Incorporating specific moves into your morning routine can significantly enhance your strength-building efforts. For those seeking a dynamic and intense workout, CrossFit offers a blend of functional strength exercises and cardio-focused activities. It provides a comprehensive full-body regimen that not only boosts strength and endurance but also enhances mobility and metabolism, which are crucial as we age.
While CrossFit is effective for many, its vigorous and high-impact nature might not be suitable for all individuals. Recognizing this, we consulted with Dr. Jesse Greer, the Co-Founder and CEO of Preamble Health. This Scottsdale-based practice specializes in longevity and preventive health, using data-driven assessments coupled with thorough provider analysis. Dr. Greer suggests five morning exercises that can effectively build full-body strength, particularly beneficial for those over 60.
Dr. Greer emphasizes, “As we grow older, avoiding injuries becomes paramount. Injuries at an advanced age often require longer recovery times, and the chances of returning to our pre-injury state diminish. For many, reduced quality of life in later years is largely due to movement, pain, and fitness issues.” He further notes, “Traditional gym routines focus on aesthetics or performance. However, after reaching 60, and even from 40 onwards, the focus should shift towards achieving durability, functionality, and resilience.”
While CrossFit can be an excellent way to enhance your overall physical fitness, its high-impact, vigorous movements may not be the right choice for everyone. In fact, we spoke with Dr. Jesse Greer, Co-Founder and CEO of Preamble Health, a Scottsdale-based longevity and preventative health practice offering data-driven assessments, paired with in-depth provider analysis, who shares five morning exercises you can perform that can help build full-body strength even better after 60.
“As we age, the name of the game is not to get injured. Injuries at an older age typically have longer recoveries, and the longer the recovery, the less likely we are to achieve our pre-injury baseline. For most people, the reduction in quality of life in the final decade is actually a movement problem, a pain problem, and a fitness problem,” Dr. Greer explains. “Traditional gym workouts optimize for aesthetics or performance. But after 60, and I’d even say after 40, the goal should be durability, function, and resilience.”
Keep in mind that exercise—like any other form of medicine—is all in the dosage. Too little won’t move the needle, while too much can turn out to be poisonous. Below, Dr. Greer shares five awesome morning moves to help strengthen your entire body.
Aerobic-Based Cardio
Engaging in cardio—like brisk walking, incline treadmill workouts, or cycling at a low to moderate intensity—is one of the best things you can do for your body and overall fitness.
“Low to moderate intensity aerobic cardio improves our body’s ability to use fat for fuel, builds a large foundation for our VO2 max, increases daily caloric expenditure, improves mitochondrial density, and remodels cardiac tissue for more efficient beats,” Dr. Greer tells us. “There is nothing more powerful than accumulating lots of aerobic base cardio. This level of intensity is generally around 60 to 75% of max heart rate. Low enough that the body does not build up additional lactic acid requiring extra recovery debt. This is exactly the type of movement that was taken from us as humans adapted to the modern era, and it’s the level of activity naturally built into the so-called Blue Zones.”
Hip Hinge and Squat Patterns
Performing exercises like squats and hip hinges provide compound lower-body movements that emphasize eccentric control.
“This form of strength training works both concentric and eccentric movement—especially in the lower body,” Dr. Greer points out. “As we age, we lose our ability to stop our force and to brake. This makes us more prone to fall and cause injuries.”
Here’s how to do a bodyweight squat:
- Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Extend your arms ahead of you or place your hands on your hips.
- Bend at the knees and hips as you lower into a squat.
- Descend until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
- Press through your heels to rise back up to standing.
Upper-Body Push and Pull
This morning exercise category consists of compound pushing and pulling movements that engage multiple joints and muscle groups simultaneously. Examples of push exercises may include push-ups, dumbbell chest presses, and dumbbell shoulder presses. Examples of pulling moves may include resistance band rows, dumbbell rows, and lat pulldowns.
“Compound movements build strength, especially while challenging your balance and coordination,” Dr. Greer notes.
Here’s how to do a standing resistance band row:
- Begin by anchoring a resistance band to a sturdy pole at chest level.
- Stand tall, facing the anchor point.
- Hold the handles with both hands.
- Bend your elbows and pull the band toward your body.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together.
- Extend your arms back to the start position.
Loaded Carries
Loaded carries include exercises like suitcase carries and farmer’s walks.
“These train grip, core stability, and the ability to move under load, which is one of the most functional patterns we use in daily life,” Dr. Greer says.
Here’s how to do a farmer’s carry:
- Stand tall, holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
- Start walking forward, keeping your torso still and maintaining an elevated heel position.
Mobility, Dynamic Stability, and Core Work
This movement category includes things like planks and rotational exercises.
“As we age and stick to one or two exercises, our body builds repetitive pathways, and we develop asymmetries and compensations,” Dr. Greer tells us. “It’s important to address these movement inefficiencies so that we can avoid injury and keep training much longer.”
Here’s how to do a plank:
- Assume a forearm plank: Place your forearms on the ground with your elbows under your shoulders and arms parallel to your body, shoulder-width apart.
- Keep your body straight from head to heels.
- Activate your core, legs, and glutes.
