Your core is amazing at responding to training, even after age 55 It is the unsung hero of health. If you do it right, you can strengthen your core, improve your posture and feel more confident when you move around in everyday life. The most important thing is to pick exercises that really work your abs and that you can do over and over again without getting too uncomfortable. I’ve helped a lot of clients rebuild strong capable cores over the years by using short focused routines like this one.
Supported Positions That Activate Your Core
One of the best ways to get that progress going is to use supported positions that let your core do the work without putting too much stress on it. Bed based training gives you a stable place to work on your breathing control and clean movement patterns. When clients start to feel their midsection turn on early in the coaching process, their consistency usually goes up at the same time.
The 7-Minute Bed Routine
This 7 minute bedtime routine includes four very effective moves that work your whole midsection while keeping your joints safe. You will get stronger have better control and strengthen the deep core muscles that support your spine. This is the best way to do the routine for the best results.
The Routine
- 30 seconds for dead bugs
- 30 seconds of reverse crunches
- Russian Twists for 30 seconds
- 30 seconds of supine knee tucks
- Do the circuit three times
Set a timer for 30 seconds and follow the directions. Do each exercise in the order they are listed one after the other. Move carefully and make sure to keep your core tight during each interval. Do the whole circuit three times. Read on for the full set of instructions.
Bugs That Are Dead
Dead bugs help your deep core muscles stay stable while your arms and legs move. This pattern helps keep your spine stable and teaches your midsection to stay still when you don’t want it to. I program this exercise a lot because many adults can feel their lower abs turn on quickly when they do it right. As time goes on better posture and safer movement come from stronger deep core control.
How to do it
- Put your arms straight up in the air and lie on your back on the bed.
- Your knees and hips should be at right angles to each other.
- Tighten your core and push your lower back gently into the bed.
- Slowly lower one arm and the opposite leg toward the bed.
- Go back to the starting position with control.
- Switch sides every full interval.
The best variations are dead bugs with bent knees dead bugs with a slower tempo and dead bugs with heel taps.
Crunches in the opposite direction
Reverse crunches put a lot of stress on the lower part of the abdominal wall which tends to get weaker as you get older. This exercise teaches your pelvis to tilt in a controlled way which strengthens the muscles that support the front of your core. I like reverse crunches because they make a clear contraction without putting strain on my neck or needing to build up speed. This exercise helps tighten and strengthen the lower midsection when done regularly.
How to do it
- Put your knees up and your feet on the floor.
- Put your arms at your sides to help you.
- Hold your core tight and slowly raise your pelvis.
- Use your abs to lift your hips a little off the bed.
- Slowly and carefully bring your back down.
- Do this for the whole time.
The best variations are the bent knee reverse crunch the slow tempo crunch and the pause at the top crunch.
Russian Twists
Russian twists make your obliques stronger which helps your body move and stay stable during everyday activities. Strong obliques help you control your trunk better and make you feel more connected through your midsection. Once clients have built up their basic front core strength I often add this exercise to their routine to help them build their whole core. As time goes on stronger rotational strength helps you balance and coordinate better.
How to do it
- Sit on the bed with your knees bent and your feet lightly on the floor.
- Keep your chest up and lean your torso back a little.
- Put your hands together and brace your core.
- With control turn your torso to one side.
- Turn to the other side.
- Keep switching back and forth for the whole time.
The best variations are twists with your feet up twists with a slower tempo and twists with weights.
Knee Tucks on Your Back
Supine knee tucks work your entire abdominal wall and help you move your hips and core in a coordinated way. This exercise strengthens your body by making it move through a full range of motion and teaches your core to stay engaged while your legs move. I do knee tucks a lot because they give me a strong stimulus in a short amount of time. Regular practice helps you build up your core strength and overall control.
How to do it
- Put your legs straight and lie on your back.
- Put your hands lightly at your sides.
- Tighten your core and pull both knees toward your chest.
- Take a short break at the top.
- Control your legs as you stretch them back out.
- Do it again for the whole time.
The best variations are single leg knee tucks slower tempo tucks and tucks that last longer.
The best things to do every day to strengthen your core After 55 sources of protein
Short workouts and daily habits that support them work best together to build core strength. The muscles in the middle of the body respond well to being used often and moving in the same way every time. Based on my work with adults over 55 the best results usually come from doing simple things over and over again instead of having intense sessions every once in a while. Be patient and put in a lot of effort. Your core will respond if you keep doing the same thing. Use the tips below to help you keep going.
- Train your core most days of the week. Doing this often builds strength and control.
- When you do your daily tasks move with purpose Bracing lightly during lifts and transitions helps make your core stronger.
- Make sure to get enough protein Getting enough protein helps keep your muscles in the middle of your body strong.
- Pay attention to your posture all day long Stacking your ribs and hips keeps your core slightly engaged.
- Slowly increase your intervals Longer periods of work help keep things getting better.
- Stick to short routines Little things you do every day add up to big changes over time.
If you stick with this seven minute routine and these habits many adults over 55 will start to feel stronger in their midsection have better posture and move with more confidence everyday.
