Building core strength should be at the top of your wellness priority checklist. After all, your core serves as the foundation of essentially every movement you make. A strong, stable core helps you walk, run, reach, push, grab—and the list goes on.
“Core strength is not just about the abdominal muscles or doing crunches. It is the body’s ability to keep the trunk and pelvis organized and strong while the arms and legs move. That is what allows someone to roll out of bed, transfer their weight forward to stand, remain steady while walking and react when losing balance,” explains Justin Kraft, NASM-CPT, Performance Enhancement Specialist, Corrective Exercise Specialist, and the founder of Aspire2MoreFitness.com.
If you’re wondering where to begin, Kraft shares five daily exercises women over 70 need to keep their core strong.
“The best core exercises after 70 are not the most complicated, they are the movements that help you brace, stand, walk and recover your balance,” Kraft tells us. “It’s important that people over 70 consult their doctor and that they understand their limitations before starting any program, especially if they haven’t been doing a lot of physical activity before trying any of these exercises.”
Once you are cleared and ready to go, below are five exercises Kraft recommends adding to your regular routine.
360-Degree Breathing With an Abdominal Brace
“This teaches the deep abdominal muscles to stabilize the spine without excessive strain. It is the same bracing skill used when rolling out of bed, standing up or lifting an object,” Kraft says.
- Begin sitting tall in a sturdy chair, or lie flat on your back with your knees bent.
- Breathe in through your nose as you expand your ribs and abdomen.
- Exhale, and gently tighten your midsection as you concentrate on pushing the air out with your diaphragm.
- Do this for 5 slow breaths a couple times a day.
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Wall Planks
“This strengthens the core’s ability to resist unwanted movement. It is safer and more accessible than starting with a floor plank, while still developing the stability needed for walking and using the arms for support. Progress to a floor plank as your strength dictates,” Kraft says.
- Begin by standing tall facing a wall, about arm’s length away from the surface.
- Place your palms flat against the wall at shoulder level, shoulder-distance apart.
- Walk your feet back until your body is straight from head to heels.
- Brace your core and squeeze your glutes.
- Start with two 10 to 20-second holds.
RELATED: Is Doing Planks Every Day Enough to Get Abs?
Glute Bridges
“A bridge trains the abdominals, glutes and back of the hips to work together. Those muscles help with repositioning in bed, standing upright and generating power through the legs rather than pulling excessively through the lower back,” Kraft explains.
- Begin by lying flat on your back with bent knees and feet hip-width apart on a sturdy mat or mattress.
- Place your arms at your sides with palms facing down.
- Press through your heels to lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from head to heels.
- Squeeze your buttocks, holding at the top for a moment.
- Slowly lower your hips back to the start position, counting to 3 to 5 as you do so.
- Perform 6 to 10 reps.
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Chair Sit-to-Stands
“This is one of the most functional core exercises available. The trunk must remain controlled while the hips and legs produce force, directly practicing the pattern required to rise from a chair, toilet or bed. Chair-standing is both a functional strengthening and balance activity,” Kraft tells us.
- Begin seated at the front of a sturdy chair with your feet planted on the floor under your knees.
- Lean forward slightly.
- Try to stand up without using your knees, hands, or additional support.
- Hold the position for a few seconds.
- Use control to slowly sit back down.
- Perform 5 to 10 reps.
RELATED: 4 Standing Moves That Keep You Strong Over 60, Say Trainers
Supported Marching
“Walking repeatedly requires the body to balance over one leg while the core keeps the pelvis and trunk steady. A supported march practices that skill in a controlled setting and can be progressed by using less hand support,” Kraft explains.
- Begin standing tall, facing a wall with both hands resting lightly on the surface for support.
- Shift your body weight onto your left leg, keeping your standing leg slightly bent.
- Slowly lift your right knee up toward your chest, then lower it.
- Repeat on the other side, and continue to “march” in place.
- Perform 5 to 10 controlled marches on each side.
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