"This 25-minute routine will build your confidence and independence"—a trainer who specializes in working with seniors shares her signature balance workout
Strengthen muscles, improve posture and gain back your independence with this gentle routine tailor-made for seniors
Since 2012, certified personal trainer Karen Nelson has refined a routine for her senior clients at Sun Health Grandview Terrace in Arizona to restore balance.
The nonprofit organization, founded in 1966, is dedicated to empowering people to live longer, healthier and more purposeful lives.
For Nelson, that starts by inspiring its residents to have fun while exercising, learn proper movement techniques, and instill healthy habits for mind, body and spirit.
Which, she explains, can all be acquired by committing to a 25-minute full-body workout, three times per week.
"I call this class Balance," Nelson tells Fit&Well. "It's a basic name," she admits, "to ensure there's no confusion and no excuse not to come."
The routine is built around exercises that help reduce risk of falls, while developing strength to avoid injuries caused by imbalance or lack of coordination.
"We use a chair for extra stability and bands for muscle toning," she says, listing benefits including "improved cognitive function, coordination, posture, stability, strength, joint health, reaction times and reflexes".
"There are numerous benefits associated with working on your balance," she continues "and this routine will absolutely build your confidence and independence too."
To perform this workout you'll need a sturdy chair or wall for support and a mini band. If you don't have a mini band, you can skip that section of the workout until you do.
Warm-up
Before starting, Nelson recommends taking a few minutes to prepare mentally and physically for the session.
"Spend one to two minutes loosening up your body and mind while performing gentle hip circles," she says. "Inhale deeply through your nose, exhale deeply through your mouth."
Next, spend another two to three minutes cycling through a series of heel and toe lifts to mobilize your ankle joints and warm up the calf muscles in the back of your lower legs. These can be done seated or standing.
How to do the heel and toe lifts:
- With feet flat on the floor, lift your heels, then lower under control, five times.
- Next, lift your toes while keeping your heels down another five times.
- Repeat this sequence for two to three minutes.
"Heel and toe lifts help strengthen your ankle joint to help you lift your feet when walking to reduce risk of falls," says Nelson.
If you have them available to you, she recommends performing a series of exercises using mini resistance bands to wake up stabilizing muscles in the glutes, hamstrings and core.
How to do the resistance band sequence:
- Position a mini band around the largest part of both calf muscles.
- Push your hips back and bend your knees slightly to lower into a quarter squat, then step side-to-side (crab walks), then diagonally forward and back (monster walks) or a mixture of both.
- Work for around four to five minutes, taking short rests as required.
How to do the workout
Now you're warm, proceed to the main body of the workout.
Spend up to four minutes on the sit-to-stand exercise, then five to 10 minutes in total performing the five balance exercises.
These moves incorporate pauses and holds that keep your muscles under sustained tension. This approach strengthens your muscles and trains your balance while being kinder on your joints.
Take your time, aim to improve gradually in each session, and rest when you need to.
To wrap up, Nelson suggests concluding the session with a few minutes of gentle stretching, focusing on the calves, quads, hamstrings and glutes.
1. Sit-to-stand
Time: 1-4min
- Sit on a sturdy chair with your knees bent at 90˚and your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
- Push through your feet to rise out of the chair and stand upright, avoiding using your hands to push off.
- Slowly push your hips back and bend your knees to lower yourself back into your seat, again without using your arms to control your descent.
- If you can perform this with good form, continue for one minute, then move on to the next section.
- If your technique requires practice, continue for up to four minutes, resting as required.
Nelson says: "Keep looking straight while sitting and rising and avoid plopping onto the seat. If you find that you cannot sit without letting the muscles go and plopping, then only lower as far as you can with control, building up your range until you can lower all the way with control."
2. Calf raise
Sets: 1 Reps: 5-10
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding on to a chair or counter for support.
- Raise your heels as high as you can.
- Lower your heels slowly to the starting position.
3. Squat hold
Sets: 1 Reps: 5-10
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding onto a chair or counter for support, if needed.
- Slowly push your butt back and bend your knees to lower until your thighs are parallel to the floor, making sure your knees don’t cave in, and your chest is upright and gaze forward.
- Pause at the bottom of the squat for five to 10 seconds.
- Push through your feet and drive your hips forward to rise slowly to stand, making sure your knees don’t cave in.
4. Single-leg knee lift
Sets: 1 Reps: 1-5 each side
- Stand, holding onto a chair or counter for support, if needed.
- Lift your right knee to hip height, or as high as you can manage.
- Keep your body straight and avoid leaning to one side.
- Hold this position for 10-20 seconds, then lower slowly and repeat on the other side.
- Continue, alternating sides with each rep.
5. Reverse leg lift
Sets: 1 Reps: 1-5 each side
- Stand holding onto a chair or counter for support.
- Slide your right foot behind you, keeping your toes on the floor.
- Keeping your right leg straight and without leaning your torso forward, lift your right leg behind you—you may only be able to lift a small distance.
- Hold this position for 10-20 seconds, then lower slowly and repeat on the other side.
- Continue, alternating sides with each rep.
6. Lateral leg lift
Sets: 1 Reps: 1-5 each side
- Stand holding onto a chair or counter for support.
- Slide your right leg out to the side.
- Keeping your right leg straight, raise it as high as you can without leaning to the left—you may only be able to lift a small distance.
- Hold this position for 10-20 seconds, then lower slowly and repeat on the other side.
- Continue, alternating sides with each rep.
Karen Nelson is a fitness instructor at Grandview Terrace, a Sun Health Community in Sun City West, AZ. Nelson is an AFAA-certified Group Fitness Instructor, a NASM Certified Personal Trainer, NASM Senior Fitness Specialist and certified Pilates Mat and Reformer instructor.
Sun Health—comprising Sun Health Foundation, Sun Health Wellness and Sun Health Communities—is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people to live longer, healthier and more purposeful lives.
