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For Adults Over 60, Do Strength Training 2–3 Times a Week, Add Soft Martial Arts for Balance

Guidance centers on two to three weekly strength sessions alongside soft martial-arts classes to improve balance, sleep, cognition.

Overview

  • Harvard-linked research highlights tai chi, Wing Chun and aikido for gains in balance, coordination, sleep quality and cognitive function in older adults.
  • The Escuela Europea del Deporte recommends two to three resistance sessions per week lasting 30–45 minutes with a 10‑minute warm-up and rest days for recovery.
  • Specialists maintain that walking is a safe aerobic base but should be combined with strength work to counter muscle and bone loss, citing Copenhagen research on motor‑neuron connections.
  • Trainers single out squats as a functional exercise that builds lower‑body strength, stimulates bone density and helps reduce fall risk in people over 60.
  • Suggested routines use light weights, bands or bodyweight for 1–2 sets of 10–12 repetitions with progressive difficulty, with instructions to stop and consult a professional if pain occurs.