A 71-year-old fitness instructor has shared his go-to workout you can do from home that helps to boost strength and mobility, regardless of your age and fitness level
A personal trainer has shared his simple workout routine to improve strength and mobility, and it’s perfect for people over 55 who want to exercise at home. Former U.S. Navy veteran Nate Wilkins has opened up about how a health scared prompted him to lose 50lbs and revaluate his life choices, which spurred him on to become a personal trainer and coach for others who might need help with adding exercising into their lives – particularly for those aged 55 and over.
Speaking to Risa Morimoto – the founder and CEO of Modern Ageing – on their YouTube channel, Nate opened up about how being diagnosed with heart problems made him start exercising.
“I’m in my prime, I’m 71 years young, and I’m looking to turn back and turn the clock back,” he said, before saying he took his health into his hands after not feeling like himself.
Working as a certified fitness and wellness coach who trains older adults – including those dealing with chronic conditions like Parkinson’s disease and stroke recovery – Wilkins attributes his ability to help others through his own personal transformation “after a serious health scare at age 56.”
Wilkins explained how a visit to the doctor led him to learn of various heart issues, which became a wake-up call. This made him fully commit to his transformation and almost 20 years later, Wilkins is committed to his new life – even after surviving prostate cancer. He says it’s all down to one simple exercise routine.
So what is this workout?
Wilkins told Tom’s Guide to start the routine with a dynamic warm-up. This is a series of controlled, up-tempo movements that prepare the body for exercise by increasing blood flow and activating muscles through a full range of motion.
For this, he recommends marching or do high knees to get your heart rate up. Next up, roll your shoulders backwards and forwards to release any tension. It’s important to sufficiently warm up before any exercise to avoid injury.
Next up is a circuit of five exercises that you can do just with your own body weight, meaning that no equipment is needed. However, if you want to push yourself a little more, you can try adding a resistance band around your legs or hold a pair of dumbbells throughout the exercises.
Start off with 10-15 squats, which will help strengthen your legs. If you can’t do that many at once, simply do as many as you can and slowly work up to a goal of 10-15. Next up, find a clear wall and perform 10-15 wall push ups. This will help to engage your chest, arms, and core muscles.
The third exercise is hip hinges. Bend forward at the hips, sending your hips backward while keeping your spine straight and neutral. Try to aim to do 10-15 of these to help support lower-back health and glute strength.
The next exercise will help train your balance and coordination. Lift one of your knees up to your chest, holding it up with your arm, and stand for 30 seconds while keeping your balance. Then repeat the motion with your other leg. For the final exercise, do 8-10 step-backs, or modified lunges to help build stability.
When you’re done, don’t forget to do your cool-down and stretching. For this, Wilkins recommends doing gentle stretching motions to release any tight muscles, and focusing on doing slow and mindful breathing in order to get your heartrate back down. There are plenty of YouTube videos you can follow to help you cool down.
“I usually finish in about 15–20 minutes,” Nate said. “Some days I only do one round; other times, I go for three and add resistance bands. I let my body guide me. The point is to stay consistent.”
“This workout isn’t just about staying in shape now,” he explained. “It’s about building the strength, balance, and flexibility I’ll need for decades to come.”