Unlock Your Fitness Potential: 6 Essential Strength Drills for Those Over 60

Successfully executing these drills with proper technique indicates good physical movement in everyday activities.

Strength drills are highly favored by personal trainers and fitness enthusiasts, and it’s easy to see why. These exercises often incorporate resistance movements, bodyweight activities, and a variety of tools like bands, gliders, and free weights. They’re fantastic for burning fat, building muscle, enhancing bone density, and boosting metabolism. Moreover, this form of training fortifies your joints, significantly reducing the risk of injuries. Focusing on these aspects becomes increasingly vital as you age.

We consulted an expert to discuss effective self-assessments for individuals over 60.

“When considering physical fitness after 60, the focus shifts from how much weight a person can lift to how effectively they move in daily life. The best strength drills for healthy aging evaluate one’s strength, balance, coordination, mobility, and control. These abilities are crucial for maintaining independence, confidence, and a high quality of life over the long term,” explains Corry Matthews, a Fitness, Nutrition, and Hormone Health Expert, Former Professional Bodybuilder, and co-founder of Strength & Grace Fitness. She specializes in coaching women, particularly through perimenopause and menopause, focusing on sustainable weight loss and hormone health.

“When we think about being ‘in good shape’ after 60, it’s less about how much weight
someone can lift and more about how well they move through everyday life. The best strength drills for healthy aging assess the ability to move with strength, balance, coordination, mobility, and control. These are the skills that help maintain independence, confidence, and long-term quality of life,” Corry Matthews, Fitness, Nutrition, Hormone Health Expert, Former Professional Bodybuilder, and the co-founder of Strength & Grace Fitness, where she coaches women—especially throughout perimenopause and menopause on sustainable weight loss and hormone health, tells us.

Below are six strength drills to try—if you can do them, you are considered to be in good shape.

Sit-to-Stand

“This is one of the best indicators of lower-body strength and independence. It measures
leg strength, balance, and mobility—skills essential for everyday tasks like getting out of
a chair, car, or bed,” Matthews shares.

1. Begin seated at the front of a sturdy chair, feet under your knees.
2. Lean forward just a bit.
3. Try to stand up without using your knees, hands, or additional support.
4. Use control to slowly sit back down.

Single-Leg Balance Hold

“Balance naturally changes with age, and single-leg stability is important for walking,
climbing stairs, and preventing instability during daily movement,” Matthews tells us.

1. Stand tall on a flat surface with your feet hip-width apart and arms at your sides.
2. Shift your body weight onto your left foot.
3. Lift your right foot off the ground.
4. Activate your core while keeping your shoulders stacked over your ribs and your hips level.
5. Hold the single-leg balance with your eyes closed, 10 to 30 seconds.
6. Repeat on the other side.

Farmer’s Carry

“This drill measures grip strength, core stability, posture, and real-world functional strength. Carrying groceries, luggage, or household items requires this type of practical strength,” Matthews explains.

1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
2. Start walking forward, keeping your torso still and maintaining a tall posture.

Wall Pushups

“Upper-body strength supports daily activities like pushing doors, getting up from the
floor, lifting objects, and maintaining shoulder health,” Matthews says.

1. Start standing tall, arms-length away from a wall.
2. Place your hands shoulder-width apart on the surface.
3. Engage your core and bend your elbows to lower your chest toward the wall.
4. Press back up to the starting position, keeping the movement slow and controlled.

Step-Ups

“Step-ups assess lower-body strength, coordination, and cardiovascular endurance while reflecting real-life movement patterns like climbing stairs or curbs,” Matthews notes.

1. Begin by standing tall, facing a 12 to 18-inch box or sturdy platform.
2. Place your left foot firmly onto the surface, keeping your core engaged and chest tall.
3. Press through your left heel to lift your body until your left leg is straight and you’re standing on the surface.
4. Use control to lower back to the start position.
5. Repeat on the other side.

Standing Overhead Press

“Maintaining shoulder mobility and strength is essential for daily independence—from putting dishes away to reaching into cabinets or carrying items overhead,” Matthews notes.

1. Stand tall, holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level, palms facing inward.
2. Press the weights overhead, fully extending your arms.
3. Use control as you lower the weights to shoulder height.