Weightlifting exercises for over-60s - Daily Express

"I work with many clients over 60, my eldest client being 84 years young, who I have trained for 20 years. As we get older it's really important to work with our own body weight as well as weights, to help with our muscle mass, something that declines with age. "It's also really important to work on balance as this is another symptom of getting older. "I particularly like to work the triceps at the back of the arms, as this muscle gives us the continued strength for getting up out of a chair or the bath without making the obligatory groaning noises. "If you have light weights (or even cans or water bottles), try this exercise: 1. Stand with your feet hip width apart, with your arms straight down by your sides and the palms facing backwards. 2. Hinge slightly forwards drawing your tummy in. 3. Raise your arms up, taking them backwards as far as they will go ( I always think of Eddie the Eagle here flying through the air on his ski jump) 4. Keeping the arms straight, pump the arms up and down and feel the muscle working. For balance, standing on one leg is brilliant. 1. Stand again, with your feet hip width apart. 2. Raise one knee up, keeping the hips level. 3. The standing leg will be working to keep the balance and stabilise. 4. To challenge the balance further, close your eyes. It's a lot harder!"