press-up<\/a> is also amazing for arm and core strength and perfect to do while dinner is cooking. It can also be modified in so many ways to make it work for almost anyone \u2013 I’ve recommended it to clients in their 30s and in their 80s,\u2019 says Dr Kate. <\/p>\nShe suggests the ‘diamond option’ to older clients \u2013 ‘stand close to the wall and make a diamond with your fingers and thumbs, then do the wall press. It really works the triceps which is so important for getting up from the floor and sofa (or the loo) and even more so as we get older and need that extra help.’<\/p>\n
‘For younger clients, I often suggest they move their feet as far from the wall as they can, while keeping their core engaged,’ adds Dr Kate. ‘That increases the angle between their body and the wall and therefore the force required. Then, they can progress onto a sofa press with hands on the sofa \u2013 that way, the force is still reduced compared to a standard press-up, but they can lower the surface over time and build up the challenge.’<\/p>\n
4. Tiptoe squat <\/p>\n
\n\u2018The tiptoe squat that I do every night while I brush my teeth is probably my favourite,\u2019 says Dr Kate. \u2018It helps with leg mobility, leg and core strength and balance \u2013 all of which are so important for getting up off the floor in our 80s and beyond.\u2019<\/p>\n
\u2018My top tip for movements like these is to work out how they fit into the day best so that they become a part of everyday life,\u2019 advises Dr Kate. Habit stacking \u2013 incorporating the movement into an activity you already do daily \u2013 can be really effective, she adds. \u2018I use it myself, too \u2013 I always brush my teeth before bed (as you’d expect), and so by stacking the tiptoe squat onto that, I know that I will do it every day. And the dentist was happy that my teeth are still being brushed well, too.\u2019<\/p>\n
The takeaway? Never underestimate the power of adding even just minutes of functional fitness into your routine \u2013 your 80-year-old self will thank you for it. <\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
Hannah Bradfield is a Senior Health and Fitness Writer for Women\u2019s Health UK. An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Hannah graduated from Loughborough University with a BA in English and Sport Science and an MA in Media and Cultural Analysis. \u00a0She has been covering sports, health and fitness for the last five years and has created content for outlets including BBC Sport, BBC Sounds, Runner\u2019s World and Stylist. She especially enjoys interviewing those working within the community to improve access to sport, exercise and wellness. Hannah is a 2024 John Schofield Trust Fellow and was also named a 2022 Rising Star in Journalism by The Printing Charity. \u00a0A keen runner, Hannah was firmly a sprinter growing up (also dabbling in long jump) but has since transitioned to longer-distance running. While 10K is her favoured race distance, she loves running or volunteering at parkrun every Saturday, followed, of course, by pastries. She\u2019s always looking for fun new runs and races to do and brunch spots to try.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Personal trainer and former orthopaedic surgeon Dr Kate Ella has seen first hand what can happen when people…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":792252,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4322],"tags":[217418,216001,2083,230346,1331,1630,105,1330,230345,218897,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-792251","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"tag-collection-fit-at-any-age","9":"tag-collection-fitness-app","10":"tag-content-type-default","11":"tag-contentid-fe23fa13-ec5b-478a-aa34-fc1d7775c4e8","12":"tag-displaytype-standard-article","13":"tag-fitness","14":"tag-health","15":"tag-locale-gb","16":"tag-shorttitle-a-pt-and-ex-bone-surgeons-4-non-negotiable-moves","17":"tag-subsection-strength-training","18":"tag-uk","19":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/116141933461449800","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/792251","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=792251"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/792251\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/792252"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=792251"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=792251"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=792251"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}