Embrace balance to enjoy a vibrant and independent lifestyle as you get older.
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For those aged 60 and above, enhancing and sustaining balance should top the list in workout routines. As we age, several bodily functions—including those essential for balance—naturally start to diminish. Balance hinges on the interplay of vision, inner ear function, and sensory capacities, which are crucial for bodily stability and reaction.
“As you grow older, your vision, inner ear, and joint nerve receptors become less responsive, compelling your brain to exert more effort in spatial awareness,” explains Denise Chakoian, a Certified Fitness Trainer from Rhode Island and owner of Core Cycle and Fitness LaGree. With over 16 years of experience training diverse age groups and fitness levels, she notes, “Keeping active can hinder these changes considerably, though it doesn’t completely halt the natural aging impacts on these systems. This is why even regular walkers, weight lifters, or cyclists might find their balance less reliable than it was two decades ago.”
Maintaining stability isn’t just about staying upright—it’s fundamental for independence, letting you live life to the fullest. To aid this endeavor, we consulted Chakoian, who shared six daily leg exercises that can enhance balance more swiftly than lunges. These exercises target the muscles crucial for maintaining steadiness during regular activities such as walking, standing up, and climbing stairs.
“These exercises collectively test balance, coordination, and lower-body strength without the need for complicated gear or advanced fitness levels. They also teach the ankles, hips, glutes, and core to function together—mirroring how balance operates in real-life scenarios,” Chakoian elaborates. “By simulating daily movements, the enhancements they bring are practical and easily integrated into everyday routines. When practiced consistently, they can lower the risk of falls while fostering confidence and autonomy in movement.”
Sit-to-Stand
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzYftUVNDbw[/embed]
- Begin seated at the front of a sturdy chair with your feet placed on the floor under your knees.
- Lean forward slightly.
- Try to stand up without using your knees, hands, or additional support.
- Use control to slowly sit back down.
Single-Leg Stand
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9pi7_JRgwQ[/embed]
- Stand tall on a flat surface with your feet hip-width apart and arms at your sides.
- Shift your body weight onto your left foot.
- Lift your right foot off the ground.
- Activate your core while keeping your shoulders stacked over your ribs and your hips level.
- The time begins once your leg comes off the floor and stops when your foot touches the ground.
- Hold the single-leg balance with your eyes closed for 1 minute.
- Repeat on the other side.
Heel-to-Toe Walk
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eghMLTn8tDc[/embed]
- Stand tall.
- Begin walking straight, placing one foot right in front of the other, heel to toe.
Calf Raises
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Km0QS46bTEA[/embed]
- Begin by standing tall with your feet hip-width apart, facing a sturdy chair with your hands lightly resting on the backrest for support.
- Engage your core.
- Rise onto your toes slowly.
- Hold for 2 to 3 seconds at the top.
- Lower back down with control.
Standing Side Leg Raises
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_U2uoePtS4[/embed]
- Begin by standing tall with your feet hip-width apart and hands on your hips or holding onto a sturdy chair or wall for support.
- Activate your core and shift your weight onto your left leg.
- Keep your right leg straight and toes pointed forward as you lift it out to the side as high as you’re comfortably able to.
- Hold at the top for a moment before lowering.
- Repeat on the other side.
Step-Ups
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZknEYboBOQ[/embed]
- Begin by standing tall, facing a sturdy workout bench, plyometric box, or step that’s about knee level.
- Place your left foot firmly onto the surface, keeping your core engaged and chest tall.
- Press through your left heel to lift your body until your left leg is straight and you’re standing on the surface.
- Use control to lower back to the start position.
- Repeat on the other side.