Excelling in These Three Standing Exercises After 55 Indicates Superior Fitness Compared to Many in Their 40s

Experts in fitness reveal essential standing workouts that individuals over 55 should master.

As you reach the age of 55, maintaining physical fitness becomes increasingly important. While the youthful days of your 20s may be behind you, achieving excellent shape is still within reach. We consulted with Felicia Hernandez, a NASM-certified personal trainer and community engagement lead at Eden Health Club, about exercises that can help you gauge your fitness level. Mastering these three standing exercises post-55 could indicate that you are fitter than many who are 40.

Jim Owen, an 85-year-old senior fitness gold medalist, author, and documentary filmmaker, emphasizes that an hour of daily exercise isn’t enough to counteract the effects of prolonged sitting, which can harm cardiovascular health and affect muscles and joints. “A trainer once told me, ‘If you spend most of your time in a chair, eventually your body will start to resemble one,’” Owen explains. His key advice is to make movement an integral part of your daily routine and overall lifestyle.

The Importance of Regular Exercise With Age

Incorporating strength training, regular stretching, balance exercises, and cardiovascular activities is crucial for older adults. The takeaway? “Reduce sitting time and increase movement!”

For older adults, it’s essential to weave strength training into your routine, along with regular stretching, balance work, and cardio. Moral of the story? “Sit less and move more!”

Why Standing Workouts Are Effective

Standing workouts require max core engagement, coordination, balance, joint mobility, and full-body strength at the same time. You’re not simply isolating one muscle group as you would with a machine; you’re focusing on mechanics, posture, breath, and resistance “through a real-world lens,” explains Felicia Hernandez, NASM-certified personal trainer and community engagement lead at Eden Health Club.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

“Over 55, most people default into seated or assisted movement, which leads to decreased nervous system efficiency and muscle responsiveness,” Hernandez adds. “But if you can control your body in a standing position, especially through complex, full-body moves, you’ve retained high-level function that many younger adults have already lost through inactivity or one-dimensional training.”

3 Standing Moves To Master After 55

Acing the below exercises signals your body’s able to successfully tackle everyday tasks with control and confidence.

“It reflects strong neuromuscular endurance, core control, leg strength, and coordination,” Hernandez points out.

Owen agrees that a well-rounded workout can “teach you how to lift and move, so you can do daily chores or pick up a box without getting hurt.”

Squats

“Squat exercises are essential for preserving mobility and providing muscular support for knee joints as the years go by,” Owen tells us. “To get the most from this exercise, keep your sternum lifted as you move and maintain your natural lumbar curve. To avoid strain, be sure you don’t let your knees move inward! Keep them pointed straight ahead throughout.”

1. ​​Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Extend your arms in front of you or place your hands on your hips. Use a chair for support, if necessary.
3. Bend at the knees and hips as you lower into a squat.
4. Use control to descend until your thighs assume a “sitting” position or lower.
5. Press through your heels to return to standing.

If you’re only able to lower your hips a few inches, that’s perfectly fine. Owen assures, “Just keep working at it over time. You can also use an exercise ball against a wall to add stability as you squat. Start with the ball at your lower back and let it roll upward as your hips move down.”

Lat Pulldown

“This movement works multiple upper-body muscle groups, especially the back. It’s the only one of [these exercises] that uses a gym machine, but you can get around that by using a resistance band over a high bar at a playground or a sturdy bracket at home (a metal garage door frame could do nicely),” Owen explains.

1. Anchor a resistance band to a high point.
2. Stand facing the anchor point with your feet hip-width apart.
3. Grab the band with straight arms, hands shoulder-width apart.
4. Activate your core and slightly bend your knees.
5. Use control to pull the band down until it reaches your thighs.
6. Gradually return the band to the start position.

To regress the exercise, choose one of the lightest available weights or resistance bands. To make the movement more challenging, add more weight or opt for a variation like the single-arm dumbbell row.

“Advanced gym warriors can substitute an assisted or unassisted pull-up, since it’s a similar motion,” Owen adds.

Standing Overhead March With Dumbbells

“The standing overhead march with dumbbells trains posture, deep core control, and balance, all with added load overhead to challenge shoulder stability,” Hernandez tells us. Be sure to brace your abs while slowly alternating knee drives in place, avoiding shifting from side to side.

1. Begin by standing tall, holding a light dumbbell in each hand overhead.
2. Lift one knee up to hip level, and hold.
3. Maintain a neutral spine and tight abs.
4. Lower.
5. Lift the other knee up to hip height, and hold.
6. Continue to alternate legs.
7. Aim for 3 sets of 10 marches on each leg.