A decade-by-decade guide to getting stronger, faster, fitter, and healthier as you age.
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Prehab — muscle-specific exercises that strengthen injury-prone areas — can help you stay healthy in your 50s.
Alternate upper- and lower-body prehab days in your 50s.
Each workout should take 15 minutes. Do one or two sets of 10 to 12 repetitions of each of the following:
Lower-Body Prehab Day
External hip rotation Place a resistance band just above knees, and stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hips back. Keeping chest up and feet flat, move knees in and out.
Bent-knee lateral walking Place a resistance band just above the knees, and stand in a quarter-squat, feet shoulder-width apart. Keeping chest up, back flat, knees apart, and toes forward, step laterally to one side with one foot, and then step the same distance to the same side with the other foot. Repeat to the other side.
Upper-Body Prehab Day
Bent-over Ys Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, arms at your side. Hinge forward 45 degrees, with back flat and chest up. Hold shoulder blades back and down. With thumbs pointed up, raise arms overhead to form a Y. Return to start position, and repeat.
Bent-over Ts Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, arms down and straight, and palms forward. Hinge forward at the waist with hips back, back flat, and knees slightly bent. Pinch and hold shoulder blades back and down. Raise your upper arms until they form a T with the lower body; rotate upper arms until forearms are parallel to the floor. Return to start position, and repeat.
To learn how to get stronger, faster, fitter, and healthier in your 60s, click here.
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By Daniel Duane Tue, Apr 3, 2012