The #1 Exercise to Do as You Get Older

There’s one exercise that fitness experts say is the best workout for older adults. The good news is that seniors do them daily, even though they may not realize it. They’re doing squats. This movement—in which you lower your body and then raise it back up—works all of the major muscle groups in the upper and lower body.

“The squat is the most important exercise for seniors,” Eric Daw, a personal trainer specializing in helping older adults and founder of Omni-Fitt in Toronto, Canada, told AARP. “When you have to go to the washroom, that’s a squat. When you get in the car, that’s a squat. Every time you sit down or stand up, that’s a squat. If you don’t do them well, it affects the way you live.”

Squats strengthen the quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, glutes, and core muscles, including the abdominals and the lower back. These muscles are used in most daily living activities.

Denise Austin, an author and renown fitness instructor for over 40 years, agrees that squats are one of the best overall exercises.

“They strengthen the major muscles of the lower body we need to keep strong and also protect two joints we need help with on a regular basis—our knees and our hips,” Austin told AARP.

Squats not only support major muscle groups but the exercise may contribute to a longer life. Researchers have discovered an association between strong leg muscles and longevity. Specifically, one study found that people ages 70 to 79 who had strong quadriceps (the muscles at the front of the thigh) were at a reduced risk of dying over six years when compared to those with weaker quadriceps.

Getting Started With Squats

Older adults who want to do squats but are concerned about their balance can hold on to a table, kitchen counter, or another steady surface. Austin says holding on to something for stability makes it easier to focus on your form and not worry about your balance.

To perform a basic squat, follow these steps:

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart or a little wider. Keep your toes slightly pointed outwards.
Push your hips back as if you’re about to sit in a chair. Then, bend your knees and lower your body while keeping your chest up. Keep your weight evenly distributed on both feet, with your weight mostly on your heels, not your toes, advises Lori Michiel, founder of Lori Michiel Fitness, which specializes in senior fitness in the home.
To avoid hurting your knees, make sure your knees do not extend beyond your toes.
Lower yourself until your thighs are at least parallel to the ground or as low as you can comfortably go. Doing a deep bend is not necessary if you have knee or hip issues.
Push through your heels to return to the starting position. Straighten your legs while keeping your back flat and your chest up. According to Austin, raising the body is the part of the exercise that really builds strength.
Do two sets of eight to 10 repetitions, doing two seconds down and two seconds up.

Tips:

Inhale on the way down and exhale on the way up.

Avoid hunching over or letting your knees cave in when your body gets tired at the end of each set.

For best results, do the exercise two or three times a week.

Maintaining the proper form during the exercise is key to avoiding injury and getting the most out of the exercise.

Add Your Arms

When you feel more comfortable with the exercise, try doing your squats without holding on to anything. To keep your balance, Austin suggests letting your arms rise parallel in front of you as you go into the downward phase of the squat, then drop them down to your sides when you stand up.

You can also cross your arms across your chest. Daw says this can help keep you upright if you tend to hunch over.

Use Weights For Resistance

If you can do two sets of 15 without feeling any muscle soreness afterward, then you may be ready for a challenge. Daw suggests holding a pair of dumbbells as you do your squats. Start with low weights, then build up to heavier weights.

“That’s how you build strength faster,” Daw said.

Moving Beyond The Basic Squat

Fitness experts say your muscles will get used to doing the same squats after four to six workouts. So, making changes will help to increase your general strength, fitness, and balance.

Try these new squats:

Split squats

Split squats are a good way to build lower-body strength and stability.

Stand with your feet together. Take a step forward with your left foot and place it flat on the ground about three feet in front of your right foot. The ball of your right foot (in the back) should touch the floor with your heel slightly elevated.
Put your hands on your hips or let your arms hang down at your sides.
Slowly lower your body until your left thigh is parallel to the floor, and your right knee is just above the floor.
Push yourself back up through the heel of your left foot and the ball of your right foot to return to the starting position.

Repeat six to eight times. Then switch positions (putting your right foot forward and repeat six to eight times).

Keep your shoulders back and chest up throughout the exercise.

Heel-raise Squats

Position yourself into a regular squat.
Squat down, then stand back up, but keep raising yourself up by lifting your heels off the floor as far as you can without losing your balance (hold on to a table or counter if you feel that you’re losing your balance).
Pause at the top for one or two seconds.
Lower your heels back down to the floor.

Repeat 8 to 10 times.

Dumbbell-offset squats

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Hold a light dumbbell in each hand, letting them hang at your side.
Lift the dumbbell in your left hand up and let it rest on your left shoulder while leaving your right arm straight at your side.
Do one set of squats eight to 10 times.
Switch positions. Rest the dumbbell in your right hand on your right shoulder and let your left arm hang down. Do one set of squats eight to 10 times.

Side-kick squats

Position yourself in a regular squat. You can bring your hands up in front of your chest or place them on your hips.
Squat down, then as you rise into a standing position, shift your weight onto your right leg and gently kick your left leg out to the side, keeping it straight and toes pointed forward.
Lower your left foot down into the starting position.
Squat down again and as you rise, shift your weight onto your left leg and gently kick your right leg out to the side.

Continue alternating from left to right for eight to 10 repetitions.

Source Links:

https://www.aarp.org/health/healthy-living/info-2022/squats-best-exercise-for-strength.html