As you age, maintaining and building strength is essential in keeping your body agile, mobile, and strong.
No matter what age, you can benefit from regular strength training exercises.
They don’t have to be complex workouts or extremely strenuous ones. You just need a few effective strength training you can do at home to improve your overall strength and fitness.
All you need is a pair of dumbbells and a comfortable space to work out in.
To start, do these 5 of the best strength training exercises regularly to bulletproof your body and age well.
The 5 Best Strength Training for Seniors
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1. Dumbbell Front Squats
Squats are an amazing exercise that can help the body in myriad ways. The front squat variation also helps to incorporate some shoulder work, and the nature of this squat kicks your quads into overdrive.
How to Perform:
- Start standing, holding one dumbbell in each hand.
- Bend your elbows and place the dumbbells on the front of your shoulders, resting them there, if possible, with your hands supporting them.
- Squat down as deeply as you can without your back collapsing forward or your heels coming off of the ground.
- Once you’ve reached the bottom of your range, stand back up to complete the rep.
- Perform 10-15 reps for 3 sets per session, 2 sessions per week.
2. Pushups on Elevated Surface
Pushups are one of my favorite exercises for the upper body. They work tons of muscles, they can be done anywhere, and they can be modified to work for basically anyone.
This variation in the pushup makes them slightly easier. So, if you’re a pushup pro, feel free to do them on flat ground or even on a decline to make them tougher!
How to Perform:
- Place your hands on a bench or another firm, stable surface.
- At the same time, place your toes on the floor, far enough back from the bench that you are creating a straight line from your feet to your head.
- Slowly lower your chest down toward the bench.
- Once you’ve gone as low as you can, while keeping your back flat, push yourself back to the starting position.
- Repeat for 10-15 reps, for 3 sets per session.
3. Dumbbell Bent-Over Row
Rows are a foundational movement in resistance training. This exercise works the biceps and back to a high degree.
This option is a nice alternative to the previous exercise for those who find the other position too uncomfortable.
How to Perform:
- Start standing, with one dumbbell in each hand.
- Bend forward at your waist, keeping your back flat.
- Pull both weights up toward your chest by bending your elbows and pinching your shoulder blades together.
- Return the weights to the starting position to complete the rep.
- Perform 10-15 reps per set, 3 sets per session, and 2 sessions per week.
4. Dumbbell Russian Twists
Ever since this exercise appeared in one of the Rocky movies, it’s become a favorite of dumbbell exercisers around the world. The abdominal (Russian) twist works the obliques and a few other core muscles.
How to Perform:
- Hold one dumbbell with both hands.
- Sit on the floor and lean back, lifting your feet off of the floor.
- At this point, you should be holding a dumbbell and balancing only on your buttocks.
- Keeping your spine straight, twist to your right.
- Then, return to the starting position and twist to the left.
- Repeat this pattern for 10-15 reps on both sides, per set, for 3 sets per session, for 2 sessions per week.
5. Dumbbell 45-Degree Hyperextension
The glute-hamstring device (GHD) is a great machine for developing strength and endurance in this area of the body.
One thing to be careful of in this exercise is that the movement should come from the glutes and hamstrings exclusively, NOT the back.
How to Perform:
- Hold one dumbbell with both hands. You can hold them in whatever way is comfortable for you.
- Make sure that you are effectively secured into the device, with your feet hooked into the pads.
- Using your glutes and hamstrings, lift your trunk upward.
- Once you’ve reached a point where the ground is parallel with your trunk, slowly lower back down to complete the rep.
- Perform 10-15 reps per set, 3 sets per session, and 2 sessions per week.
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