Strength And Stability

Why Core Strength Matters | Core Muscles | Benefits For Seniors | Safety | Exercises To Avoid | Best Exercises | Workouts | FAQs

As we get older, the lure of washboard abs can fade into the background. However, strengthening the core gets even more important as you age. A strong core helps with balance and stability, posture, back pain, and the functional strength you need for everyday movement.

In this guide, we look at the importance of abs exercises for seniors and how to get started. We also share some of the best exercises to strengthen abs for seniors, including seated and standing exercises for all levels.

• Maintaining a strong core helps to maintain independence and quality of life as you age
• The core is made up of several muscle groups that support stabilise the spine, not just the abdominals
• If you're new to working out, start with seated ab exercises to build strength and balance

Having a strong core is important at any age, but it is fundamental in maintaining independence and quality of life as you get older. Strengthening the core increases balance and helps to protect against falls, improves posture and back pain, and helps to keep you active. It can even protect against urinary incontience.

Muscle mass and strength fall into the ‘use it or lose it’ category of life. Age related muscle loss begins in our thirties and begins to accelerate in our fifties and beyond. Without exercise, you can expect to lose between 3-5% of your muscle mass each year once you hit 70.

Fortunately, this muscle loss can be prevented and even reversed by engaging and working out the muscles.

A strong core doesn't just mean building six pack abs for seniors. The core refers to the group of muscles that surround the spine and pelvis, helping to support and stabilise the spine and transfer force between the upper and lower body:

• Diaphragm: The diaphragm is most known for its role in breathing but is a core muscle that sits at the top of the core and helps to manage intra-abdominal pressure

• Obliques: The internal and external abdominal obliques run up the side of the core and are responsible for twisting and turning movements

• Transversus abdominis: This deep core muscle wraps around the spine and is referred to as the body's natural corset. It protects the organs and stabilises the pelvis and spine

• Rectus abdominis: These 'six pack' muscles help with core stability

• Erector spinae: This muscle group runs along the spine and helps with stability as well as the ability to straighten and rotate your back

• Pelvic floor: The pelvic floor is made up of the muscles at the base of the pelvis which provide hip stability and support the organs

• Glutes: The glute muscles help to stabilise the pelvis and lower spine and transfer power between the upper and lower body

• Hip flexors: The iliopsoas hip flexor connects from the thigh to the lumbar spine and helps to stabilise the pelvis and lower back

A good 'abs workout' for seniors should aim to strengthen all the core muscle groups, not just the abdominals.

There are multiple benefits of training core and ab exercises for seniors:

In the UK around 30% of those aged 65 and over experience a serious fall each year, increasing to 50% of those aged 80 and over. Strengthening the core improves spinal stability and creates a stronger centre of gravity, making falls less likely to happen and improving the outcome if falls do occur.

Posture can worsen as we grow older due to weakened muscles, bone loss, and spinal disk shrinkage. Strengthening the core helps to keep our muscles strong enough to support the spine and maintain good posture, and can help reduce bone loss too.

Back pain can feel inevitable as we age but it doesn’t have to be. The combination of weak core muscles and poor posture can result in chronic back pain and discomfort. Strengthening the core muscles (along with the back muscles) can combat this pain.

The biggest benefit of core and ab workout for seniors is the increased independence it gives. Having a strong core and better balance improves confidence makes it easier to

Yes – it is generally safe for seniors to do ab exercises, and doing so is recommended to help maintain a strong core. However, it's important to begin any exercise programme carefully to avoid injury, especially as we get older. Here's how seniors can protect themselves when beginning a senior abs workout:

• Ease in slowly. If you're not to working the core, you'll need to build up some strength and stability with gentle movements initially.

• Choose low impact exercises. Pick anti core exercises that require you to maintain a stable core, such as dead bugs or bird dogs, rather than exercises which require sharp or jerky movements.

• Use external support to help with balance. Lying or chair ab exercises for seniors are great for building strength and stability no matter how good your balance is.

• Focus on technique. Aim to complete each rep with control and good technique, rather than hitting a certain number of reps or doing your exercises as quickly as possible.

While training abs for seniors is safe overall, there are some exercises that should be avoided to help reduce the risk of injury.

• Sit ups and ab crunches: these ab exercises compress the spine and force the neck to round excessively. This pressure can lead to spinal fractures, neck strains, and lower back pain.

• Lying leg raises: Performing lying leg raises with both legs can put excessive strain on the lower spine rather than strengthening the core.

• Russian twists: Russian twists with both legs lifted off the ground puts a lot of strain on the lower back and hip flexors while stressing the spinal discs.

• Lying bicycle crunches: Bicycle crunches can strain the neck, spinal disks and lumbar spine.

Now you know which exercises to avoid, but what are the best ab exercises for seniors?

Including a variety of exercises is the best way to work all the muscles in your core.

If you're new to exercising, these exercises will help you to learn how to engage your core correctly while building strength.

• Lying pelvic tilts: lie flat on your back with legs bent and feet on the floor. Breathe out while tightening your core muscles to press your lower back against the floor. Hold this position before relaxing and repeating.

• Lying abdominal bracing: lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor and knees bent towards the ceiling. Breathe in and as you breathe out, tense your core muscles and bring your belly button in and down towards the spine. When done properly, your abs and sides should expand slightly. Hold this while breathing normally.

