Maximizing the effectiveness of every workout session is crucial if you want to achieve the best results. It’s beneficial to reassess your exercise routine regularly to ensure you’re getting the most out of your efforts. Interestingly, incorporating standing exercises into your workout can offer a multitude of advantages. These exercises strengthen your core, improve your posture, and enhance your balance. They also engage more muscles and burn more calories compared to seated workouts. If you’re eager to enhance your fitness routine, consider adding these seven quick standing exercises that could potentially yield better results than hour-long workouts for those over 45.

Dr. Zergabachew Asfaw, a member of the Clinical Advisory Committee at Enable Healthcare Inc., explains, “For individuals over 45, shorter workouts prove to be more effective because they quickly elevate heart rates while reducing joint stress. Many people in this age group face challenges such as limited time, recovery difficulties, and joint stiffness, making lengthy, equipment-heavy workouts hard to maintain. Shorter sessions allow them to focus on the intensity that promotes muscle growth and cardiovascular improvements without the fatigue and strain associated with long workouts.”

Mike Poirer, a certified personal trainer and Vice President of Fitness for The Edge Fitness Clubs, emphasizes that intensity is more important than the duration of workouts.

“While the total volume of exercise matters, our bodies primarily respond to the intensity of the workout and the activation of muscle fibers. There’s no one-size-fits-all formula, but intensity is key to muscle and fiber activation. Regardless of age, pushing your limits facilitates recovery and optimizes caloric expenditure,” Poirer notes.

“While volume matters, our bodies can only understand how hard we work and muscle fiber activation. There isn’t a magic formula, but muscle activation/ fiber activation is about intensity. Thus, regardless of age, if one pushes the threshold recovery prompts returns and expenditure from a caloric standpoint.”

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is one stellar workout modality that can come into play here.

“Even such a simple HIIT-style exercise as 30 to 60 seconds of high-intensity effort and a brief rest may significantly increase calorie expenditure, elevate metabolic efficiency, and build muscle,” Dr. Asfaw explains. “Such spurts can be as good as (or even better than) an hour-long exercise, particularly when performed regularly.”

In addition, standing exercises that engage two or more muscle groups at the same time are an excellent choice.

“Adults above 45 years are generally responsive to compound movements since they activate huge muscle mass, promote hormone homeostasis, and improve age-regressive mobility patterns,” Dr. Asfaw adds.

7 Quick Standing Exercises After 45

Standing workouts promote better balance, coordination, and functional movement patterns as your body supports itself without any assistance.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

“Whenever you get on your feet, the brain transmits constant signals to recruit the core, hips, glutes, and spinal stabilizers to maintain the position of the body. This increases the level of muscle recruitment when compared to seated exercises or machine exercises,” Dr. Asfaw says.

Standing March With Knee Drive

“This motion increases the heart rate and tightens the hip flexors, butt and core,” says Dr. Asfaw. “The controlled knee drive enhances balance and resembles the daily functional movements, such as stair climbing. It is a great warming up or heart-raising session among those who are above the age of 45.”

1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and core engaged.
2. Drive your left knee up to hip level while swinging your right arm forward.
3. Use control to lower.
4. Drive your right knee up to hip height while swinging your left arm forward.
5. Continue to “march.”

Standing Side Leg Raises

“Side leg raises are hip abductors, glutes, and outer thigh muscles that are critical in stability and injury prevention,” Dr. Asfaw points out. “These muscles usually get weaker and result in balance problems and knee pain after age (more than 45 years old). This practice is not difficult but very efficient.”

1. 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.
2. Activate your core and shift your weight onto your left leg.
3. 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.
4. Hold at the top for a moment before lowering.
5. Repeat on the other side.

Squat-to-Reach (Low Squat + Overhead Reach)

“This exercise is a combination of lower-body strengthening and upper-body mobility,” Dr. Asfaw explains. “Squat exercises the glutes and quadriceps, and the reach opens the chest and engages the shoulders. It enhances blood circulation, flexibility and metabolism within the shortest time possible.”

1. Stand tall, feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Press your hips back and bend your knees to lower into a squat. Make sure your chest stays lifted.
3. Hold at the bottom of your squat.
4. Reach both arms overhead toward the sky, elongating the torso.
5. Lower your arms to shoulder height.
6. Press through your heels to rise back up, squeezing your glutes as you do so.
7. Repeat.

Standing Cross-Body Punches

“This is a rotation exercise that works the core, oblique muscles and shoulders, whose cardio is not heavy,” says Dr. Asfaw. “It increases spinal movement and coordination, which naturally tend to decline as one gets older. It particularly comes in handy when it comes to enhancing the tone of the waistline and building endurance in the upper body.”

1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and knees slightly bent.
2. Bring your fists up to your chest or chin.
3. Punch your left arm forward while maintaining relaxed shoulders and keeping your other hand at your chest.
4. Return to the start.
5. Repeat by punching your right arm forward.
6. Continue to alternate punches.

Reverse Lunges With Arm Lift

“Reverse lunges work the hamstrings and the glutes and use the core to maintain balance. An arm lift will tighten the shoulder muscles, making it a complete body activity. This enhances power and coordination at the same time,” Dr. Asfaw explains.

1. Stand tall with your feet hip-distance apart and arms at your sides.
2. Step your left foot back to assume a lunge position. Be sure to keep your front knee stacked over your ankle.
3. As you descend, reach both arms overhead, lowering until your front thigh is parallel to the floor.
4. Return to the center.
5. Step your right foot back to assume a lunge position. As you lower, reach both arms overhead.
6. Return to the center.

Standing Calf Raises With Upper-Back Squeeze

“Calf raises enhance the strength of the lower legs and stability of the ankle, which are crucial in the prevention of falls,” Dr. Asfaw tells us. “A squeeze of the shoulder-blade improves posture and solidifies the upper back. This mix enhances the quality of daily movement and prevents spending the majority of time sitting.”

1. Begin by standing tall with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Engage your core.
3. Slowly rise onto your toes.
4. Squeeze your upper back muscles at the top as you hold the calf raise, feeling the stretch in your lower legs.
5. Lower back down with control.

Kettlebell Squat to Press

This full-body exercise builds power and strength, requiring you to hold a kettlebell at your chest, perform a squat, and rise into a pressing motion, bringing the weight overhead. The motion should be smooth and fluid.

1. Stand tall, feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Hold a kettlebell at your chest.
3. Bend your knees and press your hips back to lower into a squat until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
4. Drive through your heels, exploding out of the squat as you extend your legs and press the kettlebell overhead in one smooth motion.
5. Use control as you lower the kettlebell back to shoulder height.
6. Immediately descend into the next squat.