Building Strength for Everyday Life
Gym exercises earn their place when they connect to something you actually care about — getting out of a chair, carrying the shopping, using stairs without holding the rail. Here's how the exercises we choose relate to daily tasks.
No single exercise 'fixes' a daily task. Training builds the physical qualities — strength, balance, control — that make those tasks easier.
Getting out of a chair
Useful physical qualities: leg strength, hip strength, forward weight shift, trunk control.
- Elevated sit-to-stand
- Goblet squat to box
- Leg press
- Supported split squat
Climbing stairs
Useful qualities: single-leg strength, balance, calf strength, cardiovascular capacity.
- Low step-up
- Supported split squat
- Calf raise
- Loaded carry
Carrying shopping
Useful qualities: grip strength, trunk stability, shoulder capacity, walking tolerance.
- Farmer carry
- Suitcase carry
- Row
- Controlled lifting from a raised surface
Getting off the floor
Useful qualities: hip and leg strength, knee tolerance, upper-body support, coordination. Progress from a stable bench or support toward less assistance over time.
Resistance training in older adults has been associated with improved strength and reduced difficulty completing daily tasks [1].
We don't promise that one exercise 'fixes' a daily task. Training develops the physical qualities that contribute to the task.
- 1.Everyday tasks are made up of physical qualities you can train.
- 2.Pick exercises that resemble the demand of the task you care about.
- 3.Improvement in the gym should translate into improvement outside it.
Evidence and references
- [1]Progressive resistance strength training for improving physical function in older adults — Liu CJ, Latham NK. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2009.
Related resources
Strength Training After 40: Why It Matters More Than Ever
Learn how strength training can support muscle, movement, confidence and independence as you get older.
Balance Training: More Than Standing on One Leg
Learn how strength, coordination, movement and reaction contribute to better balance.
Mobility Versus Flexibility: What Is the Difference?
Understand when you need greater range, strength, movement control or simply more practice.
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