Bodyweight exercises can and should be used to build a foundation of balance and strength.
As we age, we lose muscle from inactivity.
Sedentary lives create loss of flexibility, loss of strength, and restrictions in range of motion.
And for women who already have less muscle, it’s important to know that as you complain about weight gain, or how your shape has changed – your loss of muscle is mainly to blame.
The more muscle you have on your frame, the faster your metabolism will be, and the better balance you’ll have. This is mainly due to a stronger core, and firmer backside that keeps your posture erect.
The old adage, “if you don’t use it you’ll lose it” is very true when muscle loss is the topic!
You don’t have to be a gym rat or lift huge and heavy weights to see benefits.
But, you DO have to get off the couch lol.
Bodyweight Motions to Try
If you’re a beginner, start with bodyweight motions that use the largest muscles to prime your body to get stronger.
Squats and pushups are a great beginning move.
Below, both are explained so that you can practice them regularly at home, while traveling, or at work.
Squats:
Practice bodyweight squats into a chair to develop quads, glutes, and core strength. (mainly lower body and core)
Start by sitting on the edge of a flat chair or stable bench with the tops of your legs parallel to the floor.
Press your feet into the ground as you hinge your hips forward, and elongate your spine as you lift your chest upward.
Now, you are in the standing position.
As you return to the sitting position, hinge your hips backward as if your rear end is “looking for” the chair.
Lower slowly, have your rear end tap the chair, and do not sit down with all of your weight on it.
Instead of sitting, tap and follow the steps above as you return to the standing position.
Do this move 5-10 times.
If your posture is great and you can hinge back and get up unassisted, do this without the chair.
This is a necessary move for EVERY aging person…
Well, only if you want to use the toilet alone – or get up and out of chairs đ
Push-ups
For a great upper body strengthening move that engages your chest, core and glutes – practice push-ups.
Not on the floor as this is very hard for weak upper bodied women(and most men over 50) but do them on your kitchen counter.
Sitting or driving and having a hunched-over posture, creates shorter chest muscles and overstretched neck and upper back muscles.
This contributes to that forward head posture, tightness, and being more prone to falling.
Here’s how to do push-ups on your counter safely and to strengthen the upper body, AND core.
Start with your hands on the counter edge, palms flat and slightly wider than shoulders width.
Walk your feet out about 3 feet behind you.
Stabilize your feet on the ground and put your body into a plank position.
Hands in front of shoulders, butt, and back of legs level and flat with no bend at the waist.
Keep core and buns tight.
Lower slowly as if you will touch your chest to the counter, then push off as if doing a push-up.
Do this for 5-10 reps.
Practice moving the hands further apart for a bigger stretch in your chest muscles.
Start Small to Get Fitter
Both of these moves engage your core and glutes (buns) and work the upper and lower body.
No matter your fitness level, both of these are great “go-tos’ to master.
While you’re reading this, elongate your spine, pull that belly in tightâchest up and rib cage expandedâand realize that you were most likely hunched over.
Being mindful of posture, getting stronger, and staying active is the KEY to living with functional strength as we age.
For a follow-along workout program that I narrate that you can do at home –
and a story about me and how at 60+, I am still called an “energizer bunny in a bikini”
…click here for access so you can reshape your dead muscles and get stronger as you age.
Now get up off of that phone or laptop – and do a set of squats and push-ups RIGHT NOW!
