Bed Exercises to Restore Full-Body Strength After 60

Want to rebuild strength after 60? A DPT shares 5 moves you can do in bed.

If you’re looking to build or restore strength, you don’t need to invest in a pricey gym membership to do it. In fact, by kicking off the day with a few simple exercises, you’re doing something incredibly meaningful for your body and overall well-being. The best part? You don’t need to leave your bed to get started! We spoke with an expert who shares five bed exercises that can help restore full-body strength even faster than gym machines after 60.

What makes the bed a surprisingly useful fitness tool?

“Bed-based exercises can engage nearly all muscle groups, because, surprise—your bed is actually a slightly unstable surface,” explains Dr. Milica McDowell, Doctor of Physical Therapy, AVP of Education, Author, Exercise Physiologist at US Physical Therapy with more than 20 years of experience in sports/orthopedics. “Not as wobbly as a balance board or a foam pad, but it’s definitely soft and not stiff (hopefully!). This makes these exercises actually a little more challenging to perform on your bed rather than on the floor, minus the ‘getting down onto the floor and getting back up’ part, of course. So with that, your body weight is a great tool for resistance exercises, and over time you could look to progress these bed-based exercises to a yoga mat on the floor.”

Dr. McDowell is also a personal trainer, exercise physiologist, team and endurance sport coach, gym owner, 13-time Ironman finisher, 50K finisher, and CrossFit level 1 certified coach. Below, she shares five moves to add to your morning routine.

The Bridge

“The bridge is the anchor of this whole routine. It’s a glute and hip extensor exercise, and it helps you to reconnect with your spine stabilizers and your core. This move primes the rest of the system and should be tackled first,” Dr. McDowell tells us.

1. Lie flat on your back with bent knees and feet hip-width apart, arms at your sides with palms pressing into the mattress.
2. Press through your heels to lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from head to heels.
3. Squeeze your buttocks, holding at the top for 2 seconds.
4. Lower your hips back to the start position.

RELATED: 6 Morning Exercises That Restore Hip Strength Faster Than Floor Stretches After 556254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

Dead Bugs

“Dead bugs are a deep core exercise of choice because they help you control and produce rotation, and promote a stable spine without loading the spine itself,” Dr. McDowell points out.

1. Lie flat on your back, arms extended toward the ceiling and knees lifted in a tabletop position.
2. Press your back into the mattress and engage your core.
3. Lower one arm and the opposite leg.
4. Return to the start position.
5. Repeat on the other side and continue to alternate.

If You Can Do These 8 Lower-Body Moves, Your Leg Strength Is Elite

Cobra

“Cobra is there for spine range of motion and extension, which most people over 60 are desperately short of,” Dr. McDowell says.

1. Begin by lying face down on the mattress, legs extended behind you and the tops of your feet pressing into the ground.
2. Keep your hands under your shoulders and elbows bent close to the sides of your body.
3. Breathe in and gradually lift your chest off the surface—starting from the first rib under your collarbones—by pressing into your palms and activating your back muscles.
4. Hold at the top, keeping your shoulders relaxed and gaze forward, before lowering with control.

5 Bed Exercises That Restore Thigh Strength Faster Than Gym Machines After 60

Ankle Pumps

“Ankle pumps are deceptively simple as they activate the calf muscle pump, improve your circulation, and keep the ankle joint mobile, which is your first point of contact when you are walking,” Dr. McDowell notes.

1. Lie flat on your back with your legs extended.
2. Make sure your heels are comfortably resting and your legs are relaxed.
3. Point your toes away from your body.
4. Then, flex your feet back toward you, pulling your toes toward your shins.
5. Continue to pump your ankles in a controlled fashion.

Over 50? If You Can Do This Many Knee Pushups, Your Upper Body Is Stronger Than Most

Trunk Rotations

“Try trunk rotations to round it out because rotation is the movement pattern many older adults lose first and need most for activities such as getting out of your car or reaching across a table,” Dr. McDowell explains.

1. Lie flat on your back on the mattress with bent knees and feet flat.
2. Extend your arms out to your sides to form a “T.”
3. Activate your core and keep your shoulders relaxed.
4. Slowly lower both knees to one side, making sure your shoulders remain pressed against the mattress.
5. Activate your core as you return to the center.
6. Lower your knees to the other side.

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