Over 60? Try these 5 expert-approved bodyweight exercises to build muscle and prevent pain

As we age, it becomes increasingly challenging to build and maintain muscle, and conditions such as hip and knee pain become more prevalent. One of the best ways to counteract the signs of aging is to add strength training to your daily routine.

You don’t need tons of time or equipment — simple bodyweight exercises can help you increase your muscle mass, strength, and bone density.

We’ve taken a look at the best exercises for menopause here, but if you’re over 60, read on to find five of the best bodyweight exercises to try.

As a reminder, if you’re a complete beginner or you’re returning to exercise following an injury, it’s always a good idea to check in with a personal trainer to ensure you’re moving with good form. Bad form puts you at a higher risk of injury.

What are the exercises?

Chiropractor Stefan Becker shared the following five exercises on his YouTube channel, advising that doing them regularly can “prevent common issues like muscle wasting, hip and knee pain, stooping and falls.”

All of the exercises can be done using just your bodyweight.

5 ESSENTIAL Exercises For Seniors Over 60 - YouTube

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1. Balancing on one leg

According to Becker, if you only do one exercise, this is the one to focus on. It might sound simple, but it’s the “best exercise for balance and fall prevention, but it also helps reduce hip and knee pain by strengthening the outer glutes, legs and feet.”

• Stand in front of a countertop, table, or rail that you can hold onto, with your feet hip-width apart.
• Holding on lightly with just your fingertips (you shouldn’t be gripping the rail), shift your weight over to one side, and bend your knee to lift the opposite leg off the ground.
• Build up to holding this for 20-30 seconds.
• Think about squeezing the glute (buttock) muscle of your standing leg and your core. To engage your core, think about sucking your belly button into your spine.
• Once you’ve done 20-30 seconds, switch to the other leg.

2. Calf and toe raises

This exercise “improves leg circulation, strengthens the calves for walking up and down inclines, and helps us lift our toes more as we walk to avoid stumbling,” says Becker.

• Start by standing in front of a rail or table and holding on with your fingertips.
• With your feet hip width apart, raise onto the balls of your feet — you should feel this stretch in your calves.
• Slowly lower your heels back down to the floor over four counts.
• Then lift both toes to the ceiling.
• If this is too easy, do a few or all of the reps on one leg.

3. Back stretch

This exercise works on preventing you from stopping as you move, which in turn increases your risk of falling and injuring yourself. You’ll need a chair for this exercise. Make sure it’s one without wheels.

• Start by sitting on a chair with both feet flat on the floor. Place your hands on your knees.
• Engage your core and lean your torso forward, keeping a straight line in your back. Tuck your shoulders back.
• From here, tuck your chin towards your chest, so you have a straight line in your neck, and move your head back (it helps watching the YouTube video to see this clearly). Hold here for a few seconds, then release.
• Repeat 10-15 times.

4. Slow sit-stand squat

With this exercise, you’re working on the lower body, and strengthening the muscles you use for things like sitting down and standing up from a chair.

“This exercise helps to reduce muscle wasting in the lower body, which is a major cause of problems as we get older,” says Becker.

• Start by sitting in a chair, with your feet hip-width apart.
• From here, straighten both arms out in front of you.
• Pushing down through your feet, slowly stand up. At the top of the movement tilt your pelvis forward and engage your glutes.
• Slowly, and with control, reverse the movement, lowering into a squat as you sit back down in the chair.
• Do this exercise until you feel it in your legs. Becker recommends doing it every second day.
• As you progress, don’t sit back down in the chair, hover a few centimeters above it before standing back up.

5. Standing push-up

This exercise works the upper body and core.

• Stand an arm-distance away from a wall and place both hands on the wall, with the palms of your hands pressing into the wall, and your fingers slightly rotated in towards each other.
• Keeping a straight line in your back and keeping your chin tucked in, slowly lower your body towards the wall, bending at the elbow. You’re effectively doing a push-up against the wall here.
• Don’t hunch your shoulders as you move and keep your core engaged throughout.
• Push yourself back to your starting position, and repeat.
• Becker says repeat until you feel it in your arms and chest every second day.

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