A flexible body can make performing everyday tasks a breeze.
Whether your fitness goal is to perform better on the pickleball court or golf course, or simply stay independent and decrease your risk of injury, preserving flexibility is essential. A mobile, flexible body can make everyday tasks that involve reaching, lifting, turning, and bending a breeze. It could also help alleviate stiffness while boosting your range of motion.
One of the best ways to improve flexibility is by performing the right workout routine. We’re here to share five exercises that can help restore your flexibility after 65.
“Most flexibility loss after 65 isn’t about muscles getting short. It’s about fascia, the connective tissue that wraps every muscle, bone, and organ, becoming dehydrated and stuck from years of the same postures. The goal is to put slow, sustained, gentle tension through those tissues so they can rehydrate and glide again. These five do that well,” explains Doug Bertram, M.S., L.Ac., MTCM, Founder and CEO of orthopedic wellness brand Structural Elements® and Extreme Center author.
Before getting started, there are a few things to keep in mind. Check in with your doctor if you have osteoporosis or have had a joint replacement or recent surgery. Certain movements, like deep forward bending, might need to be tweaked or avoided altogether. In addition, be sure to warm up before stretching. Taking a brisk five-minute walk or warm shower can get fluid moving in the tissues and promotes greater responsiveness.
Bertram also recommends easing into each stretch gradually and holding steadily. Each stretch should feel comfortable; any pinching, sharp, or electric sensations mean “back off.”
Cat-Cow
“The spine is the hub of the whole body, and this restores motion segment by segment while waking up the fascia along the back and front of the trunk,” Bertram tells us.
- Assume a tabletop position on your hands and knees.
- For cow pose, breathe in, drop your belly toward the floor, concave your back, and gaze upward.
- For cat pose, breathe out, round your back, tuck your chin in toward your chest, and tuck your tailbone.
- Perform the exercise for 60 to 90 seconds.
Open Book Rotation
“Rotation is the first movement we lose with age, and it’s the one we need most for turning to look behind us while driving or reaching into a back seat,” Bertram notes.
- Begin by lying on your side.
- Bring your knees up close to a fetal position.
- Reach your arms out in front of you, one hand on top of the other, keeping your elbows straight.
- Take your top arm and lead it over to the other side of the bed as if you are looking behind you.
- Return to the start position.
- Hold for 60 to 90 seconds on each side.
Doorway Chest Stretch
“Decades of sitting, driving, and looking at screens pull the shoulders forward. This counters that rounded posture and makes breathing easier,” Bertram says.
- Begin by placing your forearms on either side of the doorframe at shoulder height.
- Gently lean forward until you feel a solid stretch across your chest.
- Hold for 60 to 90 seconds.
Standing Hip Flexor Stretch
“Tight hip flexors from sitting shorten the stride and pull on the low back. Opening them helps walking, posture, and back comfort all at once,” Bertram notes.
- Begin standing tall, holding onto a sturdy chair or counter for support.
- Step one foot back, slightly tuck your tailbone, and shift your body weight forward until you feel a stretch at the front of your back hip.
- Hold for 60 to 90 seconds on each side.
Wall Calf Stretch
“Stiff ankles and calves change how we walk and are a quiet contributor to falls. Restoring ankle motion is one of the best things an older adult can do for balance,” Bertram says.
- Begin by placing your hands on a wall.
- Position one foot back with your heel down and knee straight.
- Lean in gently toward the wall.
- Then, slightly bend your back knee to achieve a deeper lower calf stretch.
- Hold for 60 to 90 seconds on each side.
Alexa Mellardo