Regularly performing this move at home could keep your body strong and minimise the risk of falls and injuries as you get older.
Experts have advised older people to focus on one specific exercise at home that could help extend their life expectancy. This is the “number one” move you should try above all others, they said.
As we age it is commonly accepted that our bodies are no longer as fit and strong as they once were. While it is true that after the age of around 35 you will start to see a gradual decrease in muscle mass and strength, there are steps we can all take to slow this as much as possible.
Not only will regular exercise aid with this, it could even help you live longer as a result. The AARP, which was formerly the American Association of Retired Persons, reported that the main exercise to focus on for this reason is squatting.
Speaking to AARP, personal trainer Eric Daw said: “The squat is the most important exercise for seniors. When you have to go to the washroom, that’s a squat. When you get in the car, that’s a squat. Every time you sit down or stand up, that’s a squat. If you don’t do them well, it affects the way you live.”
This is because squats strengthen all of the muscle groups in your legs, including your calves, quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes, as well as muscles in your lower back and core. Those muscles are essential for most activities of daily living.
Fitness author Denise Austin added that squatting can help protect your joints, improve your balance and prevent falls. “Squats are one of the best overall exercises,” she said.
“They strengthen the major muscles of the lower body we need to keep strong and also protect two joints we need help with on a regular basis — our knees and our hips.” Research has also stressed the importance of squats.
The AARP stated that one study, found that people aged between 70 to 79 with stronger quadriceps (the muscles along the front of the thigh) had a “lower chance of dying over six years compared with those who had weaker quadriceps”. Another study, published in PLOS journal in 2019, showed that nursing home residents with better quadriceps strength were more independent.
Study authors wrote: “Quadriceps strength had a positive independent relationship with performance in activities of daily living in the nursing home residents studied. Although a large prospective study is needed to verify the results, maintaining quadriceps strength above 11 kg may be helpful in retaining independence in this cohort.”
Separate research, published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, tested the theory that the ability to sit and rise from the floor in a squat-like motion could predict life expectancy. It discovered that the ability to sit and rise from the floor without using your hands or knees was an indicator of a longer life.
The study said: “Lower sitting-rising test scores were associated with higher mortality. Musculoskeletal fitness, as assessed by sitting-rising test, was a significant predictor of mortality in 51 to 80-year-old subjects.”
To perform a basic squat, follow these steps:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart or a little wider and keep your toes slightly pointed outwards
- Push your hips back as if you’re about to sit in a chair
- Then, bend your knees and lower your body while keeping your chest up
- Keep your weight evenly distributed on both feet, with your weight mostly on your heels, not your toes
- To avoid hurting your knees, make sure your knees do not extend beyond your toes
- Lower yourself until your thighs are at least parallel to the ground or as low as you can comfortably go
- Push through your heels to return to the starting position
- Straighten your legs while keeping your back flat and your chest up.
If you are worried about balance it is worth holding on to something so you can focus on your form. To make it easier you should also inhale on the way down and exhale on the way up.
Avoid hunching over or letting your knees cave in when your body gets tired at the end of each set. For the best results, do the exercise two or three times a week.
