Stay strong after 60—the dumbbell workout I recommend to my personal training clients
Work every muscle with these seven moves—in just 21 minutes
I have a personal training client in her 60s who is focused on building strength for her later years. So every week, I encourage her to squeeze in a home workout alongside our weekly session together—working out just once a week isn’t enough to increase, rather than maintain, strength.
Being a busy CEO of a charity, she has a small window for an extra workout, so what I program has to be efficient.
I created this 21-minute, seven-move workout for her, most of the exercises are compound and work multiple joints. They also hit all the major muscle groups and most movement patterns, too—such as the squat, lunge, hinge, push, pull and core rotation—with built-in rest, making it efficient too.
It uses a set of dumbbells, but it can also be done with just one dumbbell if that’s all you have. Just follow the notes below on how to do that.
How to do the dumbbell workout for the over-60s
This workout features seven moves, which test your biggest muscle groups, before finishing with a core exercise.
You start each move at the turn of the minute, work for 40 seconds, rest for 20. Complete the circuit three times with no rest between rounds.
And because there’s no rest, expect your heart rate to climb a little—an added cardiovascular benefit.
Choose the dumbbell option that feels right for you and your strength level (as well as your available kit). Warm up by doing five to 10 repetitions of each move without a weight.
The moves:
- Squat
- Lunge
- Deadlift
- Push press
- Bent-over row
- Burpee
- Russian twist
1. Squat
Time: 40sec Rest: 20sec
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing outward slightly and holding dumbbells in front of your shoulders.
- Push your hips back and bend your knees to lower until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
- Keep your chest upright, core engaged and knees out, over your toes, not caving in.
- Push through your heels to return to standing.
Single dumbbell option: Hold one dumbbell at your chest with both hands.
2. Forward alternating lunge
Time: 40sec Rest: 20sec
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells at your shoulders or by your sides.
- Step your right foot forward and bend both knees to lower with control.
- Keep your front knee directly over your foot, making sure your knee doesn’t knee in.
- Push through your front foot to return to the starting position.
- Repeat on the other side, and continue alternating each rep.
Single dumbbell option: Hold one dumbbell at your chest.
3. Deadlift
Time: 40sec Rest: 20sec
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and dumbbells resting on the floor, either side of your feet.
- Hinge your torso forward from your hips and push your hips back to reach down and take hold of the dumbbells.
- Engage your core, then extend your knees and hips to stand upright, lifting the dumbbells—imagine you are pushing the floor away with your feet.
- Reverse the movement to lower the dumbbells to tap the floor, then go straight into the next rep.
Single dumbbell option: Hold the dumbbell vertically, with both hands cupping one end, keeping it close to your body as you lift and lower.
4. Push press
Time: 40sec Rest: 20sec
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells in front of your shoulders with your palms facing.
- Engage your core and move your shoulder blades back and down to engage your lats.
- Bend your knees slightly, then push through your heels to straighten your legs and press the weights overhead.
- Pause briefly at the top.
- Lower the weight back to your shoulders with control.
Single dumbbell option: Perform a single-arm push press, with your free arm out to the side for balance. Swap sides after 20 seconds.
5. Bent-over row
Time: 40sec Rest: 20sec
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells by your sides.
- Engage your core.
- Hinge forward at your hips and push your butt back, keeping a slight bend in your knees, lowering your torso to a 45° angle. Keep your back flat and your core engaged.
- Lift the weights toward your ribcage, squeezing your shoulder blades at the top of the movement.
- Lower with control.
Single dumbbell option: Perform a single-arm bent-over row, placing your free hand on a sturdy surface in front of you. Swap sides after 20 seconds.
6. Burpee
Time: 40sec Rest: 20sec
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Hinge forward from your hips and place your hands on the floor, keeping your shoulders directly over your hands.
- Jump both feet back (or step back), landing in a high-plank position with a tight core to protect your lower back.
- Bend your elbows to lower your chest to the floor.
- Push through your hands to extend your arms and return to the high-plank position.
- Jump (or step) your feet forward toward your hands.
- Stand upright with a small jump and clap your hands together overhead.
Make it easier: Avoid lowering your chest to the floor.
7. Russian twist
Time: 40sec Rest: 20sec
- Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your heels on the floor, holding a dumbbell horizontally in both hands.
- Lean back, forming a 90° angle between your torso and thighs.
- Extend your arms in front of you at shoulder height.
- Keeping your knees and hips still throughout, rotate slowly through your waist to one side, tapping the dumbbell on the floor.
- Pause, then return to center.
- Repeat on the other side, alternating sides with each rep.
Make it easier: Perform the move using just your bodyweight to build up the strength and ensure correct form.
