Hey Strong Human,
If I could only do 3 exercises for the rest of my life..these are the ones I would do.
The inspiration for this post came from a discussion with my 72yo mother. All her life she has done cardio focused Jane Fonda-esque videos ;-). It’s what she knows, and she does it religiously. Unfortunately, weight training is not something she knows; and at her age, it is even more vital.
So what do I teach a 72yo woman that needs to strengthen her body?
The goblet squat, the pushup, and the bent over row. It’s that simple. Like I said, if I could only do 3 exercises for the rest of my life, these would be ones. You will strengthen your legs (literally the foundation to your body), your back and core (essential to all lifting in life), and your upper body (for the summer gun show JK!).
So how many sets and reps do I recommend?
A circuit of these 3 exercises, 3 times, and 10-20 repetitions.
A few notes:
– DO NOT perform the next exercise if you are still “winded” from the previous exercise. Each movement has to be performed when you are fully recovered.
– GIVE 100% EFFORT to performing the 10-20 reps. You want the weight, or pace, of the movement to be challenging to the point where you can not do any more than 10-20 repetitions without losing the technique.
I hope this helps you get out of the mindset that weightlifting is complicated, and knowing which movements to do is overwhelming.
Sure, there are a million other weightlifting moments out there, but a wise man once said “Variety is the spice of life. But the fundamentals will make you strong.” At least that’s what I heard ;-).
Live Intentionally,
Coach John Juadines
coachjohn@stronghumantraining.com
