If you’re over 60, you may have heard how lifting weights is great for longevity, but feel like you’ve left it too late to start.
Well, Liz Hilliard, a personal trainer, and the founder and creator of the Hilliard Studio Method, has news for you.
“It’s never too late and you’re never too old to start exercising,” says Hilliard. “It’s imperative that you move your body every day and begin adding resistance training to your exercise schedule at least three days a week.”
While three days a week might seem like a lot, you don’t need to be putting in hours of work or doing hundreds of reps (short for exercise repetitions). Hilliard has shared an accessible workout for beginners below, and even if you’re doing the maximum number of recommended reps, you’ll only do 55 in total.
You can take as many breaks as you need, start with a lower rep count and even pick at the routine throughout the day, doing just one exercise, then coming back to the workout later.
The workout consists of four exercises and you only require a dining chair to keep you stable.
Give it a try and let me know in the comments how you get on.
1. Squat
(Image credit: Hilliard Studio Method)
Reps: 10-15
“Squats work all the muscles of your legs, lower body and core,” says Hilliard. “Strong lower-body muscles aid balance and mobility and help guard against injury as we age. Building muscle mass in this area prevents injury by protecting your bones and joints in case of a fall.”
How to do it:
- Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor and your knees directly over your ankles. Pull your belly in toward your spine, and sit upright with your shoulders over your hips.
- Push into your heels and stand up with your head held high. You should feel a stretch through your legs, and your hips should sit directly over your ankles.
- Push your hips back and bend your knees to sit back into the chair, lowering as slowly as possible.
- Go from sitting to standing and back to sitting between 10 and 15 times in total, aiming to complete the movement without assistance from your hands.
How to progress: As you gain strength, try stopping just before your glutes touch the seat.
2. Triceps dip
(Image credit: Hilliard Studio Method)
Reps: 10-15
“Triceps dips are a wonderful exercise for the back of your upper arms,” says Hilliard. “They also work your shoulders, biceps, forearms, wrists and core.”
How to do it:
- Sit on a sturdy chair with your hands on the edge of the seat.
- Gently tuck your hips under and pull your core in, while slowly walking your feet forward until your tailbone is off the chair. Keep your shoulders over your wrists and your neck neutral.
- Bend your elbows to lower your tailbone below the seat of the chair.
- Push through your hands, squeezing the backs of your arms, to straighten your arms and return to the starting position.
- Complete the movement between 10 and 15 times.
3. Push-up
(Image credit: Hilliard Studio Method)
Reps: 10
“Push-ups are my all-time favorite exercise as they target the upper body and core and can be done in many different accessible ways,” says Hilliard. “A push-up is a powerful move that targets the chest, arms, back and core.”
How to do it:
- Place your hands on the edges of a sturdy chair. Walk your feet back until you form a straight line from your head to your hips to your heels, keeping your shoulders directly above your hands.
- Bend your elbows to lower your chest until it is level with your elbows.
- Exhale, pull your core in and press back up until your arms are straight again.
- Complete 10 push-ups in total.
How to adjust the difficulty: You can also place your hands on a higher surface, like a countertop, to make the move easier, or place your hands on the floor and drop to your knees.
4. Standing plié
(Image credit: Hilliard Studio Method)
Reps: 10-15
“Standing pliés make a fantastic lower-body exercise that not only tones the leg muscles, but also improves the strength around the joints of the ankles, knees and hips.”
How to do it:
- Stand beside a sturdy chair, placing one or both hands on the back for balance. Place your heels together and your toes slightly apart to make a V shape between the feet.
- Slightly bend your knees and lift your heels, keeping your ears over your shoulders and your shoulders over your hips.
- Bend your knees, lowering your hips toward your heels like you are sliding slowly down a wall, but don’t let your hips travel lower than your knees.
- Straighten your legs to rise.
- Complete the movement between 10 and 15 times slowly and with control. You should feel a light burning sensation in your thigh and calf muscles.
How to progress: For a more advanced movement, let go of the chair with one or both hands.
Form tip: Make sure not to lean forward.
Liz Hilliard is the owner and creator of the Hilliard Studio Method, an in-person and online fitness program that helps women avoid the negative side effects of menopause. Hilliard helps women at any age and any stage of life sculpt strong, healthy, beautiful bodies and minds.
