5 Exercises That Restore Strength After 50

Grab a set of dumbbells to get started on these strength-building exercises.

Strength training—whether using free weights, resistance bands, or weight machines—is a great way to build strength, muscle, and strong, healthy bones. Strengthening strength and muscle is important to help you carry on with daily activities, and strong bones can reduce the risk of fractures. 10 million people in the United States have osteoarthritis, and more than 2 million fractures are reported each year. Needless to say, maintaining a strong body is important, and the process does not need to be complicated.

We talked to them Dr. Matthew BrownOwner and PT at Corrective Physical Therapy, who opened his practice in 2023, who shares five static exercises that can help restore full-body strength faster than exercise machines after 50 years.

“Standing exercises can be good for stressing the whole body and improving stability in both the upper and lower body and teaching your body to stabilize properly,” said Dr. Brown.

Below, he breaks down his top five picks that can help increase total body strength.

Vertical Hinge to Row

1. Start by standing tall, feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Holding it at the hips, press them back as you lean forward and keep a flat back.
3. From an engaged position, row the dumbbells up toward your chest.
4. Down.
5. Do 3 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions.

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Standing Bicep Curl to press

1. Start by standing tall, feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
2. Bend your elbows to bend the dumbbells above your shoulders.
3. At the top, rotate your hands forward.
4. Press the dumbbells overhead.
5. Hold up for a while.
6. Lower the weights to your shoulders and return to your sides.
7. Do 3 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions.

Squat to Overhead Press

1. Stand tall with your feet shoulder width apart.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level, palms facing inward.
3. Bend your knees and press your hips back to lower into a squat until your thighs touch the floor.
4. Drive into your heels, exploding out of the squat as you extend your legs and press the dumbbells up in a smooth motion.
5. Lower the weights to shoulder height.
6. Return to the squat.
7. Do 3 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions.

Overhead Hold on March

1. Start by standing tall, holding a light dumbbell in each hand overhead.
2. Raise one knee to hip level, and hold.
3. Maintain a neutral spine and tight abs.
4. Down.
5. Lift the other knee up, and hold.
6. Continue alternating legs.
7. Do 3 sets of 12 to 15 repetitions.

Long Rotation Walks

1. Start by standing tall with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Hold a dumbbell or medicine ball at chest level.
3. Walk forward into the joint, lowering until both knees form 90-degree angles.
4. Keep the chest tall as you rotate toward the front leg, making sure the movement comes from your spine.
5. Return to the center.
6. Press through your front heel to go into another lunge.
7. Rotate towards the front leg.
8. Do 3 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions.

Alexa Mellardo