Gentle Strength Exercises For Older Adults (Free PDF & Video)

If you want to function better and feel better at any age, then you need to include strength training as part of your weekly routine. By building up your muscles you improve how well every single part of your body does its job. But what you might not know is that it doesn’t have to be hard. With this printable pdf of gentle strength exercises for older adults you can easily start getting your muscle mass back—so you can age with grace!

Keep reading to get free access to the step-by-step video class (it’s the easiest way to learn proper form—just follow along!) ⬇️⬇️⬇️

How much exercise do seniors need?

Generally, if you’re in good health it’s recommended that you get 150 minutes of exercise a week.

The CDC (Centers For Disease Control & Prevention) states that adults 65+ should do:

• 150 minutes a week of moderate intensity activities like brisk walking or 75 minutes a week of high intensity activities like running
• 2 days a week of strengthening exercises
• 3 days a week of balance exercises (like standing on one foot for a few minutes a day)

The important thing to remember is that every little bit counts. You don’t need to push yourself too hard or take on too much all at once. Doing just 10 minutes of gentle exercise at a time will make a big difference!

Why does exercise get more important as you age?

You start losing muscle mass as you get older. Your muscles are what keeps everything working as it should and is important for preventing & delaying illnesses or diseases (and can even help reduce their symptoms.) Exercise helps you regain muscle mass so your body functions its best—from being able to get out of chairs without struggling as much to reducing the risk of heart disease.

What are the benefits of strength training for older adults?

• Rebuilds strength & increases physical abilities
• Reverses physical frailty 
• Reduces aches, pains & stiffness
• Increases bone density
• Muscles burn more calories & fat (helps offset a slower metabolism)
• Improves cognitive performance (helps keep your brain sharp)
• Improves energy & mood (helps reduce symptoms of depression)
• Reduces blood pressure & risk of cardiovascular disease
• Combats illnesses & diseases

Everybody wants these benefits. But often we struggle to actually put in the work to get these benefits. Here are a few tips that will help you find the motivation to exercise and get you living your best life (Click Or Tap Here)

Gentle Strength Exercises For Older Adults (Free PDF & Video)

Or simply follow along with the free video class below!

Warm Up – 8 Minutes

Wrist Circles

• Tuck elbows to your side
• Relax shoulders away from ears
• Rotate wrists in a circular motion for 10 seconds
• Repeat for 10 seconds in opposite direction

Elbow Circles

• Create a bigger circle by rotating at your elbows for 10 seconds
• Repeat for 10 seconds in opposite direction

Arm Circles

• Put hands on your shoulders
• Imagine drawing an even bigger circle with your elbow
• Continue movement for 10 seconds
• Repeat for 10 seconds in opposite direction

Lower Body Warm Up Exercise 1

• Stand arm length away from chair & relax your knees
• Use the chair to push your hips away
• Return to starting position
• Do 6 reps

Lower Body Warm Up Exercise 2

• Imagine drawing a circle with your knees
• Bring knee up & over to the side then reverse the movement to bring it back to the front
• Repeat for 30 seconds
• Switch sides & repeat for 30 seconds with other leg

Upper Body Warm Up Exercise

• Open your arms wide
• Reach 1 arm across your body & give a gentle tug with your other arm
• Return to arms wide position
• Repeat for 30 seconds in one direction
• Switch arms & repeat for 30 seconds

Lower Body Warm Up Exercise 3

• Put one foot on the chair, out to the side
• Lean as if reaching your knee over your toe
• Return to starting position & repeat for 30 seconds
• Switch legs & repeat for 30 seconds

Cat-Cow Warm Up

• Put your hands on the chair
• Exhale, lift your head & arch your back
• Inhale, tuck your chin & round your back
• Repeat for 30 seconds

Lower Body Warm Up 4

• Face the chair & put 1 foot on it
• Reach your hips forward to bring your knee over your toe
• Rock back to starting position & repeat for 30 seconds
• Switch legs & repeat for 30 seconds

Ankle Warm Up

• Lift heel off the floor
• Bend knees, reaching them towards the chair
• Stand up & lift your other heel & repeat
• Continue alternating sides for 30 seconds

Strength Training Workout – 20 minutes

Part A – 2 Exercises

Repeat both exercises 3 times. Then take a 1-3 minute break before moving on to Part B.

