{"id":440831,"date":"2026-01-27T14:07:19","date_gmt":"2026-01-27T14:07:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/440831\/"},"modified":"2026-01-27T14:07:19","modified_gmt":"2026-01-27T14:07:19","slug":"aging-muscles-respond-very-well-to-progressive-strength-training-a-personal-trainer-shares-a-5-move-workout-to-build-muscle-after-65","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/440831\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Aging muscles respond very well to progressive strength training’ \u2014 a personal trainer shares a 5-move workout to build muscle after 65"},"content":{"rendered":"

Building muscle does tend to get harder with age, but that doesn’t mean it stops being possible. These changes can affect people at different ages and at different rates, and when they do, it doesn’t mean your fitness is suddenly on a downhill slope, or that rebuilding strength is an uphill battle you can’t win.<\/p>\n

According to physiotherapist and personal trainer Grace Heinrichs, currently working at X-Club Pilates & Wellness<\/a> in London, these shifts are a normal part of the aging process rather than a sign that you\u2019ve left it too late. \u201cThere is good news in all of this, aging muscles respond very well to progressive strength training,\u201d she says, particularly when training is approached with patience and consistency.<\/p>\n

\"GraceGrace Heinrichs<\/p>\n

Social Links Navigation<\/p>\n

<\/a>Physiotherapist and personal trainer<\/p>\n

Doctor of Physical Therapy, HCPC Registered Physiotherapist, Chartered Physiotherapist, Reformer Pilates Instructor, and Personal Trainer currently working at X-Club Pilates & Wellness in London, UK.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Progressive strength training, also known as progressive overload<\/a>, simply means gradually increasing the challenge placed on your muscles over time. This might look like adding a small amount of weight, increasing repetitions, or improving control and range of motion, rather than pushing harder all at once.<\/p>\n

You may like<\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re returning to exercise or want to reinforce the fundamentals before progressing, here\u2019s a five-move routine Heinrich recommends.<\/p>\n

1. Sit to stand (Chair Squat): 3 sets of 10<\/p>\n

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\"an\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Shutterstock)Sit tall on a chair with feet hip-width apart.Press through your heels to stand up fully, keeping your chest lifted.Slowly lower back down to the chair with control.2. Wall push ups: 3 sets of 10<\/p>\n

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\"an\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Shutterstock)Stand a step or two from a wall, hands on the wall at shoulder height.Bend your elbows to bring your chest toward the wall.Push back to straighten your arms, keeping your core engaged.3. Step ups: 3 sets of 10 per leg<\/p>\n

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\"an\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Shutterstock)Step onto a sturdy platform, step, or low bench \u2014 with or without weights.Drive through your heel to stand tall, bringing the other foot up if comfortable.Step back down and repeat on the other leg.4. Farmer’s Carry: 3 sets of 30-60 seconds<\/p>\n

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\"an\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Shutterstock)Hold a weight in each hand \u2014 dumbbells, kettlebells, or even two water bottles.Stand tall, shoulders back, and walk steadily for the set time.Focus on posture and controlled breathing.5. Shoulder Bridge: 3 sets of 10<\/p>\n

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\"an\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Shutterstock)Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, arms by your sides.Press through your heels to lift your hips toward the ceiling, squeezing your glutes.Lower back down slowly without letting your lower back collapse.To make it harder, lift one knee toward your chest as you bridge, then switch sides.<\/p>\n

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Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Building muscle does tend to get harder with age, but that doesn’t mean it stops being possible. These…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":440832,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[64,63,538,137],"class_list":{"0":"post-440831","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-fitness","11":"tag-health"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/440831","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=440831"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/440831\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/440832"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=440831"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=440831"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=440831"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}