Exercise Archives - Fran's Fitness Over 50

Get mobile

I turn 71 next week. Scary. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, researching fitness topics over the years, it’s that we all want to maintain our independence as we age. We want to be able to do the things we want to do when we want to do them and not be tied to someone else’s schedule. This increases our resilience. And, of course, ties into our healthy aging goals. We need to be mobile, to maintain our balance, and have the strength to carry ourselves and the stuff we take out of or into our homes. You know that I’m a fierce balance advocate. (Join the Balance for Fitness, Balance for Life group on Facebook for daily 2-minute exercise recommendations.) And I’ve talked about incorporating strength work into the exercise programs we do. But what does it mean to get mobile?

Joint mobility means how well an individual joint or a group of joints—like your shoulders or hips—can move. A healthy joint is able to move more and move better, and it’s less likely to cause pain or get injured, according to the Silver Sneakers blog. But how well we move throughout the day requires full body mobility, and that means that all our parts have to work well together.

We need good posture to keep our back straight and shoulders unhunched, a strong core for power. And we need good balance to keep us sure-footed.

Flexibility helps with that movement. If we can touch our toes, then our hips and legs are working. But to truly get mobile, we’ll need some more dynamic exercises that work multiple parts at once. Lunges get those legs working. Go slow and easy with them at first, making sure your knees don’t go past 90 degrees. If you can see your shoelaces over your knee, you’re doing well. If you need a stick to help at first, use it. Do 8 to 10 on each side.

Another good mobility exercise is bird dog. On all fours with hands directly below shoulders and knees directly below hips, lift opposite limbs. Left arm and right leg. And hold for a bit. Lower slowly and switch. Do 8 to 10 of those.

Chair pose works the core. Tighten it, stand with feet shoulder width apart, raise your arms for counterbalance and lower down as if you’re hovering over a chair. Hold for about 5 breaths and stand up. Repeat a few more times.

These are just a couple of mobility exercises. There are so many more. Don’t forget that a part of staying independent is to get mobile.

Not wanting to do something is not a good excuse

I never want to exercise. Honestly. I’ve said it before, and I’ll keep saying it because it’s true. I was working at a dog obedience trial all day on Sunday – if you’ve never been to one, it’s amazing watching the amazing teams. Anyway, I was on my feet all day, and the last thing I wanted to do on Monday was get on the treadmill. But not wanting to do something is not a good excuse for not doing it. So I did it.

Of course, there are plenty of reasons that you don’t exercise on any given day. You might be sick with a chest cold. Or you have an important appointment that you can’t miss at the time you originally scheduled to work out. Or you have to take the dog to the vet. Those are certainly valid reasons to not exercise.

But on normal days – what’s the motivation to get you exercising when you don’t feel like it? How do you talk yourself into doing something when you don’t want to? I thought about how I’d feel when I was done. It was a slog, and I probably didn’t give it my all the way I usually do, but I did it. Over a mile at 10 percent incline, over 4 miles per hour. And I was so grateful when the time was up. But I felt completely virtuous.

I also was at an exciting part of the book I’m listening to. The one thing that keeps me getting back on the treadmill is listening to audiobooks. No self-help or non-fiction for me, either. It’s got to be something that holds my attention. It’s great escape so I don’t think about how much I dislike what I’m doing.

I also think about how doing the treadmill thing works into my overall fitness goal. Maintaining my endurance keeps me getting back on. I want to be able to play with my dogs for many years to come. Having that endurance also ensures my independence. So I keep getting on the treadmill and working out..

The site, “Time For Your Life” also suggests breaking down the thing you don’t want to do into “laughably small steps” so that it’s completely painless. Like setting a timer for 5 minutes to get started on something you don’t want to do. I completely agree. I tell people to just start to exercise when they don’t want to. If you still don’t want to exercise after 5 minutes, then it’s okay to think about quitting.

But just not wanting to do something is not a good excuse.

We can be as flexible as we want to be

As flexible as we want to be

Do you look back fondly on the days you could tie your shoes without sitting down? Don’t accept as a fact that you’ll never be as flexible as that again. It might take some time, thought, and care, but we folks over 50 can be as flexible as we want to be. In fact, when done with focus, stretching can help us avoid pain. As an example, if the muscles in the front of your legs are too tight, it can lead to movement limitation in our pelvis and hips which can lead to lower back pain.

Becoming flexible can help prevent muscle and disk strains, shoulder strains, and backaches, according to WebMD. Working on your flexibility is also good for improving your balance. But don’t try to touch your toes the first time you try a stretching routine unless you’ve been doing that for a while. Start slowly and work your way up to the big stuff.