Chair Squats

• Stand with feet shoulder width apart
• Reach hips back & hold arms out front for balance
• Lower to the chair & stand back up
• Repeat 8 times 

Calf Raises

• Hold on to back of chair
• Rise on to the balls of your feet
• Lower for 3 controlled seconds
• Repeat 8-12 times

*To increase the challenge you can do these exercises by holding onto a pair of dumbbells

Part B – 3 Exercises

Repeat all 3 exercises 3 times. Then take a 1-2 minute break before moving on to Part C.

Dumbbell Hinge & Row

• Hinge at the hips & hold onto the chair
• Reach hips back with arm hanging straight
• Pull elbow up lifting the weight to your chest & lower back down
• Stand up
• Do 6 reps
• Switch arms & repeat for 6 reps

Wall Push Up

• Place hands on the wall underneath your shoulders
• Lower down then press back up
• Do 8 reps

W Exercise

• Stand with feet hip width apart
• Hold elbows to the side, palms to the ceiling
• Reach arms straight out to the side
• Then tuck elbows back in to your sides
• Continue for 30 seconds

*To increase the challenge for the “W Exercise” you can use a pair of dumbbells

Part C – 2 Exercises

Repeat both exercises 3 times before moving on to the Cool Down

Bird Dog

• Go onto your hands & knees on the floor
• Keep your spine straight
• Lift your left leg straight behind you & right arm straight in front of you
• Move your extended limbs out sideways, away from your body 
• Return to starting position
• Do 10 repetitions, alternating sides (5 reps/side)

*If it’s too challenging to lift both your arm & your leg, just lift either your arm or your leg instead of both.

Glute Bridge

• Lay on your back with knees bent
• Press up reaching your hips as high as you can without arching your back
• Hold, then control back down
• Repeat for 30 seconds

Cool Down – 7 minutes

Arm Twists

• With arms straight out to the sides, turn 1 palm to the ceiling and 1 to the floor
• Continue this twisting motion in both directions for 30 seconds

Side Bends

• Standing straight, slide one arm down your leg by bending to the side
• Return to standing & switch sides
• Continue motion, alternating sides, for 30 seconds

Seated Piriformis Stretch

• Bring knee up & over top your other leg
• Pull it towards your body with your hands
• Hold for 30 seconds
• Switch legs & repeat for 30 seconds

Neck Stretch

• Drop your head to one side
• Hold for 2-3 seconds
• Repeat on other side
• Repeat 3 times
• Drop chin to chest then look up to the ceiling
• Repeat 3 times

Table Top Shoulder Circles

• Go onto your hands & knees
• Roll shoulders forwards for 1 rotation
• Roll shoulders backwards for 1 rotation
• Repeat for 30 seconds

Reach Through Shoulder Stretch

• On your hands & knees, reach 1 arm through the space between your other arm and knee
• Come back out & raise that same arm to the ceiling & look up at it
• Repeat for 30 seconds
• Switch arms & repeat for 30 seconds

Knee To Chest Stretch

• Lay on your back, reach one knee towards your chest
• Hold it with your hands for 30 seconds
• Switch legs & repeat for 30 seconds

Congrats! With this video class & pdf of strength exercises for older adults, you’re well on your way to rebuilding muscle & regaining your physical abilities. 

For best results be sure to check out the full 5 day program “Strong At 60: Full Body Fitness For Energy & Health”—it includes 3 strength training days, 1 heart health day & 1 active recovery day (everything you need to easily meet your weekly exercise requirements!)

Yes, I want to check out the “Strong At 60” program now (Click Or Tap Here)