But how do you really know where your flexibility stands? We have a way to test it. If you can touch your toes<\/a> after 60, your flexibility is better than most peers.<\/p>\n \u201cTouching your toes is a basic necessity. The fascia from the feet to the head, as well as the muscles of the feet, calves, hamstrings, and back, all need to work in tandem. In addition, it requires the ability to hinge at the hips. The more these areas lack range of motion and length, the more we compensate when we move, and that\u2019s how injury happens,\u201d explains Brandt Passalacqua, C-IAYT<\/b><\/a>, director of Breathing Deeply Yoga Therapy.<\/p>\n Why Being Able To Touch Your Toes Matters Being able to touch your toes after age 60 goes beyond testing your flexibility. According to Denise Chakoian, <\/b>Rhode Island certified fitness trainer and owner of Core Cycle<\/a> and Fitness LaGree, it\u2019s an inside look into how your entire body is functioning.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you reach for the floor, your entire posterior chain\u2014hamstrings, lower back, glutes, and calves\u2014has to work together simultaneously,\u201d Chakoian explains. \u201cThat\u2019s the same chain you rely on every time you pick something up, get in and out of a car, or catch yourself from a fall. If it\u2019s locked up in a gym test, it\u2019s locked up in real life, too.\u201d<\/p>\n 4 Standing Exercises That Build Muscle the Old-School Way After 60<\/a><\/p>\n Working The Posterior Chain Falls are the leading cause of injury after 60, and a stiff posterior chain can increase that risk. Flexibility plays a key role in reaction time; while you may not think about it on the regular, your body relies on it when it\u2019s needed most.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s also a brain component: flexibility requires your nervous system to trust a movement, not just the muscle being long enough,\u201d Chakoian adds. \u201cStaying flexible means keeping that communication between your brain and body open as you age. You can fake your way through a lot of fitness tests. This one you can\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n 5 Daily Exercises That Rebuild Lost Muscle Faster Than the Gym After 50<\/a><\/p>\n Keeping Your Posterior Chain Mobile Your muscles, joints, and connective tissues play a key role in climbing stairs, walking, getting up from the floor, and recovering after a stumble.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen they stop moving well together, the body starts compensating\u2014and compensation is how injuries happen,\u201d Chakoian tells us. \u201cKeeping this chain mobile isn\u2019t about fitness performance. It\u2019s about keeping your body honest and reducing the hidden wear that builds up over decades.\u201d<\/p>\n 5 Bodyweight Exercises That Fight Muscle Loss After 40<\/a><\/p>\n Form Cues for Reaching Toward Your Toes<\/p>\n When performing the toe touch, Chakoian recommends starting from a seated forward fold position\u2014reaching toward your toes while sitting on a chair or the ground.<\/p>\n \u201cThis gives you all the same stretch with none of the balance risk. Master this before you ever stand up and fold forward,\u201d she stresses.<\/p>\n In addition, hinge from your hips\u2014not your waist. It may be common to automatically round your lower back\u2014but refrain.<\/p>\n \u201cThink about pushing your hips back as you fold forward, like you\u2019re closing a car door with your backside. That shifts the work where it belongs\u2014into the hamstrings\u2014and protects your spine. Soft knees are fine. A slight bend in the knees is not cheating. It actually allows the pelvis to tilt properly and takes compressive force off the lower back,\u201d Chakoian points out.<\/p>\n Make sure to breathe into each stretch. Every time you exhale is a solid chance to release a bit further. Allow your breathing to do the work.<\/p>\n
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