Static stretches first

You may want to start with static stretches – that is, holding a position for up to 30 seconds and then relaxing. And repeat a couple more times. But don’t bounce into the position – this can lead to injury.

Isometric Stretches

Isometric stretches are similar, but when you’re in the position, contract the muscle you’re stretching. Contract and release a few times while you’re holding. This can be hard, since we’re not always aware of the specific muscles we’re working. I know I’m not.

Dynamic Stretches

Dynamic stretches incorporate movement. Things like head rolls, leg swings, hip circles, and walking lunges are examples of dynamic stretches. Repeat for a certain number of repetitions, say 10 or 12.

If you decide that you want to incorporate stretches into your daily routine, decide when you want to do them and stick to a plan.

We’ve talked about goals and plans before – make sure that your plan is reasonable and achievable. Decide on the specific stretches you want to do, and reassess after a few weeks to make sure that you’re still getting benefits from your new routine. If you want to delve deeper, you can check out classes that focus on stretching and flexibility like Pilates, Yoga, and Tai Chi.

Use the stream for your fitness

We’re all so used to that little circle in the corner of our screens now – the commercial count-down. Those commercials are annoying, yes, but rather than be annoyed, use the stream for your fitness.

Social media calls this movement snacking – the idea is to move in the time it would take you to get a snack. This snack can counteract the effects of sitting too long. You know the feeling – when your knees and back are stiff when you stand up, you know you’ve been sitting too long. My sister and I tell each other to stand up at our desks when we’ve been deep in concentration all morning. And when we forget, if one of us gets up and our knees are stiff, we exclaim that we’ve been sitting for too long.

And these short bursts of activity can help regulate your blood sugar, boost your circulation, and enhance your focus.

Your movement snack can be as simple as just standing up and sitting down (without using your hands, of course) for the 90 seconds or so of the commercial break. Stepping from side to side is another good move. Marching in place with raised knees will get your heart rate up a little too. If the commercial has good music, dance to it. That’s a great movement snack. It really doesn’t matter what exercise you do, as long as you get up and do something. And if getting up isn’t an option, then sit up straight and move your feet side to side. Raise your arms overhead and lower them. Do some biceps curls even if you don’t have weights. Make a fist.

After consuming these movement snacks, you’ll also find that your energy level is higher. It could be that you may not fall asleep on the couch after dinner.
If there’s no commercial timer on the stream, just set your phone’s timer for 2 minutes. I’ll bet you’ll see a difference in how you feel with just a few days of using the stream for your fitness. You’re doing something good for your healthy aging and your resilience. In just a few days, you’re creating a great healthy habit. This is a good way to practice self-care. You’re making sure that you’ll be around for those who need you.

Stop scrolling and start balancing

How much time do you spend waiting in your kitchen? Waiting for the microwave, waiting for the water to boil, waiting and stirring the pasta sauce. It can be relaxing, but aren’t you just wasting that time scrolling through your social media feeds? You could actually be using that waiting time to be improving your balance and stabilizing your core. Stop scrolling and start balancing.

Story time – why focusing on balance is important to me. You’ve probably seen ads from perky young trainers who advise their older clients to work on their balance – a simple 30-minute program to improve your balance. Guess what? Not gonna happen. Working on balance is not the most fun thing. And if you have to do it for 30 minutes at a time, you’re only going to do it once. And that won’t help anything. You probably know someone who’s taken a fall, so you know you need to start working on your balance, but a half hour at a time?

A few years ago (okay, more than a few…) I lost my balance and fell, wrecking my knee and triggering bursitis in both hips. That hurt. I couldn’t do my regular workouts for a while, so in my extra free time I started researching why people tend to fall more as they age. It turns out that it’s a natural phenomenon. We just lose stuff as we get older. Hair, eyesight, hearing, sense of balance. But, unlike hair, eyesight and hearing, balance is a “use it or lose it” thing. You can actually improve it. And, it really doesn’t take that long.

I should know. I do 2 minutes of balance exercises every day. Standing on one foot for a minute while I brush my teeth, and then the other one sometimes gets messy, but bathrooms wash. Some days I do more, but most days just those 2 minutes. And my balance has improved.

When you’re starting to develop a new habit, it’s hard to remember it some days. That’s why stacking the new one (a balance move) on an old one (brushing teeth) is so helpful. Pretty soon you don’t even have to think about the new one, and it just feels wrong if you miss it.

So, use that counter if you need it to stabilize yourself. Stand on one foot. Make sure your back is straight, your hips are level, and your core is tight. You’ve got a built-in ballet barre to help you with your balance moves. And if you don’t need to hold on, so much the better. Use your formerly wasted time – stop scrolling and start balancing. You’re not only improving your balance, you’re improving your resilience, too. Those who’ve fallen and not done anything about it are more likely to become isolated and withdrawn. But not us – we’re out there. Independent and able to do what we want, when we want.

