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Aging is a natural process, but how we age can be shaped by our lifestyle choices. Staying physically active and incorporating strengthening exercises becomes crucial as we enter our senior years, particularly after age 65. Regular physical activity can help prevent chronic conditions, reduce the risk of falls, improve cardiovascular health, and help maintain independence.
We want to acknowledge that physical activity looks different for everyone as we age. After 65, some people may be physically fit to run marathons or train for triathlons, while others may feel their best doing bodyweight squats or simple seated exercises due to certain conditions. No matter where you fall on this spectrum, incorporating some level of strength training and balance exercises is essential for maintaining health and mobility.
In this post, we’ll share examples of strengthening exercises and highlight why balance training is so important. Each exercise can be adjusted to match different physical abilities, so no matter where you start, you’ll be making progress toward staying strong and active. If you’re not facing any challenges now, think of these tips as a way to build a solid routine that will help you stay active as you get older. The more you know now, the better prepared you’ll be to maintain your mobility and strength in the future.
Why Staying Active Matters After 65
For adults over 65, staying active isn’t just about maintaining a fit fitness – it’s about supporting overall physical and mental health, and longevity. Here are some key reasons why physical activity and strengthening exercises are crucial in later life:
Prevents Chronic Diseases: Regular exercise can help lower the risk of chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and certain cancers, which become more prevalent as we age. Physical activity also improves circulation, lowers blood pressure, and helps regulate blood sugar levels.
Maintains Muscle Mass and Bone Density: As we age, muscle mass and bone density tend to decline, making older adults more vulnerable to fractures, falls, and injuries. Strengthening exercises help counteract this natural loss, promoting stronger muscles and bones.
Improves Balance and Coordination: Incorporating balance exercises into a routine can improve coordination, reducing the risk of falls.
Boosts Mental Health: Exercise has been shown to have a positive impact on mental well-being by stimulating the release of endorphins, which enhance mood and improve sleep quality.
Promotes Independence: Staying physically active and maintaining strength allows older adults to continue doing everyday activities independently.
How Active Should I Be?
The Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines provide clear recommendations to help adults aged 65 and older stay healthy. The guidelines suggest that individuals over the age of 65 should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic activity each week. This can include activities like brisk walking, cycling, or swimming. Ideally, the physical activity should be spread out over several days, such as doing 30 minutes of activity five days a week.
In addition to aerobic activity, the guidelines emphasize the importance of muscle-strengthening activities at least two days per week. This helps maintain or improve muscle and bone strength, which is essential for overall mobility and independence. Balance exercises should also be practiced regularly to prevent falls, a leading cause of injury in older adults.
Strengthening Exercises for Older Adults
Strengthening exercises are essential to prevent the loss of muscle mass that naturally occurs with aging. These exercises help maintain physical strength and mobility. Here are a few exercises that can be safely performed:
Squats: Squats are excellent for strengthening the muscles of the thighs, hips, and lower back. Stand with
your feet shoulder-width apart, bend your knees, and lower yourself into a squatting position as if sitting in a chair. Keep your back straight and avoid letting your knees extend past your toes. Do 10-15 repetitions, add free weights for an added challenge.
Push-ups: Pushups are an easy upper body exercise to incorporate at home with minimal equipment or done at a gym. You can easily modify a push up to be done on wall or bench to start and progressing to the floor as you get stronger. To complete a wall push up, lean against a wall, bend your elbow, and then push back to the starting position. Do 10-15 repetitions to start.
Bicep Curls with Resistance Bands or Free Weights: Resistance bands and free weights are excellent strength training tools. Resistance bands are lightweight, easy to store in your home, and relatively inexpensive. A simple upper body strengthening exercise is to hold a resistance band with both hands and stand on it to secure it in place. Curl your arms towards your shoulders, engaging your biceps. Complete 10-12 repetitions.You can also complete this exercise with free weights at the gym.
Leg Raises: While seated or lying down, lift one leg at a time to improve hip and thigh strength. Hold the leg at the top of the lift for a second before lowering it slowly. Do 10 repetitions on each leg. You can easily add ankles weights to make this exercise more difficult.
Glute Bridges: As it says in the name, this exercise targets your glutes, which are important for walking, sitting, standing, and biking. To complete, lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Keep your arms at your sides, palms facing down. Press your heels into the ground, engage your core and glutes, and lift your hips off the floor until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees. Hold for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your hips back down. Repeat for 10 repetitions to start.
These exercises target key muscle groups important for walking, sitting, standing and balance. They are excellent exercises that are important to keep in your physical activity routine whether you use body weight, free weights, or resistance bands.
The Importance of Balance Training
Falls are one of the biggest causes of injury for older adults, especially since our balance tends to get worse as we age. Even if you’re not noticing balance issues now, it’s a smart move to start doing these exercises as a form of prevention. By practicing balance exercises regularly, you can significantly lower your risk of falling, which helps older adults stay independent longer. Simple exercises like standing on one foot, heel-to-toe walking, and side leg raises are easy but effective ways to improve your balance.
For older adults looking for a more structured way to improve their balance and prevent falls, SAIL Programs (Stay Active and Independent for Life) are an excellent resource. SAIL is a home-based exercise and education program designed specifically for older adults who want to maintain their strength, flexibility, and balance.
SAIL programs offer a variety of exercises, with Levels 1 -3, that are easy to perform at home without equipment. The exercises are tailored to improve lower body strength, enhance balance, and increase overall mobility. SAIL programs also provide education on fall prevention, teaching strategies to avoid risky situations and maintaining a safe environment at home.
Below, you'll find examples of each level in the SAIL program. We strongly recommend working with a physiotherapist to go through these exercises, as they may need to be adjusted or advanced based on your individual strength and physical abilities. A tailored approach ensures the exercises are both safe and effective for your unique needs.
Staying active and incorporating strengthening exercises after age 65 is essential for maintaining health, mobility, and independence. The Canadian Activity Guidelines encourage older adults to engage in regular aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities to improve physical and mental well-being. By practicing balance exercises and participating in programs like SAIL, seniors can significantly reduce their risk of falls and enhance their quality of life.
Whether through a structured home program, physiotherapy visits, classes at your local community center, or daily walks with a friend, it’s never too late to begin a fitness journey that promotes healthy aging and continued independence. If you or someone you know would benefit from reviewing exercises with a physiotherapist, visit us at royalcityphysio.com or call us at 604-553-1203.
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