Your Body in Your 70s: Strength Is Your Insurance Policy

Your 70s produce one of the most misleading sentences in health:

“I’m getting too old for that.”

Sometimes it’s true.

Perhaps competitive parkour can finally be removed from the diary.

But far more often, the thing somebody has become “too old” for is simply something they haven’t done for a while.

Walking uphill.

Getting onto the floor.

Lifting.

Squatting.

Balancing.

Carrying things.

The body is wonderfully economical.

If you repeatedly show it that a capacity isn’t required, it becomes less inclined to maintain it.

Which makes the 70s a very important decade for one thing:

using what you want to keep.

Everyday Independence Is Mostly Physical Capacity in Disguise

Consider a few ordinary activities.

Standing from a low sofa.

Walking upstairs.

Stepping over a bath.

Getting out of a car.

Carrying shopping.

Walking across uneven grass.

Turning quickly.

Reaching overhead.

These require combinations of strength, mobility and balance.

We usually don’t think about these abilities until one of them becomes difficult.

That’s why maintaining physical capacity now can act rather like an insurance policy for later life.

Strength Training Still Belongs Here

People sometimes assume resistance exercise is primarily for younger adults.

It isn’t.

The exercises simply need to match the person.

A fit 72-year-old who has strength-trained for twenty years may comfortably use weights.

Someone returning to exercise after illness might begin with a chair, resistance band and kitchen counter.

Both are strength training.

Different starting points.

Same principle.

Balance Is Worth Protecting

Balance can change gradually.

At first it may appear as a tiny wobble putting socks on.

Then uneven ground feels less comfortable.

Then stepping off a kerb requires more attention.

Falls become an increasingly important consideration as we age.

But I don’t like framing balance exercise entirely around fear of falling.

There’s another reason.

Good balance creates confidence.

Confidence to walk.

Confidence to travel.

Confidence to garden.

Confidence to get out and do things.

Bone Health Matters Too

Maintaining bone health also becomes increasingly relevant.

Weight-bearing activity and resistance exercise can provide useful loading for bones and muscles.

That doesn’t mean everyone in their 70s should suddenly start jumping around the living room.

Exercise needs to take account of existing osteoporosis, fractures, joint problems and general health.

But it reinforces an important principle:

Bones and muscles generally benefit from being appropriately used.

Arthritis Is Not a Full Stop

Osteoarthritis may be part of the picture by this stage.

Some knees are stiff.

Some hips complain.

Hands can become less comfortable.

But pain doesn’t automatically mean:

“Do absolutely nothing.”

Nor does it mean:

“Ignore everything and push through.”

We find the middle ground.

The right amount of movement.

The right amount of load.

And a sensible progression.

A Practical 70s Routine

1. Sit-to-Stand

Possibly one of the best functional exercises available.

Stand from a chair, then sit slowly and under control.

If it’s easy, make it appropriately harder.

2. Supported Squat

Hold a kitchen counter or another solid surface if necessary.

Squat within a comfortable range and return.

3. Step-Ups

A low stable step develops strength for stairs and uneven terrain.

4. Calf Raises

Maintain calf and ankle strength.

Hold support if required.

5. Tandem Stance

Place one foot directly in front of the other, or nearly so, while standing near a support.

This narrows your base of support and challenges balance.

6. Resistance Row

Using a band helps maintain pulling strength through the arms and upper back.

7. Wall Press-Up

A simple scalable pushing exercise.

8. Carrying

Appropriately weighted bags or dumbbells help train grip, arms, trunk and legs simultaneously.

Functional exercise doesn’t have to look fancy.

Sometimes it’s basically shopping, but with better posture.

Getting Up From the Floor

There’s another movement I particularly like people maintaining where appropriate:

getting onto the floor and back up.

It combines strength, balance, mobility and coordination.

Obviously this won’t be suitable for everyone, particularly where there is significant joint disease, balance difficulty or medical concern.

But if you can still do it comfortably, don’t automatically stop simply because you’ve reached a particular age.

That’s a useful capacity to keep.

The 70s Message

Don’t measure fitness against your younger self.

Ask instead:

“What do I want to remain able to do?”

Walk for an hour?

Garden?

Travel?

Play golf?

Carry your own luggage?

Get onto the floor?

Keep doing those things.

Train the components that make them possible.

Your strength is not just muscle.

It’s part of your independence.