And if you want more variety, download Your Week of Core-Centered Balance Moves. Simple but effective.

Strength or cardio first?

It’s the age-old question. Strength work or cardio first? You want to maximize your workout, and you know that you have to prioritize strength work. But you also have to get in your cardio. So, which should you do first? The experts agree – strength first, unless you’re focusing on endurance.

I don’t like to exercise – you know that – but I do want to stay fit and healthy. So I like to combine both strength and cardio in my workouts, even if I have less than an hour for my exercise session. By doing my strength work first, I’ll be fresher, and be able to focus on my form more. Chances are the exercises will be more effective, and I’ll build strength in my muscles more than if I did cardio first.

If I do cardio first, I’ll be more tired and my form won’t be as good. All good things to consider.

On the other hand, if I want to build my endurance, I’ll focus on cardio, spend a longer time on it, and just do the minimum amount of strength work.

Another thing to consider is whether one of your goals is losing weight. A small study found that doing strength training first actually burned more fat. Another point in its favor. Cardio relies on a mix of glycogen and fat for fuel, he added. “You burn glycogen when you lift weights, so if you do cardio afterward, your body has to burn more fat for fuel,” according to Danny King, physical trainer at the Life Time chain of fitness centers.

And don’t forget that body-weight exercises count as strength work. Push-ups and planks are great for strength. Lunges and burpees also count. To combine these body weight exercises with cardio work, perhaps do 30 seconds of jumping jacks, 30 seconds of planking, and so on. No need for fancy equipment.

Flexibility is your fitness superpower

The Secret to Longevity: Why Flexibility is Your Fitness Superpower Over 50

When we think about “getting fit” in our 50s and 60s, our minds often jump straight to cardiovascular health or building muscle. While walking and strength training are vital, there is a “missing piece” to the wellness puzzle that often gets sidelined: flexibility. Improving your flexibility isn’t just about being able to touch your toes. It’s a fundamental pillar of healthy aging and a primary driver of how we feel—both physically and mentally—every single day.

The Longevity Link

Recent science has highlighted just how critical flexibility is for our long-term health. A landmark 2024 study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports followed middle-aged participants for over a decade. The researchers, led by Dr. Claudio Gil S. Araújo, discovered that individuals with greater flexibility had a significantly lower risk of premature death. Interestingly, this association was particularly strong in women, suggesting that maintaining a wide range of motion is a literal lifesaver as we age.

Physical Freedom and Healthy Aging

As we age, our tendons naturally lose some elasticity and our joints can become stiff. Feeling creaky when we get up from a chair should be our signal to take a short walk or do some squats. By prioritizing flexibility, we maintain the range of motion necessary for things we do every day—things like reaching for a high shelf, tying shoes, or playing on the floor with grandkids. Improved flexibility also reduces the risk of falls by enhancing balance and stride mechanics, allowing us to maintain our independence for years to come. So the more flexible we are, the more able we are to do the balance exercises I recommend every day.

The Mindset Shift

Increase your balance in just a couple of minutes a day

The benefits of stretching extend far beyond the physical. Flexibility training, especially through mind-body practices like Yoga or Tai Chi, acts as a bridge to a better mindset. A 2024 study in Frontiers in Public Health found that mind-body exercises significantly improve psychological resilience and quality of life in older adults.

As an added bonus, when you stretch, you aren’t just lengthening muscle fibers; you are signaling to your nervous system that it is safe to relax. This reduces cortisol levels and helps alleviate the “brain fog” or anxiety that can sometimes accompany this stage of life. A flexible body often leads to a flexible mind—one that is more resilient to stress and more open to the joys of aging.

Your Path Forward

You don’t need to spend hours on a mat to see results. Just 10 to 15 minutes of dedicated stretching or a gentle yoga flow three times a week can transform your mobility. Spend a few minutes walking or biking first to warm up. The Mayo Clinic emphasizes that you can hurt yourself if you overly stretch cold muscles. Start where you are, honor your body’s limits, and remember: staying limber is one of the greatest gifts you can give your future self.

Functional fitness moves – not just a trend

I don’t want to exercise just for the sake of exercising. Exercise is not my favorite thing to start with, so I’m only going to do it if it makes my life better in other ways. Focusing on functional fitness moves makes sense, then. “Functional fitness exercises train your muscles to help you do everyday activities safely and efficiently,” according to the Mayo Clinic. These exercises combine moves the way we move in everyday life. And, in fact, when we do functional moves, we’re getting at least double the benefit of the exercise. That’s efficiency.

