Switching up your workout routine is an excellent way to avoid boredom. Sometimes, new exercises can also help shatter a plateau and gain more results. Changes aren’t simply limited to equipment, either. So, for your next workout, say “goodbye, home gym,” and, “hello kitchen!” One unique way to shape up your arms is to utilize your kitchen countertop.
We spoke with Dr. Marcin Jez, Physical Therapist and DPT at Anchor Wellness, who shares four kitchen counter exercises that can help strengthen and define your arms after 65.
The counter offers leverage, stability, and a simple way to control how much body weight you’re using. According to Dr. Jez, that’s what makes these exercises more approachable for individuals who might not be comfortable training with weights or getting onto the floor.
“It also means there is essentially no equipment barrier, the exercise can happen in a familiar environment with something that’s already part of the person’s daily routine,” explains Dr. Jez. “The goal isn’t to find a magic exercise, it’s to find movements that are safe, functional, and challenging enough to progressively build strength, and for adults over 65, consistency and progression matter far more than having complicated equipment. The best exercise program isn’t necessarily the most sophisticated one; it’s the one someone can perform safely and consistently enough to create meaningful strength gains.”
Counter Pushups
“Counter pushups [serve as] a great starting point for strengthening the chest, shoulders, and triceps. The higher the surface, the easier the exercise will be to perform and vice-versa,” says Dr. Jez.
- Place your hands on a counter, shoulder-width apart.
- Walk your legs back so you’re at a straight incline from your head to your heels.
- Keep your legs together and rise onto the balls of your feet. Engage your core and keep your gaze forward.
- Bend your elbows to lower your body until your chest lines up with your elbows.
- Return back to straight arms.
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Counter Tricep Presses
“Keep the movement shallow and pain-free; this is a simple way to challenge the triceps using just your body weight while keeping the movement controlled,” Dr. Jez says.
- Begin standing tall with your back facing the counter.
- Place your hands behind you on the edge of the counter.
- Step your feet a bit forward and keep your knees softly bent.
- Perform a small, controlled bend at the elbows to slightly lower your body.
- Then, press through your hands to straighten your elbows.
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Counter Plank Shoulder Taps
“This challenges the shoulders and arms while also training the core through stability and weight shifting,” Dr. Jez tells us.
- Begin standing tall, facing a sturdy counter.
- Place your hands on the surface, about shoulder-width apart.
- Walk your feet back until your body is straight from head to heels.
- Activate your core and hold the plank position.
- With control, lift your right hand and tap your left shoulder.
- Return to a high plank.
- Then, lift your left hand and tap your right shoulder.
- Continue to alternate.
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Counter Isometric Press
“This is a simple, low-equipment way to introduce resistance training to someone who isn’t ready for weights,” Dr. Jez explains.
- Begin standing tall, facing a sturdy counter with your feet roughly hip-distance apart.
- Place both hands firmly against the counter at about chest level.
- Activate your core and firmly press into the counter.
- Hold for 10 to 20 seconds.
- Release.
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