The Only 3 Exercises You Need to Rebuild Muscle After 70
This is a first-person account from someone who says they are stronger at 65 than at 35, built around five beginner-safe exercises: the goblet squat, the banded row, the wall push-up, the dead bug and the heel raise. The target it names explicitly is sarcopenia — age-related muscle loss — and its central point is that cardio alone does not address it.
What are the five exercises?
| Exercise | Starting point | Prescription |
|---|---|---|
| Goblet squat | Chair squat — sit and stand slowly without using the hands | 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps |
| Banded row | Seated pretend rowing, squeezing the shoulder blades for 3 seconds | 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps |
| Wall push-up | Stand closer to the wall to make it easier | 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps |
| Dead bug | Move only the legs, or only the arms, until coordination improves | 2 to 3 sets of 10 reps per side |
| Heel raise | Seated if balance is an issue; single-leg to progress | 2 to 3 sets of 15 to 20 reps |
How often should you do it?
Two or three full-body sessions a week with at least one rest day in between. The video is emphatic that consistency matters more than intensity, and that the goal is to finish a session feeling energised rather than wrecked — a sensible framing for anyone starting resistance training later in life. Its progression path is equally sensible: master the easiest version, then remove the support, then add load.
Read the research behind it
Sarcopenia is the right target, and the evidence on it is strong. See why muscle loss accelerates with age and sarcopenic obesity. For what to eat alongside the training, creatine and protein for healthy ageing and how much protein do you need after 40? cover the two interventions with the best supporting data. On the falls question the video raises, balance exercises for fall prevention after 60.
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