Physio Reveals: 5 Science-Backed Exercises that Reverse Aging

[00:00] Did you know that there are five simple exercises that can help you feel and move like you're 20 years younger? The thing is, many of us accept growing weaker and more frail as we age. But here is the exciting news. There's a special exercise approach that can physically reverse aging in just weeks.

[00:20] In this video, I'll show you that approach as well as the top five science-backed exercises you need to do to stay strong and healthy, especially if you're over 50. Now, before we dive into the exercises, let's talk about a key factor that impacts our longevity and mobility, one that's often overlooked.

[00:40] In 1989, scientists coined the term sarcopenia, from the Greek word sarx meaning flush and penia meaning loss, to describe age-related muscle decline that starts in our third decade of life. What they didn't realize then was how rapidly this condition accelerates after age 50.

[01:00] to 2019, sarcopenia became officially recognized as a medical condition. Why? Because research now shows that it's a major cause of disability, frailty, and falls in older adults. But here is the good news. Recent studies, including a groundbreaking one in 2024, reveals that

[01:20] sarcopenia is not only preventable, but also reversible. This particular study showed that older adults can reverse muscle loss in just 12 weeks with the right exercises. Now you might be thinking, I already know exercise is important, but here's the catch. As for the study, not all exercises are created.

[01:40] it equal. Doing the wrong ones or exercising without the right approach can waste your time or even lead to injury. That's why in this video I'll show you the top five anti-aging exercises and the one approach that scientists called the gold standard for reversing muscle loss, regardless of your age. For these five exercises, we'll focus on

[02:00] on the key muscle groups in your body, offering both easier and challenging variations to suit any fitness level. Let's get into exercise number one. This is something I recommend to almost every patient in my clinic that is over 50. It is the squat. Squats target the biggest muscles of our legs are glutes, quadriceps, and hamstring.

[02:20] which are crucial in helping us walk, climb stairs, and get off a chair. But what people don't know is that squats also activate the muscles of the back and our core. This helps build stability and endurance in our trunk, which ultimately helps with everyday tasks like lifting, bending, and carrying. So here is how to do the squats correctly.

[02:40] Start in standing with feet shoulder-width apart, place your arms either straight in front of you or cross them in front of your chest. As you inhale, slowly lower yourself down by bending at the hips and knees together. Be sure to pause at the bottom point. The back should be straight and breathing should be deep.

[03:00] stand back up, focusing on activating your big leg muscle, including your glutes and quads. I typically recommend two sets of 10 repetitions for this exercise. To make it harder, you can use a weight in your hand, like a 10 or 15 pound dumbbell. To make it easier, you can use a chair to do slow sit-stands.

[03:20] hands with the option of using the armrests or balance. Again, start with two sets of ten and you can increase the repetitions as you get stronger. Now before you make squats a daily habit, there's one crucial thing you need to understand. Without it, you risk not only frustration but also potential injury. Let me introduce you to

[03:40] Adrian, a 60 year old patient of mine who went from struggling to walk to his mailbox to be able to walk and garden for an hour in just a few weeks. Now Adrian loved gardening and playing with his grandkids, but after injuring his back, he was unable to do either. When he came to see me, he was only able to walk 10 minutes. I gave Adrian a few hours to walk and garden for an hour.

[04:00] exercises, one of them was the squat, and I also started him on a simple protocol, walking for just five minutes a day. Now here's a trick that I wish all my patients knew. I asked Adrian to increase his exercise and walking time by 20% each week. And this is what we call the golden rule of rehab.

[04:20] Consistency is always better than intensity. In two months, Adrian tripled his walking time, was able to get back to gardening for an hour, and regained his strength to lift and play with his granddaughter again. So the key takeaway here is that progress doesn't have to be fast, it just needs to be steady. To improve your strength and revert

[04:40] muscle loss, we have to focus on consistency and gradual improvements. Think marathon, not a sprint. And this approach called progressive strength training is what scientists now call the gold standard for fighting muscle loss and reversing aging. So now that you understand this golden rule and approach, let's dive into it.

[05:00] into exercise number two. This one is focused on strengthening your back and your core, another exercise I recommend it to Adriene. Exercise number two is called the modified crunch. Crunches are excellent for targeting your core muscles, particularly the rectus abdominis, which is also called the six-pack muscle. But more importantly, the modified crunch is focused on strengthening your back and your core, another exercise I recommend it to Adriene.

[05:20] helps build a strong core by strengthening the deeper muscles of the trunk and the back, which is essential for maintaining good posture, trunk stability, while also helping reduce back pain in later years. So here's how to perform the modified crunch, a version most people can do. Lie on your back with your knees bent.

[05:40] and feet flat on the floor or on your bed, place your hands on your thighs. From here, engage your abdominal muscles by pulling your belly button down towards the ground. Imagine the muscles of the core getting slightly tighter while your low back gets flatter against the bed. If you have back pain, this slight movement

[06:00] a pelvic tilt can give you relief. From here, inhale deeply and as you exhale, lift your shoulder blades off the ground. Focus on using your abdominal muscles to curl up rather than pulling with your neck or chest. Only go as high as you can, holding for a moment at the top, then slowly lowering back.

[06:20] back down as you inhale. Repeating for two sets of 15 repetitions. If you have neck pain, you can place your hands lightly behind your head for slight support. But again, do not pull with your neck. Ensure the movement is mostly coming from your core. Remembering that quality is more important than quantity.

