The consensus is clear and unequivocal: Maintaining and strengthening your muscles as you get older is essential for active aging and for accomplishing the routine tasks that keep you functional and independent. Lifting golf clubs out of the car trunk? Or a grandchild at the local pool? Stocking up on groceries for your summer soiree? You need to have strong muscles and a strong core for all of these activities, which likely means you require regular muscle conditioning and maintenance. So how are you tending to your muscle groups? Are you regularly working with a personal trainer? Doing your days at the gym? The reality is that most of us are not getting in the recommended amount of strength training every week (at least 2 days a week) and even for those who try, chances are you’re not lifting weights correctly. Assuming you’re a beginner, and not especially interested in hanging out at the local gym’s weight room, what are good options for lifting weights at home? You may want to start with some good background explanations and recommendations from prior agebuzz posts, along with a check-in with your primary care doctor to confirm you’re capable of starting a strength training regimen.

As we’ve previously noted, your own body weight can serve as a powerful tool for maintaining and strengthening muscles. Or a resistance band can help, and they’re less expensive and take up less room than free weights or dumbbells. But when you make the decision to do strength training, your best bang for the buck will come from gradual increases in the weight you lift. As one expert makes clear, “If you want to get strong, there’s one way to get there. That’s to lift heavier weights.” And if you’re looking to gradually increase the amount of weight you lift, the best home equipment is likely dumbbells or kettlebells. 

You’re probably familiar with what a dumbbell is and what it looks like. It’s an ideal aid for strength training, as you can start small, holding a weight in each hand, and work your way to a heavier and more challenging routine. While you may be reluctant to gradually build up to heavier dumbbells or free weights, the reality is that even older adults can hold and lift significant weight over time- it just takes persistence and perseverance. But, as one expert recognizes, “What stops most of us over a certain age from tackling heavy lifts is fear.” So how do you get over the fear? Finding a good personal trainer to teach you proper form would be valuable. But if that’s not an option, consider the website and YouTube channel Yes2Next. Founder and senior fitness expert 58-year-old April Hattori (along with her 81-year-old mother Aiko) takes you through exercise routines to ensure a path to greater strength using heavier weights in a gradual and reasonable way. Take a look at her strength training videos here and watch her discussion of the best dumbbells for beginners here. And if you find yourself contemplating some dumbbell purchases, you may want to see what some recommended options are here.

An alternative to free weights or dumbbells are kettlebells. While kettlebells may not be for everyone (if you have wrist issues or cardiac issues you should check with your physician before starting with kettlebells), they are in fact an ideal weight system for beginners that can not only strengthen muscles but give you a complete body workout. They offer an opportunity to strengthen your core, using a swing movement that engages core muscles, and they can boost grip strength, which we know from prior agebuzz posts is an important marker of general physical health in older adults. As with dumbbells, you are encouraged to try building up to as heavy a kettlebell as you can stand, and should not be afraid to feel a bit sore afterward (as long as you’re not experiencing pain). For some general illustrations of kettlebell exercises, grab a weight (cast iron, please, so it won’t slip when you begin to get sweaty) and look here. The website LiveStrong also has many video illustrations of kettlebell exercises for older adults. Click here to see the only 5 kettlebell exercises you need for total body strength, and if you want to do some seated (though still challenging) kettlebell exercises, grab a chair and click here.