Keeping up with muscle tone and strength is essential for daily living as you age.<\/p>\n
Building muscle after 60 is something to seriously focus on. The loss of muscle\u2014sarcopenia<\/a>\u2014is a natural process that happens whether you like it or not. It\u2019s essential to restore muscle tone to keep active and lead an independent lifestyle.<\/p>\n Many people have the misconception that building and maintaining muscle is more for aesthetics and to be of \u201cstrong weight-lifting status.\u201d That\u2019s not the case. Muscle strength<\/a> is critical for everyday tasks like carrying and unpacking shopping bags<\/a>, bending down to pick something up, and even getting in and out of bed.<\/p>\n Fear not, as it\u2019s never too late to start, and you don\u2019t even have to go to the gym to start lifting. To learn a productive approach, we chatted with Dr. Andrew Gorecki, DPT<\/a>, a licensed Doctor of Physical Therapy and the owner of MovementRX<\/a> based in Michigan, who has 15+ years of experience in the field. Dr. Gorecki shares four standing exercises that restore muscle tone better than weight training<\/a> after 60.<\/p>\n When speaking of life after 60, Dr. Gorecki says, \u201cEven active adults cannot recruit muscle fibers quickly and in lock-step, especially in the hips and core. Joint stiffness and less elastic tendons also limit muscle activation, preventing strength from translating into control.\u201d<\/p>\n Even though they typically don\u2019t receive enough credit, standing exercises<\/a> trump classic isolated weight training when it comes to rebuilding functional strength and improving balance.<\/p>\n \u201cThis increases movement in day-to-day life while also decreasing fall risk<\/a>. Do some training barefoot or in flat shoes to restore foot stability and proprioception,\u201d Dr. Gorecki adds.<\/p>\n Below, he breaks down four of his top-recommended exercises.<\/p>\n \tSit-to-Stands<\/p>\n Begin seated at the front of a sturdy chair with your feet placed on the floor under your knees.
\nLean forward slightly.
\nTry to stand up without using your knees, hands, or additional support.
\nUse control to sit back down, taking 4 seconds to gradually lower.
\nPerform 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps.<\/p>\n