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Look, gang.
The BEST thing you can be doing for yourself during these difficult times is exercising. As long as we can stay virus-free, we have the potential to come out of this crisis healthier and fitter than ever. We’re stuck at home and there’s nothing to be done about that, so let’s use it to our advantage. Now’s the time to make exercise your #1 non-negotiable do-it-every-dang-day priority. Let’s start right here, right now, together:
I made this 20 minute follow-along workout video with beginners and active seniors in mind. Besides a chair or somewhere to sit for a few stretches at the very end, you’ll need no equipment.
This Workout’s Theme?! Posture, Posture, POSTURE!
I built this workout with exercises that will improve your posture. We all know our posture tends to decline with age, and since it’s so important to our long-term health, we really need to keep on top of it. Good posture keeps everything in its correct alignment so the least amount of strain gets placed on supporting muscles and ligaments. As we get older, we tend to form bad habits like slouching, which makes us vulnerable to injuries. No bueno.
I CHALLENGE YOU!
In the video towards the end, I also shared a balance challenge: standing on one leg while crossing the other leg over it in “eagle pose”, and then lifting the non-planted leg out to the side. Balance exercises force you to be consciously aware of your body AND your body’s posture while you’re doing them. The two are totally intertwined… balance and posture… and we should regularly work on keeping both at their best. By regularly I’m talking almost every day. Yep, that often.
Try doing that balance move EACH day all week this week. Do 3 sets of 10 on each leg, and you can even spread it out through your day. I showed a bunch of variations of the balance, so make sure you stay safe, but do try to challenge yourself at the appropriate level for your abilities!
As always, comments are welcomed and encouraged below. Let me know if you try it and what you thought!
Stay healthy and safe, all! And take heart friends, these are hard times, but we will get through this. ❤️
Love,
Trainer Stef
best exercise i have done in a while i love your gym thanks
This workout is helping improve our posture. We’ve been working on better posture for 4 years now, but this workout has made a bigger difference than the previous routine we used (also for seniors and helpful in some ways.) Your routine includes more shoulder stretches, which were just what we needed after too many hours at the computer screen/keyboard. Thank you, Steph!
You’re so welcome, Melanie! Thanks for taking the time to swing by and let me know; it makes my day. Be well and keep doing the work! xo
I love your workouts. I’m 69 and have some arthritis and I can keep up with your workouts and I don’t feel stupid!! It’s such fun to do a workout I can do and which make me feel good. I have kept up with your workouts for 3 months now. Thank you.
Lesley, that’s awesome you went 3 months straight! Here’s hoping even though it’s been awhile since you commented that you’ve continued to keep going and it’s now a well-established habit. Rooting for you! xo
Thank you. I just turned 70 and want to keep challenging myself, which your routine does, while still being doable. I’m so encouraged I could complete it.
I love hearing that! Gosh, I miss so many comments here on the site, apologies it’s taken me 2 years to see yours! I hope you’re well and still exercising, Margaret!
This is the absolute best workout I have found online. Just enough of a challenge and a lot of variety. I alternate days between this and the full body gentle stretch video and it is the perfect blend for me at 63. Love your enthusiasm!
That’s fantastic! Glad you’re using these two workouts and they’re feeling effective for you. And wow, high praise saying it’s the best you’ve found; thanks for making my day! Keep up the hard work and stay strong, Alison! xo
I have noticed like some other men aged into their late 60’s and 70’s start to lean or bend forward, or the head starts to lean to one side or the other. This is happening with me, and I very much want to correct this problem with my posture. What exercises can be used to work out this problem. Thank you for your help.
Yes, posture does become a problem as we age, unfortunately. But the great news is, we can combat that with exercise! You can pull out any of the exercises in this video, they’re all posture-builders. And, do make sure you’re constantly correcting your posture as you walk too; get your shoulders back, your chest up, and your neck long with your chin tucked. Same goes for when sitting; like right now, how’s your posture? Slouching is the enemy, especially as we’re aging… so if you ever catch yourself slouching, fix it! Be well!
Just discovered your workout videos today and am SO glad I did! I am 73 years old and my husband and I are full-time RVers. We live in a 42′ Itasca Ellipse. I used to go to the gym all the time when we had a house, but struggle to stay active in the RV life – especially with covid to deal with. Your workouts are a wonderful gift that I’ll watch and do often! Thanks again.
I’m so happy to hear that, Debbie! I’ve got a new one going up this weekend… a 30 minute Wall Workout! Happy exercising and be well! xo
Thank You!! My wife is recovering from s stroke and this was wonderful.
May her recovery be speedy and full! Keep her exercising; it’s one of the best ways to recover after a stroke. Sending my warmest regards her way! xo
I have finally found my online workout. I am really enjoying the fit journey with you and your functional workouts. I am a almost senior (59) who teachers virtual music in a large school district. Needless to say this year has been a challenge. I am working on my health and fitness goals on a daily basis. You are my go to for daily workout! I am not an RVer but still a loyal fan :). Thanks for your workouts – its getting me through the pandemic and bad weather we have in the midwest. Keep doing what you do .
Wonderful, Liz! I know it’s been a really hard time for teachers and students right now. The trauma of it is something it’ll take years post to fully grasp. With the stress you’re under, I can’t think of a better way to regulate the unusually high levels of stress hormones than exercise. Non-negotiable, every single day, move… even when your brain tries to trick you not to. You’ll come out of this awful time stronger for it, physically AND emotionally. Rooting for you! Thanks for being a teacher superhero!!! xo
So happy I found this workout. I turned 70 and have found it difficult to get motivated. This video was just challenging enough to get me back at it! Thank you!
