, tap one heel to the ground, then the other, maintaining lower back contact with the ground.
• Repeat eight times, four on each side, twice.

Do this twice a week.

Remember if you feel any discomfort stop or take a break and if it persists, consult your doctor.

Read our post on why dumbbells are great for increasing strength.