Stay Strong With Four Exercises You Can Do at Home December 9, 2024 According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, falls are the leading cause of both fatal and nonfatal injuries among older adults. Keeping your body strong and active can help prevent and manage sarcopenia — a progressive loss of muscle mass, quality and strength associated with aging. Regular physical activity that includes strength training is considered one of the most effective strategies to ensure that muscle function is maintained as you age. Stronger muscles and joints lead to better balance, coordination and overall mobility, decreasing the risk of falls. Try these strength training exercises that can be done at home, in the gym or at the park. Be mindful of knee pain or other joint pain when performing these exercises and make modifications as necessary. Squats tone your legs, glutes (muscles of the buttocks and hips) and core muscles, and they help with balance and flexibility. Squat with your back against a wall and slide down as far as it is comfortable or do the squats over a chair as a safety precaution. Lunges target a wide range of muscles and engage your core and abdominal muscles. Hold onto the wall or a piece of furniture for support. Bicep curls build arm muscles and increase functional strength. If you don’t have weights, use water bottles, a milk jug or canned food. Pushups build arm, chest and back muscles. Start by doing pushups on the wall or the back of a sofa. Visit your local SamFit and pick up a gift certificate for your special someone this holiday season. Or take advantage of SamFit’s membership special of $0 down and no dues till Jan.5 — offered now through Dec. 20.