Well then I’m so happy you found it, too! Glad it worked for you and I hope it will continue to!
i finally found a senior workout that is so enjoyable and safe. I appear to be the oldest of all but wanted to get my health improved after some set back with feet problems. I will be 88 in just a few weeks and I now know where to find the exercise. I have been doing the exercise she does with the resistance bands but now I can change back and forth. I am also working on eating healthier.
Marge, I’m so glad you found my workouts!!! And good for you for committing to exercise as a way to improve your health. Our bodies are incredibly forgiving and will get stronger, at any age, as long as the exercise we do is smart, consistent, and appropriate. I’ll be rooting for you! xo
I have just progressed from the ‘gentle for seniors’ to the ‘posture workout for seniors’, both are great.
I find it very useful to have the mirror behind you so I can see how far to stretch extend or arms legs etc.
Before covid I was doing yoga once a week but I’m doing your video most days now except when I walk that’s about 7mls I’m 78 yrs so I say don’t let age stop you………Mandy
Fantastic, Mandy! Way to make exercise a priority! Stay strong! xo
Thank you, Stef! I really need some posture work! I am 58 years old, with a knee replacement and poor balance. This workout was perfect for me – I have tried others that are too hard and hurt my knee. Thank you so much for providing this and I hope you have more exercise routines for those over 55!
I’m so glad it worked for you, Lisa! There are indeed more workouts here, hope you’ll check them out too. Be well and keep exercising! xo
Hi are you going to post more workouts? Thank you for these, they really work for me. Thanks, Holly
I’ll be working on some more very soon, yes! Thanks for the encouragement to do so, it keeps falling off my radar! xo
Great work outs, just found u on u tube. Been exercising for years, but a change is better than a rest… Thx.. Barb
Absolutely! A change helps with muscle confusion, too. If you keep doing the same workouts, your body adapts to them and you reap less gains. Change is very, very good! Glad you liked my workouts Barb, wishing you the best! xo
Stef, thanks for this. It was just what we needed to help us get over our quarantined housebound ways.
I’m glad to hear you’ll be using it! Stay well, David… and keep moving! xo
Well I’m out of shape! Thank you so much for providing this workout. I’m almost 70 and this kicked my butt. It’s just what I need. I also use the senior coordination video and I walk 30 minutes a day, most days. Gets pretty hot in Texas. Just wanted you to know your work is greatly appreciated.
Your comment inspired me to add in a low-impact cardio aerobics workout video to this series, just filmed it today! It’ll be a good alternative for hot Texas days when you can’t get outside to walk. I’m so glad you did the posture workout! Keep exercising Kathy, and stay strong, sister! xo
Thank you so much, Stef. I also am benefiting from the exercises on the Winnabago site.
Ted (71) recovering from bypass surgery.
Glad to hear it. Wishing you a speedy recovery, Ted!
This is perfect and quite doable for me, though I did feel the burn occasionally. Thank you so much again for making us a follow-along workout video. You are the bomb!! Celeste
I’m so glad you tried it and found it challenging, too! Keep the workouts coming and stay strong, Celeste! xo
Thank you for this great workout!
After doing online teaching for 3 weeks (iinstead of moving thousands of steps a day with my first graders), I am quite stiff.
Now that we are on spring break, I have the opportunity to take care of things around the house, and me!
I will keep up these stretches and share this video with my colleagues.
Thanks again!
Oh wow 1st grade online! Bet that’s a challenge; my grandmunchkin is in 1st grade; I’ve been thinking about his teacher and what a tough job she has right now. So hang in there, sister! Glad you’re taking care of you right now… it’s the best thing you can be doing for yourself. Keep going, keep moving, and be well! xo ❤️
Thank you for a wonderful exercise video! I really appreciate that there were no floor exercises that hurt my wrists. It is hard to put weight on aging wrists and try to balance at the same time as in most other ‘beginner’ programs. I felt fantastic after this workout! I hope that you will make many more beginner videos. You made me feel very confident that I was doing each stretch correctly. Much love from Colorado.
Hi Rebecca! Great job doing this workout and I’m so glad you felt fabulous after! Keep taking care of YOU… you’re so so worth it. Rooting for you; stay strong! xo
I am 67, and my husband and I follow you and James. When my husband said Stef put out a senior video, since we can’t go to the gym I said great. I sat down and watched it first and said that’s not bad, BUT WOW, GREAT WORKOUT. I haven’t worked out like that in ages. We had just signed up at our local community center, and then we were quarantined. Thank you so much.
AWESOME! I’m so happy to hear you tried it and it was challenging for you! Proud of you for working on staying fit even though you can’t use that new community center membership right now. Keep exercising Kathy! And tell your hubs he needs to join you next time! 🙂 xo
Hello Stef, thanks for this video! We’ve been caged since March 8 … so please do more videos like this for beginners. Greetings from Italy (and sorry for my english)!
Oh my, from Italy! We went from wringing our hands watching what your country was going through, to going through it ourselves. Sending love and healthy vibes from the US! Stay well Adrian, and keep on exercising! xo
Exactly what I needed today because my health club is closed. More importantly this set of exercises is Something I was not doing and it’s what I need. Your descriptions and admonishments and pointers as you work through this exercise are excellent. Thank you.
So glad to hear it was useful! And hey, great job focusing on your fitness even though you can’t go to the gym right now. Keep it up! xo