I’m a personal trainer over 40 — I used to skip these 3 exercises, but now I do them regularly to stay strong as I age
Like most certified personal trainers, I have exercises that I love and a few that I loathe.
Skipping the ones I hated was excusable when I was younger (“I’ll do it next time!” “This other exercise works the same muscles!”). But now that I’ve pushed past 40, I’ve come to realize that some of my not-so-favorite moves are incredibly important for maintaining proper balance, stability, and posture.
Training for healthy aging is vital for anyone in their 30’s and 40’s. The stronger you can enter your senior years, the better protected you are against injury from serious falls and other age-related conditions.
While the three exercises below haven’t always had a solid place in my routine, they do now. If you’re 40 or over, have a set of dumbbells, and want to start training with longevity in mind, give them a try.
How to do the three exercises
Always check in with your doctor before trying any new activity. If you’re a beginner, consider meeting with a certified personal trainer before attempting these exercises. A trainer can give you guidance on good form, offer modifications if needed, and progress the exercises once you’ve gotten stronger.
In addition to dumbbells, you’ll also need a moderately heavy resistance band.
Start by doing each exercise for 1-2 sets of 8-10 reps. Once that feels easy, increase your reps to 12-15 and add another set. You can also work with heavier dumbbells and resistance bands as you build strength.
You should be able to complete between 8-15 reps with good form. If you’re unable to do 8 reps, work with a lighter weight. If you can do 15 reps without much effort, use a heavier weight.
I often do these exercises as part of a longer resistance training workout. You may choose to do the same or perform the exercises on their own.
Here’s how to do them:
1. Single-leg Romanian deadlift
- Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart.
- Hold a dumbbell in your right hand.
- Engage your core.
- Lift your right leg behind you and bring your torso parallel to the floor.
- Pause briefly.
- Squeeze your left glute and stand back up, bringing your right foot to the starting position.
- Continue for 8-15 reps, then repeat on the other side.
2. Pallof press
- Loop a resistance band around a strong anchor point, like a stair railing.
- Grab the ends of the band and step away from the anchor point until the band is taut.
- Turn and face your right.
- Bring the end of the band to your chest.
- Engage your core.
- Lengthen your arms away from your chest.
- Pause briefly.
- Bring your hands back to your chest.
- Continue for 8-15 reps, then repeat on the other side.
3. Dumbbell reverse fly
- Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand.
- Engage your core.
- Hinge your hips behind you, bend your knees slightly, and lean forward.
- Lengthen your arms and lower the dumbbells towards the floor.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together and lift your elbows towards the ceiling, keeping them slightly bent.
- Pause briefly.
- Lower the dumbbells to the starting position.
- Continue for 8-15 reps.
Benefits of these exercises
According to the CDC, falls are the leading cause of injury for adults 65 years and older. One of the best ways to prevent falls is to build muscle and strength, maintain good posture, and enhance overall balance.
The three exercises in this routine do just that. Since the single-leg Romanian deadlift is done balancing on one foot, this move trains stabilizing muscles in the lower body, glutes, and core. The addition of a dumbbell adds resistance for your muscles to work against, which results in increased strength and muscle mass.
Pallof presses also work important core stabilizers. As you extend the band away from your body, your core must resist strong rotational forces to stay upright and neutral. This translates to improved support and control in muscles that protect the pelvis and spine.
As we age, we’re more susceptible to rounded posture and decreased upper back strength. The reverse fly targets key muscles like the rear deltoids, mid to lower traps, and rhomboids, which help keep your upper body upright, aligned, and supported. By leaning forward, your core must also engage to keep the spinal column stable.
Resistance training in general is also beneficial for the prevention and management of osteoporosis, or bone loss.
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