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Total Body Strength for Seniors |
1. See your doctor before you begin
any exercise program
2. Begin with a 5-10 minute warm up of light cardio (walking in place,
etc.)
3. Perform each exercise for 12 repetitions,
resting when you need to, and start with no weights or light weights
4. Stretch after each exerciseDo this workout 1-2 non-consecutive days a week,
taking at least one day of rest between workouts. For best results, combine this workout with regular
cardio and a healthy, low-calorie diet. Click on pictures for
more detailed view.
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Bench Sit & Stand
Stand in front of a chair (sit down
first to make sure it's behind you!) with feet about shoulder-width
apart. Contract the abs and sit down on the chair. As soon
as you make contact with the chair, stand back up and try to do so
without rocking back or using momentum. You can place your hands
on your thighs if you need to. For added intensity, hold a
medicine ball or a dumbbell and don't sit all the way down--stop just
before your backside touches the seat (picture 3).
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Ball Taps
Sit in a chair and place a ball front of both feet
(a mid-sized ball works best). Sit straight up
and try not to rest against the back of the chair, keeping your back
straight and your abs contracted. Lift your right foot and tap the
top of the ball and take it back down to the floor. Switch sides
and do the same with your left foot, alternating each foot for all
repetitions. For added intensity, sit on an exercise ball to
challenge your balance or try the exercise while standing.
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Step Ups
You can do this exercise on a staircase or on a
step if you have one. If you're on a staircase, stand at the
bottom step and step up with your right foot. Bring your left foot
up onto the stair next to your right and then step back down on the
floor (hold onto a rail if you need to). Perform all reps by
stepping up and down with the right foot. Then switch sides and
start with your left foot. If you don't have a staircase or
a step, you can simply do another set of ball taps.
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Hamstring Curls
Stand in front of a chair and hold onto it for
balance if you need to. Bend your right knee, bringing your foot
up behind you (like you're kicking your own butt) and keeping the right
knee pointing towards the floor and right next to your left knee. Slowly lower
back down and repeat all repetitions before switching to the other
leg. For challenge, do it without holding onto the chair or add
light ankle weights.
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Knee Lifts
Hold onto the wall or a chair for balance if you
need to. Keep the abs contracted and bring the right knee up to
hip level, knee bent at 90 degrees, and lower back down. Repeat all reps
on the right leg and then switch sides. Add ankle weights or a
resistance band for added intensity. You can also do this without
support for a challenge.
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Side Leg Lifts
Stand sideways to a chair or
wall for support and lift one leg out to the side, foot flexed and hips,
knees and feet in alignment. Try to lift the leg without tilting
at the torso--hold the torso upright as you lift the leg a few inches
off the ground. Lower back down and repeat all reps on the same
leg before switching sides. Add ankle weights for added
challenge.
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Wall Push Up
Stand a few feet away from a wall and place hands
on wall at shoulder level, a few inches wider than shoulders. Pull
the abs in and, keeping back straight, bend elbows and lower body
towards the wall until elbows are at 90 degree angles. Push
back to start and repeat. The further away from the wall you are,
the harder the exercise. Make sure you don't sag in the
middle--keep the abs tight and the back flat.
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Chest Squeeze with Med Ball
Sit on ball or chair, back straight and abs in. Hold a medicine
ball at chest level and squeeze the ball with the palms of hands to
contract the chest. While continuing to squeeze the ball, slowly
push the ball out in front of you at chest level until elbows are almost
straight. Continuing the pressure with your hands, bend the elbows
and pull the ball back to chest.
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Lat Pulls With Bands
Stand or sit holding a resistance band in both hands up over your
head. Hands are wider than shoulder-width apart and back is flat,
abs engaged. Keep the left hand in place and contract the lat
muscles (at the sides of your upper back) to pull the right elbow down
towards the ribcage. Press back up and switch sides, alternating
right and left for all repetitions.
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Lateral Raises
Stand or sit holding light dumbbells in both hands at the sides.
Keeping the elbows slightly bent and wrists straight, lift the arms up to
the sides only to shoulder level (palms face the floor). Lower back
down and repeat for all reps. You can use full water bottles or soup
cans for weights if you don't have dumbbells.
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Bicep Curls
Sit or stand holding dumbbells in both hands, palms facing
out. Contract the bicep (front of the arm) and curl the weight up
towards your shoulder (without touching the shoulder). Lower back
down, but keep a slight bend in the elbow at the bottom--don't swing the
weight and keep the elbows in place as you curl the weights.
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Tricep Extension
Sit or stand and hold a dumbbell in the right hand straight up
overhead and directly over your shoulder. Your palm should face the
front and you can use your other hand to support the right arm. Bend
the elbow and lower the weight down a bit behind your head (the elbow
should be facing the right side of the room) to about 90 degrees.
Contract the back of the arm to pull the weight back up and repeat.
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Crunches
Choose any one (or more) of the ab exercises listed in the above
link. Do at least 1 set of 10-16 repetitions.
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