Like many of my friends, I hate it when I can’t open a jar or get all the groceries out of the car in one trip. I don’t like any sign I might be losing muscle capacity. I fight fragility with a fierce resolve. I will not become a “helpless little old lady” any sooner than I have to.

Of course, you can ensure you’ll keep muscle strength as long as you have a regular sport and workout routine. But what happens when that’s disrupted and you can’t workout? For example, I had dental surgery last week and was told to not get my heart rate up for a whole week! I have a hard time dealing with inactivity, but I didn’t want to burst a stitch.

So I’ve been figuring out ways to keep strong without breathing hard or elevating blood pressure. The first day after my surgery, I began gentle daily walks of 30-45 minutes.Then I figured out I could do brief bouts of light weight lifting at home without any heavy breathing. It was hard at first to hold back from doing more, heavier, and faster. But that’s just my nature.

I used 10 lbs dumbbells but this depends on your strength level. Sometimes after an injury or surgery, I’ll go down to 3 or 5 lbs. Remember that you aren’t trying to build muscle by forcing effort. Any weight is good, you’ll be sending the message to your muscle fibers that they’re still needed.

Hooray for Housework?

The other thing I did was focus on how I could use ordinary household chores as exercise. For example, I have to bend down to empty the kitty litter every morning. If I straddle the litter box and plant my feet on each side, I can execute a full body squat and work out my glutes.

Cleaning out closets and cupboards is another task that I used to workout my shoulders and upper back. Lifting boxes in the garage is a good way to use your arms and back. Sweeping and mopping is good for torso action.

I hate housework, but I love staying in shape without going to the gym.

Fight Fragility with Stretch Breaks

The other thing I did was figure out physical activities that didn’t entail cardiovascular stress, like stretches. These are things I can do throughout the day, for example, while taking a break from sitting and writing at the computer, at least every 45-60 minutes.

1. Stand up straight, then pull shoulders back as far as possible while leaning backwards. This is a good shoulder and back stretch for me, and one I should do regularly after sitting for long.
2. Put a leg up on the counter, preferably a high one. and just let the weight stretch the back of the leg. For more stretch, I can bend over the raised leg while reaching for the foot.
3. Stand on one leg. This is one I do close to a wall, as I don’t have good balance.
4. Squats, any variation. One I like is with a wide stance as possible, using a table or counter for stability if necessary, coming down as if sitting and just hold.
5. Sitting pose with back flat against wall and knees at 90 degrees.
6. Slow lunges, holding for 30 seconds (I do this close to a wall or table just in case of balance issues.)

If I’m able, I will do some sit-ups on top of the balance ball or some modified push-ups against a counter or couch.

Less Is More

I used to think if I wasn’t pounding on a treadmill or sweating, I wasn’t really doing anything good for my body. In my wise older age, however, I’m learning that rest and recovery is just as important as heavy exertion. From what I read in the research about peak performance, recovery is a key part of fitness and necessary to build muscle. For seniors who are often rehabbing joints, it may be crucial for sustaining fitness and strength.

What about you? What do you do when you can’t workout or play sports?