'At 65, this is how I train my whole body in 100 reps' — it only takes 6 exercises to build full-body strength faster than walking workouts, according to this personal trainer

a woman flexing her arm muscles — (Image credit: Shutterstock)

Strength training is essential as we get older, as it can help slow down and reverse the loss of muscle mass that naturally occurs after the age of 60. Yet if you’re a beginner, or you’re returning to fitness following an extended break, it can be tricky to know where to start. For your daily dose of inspiration, we’ve turned to personal trainer Janet Osbourne, who shares a simple workout that works your entire body.

All you’ll need for the workout is a set of dumbbells. You can check out the best adjustable dumbbells for working out at home here, but if you don’t have any to hand, use two heavy books or milk cartons. Remember to start with a light weight and build up — the right weight will feel challenging, but not impossible, by the final few reps.

If you’re currently dealing with an injury of any kind, it’s always best to seek personalised advice from a qualified professional.

What is the workout?

For the workout, you’ll do six different exercises in total. Osbourne recommends doing 1-3 circuits in total, depending on how much time you have. You might want to take a short rest inbetween each circuit to re-set.

Here’s the workout:

Reverse lunge with bicep curl: 20 reps
Side lunge and upright row: 10 reps per side
Lateral raise to extend: 10 reps per side
Romanian deadlift: 10 reps
Bent-over row: 10 reps per side
Tricep chest press: 10 reps
Glute bridge marches: 10 reps

The workout aims to build full-body strength. Remember to move slowly and with complete control. If at any point you are really struggling, drop the weight and just use your bodyweight — you’ll still get a great workout.

A post shared by Janet Osborne (@janetosbornefitness)
A photo posted by on

What are the benefits?

This workout targets all of the major muscle groups in your body — you’ll be working your upper body, lower body, and core throughout. This not only builds the functional strength you’ll need for everyday tasks, like carrying a heavy bag of groceries or lifting a grandchild from their crib, but it’ll help you stay independent for longer.

What’s more, compared to walking workouts, which are great for cardiovascular endurance, strength training can help increase your bone density. When you lift a weight, the tendons pull on the bones, which signals to the body to make more bone-forming cells to create new bone tissue. This makes bones less brittle, and reduces your risk of fractures from minor falls.

Finally, exercises like these, especially those that work on one side of the body at a time, such as the reverse lunges, can help improve your balance, and reduce your risk of falls. You’ll be strengthening the stabilizer muscles around your ankles, knees and hips which can help your overall balance.

Strength training also improves the body’s proprioception — this is the brain’s awareness of where the body is, and the reason why, when you hold your hand up to your face in a dark room, even if you can’t see it, your brain knows it is there. This awareness can help you catch yourself if you trip, rather than hitting the ground.

Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds.

More from Tom's Guide

Jane McGuire is Tom's Guide's Fitness editor, which means she looks after everything fitness related - from running gear to yoga mats. An avid runner, Jane has tested and reviewed fitness products for the past five years, so knows what to look for when finding a good running watch or a pair of shorts with pockets big enough for your smartphone. When she's not pounding the pavements, you'll find Jane striding round the Surrey Hills, taking far too many photos of her puppy.