Everyone should try these six exercises to build strength and mobility for longevity, according to a personal trainer
Six moves to keep your body moving well as you get older
When we talk about longevity, we’re not just talking about living for longer.
“It’s about being able to carry on doing the things that give us joy and purpose into our old age,” explains Abby McLachlan, personal trainer and founder of East of Eden.
“The combination of strength and mobility is key to keeping the body moving well and feeling resilient throughout later life,” McLachlan tells Fit&Well.
“Strength and mobility training help counter natural age-related muscle loss, improve bone density, support joint stability and enhance balance. They will also boost your metabolic health, reduce fall risk, improve posture and increase overall energy,” she adds.
McLachlan’s six-exercise routine offers a strength-building workout for all abilities, with progression tips so that once you’re comfortable with the exercise, you can increase the challenge.
Try the six-move home workout for longevity
As with any workout, you’ll only notice the benefit if you do it consistently. McLachlan recommends doing this routine two to three times a week.
You will need dumbbells for two of the exercises, although you could use resistance bands instead if you don’t want to invest in dumbbells.
More importantly, you should know how to engage your core. This guide explains how.
Here’s an overview of the workout:
- Squat: 3 x 8-12
- Incline push-up: 3 x 8-10
- Glute bridge: 3 x 12-15
- Romanian deadlift: 3 x 8-12
- Dead bug: 3 x 8-10 each side
- Standing row: 3 x 12-15
1. Squat
Sets: 3 Reps: 8-12
How to do it:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
- Engage your core.
- Push your hips back and bend your knees to lower, keeping your chest facing forward and your knees tracking over your toes.
- Pause once your thighs are parallel to the floor, or as close as your mobility comfortably allows.
- Push through your heels to return to standing upright, maintaining control throughout the movement.
Benefit: Strengthens your legs, hips and core, and supports balance and everyday lifting.
How to progress: Once you are comfortable with unweighted squats and can complete three sets of 12 reps easily, add resistance. As you add extra weight, reduce the reps until you can complete every set with good form.
2. Incline push-up
Sets: 3 Reps: 8-10
How to do it:
- Place your hands on a bench or countertop. (To make it easier, place your hands on a wall.)
- Step your feet back until your body forms a straight line from head to heels.
- Engage your core.
- Bend your elbows to lower your chest towards the surface with control, keeping your body in a straight line.
- Extend your arms to push back up.
How to progress: As you get stronger, take away the bench and place your hands on the floor.
Benefit: Builds upper-body strength and supports shoulder stability.
3. Glute bridge
Sets: 3 Reps: 12-15
How to do it:
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
- Press through your feet to lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
- Lower slowly, keeping the movement smooth and controlled.
How to progress: Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell on your pelvis as you get stronger.
Benefit: Strengthens your glutes and lower back, and supports hip stability and posture.
4. Romanian deadlift
Sets: 3 Reps: 8-12
How to do it:
- Stand with your feet hip-distance apart and a slight bend in your knees, holding weights in front of your thighs.
- Hinge at your hips, pushing your butt back, sliding the dumbbells down your legs to just below your knees, keeping your spine long and a slight bend in your knees throughout.
- Push your hips forward to stand upright.
How to progress: Go as light as possible to begin with. You can start with bodyweight until you’re comfortable with the movement before adding weights.
Benefit: The hinge movement works your back muscles, hamstrings and glutes, and the rest of your posterior chain, the collection of muscles that run down the back of your body.
5. Dead bug
Sets: 3 Reps: 8-10 each side
How to do it:
- Lie on your back with your arms raised and your knees bent directly above your hips.
- Gently press your lower back into the floor to engage your core.
- Lower your left arm behind your head and lower and extend your right leg, while keeping your lower back gently pressed into the floor.
- Return to the start, then repeat on the other side, alternating sides with each rep.
Benefit: Strengthens your deep core muscles and improves spinal stability.
6. Bent-over row
Sets: 3 Reps: 12-15
How to do it:
- Stand with your feet hip-distance apart and a slight bend in your knees, holding dumbbells by your sides.
- Engage your core.
- Hinge forward from your hips and push your hips back, keeping your spine long and letting your arms hang down.
- Pull your shoulders back and down to engage your back muscles—this is your starting position.
- Lift the dumbbells to your hips, bending and lifting your elbows past your torso, and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Reverse the movement with control to lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
Benefit: Strengthens your upper back and improves your posture.
