Search

Share to Socials

man stretching

Functional Fitness Workouts for Over 50

POSTED ON
29 April 2020

Are you approaching your 50s or over and starting to feel like you are not capable of doing certain exercises? Once you reach a certain age in life it’s easy to get stuck in a certain way of thinking. It might actually be true that you really are not capable of doing certain exercises or you may even feel like you are losing strength, balance or mobility.

However, don’t worry, you can still carry on with a routine to maintain your strength with functional fitness workouts.

Functional fitness is a process or workout that helps with strength training and correlates to activities of daily living for the over 50s.

Best Functional Fitness Workouts for Over 50

The primary function of the workouts for over 50s is to help complete daily tasks smoothly by building strength. Keeping this principle in mind here, we are going to explain the best functional fitness workouts for this age group.

Squats:

I am sure many of you have guessed this name. Yes, doing squats in your 50s is a great way to build strength in your legs and core. The posture is similar to one sitting and standing from a chair.Stand tall on your feet, which are at a shoulder width apart.

Bend your knees and make a posture as if you are about to sit on a chair, whilst making sure to keep your back straight. Your knees should be behind your toes and put all the weight in your heels. Repeat it 10 times.

The main benefit of a squat is that it can help you to do things easily that involve leg strength such as gardening or bowls, as it can build your hip and thigh muscles and make your joints stronger.

Chest Press:

Another excellent functional fitness workout for people above 50 is the chest press. It targets the muscles of your upper body and strengthens the chest.

Lay on a bench and press your shoulder blades against it, while your feet are pressing against the floor. Hold dumbbells over shoulders and move them a little more than your chest width. Touch your chest with dumbbells. Repeat it8 to 12 times

Plank:

Without any doubt, a plank is an excellent exercise for core strength of the body. There is no need to go for a challenging plank because you can do a simple plank and it can still work more than 20 muscles in your body.

Start lying on your stomach on the floor and make sure that your elbows are in line under your shoulders. Keep your forearms on the floor and lift your whole body into a straight position. Hold this position for 30 seconds. Repeat it 8 to 12 times.

Single-Leg Lift:

This is a great workout to improve your balance as well as strengthening your core. Besides, it works both sides of the body separately. All of this collectively makes it an excellent exercise for those above 50 to improve their functional fitness.

There are several ways to perform a single leg lift workout. You can choose the position which suits you most. For the seated version, sit tall on a chair with your back straight and bend your right knee to a 90-degree angle. Keep your left leg straight.

Rotate your left leg at 11 o’clock and lean forward. Then slightly lift your left leg and maintain the posture for 30 sec. Repeat it a few times before changing sides.

Final Words

Workouts can help to strengthen your body and muscles. There are numerous exercises you can do at home. We have explained the best functional workouts for people over 50 to do their daily activities smoothly.

Download the Club Active Fitness App and Workout from Home.
We’ll see you back at your local Club Active hub soon!