As we get older and age, we struggle with neural stability and canceling out that noise. We can be a little stiff, a little sluggish, and shaky. We can come across as rigid and need to think about how to improve the function of our joints, stability, and enhance our brainpower for movement. 

We love the PVC pipe walk. 

As we age, we tend to have more inflammation in our plantar fascia. We might have some tight Achilles tendons. But, as we loosen up walking on the PVC pipe, our feet will get more limber, our stability will improve, and our ankle joints and knee joints will improve as well. We really like to use PVC pipe walks to wake everything up.

And don’t worry, if you struggle with PVC pipe walks, use a technique stick to help with balance and stability.

It is exactly what it sounds like. I like to think about my knees tracking forward and will use the railing for balance and support when needed. Walking backward is great for waking the body up, equilibrium, and getting the quads and knees mobile, but we can also focus on balance. 

Walking backward up a hill is doable as well. It is just a great way to get the heart rate up and feeling really good for the coming workout

I’m stealing this one directly from Ben Patrick. I am stealing how imperative the movement is for a warm-up because of what it does for the ankles, heart rate, and knees. Historically, I always wanted to pile on as much weight as possible. That’s not necessary. Men can use 225 lbs and women can use 185 lbs. The movement helps wake up the knees and even the lower back.

Driving the sled forward requires driving hard through the ankles, quads, and glutes. The movement helps with ankle stability and range of motion, which in turn will enhance the structural integrity of the knees.

As older people (35+), we need to think of the problem areas: the knees, the shoulders, the lower back, the hips, the ankles. Pretty much problem areas for all athletes, but as we age we have more wear and tear and inflammation.

Using a PowerLastic band, we want to put our feet in the handles and wrap the band around the neck. We then do a simple air squat. As we get to the top, we will experience more tension. We want to do at least ten reps. Immediately after the ten squats, let’s do banded good mornings to wake up the lower back and the hamstrings. This one set will get the body nice and juiced up. We can then use a little thicker band and do a second set with a slight increase in load.

This is another double movement. Older people may have bad posture. Some old people started to develop that rounded upper back from sitting on computers all the time. So what can we do to warm up our thoracic spine more effectively? Yes, we did banded squats and banded good mornings, but let’s factor in some upper body movement as well.

Just like before with the PowerLastic band, we set up to squat except this time we want the band in our hands instead of draped around our neck. From there, we will squat down, but as we stand we will rotate our body ninety degrees and then press. We will do the same motion again but on the next rep rotate in the opposite direction before pressing.

Doing this movement will make it feel like cobwebs are being cleared from the upper back. The exercise also helps with elbow extension, retraction in the scaps, and the trunk is engaged more through the rotation. 

It is important to remember to segment the movement. Squat. Turn. Press. 

Now, even for people who don’t want to do the squat because they just squatted before, the rotate and press will suffice. 

Can’t forget that upper body. Focusing on the shoulders and elbow extension, hit band pull aparts using the PowerLastics. Think about squeezing the spine with the shoulder blades and giving the spine a hug. 

It is also wise to throw in some elbow extension pull aparts with the band as well. 

As we age and have more inflammation, we lack really good stability because we are not as limber as we were when we were younger. Our nervous systems don’t fire as well as they did in our youth. We are starting to lose some myelin sheathing. Thankfully all the exercise movements listed help the body warm up to smash a strength workout.