Fitness pros share go-to standing workouts you should be able to ace after 55.
Reaching the age of 55 brings on many changes, and staying in shape becomes a top priority for many. After all, you’re not 25 years old any more. But that doesn’t mean you can’t be in stellar shape. In fact, we spoke with Felicia Hernandez, NASM-certified personal trainer and community engagement lead at Eden Health Club, who shares some exercises you can do to see where you rank. In fact, if you can master these three standing moves after 55, you’re fitter than most 40-year-olds.
The Importance of Regular Exercise With Age
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“What many people don’t realize is that even if you’re getting an hour of exercise each day, it’s not enough to offset all those hours of sitting, which impact your cardiovascular health, not to mention your muscles and joints,” explains Jim Owen, an 85-year-old 10x senior fitness gold medal athlete, author, and documentary filmmaker. “As one trainer told me, ‘If you spend most of your time in a chair, eventually your body will start to look like a chair.’ My advice: make movement a priority throughout your day and in your life.”
For older adults, it’s essential to weave strength training into your routine, along with regular stretching, balance work, and cardio. Moral of the story? “Sit less and move more!”
Why Standing Workouts Are Effective
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Standing workouts require max core engagement, coordination, balance, joint mobility, and full-body strength at the same time. You’re not simply isolating one muscle group as you would with a machine; you’re focusing on mechanics, posture, breath, and resistance “through a real-world lens,” explains Felicia Hernandez, NASM-certified personal trainer and community engagement lead at Eden Health Club.
“Over 55, most people default into seated or assisted movement, which leads to decreased nervous system efficiency and muscle responsiveness,” Hernandez adds. “But if you can control your body in a standing position, especially through complex, full-body moves, you’ve retained high-level function that many younger adults have already lost through inactivity or one-dimensional training.”
3 Standing Moves To Master After 55
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Acing the below exercises signals your body’s able to successfully tackle everyday tasks with control and confidence.
“It reflects strong neuromuscular endurance, core control, leg strength, and coordination,” Hernandez points out.
Owen agrees that a well-rounded workout can “teach you how to lift and move, so you can do daily chores or pick up a box without getting hurt.”
Squats
“Squat exercises are essential for preserving mobility and providing muscular support for knee joints as the years go by,” Owen tells us. “To get the most from this exercise, keep your sternum lifted as you move and maintain your natural lumbar curve. To avoid strain, be sure you don’t let your knees move inward! Keep them pointed straight ahead throughout.”
- Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Extend your arms in front of you or place your hands on your hips. Use a chair for support, if necessary.
- Bend at the knees and hips as you lower into a squat.
- Use control to descend until your thighs assume a “sitting” position or lower.
- Press through your heels to return to standing.
If you’re only able to lower your hips a few inches, that’s perfectly fine. Owen assures, “Just keep working at it over time. You can also use an exercise ball against a wall to add stability as you squat. Start with the ball at your lower back and let it roll upward as your hips move down.”
Lat Pulldown
“This movement works multiple upper-body muscle groups, especially the back. It’s the only one of [these exercises] that uses a gym machine, but you can get around that by using a resistance band over a high bar at a playground or a sturdy bracket at home (a metal garage door frame could do nicely),” Owen explains.
- Anchor a resistance band to a high point.
- Stand facing the anchor point with your feet hip-width apart.
- Grab the band with straight arms, hands shoulder-width apart.
- Activate your core and slightly bend your knees.
- Use control to pull the band down until it reaches your thighs.
- Gradually return the band to the start position.
To regress the exercise, choose one of the lightest available weights or resistance bands. To make the movement more challenging, add more weight or opt for a variation like the single-arm dumbbell row.
“Advanced gym warriors can substitute an assisted or unassisted pull-up, since it’s a similar motion,” Owen adds.
Standing Overhead March With Dumbbells
“The standing overhead march with dumbbells trains posture, deep core control, and balance, all with added load overhead to challenge shoulder stability,” Hernandez tells us. Be sure to brace your abs while slowly alternating knee drives in place, avoiding shifting from side to side.
- Begin by standing tall, holding a light dumbbell in each hand overhead.
- Lift one knee up to hip level, and hold.
- Maintain a neutral spine and tight abs.
- Lower.
- Lift the other knee up to hip height, and hold.
- Continue to alternate legs.
- Aim for 3 sets of 10 marches on each leg.
Alexa Mellardo
Alexa is a freelance writer, editor, and content strategist based in Greenwich, CT. She has 11+ years of experience covering wellness, fitness, food, travel, lifestyle, and home. Read more about Alexa
