The 4 Strength Moves Worth Doing After 50

Muscle is the quiet asset of later life. It's what gets you out of a low chair, up a flight of stairs with the shopping, and back on your feet if you trip. And unless you use it, you lose it: after middle age, adults gradually lose muscle mass and strength, and the loss tends to speed up in the 60s and 70s.

The encouraging part is that muscle responds to training at any age. Studies of people well into their 70s and 80s show strength gains within weeks of starting. You don't need a complicated programme. You need a few basic movements, done regularly, with real effort.

What the guidelines say

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and summarised by the CDC, recommend that adults do muscle-strengthening activities at least two days a week, working all the major muscle groups: legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms. That's on top of 150 minutes a week of moderate activity such as brisk walking. Older adults are also advised to include balance training.

Four movement patterns cover almost all of it.

1. Stand up: the sit-to-stand

This is the most practical strength exercise there is, because you do it dozens of times a day.

1. Sit near the front of a sturdy chair, feet flat and hip-width apart.
2. Lean slightly forward and stand up, pushing through your heels, without using your hands if you can.
3. Sit back down slowly, taking about three seconds. Don't drop.

Make it easier: use a higher seat or your hands. Harder: a lower seat, hold a weight at your chest, or progress to a full squat.

2. Push: the incline push-up

Pushing strength helps you get up off the floor and push yourself up from a fall.

1. Place your hands on a wall, kitchen counter or sturdy table, a little wider than your shoulders.
2. Step back until your body is in a straight line from head to heels.
3. Lower your chest toward your hands, then press back up.

Progress by using a lower surface over the weeks: wall, then counter, then a sturdy bench, then the floor.

3. Pull: the row

Pulling muscles support your upper back and posture, and they're the ones desk jobs and screens neglect most.

1. Anchor a resistance band at chest height (around a post, or in a door with an anchor).
2. Hold the ends, step back until there's tension, and stand tall.
3. Pull your elbows back past your sides, squeezing your shoulder blades together, then return slowly.

No band? Use a dumbbell or a full water jug: support one hand on a bench, let the weight hang, and pull it toward your hip.

4. Carry: the farmer's walk

Carrying trains your grip, shoulders, core and legs all at once, and it's the most "real life" move on the list.

1. Hold a weight in each hand: dumbbells, kettlebells or two full shopping bags.
2. Stand tall, shoulders back, and walk for 30 to 60 seconds with steady, normal steps.
3. Rest, then repeat two or three times.

Carrying also builds grip strength, which researchers have found to be a surprisingly telling health marker. More in our article on grip strength.

Putting it together

Do this on two or three non-consecutive days a week. Choose an effort where the last two or three repetitions of each set feel genuinely hard but your form stays clean. When 12 repetitions start to feel easy, make the move harder.

Staying safe

• Move slowly and with control. Speed comes later, if at all.
• Breathe out as you push or stand, and don't hold your breath.
• Mild muscle soreness a day or two later is normal. Sharp or joint pain is not: stop that movement.
• If you have heart disease, high blood pressure, joint replacements or haven't exercised in years, check with your doctor first, and consider a few sessions with a physical therapist or qualified trainer.