Functional Exercises for Seniors: 4 Movement Patterns

The four functional movement patterns I build workouts around are push and pull, bend and lift, single leg, and rotation, and you can practice every one of them during everyday chores. They're the foundation of strength training for seniors, and as a personal trainer (including in in-home personal training), I build my workouts around these basic movement patterns. When my clients use their bodies in these movement patterns, they are able to maintain the ability to complete everyday tasks easily. Instead of avoiding movement, look for everyday excuses to move, and then celebrate when you do! If you have an injury or chronic condition that makes one movement difficult, celebrate the movements that you can do.

The main idea is to just move!

Let's look at the basic movement patterns and how you can easily incorporate them into your life...

Push and Pull

The push and pull motion is an essential upper body movement. The next time you vacuum, thank yourself for exercising your push and pull muscles. Not only will you be getting the carpet clean, you'll be building muscle for this essential movement as well!

Bend and Lift

Our bodies need to be able to bend and lift to continue to do everyday tasks. Bending over involves core muscles that need to be used to keep strong. Next time there is trash to pick up, embrace the task! You will get stronger in the process! Remember to always engage your core muscles when you bend over: gently draw your belly button in toward your spine each time you bend.

Single Leg

Single leg movement is vital to maintaining our ability to physically navigate through life. One important use of the single leg movement is climbing stairs. Many people choose homes without stairs so that they won't have to go up and down. However, people lose the ability to navigate stairs if they don't use this movement regularly. Instead of avoiding stairs, embrace the stairs! Take the stairs whenever you can to maintain the ability to do this single leg movement (here's a simple stair climbing workout to try). If stairs are already a problem for you, try stepping up and down to a low step and gradually progressing to a normal stair height. The 30-second chair stand test is an easy way to check your leg strength along the way.

Rotational

Rotational movement is a key movement that many adults begin to struggle with as they age. However, it's an essential movement in many everyday tasks. Next time you are reaching to put things away, intentionally rotate your torso instead of moving your feet to rotate. If this movement is painful or difficult, only rotate as far as possible, but keep using this movement daily to build up mobility.

Can Everyday Chores Count as Exercise?

Yes. Exercise is simply movement. Look for ways to incorporate all the basic movements into your daily life and celebrate when you do. Movement gives you freedom to keep doing the things you love!

Should You Take Rest Days When You Start a Workout Routine?

"I've recently started a workout routine, should I take rest days?"

Yes! Rest days are important for recovery and muscle repair. They prevent overtraining and reduce the risk of injury. If you are actively doing strength training or higher intensity workouts such as fast hiking, you will need to incorporate a day or two each week of resting, light walking, or stretching. Even if your workouts are generally low intensity, a rest day is still good for muscle recovery and to give yourself a mental reset.