At age 70, most people try to manage where they’re at rather than rebuild lost muscle. They listen to their friends’ advice that they need to use machines because “machines are safe.” I have worked with numerous clients in their 70s who stayed independent, and they are not the ones who train the most carefully. They’re the ones who keep challenging their leg strength rather than letting old age “get to them.”
A machine does all the stabilization for you. Your hip and your ankles aren’t forced to work harder. You can still do well in the leg press but struggle with a staircase. If you do all of your exercises sitting down, what are you going to do when life asks you to stand up?
A staircase solves multiple problems: it loads your legs one at a time, it’s readily available to you, and you can change the intensity by just using a higher stair. Plus, if you’re nervous about any balances used, you can always hold on to the handrail or the wall. These four stair exercises use the bottom step and the rail. Maximize quality repetitions over sloppy ones.
Seated Stair Stand-Up
The second step of most staircases is lower than most chairs in your house. You can use that extra range of motion to build strength. Place both feet flat with your heels close to the step below. Drive through both feet to stand and lower yourself slowly. Every time you sit down and stand up, think about pushing your hips back and down. Use the handrail until you don’t need it anymore.
How to Do It
- Sit on the second step with feet flat
- Place both hands on the rail
- Lean your chest forward over your knees
- Drive through both heels to stand tall
- Lower yourself slowly back down
- Repeat three to six times.
Rear-Foot-Elevated Split Squat
Now let’s make sure we strengthen both left and right legs equally. I like to program this exercise for clients after 70 because it helps shift most of the weight onto the front leg, which is the leg that should be working harder. Set your back toes on the bottom step. Walk your front feet forward. Lower straight down, keeping your weight underneath your front ankle. Use the rail or hold on to a study object until you develop enough balance to do the movement unassisted. Try to keep your hips level throughout.
How to Do It
- Rest your back toes on the bottom step
- Step the front foot well forward
- Hold the rail with one hand
- Lower straight down under control
- Keep your weight in the front heel
- Press back up and switch sides.
Controlled Step-Down
The step down gives you the strength and confidence to be able to walk down stairs smoothly. I like including these in the stair programs because the descent of a staircase can be more challenging than the ascent.
Stand on the bottom step with one foot close to the edge. Bend your standing knee, and you’re going to lower until your opposite heel taps the floor.
How to Do It
- Stand on the bottom step holding the rail
- Shift your weight onto one leg
- Bend that knee and lower the other heel
- Tap the floor lightly without transferring weight
- Press back up to standing
- Alternate sides.
Stair Heel Raise With Hold
Every leg workout needs a calf exercise. The stairs are a great place to do calf raises because you’re able to drop both heels off the edge of the stair, and maximize your range of motion.
Stand on the edge of the bottom step. Let the heels drop. Rise up onto the balls of your feet and hold the position for a second. Lower slowly with control.
How to Do It
- Hold the rail with both hands
- Place the balls of your feet on the step edge
- Rise up as high as you can
- Hold the top for five seconds
- Lower slowly below the step
- Repeat eight to ten times.
The post 4 Stair Exercises That Restore Leg Strength Faster Than Gym Machines After 70 appeared first on Eat This Not That.