• Wall plank: stand facing the wall. Pend your elbows and place your forearms on the wall, elbows around shoulder height high. Push through your forearms to engage the shoulders and brace the core before stepping both feet back. Keep the core and shoulders engaged so that your head, shoulders, hips and heels are all in a straight line. Hold this position.

Seated ab and core exercises are a great way to safely build core strength and improve balance and stability. Check out our chair yoga for seniors blog here for more ideas!

• Seated knee lifts: holding on to the edge of the chair with your back against the pad, lift one knee up towards the chest before placing back down and repeating on the other side.

• Seated twists: keeping your knees and hips facing forward, gently rotate your chest, shoulders and head side to side.

• Seated bicycle crunches: place your hands behind your head with both feet flat on the floor. Bring your left knee up while bending and rotating gentle to bring your right elbow down so they touch. Return to the start and repeat on the other side.

• Seated side bends: hold onto the edge of the chair with your left hand and place your right hand on the back or your head. Gently bend towards your left side while keeping your torso facing forward. Return to straight and repeat on the other side.

As your strength and stability grows, standing exercises can help to further challenge the core muscles for more progress.

• Standing marches: stand with feet hip width apart, keeping your core engaged and your spine in a neutral position. Slowly take one foot off the ground and bring your knee towards your chest before lowering down and repeating on the other side. You can stand next to a chair or wall and use your fingertips to assist with balance if needed. To make this more challenging, hold a light weight in one hand, either by your side or overhead, and keep the torso stable.

• Standing abdominal bracing: stand tall with feet hip width apart and take in a deep breath. Tighten your core muscles while breathing – an easy way to do this is to imagine you are tensing the muscles to brace for being hit. Make sure you are tensing the muscles on the side and back, not just the abs.

Strengthening the lower abs is particularly helpful for pelvic stability and protects the lower back.

• Lying toe taps: lie on your back and place your feet flat on the floor behind your glutes with knees bent.  Engage your core to flatten your lower back against the floor and lift both legs off the floor while keeping the knees bent so your shins are parallel with the ceiling. Breathe out while lowering one leg down to tap the floor with your toes and breathe in as you return the leg up. Alternate between sides.

• Dead bugs: lie on your back with your arms straight up above your chest and feet flat on the floor with knees bent. Keeping your legs bent, lift your legs off the floor so your shins are parallel with the ceiling. Engage your core and slowly lower your right arm behind you while straightening your left leg down towards the floor. Return back to the start and repeat on the other side.

• Pallof press: set up a long resistance band at chest height and hold the free end in both hands then step to the side so you can feel the band creating resistance. Engage your core and maintain a neutral spine before pressing the band forward by extending your arms, making sure your torso remains facing forward. Hold for a second before bringing the band back.

• Woodchop: stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart, with a long thin resistance band wrapped around or under the left foot while holding the other end in both hands. Engage your core and lift both arms over the right shoulder while keeping your torso facing forward. Return back to the start and repeat before swapping sides.

• Bird dogs: start on hands and knees, with wrists, elbows and shoulders aligned and knees and hips aligned. Engage your core and bring your left hand and right knee off the floor. Extend your arm forward and leg behind you while keeping your hips and torso squared. Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.

• Glute bridges: lie on your back with feet flat on the floor close to your glutes, knees bent. Engage the core by tensing the abs and pulling your belly button in and down to your spine. Push through your heels and squeeze the glutes to lift your hips off the floor, maintaining a flat spine. Only go as high as you are able to without arching your back. Pause before returning to the start.

When starting any exercise programme, it's important to start small and increase the volume and intensity. This helps your body to adjust to the exercises and build the strength and stability with a much lower risk of injury.

Here's what to consider when starting ab and core exercises for seniors:

Choose exercises that are challenging but manageable. Starting with kneeling, lying, or seated ab exercises for seniors is a great choice as it allows you to learn correct core engagement and build strength and stability safely. As you get stronger, you can begin to introduce standing and resistance band exercises.

For each exercise, aim to work up to three sets of 12-15 reps or 30 second holds. Once you can manage this easily with good form, you can move onto a more challenging exercise.

The core muscles are constantly working and receive good blood flow, which means they can be trained more often than other muscle groups. A good goal is 2-4 short core workouts each week, with some core activation (e.g. pelvic tilts or abdominal bracing) daily.

Give these core and ab workouts a try, or make your own from the exercises above. Remember to spend 5 minutes warming up before your workouts and cool down with some stretches after.

Do each exercise for 30 seconds with 30 seconds rest, and repeat the circuit twice. As you get stronger you can increase this to 45 seconds with 15 seconds rest.

Do each exercise for 30 seconds with 30 seconds rest, and repeat the circuit twice. As you get stronger you can increase this to 45 seconds with 15 seconds rest.

Do each exercise for 45 seconds with 15 seconds rest.

Having a strong core will help to maintain your health and independence as you age, but it's just as important to train other muscle groups too. Check out some of our exercise guides for over 50s:

• HIIT for seniors

• Gym equipment for seniors

• Balance exercises for seniors

• Back strengthening exercises for seniors