7 Standing Exercises That Tone Your Entire Body Without Touching the Floor After 50

Ready to fire up your kinetic chain? Standing exercises are exactly what your workout needs to tone your entire body without touching the floor. Unlike floor-based routines that typically isolate a certain area, standing moves call for your body to stabilize from the ground up, explains Karen Ann Canham, CEO and founder of Karen Ann Wellness.

“This means your core, legs, and glutes are constantly active, even when you’re targeting your upper body,” Canham tells us. “Standing also mirrors how we move in everyday life, so it translates directly into functional strength and balance.”

For older individuals, standing work helps preserve bone density, proprioception, and coordination—all essential in avoiding injury and boosting your lifespan.

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Squats

“This bodyweight move strengthens the glutes, quadriceps, and core,” Canham explains. “Squats build lower-body strength and improve mobility in the hips and knees.”

Make sure to keep your feet shoulder-distance apart, maintain a tall chest, and sit back into your heels.

1. Begin by standing tall with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Extend your arms in front of you or place your hands on your hips. Use a chair for support, if necessary.
3. Bend at the knees and hips as you lower into a squat.
4. Use control to descend until your thighs assume a “sitting” position or lower.
5. Press through your heels to return to standing.
6. Perform 3 sets of 15 reps.

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Standing Oblique Crunches

“The standing oblique crunch engages the core and improves spinal stability,” Canham notes. “Bring your knee toward your elbow while keeping your torso upright to sculpt your midsection and enhance coordination.”

1. Begin standing tall with your feet shoulder-width apart and hands behind your head, elbows wide.
2. Activate your core and lift your left knee toward your left elbow as you crunch your torso to the side, keeping your chest tall.
3. Use control to lower.
4. Lift your right knee toward your right elbow as you crunch your torso to the side.
5. Perform 3 sets of 12 reps on each side.

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Reverse Lunges With Arm Reach

“The reverse lunge with arm reach targets the legs, glutes, and shoulders while improving balance,” Canham points out. “Stepping backward activates stabilizing muscles, while reaching overhead extends the spine and opens the chest.”

1. To begin, stand tall with your feet hip-distance apart and arms at your sides.
2. Step your left foot back to assume a lunge position. Be sure to keep your front knee stacked over your ankle.
3. As you descend, reach both arms overhead, lowering until your front thigh is parallel to the floor.
4. Return to the center.
5. Step your right foot back to assume a lunge position. As you lower, reach both arms overhead.
6. Return to the center.
7. Perform 3 sets of 10 reps on each side.

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Standing Kickbacks

“Standing kickbacks activate the glutes and hamstrings while engaging the lower back and core for support,” Canham says. “Keep a slight bend in the standing knee and move with control to avoid momentum.”

1. Begin by standing tall, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Hinge forward just a bit, keeping your back flat and your core engaged.
3. Keep your upper arms parallel to the ground as you extend the dumbbells behind you.
4. Squeeze your triceps at the top of the movement.
5. Use control as you return to the start position.
6. Perform 3 sets of 15 reps on each leg.

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Standing Shoulder Press

“The standing shoulder press tones the shoulders and arms while keeping the core braced,” Canham tells us. “This compound movement enhances upper-body endurance and posture.” You can use a resistance band or set of dumbbells for this exercise.

1. Begin by standing tall in the middle of a resistance band with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Hold one end of the resistance band in each hand at shoulder level, palms facing forward.
3. Activate your core and maintain a tall chest.
4. Press both hands overhead until your arms are completely extended.
5. Use control as you lower the band back to shoulder height.
6. Perform 3 sets of 12 reps.

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Standing Side Leg Lifts

“The standing side leg lift strengthens the hips, outer thighs, and stabilizing muscles that support balance,” Canham says. “Keep your movements small and controlled for maximum benefit.”

1. Begin by standing tall with your feet hip-width apart and hands placed on your hips or holding onto a sturdy chair or wall for extra support.
2. Activate your core as you shift your weight onto your left leg.
3. Keep your right leg straight and toes pointed forward as you lift it out to the side as high as you’re comfortably able to.
4. Hold at the top for a moment before lowering.
5. Repeat on the other side.
6. Perform 3 sets of 15 reps on each leg.

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Standing March or High Knees

“Standing marches or high knees improve cardiovascular endurance and coordination while firing up the hip flexors and abs,” Canham explains. “Add arm swings for full-body activation.”

1. Start by standing tall with your feet hip-width apart and arms at your sides.
2. Lift your left knee up to hip height while swinging your right arm forward and left arm back. Keep your core engaged.
3. Lower your foot and repeat with your right knee, swinging your left arm forward and right arm back.
4. Maintain solid posture and steady breathing throughout.
5. Perform the exercise for 3 sets of 30 seconds.

“Consistency and body awareness matter more than complexity. When you train your body to move efficiently and stay engaged while standing, you’re not just toning muscles—you’re building stability, strength, and resilience that carry into every part of life,” Canham says.