The workouts I do have incorporated funcional moves for years – I never knew it. That’s how a 30-minute functional workout can take the place of a 45-minute one that doesn’t employ functional moves. And, the moves frequently use weights, so we’re getting the strength training we need for our muscle and bone health. The moves involve multiple joints and multiple muscles in the same exercise. Employing functional exercises makes moving around doing everyday activities easier, which improves our quality of life, increases our independence, makes us more optimistic and more resilient.

One functional fitness move is the squat with an overhead press – hold a pair of weights that are challenging for you, bend your arms so the weight is at the same level as your shoulder and have your feet shoulder-width apart. Squat, bending your knees so that they’re behind your toes if you look over them. Stand up and press the weights overhead. Bring the weights back to the starting position and repeat. You’re working most muscles in your body with this one.

Another functional move is the deadlift with row. Stand tall, holding challenging weights, keeping your knees soft. Bend from the hips keeping the weights close to your legs. At your lowest point, bend your elbows and bring the weights up to your waist, keeping your arms close to your sides. Bring the weights back down and stand. Repeat.

You get the idea – with functional fitness moves, you’re performing multiple moves, working more than one part and getting ready for whatever your day brings.

Try a smaller goal for the win

February goal

We think of resolutions as a New Year thing – because that’s the biggest new start of the year. But, here’s another way of looking at goals. We’re given a new start every month, every week, even every day. So, don’t look at your failure from the week, month, or year before as a complete flop, because you get another chance. If you like resolutions, start a February resolution now. If you prefer goals, start working on a February goal. You’ll be more likely to achieve a smaller goal anyway. And those small goals lead to bigger ones.

Those smaller goals count

Sure, you can have a big goal in mind when you create your smaller monthly goals. But those big goals are daunting. If a goal is too big, I’m frozen into paralysis and unable to accomplish anything. The overwhelming challenge of that big project or goal makes it impossible to continue. But smaller goals are more achievable. They’ll keep the momentum going. And they’re easier to attach milestones to. Plus, we have to remember that celebrating every milestone is even more likely to keep us on the path to that bigger goal.

There’s an old Chinese proverb that says that a long journey starts with a single step. You’ve got to start somewhere. And starting on the road makes you more likely to continue.

Breaking big projects into smaller goals also helps to reduce the fear – that paralysis we face when encountering something massive – and can also help to clarify the direction that the final project will take.

An example

Say your goal is to work out 4 times a week for a year. That’s 52 weeks, 4 times. Or 208 workouts. That’s a lot of workouts. Very daunting. But, break that up. Your goal for February is 16 workouts. 4 short weeks. That’s much more doable. And you can break that up even further. One week is only 4 workouts. A power walk on Sunday with the family, intense cardio on Monday, strength on Wednesday, and yoga on Friday. Celebrate afterward. Perhaps a new playlist? And you’re pumped for next week. You’re focused, you’re locked in. Your self-confidence is soaring. You’re resilient – you can tackle anything.

And that’s what smaller goals can do.

Resilience grows with little habits

You don’t need me to tell you that things are tough these days. It’s hard even waking up and facing a new day. It’s tempting to get back under the covers and withdraw from the world. But that’s the way things are now, and the more we can do for our own resilience, the happier we’ll be. Former Navy SEAL Mark Divine suggests that the rituals we do every day can help. Our resilience grows with little habits that are part of those rituals. Like brushing our hair a certain way. Or making the bed at the same time every morning.

And it turns out that a study from MIT supports Divine’s claim. We all know that it takes many repetitions for something to become a habit. Do something every day for about a month. The MIT study shows that making small changes with consistent positive reinforcement helps the process. “The brain has an absolutely fabulous system for getting reward signals. The system is so sensitive that researchers have seen nerve cells fire in response to a single word, evoking a craving long after a habit has been kicked.” This means that once a habit is formed, it sticks. And that’s why it’s so hard to break habits, even bad ones, like smoking. The brain associates the action of the habit with the reward that it received – even if it hasn’t received that reward recently.

So, healthy habits that we practice continually through the day can condition our minds and body to be calm, maintain a neutral perspective, and consider our next actions clearly. These habits serve us well in times of stress. We can better deal with that stress and not overreact. But how to create those healthy habits? I’ve talked about creating an exercise habit before, because folks seem to have the most resistance to that. It’s easily doable – I’m not going to say it’s easy, because for many, it’s totally alien. But it’s doable. Find a program that you don’t hate. Schedule it on your calendar. Prepare for that very important date with yourself. And show up.

When you create healthy habits for yourself, your resilience grows. It’s, of course, essential for your healthy aging. And you’re happier and more optimistic. You’ll be courageous in a way you never envisioned.