06-21-2026 · Fit & Well
An 83-year-old trainer’s strength training formula for the over-65s
If you’re over 65 and want to start strength training, try this workout plan
Building strength and maintaining muscle is important no matter your age. However, it becomes a crucial pursuit for anyone nearing their senior years.
“As we age, we begin to lose muscle mass as well as bone density. This can lead to reduced balance, possibly resulting in falls or injuries,” says 83-year-old fitness trainer Harry King.
“We seniors—I include myself in this group—can minimize episodes of falls and injuries through a resistance training program. Resistance training has been proven to strengthen muscles and combat bone density loss in seniors.”
Despite being diagnosed with advanced osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, King still works out four days a week and trains others.
While starting a strength regimen later in life can come with its own challenges, he believes that seniors can train similarly to younger athletes as long as they progress appropriately and listen to their bodies.
If you’re 65 or older, have a gym membership and don’t know where to start, try King’s routine below.
King recommends a five to 10 minute cardiovascular warm-up prior to any strength training, using a treadmill, bike, rowing machine or elliptical trainer.
“I prefer the rower because it gets more muscles involved during the warm-up phase,” King says.
King then suggests 45 to 60 minutes of resistance training with the following upper-body and lower-body routines.
“In this time frame, the goal is to perform five to seven exercises, doing three sets of 12 reps each,” he says. “My normal workout would be to focus on upper-body and lower-body muscle groups on separate days, with a two-day rest before working the same muscle group again. This rest period is important in preventing injuries.”
These exercises are done using a weight bench, a set of moderately-heavy dumbbells, a cable machine, a leg press, a hamstring curl machine, a leg extension machine and a hip abductor/adductor machine.
If you’re unable to complete 12 reps of an exercise with good form, work with a lighter weight. If you can complete 12 reps easily without much fatigue, work with a heavier weight.
“It’s a good practice to use an exercise program such as this for two to three months then change it up to avoid boredom,” adds King.