Seniors Can Stay Fit During the Pandemic With Basic Weight Training. Here's How.

Barron's reports that seniors isolated during the pandemic can stay physically fit with basic weight training. Strength coach Mark Rippetoe and Mary Edwards at Cooper Aerobics in Dallas recommend that seniors focus on total body exercises like deadlifts, overhead presses, and power cleans. A regimen that loads the hips and spine especially helps seniors avoid osteoporosis and retain muscle mass, while lifting a barbell while standing also improves balance. Rippetoe notes that people can expect to lose about 10 percent of their strength for each decade after their 30s, and weight lifting can slow, but not stop, that decline. If only a barbell is available, Rippetoe recommends alternating two basic workouts — a sole deadlift, which builds strength in the entire body, particularly hips and back; and overhead presses and power cleans or power snatches. Edwards, meanwhile, advises alternating between workouts like a combination front squat-deadlift-overhead press, lunges-barbell rows-floor presses, and power cleans. Because a plateau will inevitably be reached when exercising with barbells only, Rippetoe says "if you're going to keep training at home, eventually you'll need a squat rack."