[06:40] concentrate on engaging your core throughout the movement while also maintaining your breath. To make this more challenging, you can either lift up higher, use a weight on your chest, or you can simply do more repetitions. Before an easier version, you can perform a partial crunch, lifting just your head and shoulders slightly off the ground, maybe an inch or two, but you should

[07:00] still be able to feel this in your core. Now as with any exercise, listen to your body and progress gradually, starting slowly and increasing as you build strength and endurance. Now that we worked on strengthening your core, let's move on to an exercise that will challenge your lower body strength, balance, and flexibility all at once.

[07:20] Exercise number three is called the reverse lunge. Lunge is like squats are a key exercise for building stronger legs and glutes, but that's not all. Lunge is also engaged your back in abdominal muscles, helping to relieve stress on your spine and ease back pain, which like I mentioned is common in many of my patients over 50.

[07:40] Research shows that regular lunges not only boost your knee and hip joint health, but also increase bone density, reducing the risk of osteoporosis. Now I'm going to show you a lunge variation that's much easier than the typical forward or walking lunge that you may see. So start by placing your feet shoulder-width apart and holding onto a shoulder-width apart.

[08:00] chair or counter for support in front of you. While keeping your back straight, take a wider than normal step backwards. Your front leg should form a right angle at the bend, while your back leg remains on the toe and also bends at a right angle as best you can. As you lower yourself, imagine a straight line running from your back to your neck moving your

[08:20] down as one unit, bending both hips and knees to lower yourself smoothly. You don't need to touch the floor with your knee, just aim for a distance of about 3 to 5 centimeters off the floor. Once you reach the bottom, rise slowly in one smooth motion, keeping your abdominal muscles engaged and remembering to breathe throughout the morning.

[08:40] movement. Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side, aiming for one set of 10 repetitions on each side. If you have knee or hip arthritis pain, I would suggest start with mini lunges, lowering yourself only 25% of the weight down. If you have extra mobility and strength, you can try a more challenging version, letting go of

[09:00] the support and using a 10-pound dumbbell in each hand for added difficulty. Again, aim for 1 set of 10 repetitions on each side and increasing the numbers and the depth of your lungs gradually as you build strength. Now that we've strengthened our legs and core, it's time to tackle the key muscles of our

[09:20] body. Exercise number four is a modified push-up. Now push-ups are a powerful exercise for building strength in your upper body, focusing on your chest, shoulders, and triceps. But they also engage your core, helping to improve your ability to lift, carry, push, and pull. And this was a key

[09:40] exercise for Adrian, who is able to build the strength to lift and play with his granddaughter. So here's how to perform a push-up. Starting with the modified version that's easier for beginners, placing your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart on the floor with your knees on the ground. Keep your body in a straight line from your head all the way down to your knees.

[10:00] yourself towards the floor by bending your elbows, keeping your body in a straight line. Aim to go down until your chest is just above the floor. Again, there's no need to touch it. Slowly pushing yourself back up to the starting position in a smooth, controlled motion. Engage your core and keep your body straight throughout the movement. Aim for two sets.

[10:20] 10 repetitions. Now for those with shoulder problems or reduced upper body mobility, try this easy version against the wall. Stand facing a wall with your feet about a foot away, place your hands on the wall slightly wider than shoulder width, bend your elbows and lean towards the wall, bringing your chest closer without touching it, and then pushing it

[10:40] yourself back to the starting position. This is a gentle way to build upper body strength without putting too much strain on your shoulders. You can always make this harder by moving your feet further away from the wall or by using a countertop. Now if you have extra strength and mobility, you can always challenge yourself with the full pushup. Only difference is you have your feet on the ground.

[11:00] rather than your knees. But keep your body in a straight line from your head to heels, keeping your core tight. Now regardless of which version you choose, aim for two sets of 10 repetitions to start gradually increasing as you build strength in your upper body. Now there's still one more exercise that is crucial for maintaining your mobility and independence.

[11:20] as you age. Time for the final exercise. The final exercise number five is the glute bridge and in my experience it's the most powerful indicator of overall mobility and strength well into your 70s, 80s and beyond. If you're able to perform 10 to 20 repetitions of this exercise it means

[11:40] you have the strength needed for essential daily activities like getting off the bed, chair, walking, and climbing stairs. And because of its functional importance, I suggest most of my patients to incorporate it into their regular routine. So here's how to perform the glute bridge. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.

[12:00] or bed, knees hip-width apart. Place your arms at your sides, palms facing down for stability. From here, engage and tighten your core by bringing your belly button down. As you inhale, press through your heels and lift your hips off the floor, squeezing your glutes at the top. Your body doesn't have to form a straight line.

[12:20] just go as far as you can. Hold this position for a brief moment, ensuring your glutes and core are engaged, exhale as you slowly lower your hips back to the floor, maintaining control throughout the descent, performing two sets of 10 repetitions. To make the glute bridge more challenging, try incorporating a single leg

[12:40] variation. Lifting one leg while performing the bridge adds way more intensity and engages your stabilizer muscles of your side glutes even more. For a more easier version, start by focusing on squeezing and holding your glute muscles while keeping your hips close to the ground. You can gradually lift your hips just 1 to 2 inches off the floor.

[13:00] as you build strength. Over time, you'll find you can lift higher and perform the exercises with greater ease.

[13:20] So now that you know how to boost your muscle mass and get stronger, here's something even more exciting. Did you know that there's a simple trick that can help you walk like you're 20 years younger? Click on this video and I'll show you that one exercise that can instantly improve your walking. It's perfect for anyone over 50.

[13:40] see you there.