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Strength at home

Power and balance workout: fast lifts and one-leg control

Power, the ability to move quickly and forcefully, fades faster than strength with age, and balance starts to slip from the 50s. This session trains both: lift fast and lower slowly, then challenge your balance with a counter in reach. It's the Wednesday session of our workout plan for men over 50, whose phases set the speed: steady in weeks 1 and 2, fast from week 3.

40 minBeginner17 movesA wall · A bench or box · A step · Medicine ball · A kettlebell · A band · An anchor pointHip flexors · Glutes · Hamstrings · Quads · Chest · Triceps
Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

Warm-up

  1. Standing march2 min
    Beginner · Hip flexors, Abs, Glutes · 3D demoNext to a counterEasier: Seated marchHarder: Standing band hip flexion
  2. Standing hip CARs3 slow circles each way with each leg
    Beginner · Glutes, Hip flexors, Hip abductors · 3D demoThe move page's dose. A hand on the wallEasier: Hip circles on all foursHarder: 90/90 hip lift-off
  3. Hip-hinge practice8 reps
    Beginner · Glutes, Hamstrings, Back · 3D demoAs in the bone-strengthening workoutHarder: Dumbbell Romanian deadlift
  4. Bodyweight squat10 slow reps
    Beginner · Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings · 3D demoAs in the bone-strengthening workoutEasier: Sit squat (partial squat)Harder: Dumbbell goblet squat

Power

Rest 60 to 90 s between sets

  1. Sit to stand from a chair3 sets of 5 to 8
    Beginner · Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings · 3D demoFrom week 3, stand up as fast as you safely can and sit down over 2 to 3 seconds. Hold a dumbbell at your chest once 8 are easy. End the set when the speed dropsEasier: Sit to stand, pushing on the thighsHarder: Bodyweight squat
  2. Step-up3 sets of 5 each leg
    Beginner · Glutes, Quads, Hamstrings · 3D demoDrive up briskly and step down slowly. A hand on a rail is fineEasier: Low step-upHarder: Dumbbell step-up
  3. Medicine-ball chest push3 sets of 5
    Beginner · Chest, Triceps, Shoulders · 3D demoPush a 2 to 4 kg medicine ball hard from your chest to a wall or a partner. No ball: fast incline push-ups at a kitchen worktopHarder: Two-hand overhead throw
  4. Kettlebell swing3 sets of 6 to 8 (optional)
    Intermediate · Glutes, Hamstrings, Back · 3D demoOnly with confident technique and no fractures: crisp and fast, and stop the set as soon as your back starts to roundEasier: Cable pull-throughHarder: Kettlebell clean
  5. Band row2 sets of 8 to 10 (optional)
    Beginner · Back, Biceps, Shoulders · 3D demoPull fast, return slowly. A power version: the move page's 3 sets of 10 to 15 are for strengthHarder: Supported single-arm dumbbell row

Balance (next to a counter)

  1. Tandem stance and heel-to-toe walk2 holds of 30 s each way round, then 10 steps
    Beginner · Calves, Hip abductors · 3D demoLook at a point ahead, not at your feetEasier: Semi-tandem stanceHarder: Single-leg stand
  2. Single-leg stand2 holds of 20 to 30 s each leg
    Beginner · Hip abductors, Calves, Glutes · 3D demoFingertips on the counter, then a lighter touch, then hands freeEasier: Tandem stance and heel-to-toe walkHarder: Single-leg reach matrix
  3. Single-leg reach matrix2 rounds of 5 reaches in each direction, each leg
    Intermediate · Quads, Hip abductors, Glutes · 3D demoAdd a third round, as the move page doses it, once it's easyEasier: Standing crossed-leg side reachHarder: Single-leg Romanian deadlift
  4. Side-stepping (sideways walking)10 steps each way
    Beginner · Hip abductors, Glutes, Adductors · 3D demoThe move page's dose. Keep your hips levelHarder: Lateral band walk
  5. Backward walking10 steps, 2 or 3 times
    Beginner · 3D demoShort steps with a hand near the counter and a clear floor behind you. The move page doses 5 to 10 minutes on most daysHarder: Backward sled drag

Impact (optional, from week 3)

  1. Heel drop (impact for bone)20 to 30 drops at first, building towards about 50
    Beginner · Calves · 3D demoThe move page's dose. Leave them out with spinal fractures or several low-trauma fractures, or if you leakHarder: Jump rope (basic bounce)

Cool-down

  1. Wall calf stretch (gastrocnemius)30 s each side
    Beginner · Calves · 3D demoEasier: Seated calf stretch with a towelHarder: Heel-on-step calf and hamstring stretch
  2. Standing quad stretch20 to 30 s, 2 to 4 times each side
    Beginner · Quads, Hip flexors · 3D demoThe move page's dose. A hand on the counterEasier: Side-lying quad stretch with a strapHarder: Couch stretch

Tips

  • Fast up, slow down, and end each set while the speed is still there: power work is never done to failure.
  • Make balance harder one thing at a time: a lighter touch, a narrower stance, turning your head, then eyes closed, but only once one-leg standing is easy.
  • Get a known rotator cuff tear, a worn knee cartilage tear or a hernia checked before the fast moves: fast lifts can aggravate them.
  • With a heart condition, ask your GP or cardiac team before fast or hard work. Stop if you feel dizzy, and for chest pain, palpitations or unusual breathlessness.
  • If you've fallen in the past year, start with the seniors plan's balance work and ask your GP about a falls service.
  • With low bone density, keep the swings and heel drops out until a physiotherapist says otherwise; the step-ups and balance work stay in.

The doses are suggested starting points, not a prescription. Choose a range you can control and stop for sharp or increasing pain, numbness or tingling. Get individual advice after an injury or surgery, or if you are pregnant or managing a health condition.

Part of these weekly plans

Follow the whole week: which session on which day, and how to progress.

Find more moves like these

More strength at home

Beginner bodyweight workout

A 20-minute full-body workout with no equipment: squats, knee push-ups, bridges, lunges and planks.

20 minBeginner10 movesNo equipment

Full-body bodyweight workout

An intermediate no-equipment workout: push-ups, split squats, single-leg bridges, pike push-ups and core work.

30 minIntermediate11 movesNo equipment

Full-body dumbbell workout

A 35-minute full-body strength workout with dumbbells: goblet squats, presses, rows, Romanian deadlifts and carries.

35 minIntermediate9 movesA band, A dumbbell

Questions people ask

How long does the power and balance workout: fast lifts and one-leg control take?

About 40 minutes, including any warm-up and cool-down listed. Shorten it by doing fewer rounds; lengthen it by adding one.

What equipment do I need?

You need: A wall, A bench or box, A step, Medicine ball, A kettlebell, A band, An anchor point. Each move links to its guide, where you can find an alternative if you are missing something.

Is it suitable for beginners?

It is written for beginners. 11 of its 17 moves have an easier option listed beside them if you need one.

How do I make it easier or harder?

Use the easier or harder option listed under each move, change the number of rounds, or adjust the rest. Progress one change at a time.