{"id":868125,"date":"2026-10-02T10:04:14","date_gmt":"2026-10-02T10:04:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/868125\/"},"modified":"2026-10-02T10:04:14","modified_gmt":"2026-10-02T10:04:14","slug":"im-92-and-only-started-exercising-in-my-mid-40s-here-are-the-6-moves-i-do-every-day-for-lifelong-strength","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/868125\/","title":{"rendered":"‘I’m 92 and only started exercising in my mid-40s \u2013 here are the 6 moves I do every day for lifelong strength’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Personal trainer, health coach and former orthopaedic surgeon Adriana Blanc<\/a> recently shared the fitness habits of someone rather unexpected: her 92-year-old grandmother.<\/p>\n

‘This is my 92-year-old grandma’s daily workout routine,’ the founder of The Capable Method<\/a> said on Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It’s hard to believe looking at the active nonagenarian, but she didn’t start exercising regularly until her mid-40s.<\/p>\n

‘She didn’t start exercise until her mid-40s, but has stayed consistent ever since,’ Blanc added.<\/p>\n

Describing her grandmother as the ‘walking embodiment’ of the idea that ‘doing a little bit often beats doing a lot rarely’, Blanc took viewers through a typical day.<\/p>\n

Her grandmother starts and ends each day with a 30-minute walk, adding balance challenges along the way.<\/p>\n

‘She tells me she likes to go up and down the same street a few times because it’s uneven in some areas, so she can work on her balance,’ Blanc explained.<\/p>\n

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‘Then she heads back home and grabs her weights and a tennis ball. This is when her 20-or-so-minute training session begins.’<\/p>\n

Her 6 go-to strength and mobility moves1. Leg extensions\"Image<\/p>\n

Perform: 3 sets of 20 reps on each leg<\/p>\n

She starts with leg extensions using ankle weights to strengthen her quads, Blanc says.<\/p>\n

Sit upright on a sturdy chair with your feet flat on the floor and ankle weights securely fastened.Keep your thighs supported by the chair and your knees bent to roughly 90 degrees.Brace your core.Slowly straighten one leg until it’s almost parallel with the floor, pulling your toes back towards your shin. Avoid swinging the weight.Pause for 1-2 seconds, squeezing your quad<\/a>.Lower with control.<\/p>\n

She then moves on to bicep curls.<\/p>\n

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Perform: 5 sets of 20 reps<\/p>\n

Sit upright on a sturdy chair with your feet flat on the floor.Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing forwards.Brace your core and keep your shoulders relaxed.Curl the weights towards your shoulders in a slow, controlled movement.Pause briefly, then lower them under control.<\/p>\n

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‘The rest of her routine is about daily movements, like standing up and hand-eye coordination,’ Blanc continues.<\/p>\n

3. Chair sit-to-stands\"Image<\/p>\n

Perform: 20 reps<\/p>\n

Sit on a sturdy chair with your feet hip-width apart.Stand up by fully extending your hips and knees.Sit back down under control and repeat.4. Heel lifts\"Image<\/p>\n

Perform: 40 reps<\/p>\n

Stand behind a sturdy chair, resting your hands lightly on the back for support.Slowly rise onto the balls of your feet.Pause briefly, then lower your heels back to the floor with control.5. Ball catches\"Image<\/p>\n

Perform: 100 reps<\/p>\n

Hold a tennis ball in one hand.Toss it gently into the air.Catch it with the same hand or the opposite hand.6. Ball circles\"Image<\/p>\n

Perform: 20 reps on each leg<\/p>\n

Sit upright on a sturdy chair with your feet flat on the floor.Hold a tennis ball in one hand.Bend forwards slightly and pass the ball from one hand to the other around your calf.Continue moving the ball around your leg in a smooth, controlled circle.Repeat in the opposite direction.<\/p>\n

Blanc revealed that her grandmother had a stroke two years ago.<\/p>\n

‘Doctors told us a huge reason she recovered at all was because of decades of this: a little bit of simple training every day,’ she explained. ‘It’s her secret to a long, healthy, independent life.’<\/p>\n

Research supports the importance of staying strong. One review<\/a> of 42 randomised controlled trials involving 2,204 participants found that strength training improved walking capacity, balance, mobility, functional ability and walking speed.<\/p>\n

‘When I asked her how she stays motivated, she said, “I don’t know. I just do it because I need to,”‘ Blanc recalled.<\/p>\n

She hopes her grandmother’s story will inspire others.<\/p>\n

‘The next time you feel you’re not doing enough because you only have 30 minutes, no gym, very little equipment or not much motivation, I hope my grandma reminds you that every effort counts,’ she said.<\/p>\n

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