If You Can Do These 4 Classic Exercises Daily at 60, You’re Aging Like an Athlete

Let’s face it: We’ve become obsessed with technology. Fitness wearables, step counting, sleep trackers—the list goes on and on. However, not every measure of healthy aging requires a medical test, fitness tracker, or complicated assessment. Sometimes, the most revealing indicators are the exercises that have stood the test of time.

While fitness trends come and go, a handful of classic movements continue to show up in training programs for everyone from elite athletes to older adults. The reason is that these exercises reveal how well your body functions as a system as opposed to simply building strength.

After 60, muscular strength and physical function are among the strongest predictors of healthy aging. According to a 2025 review,higher levels of strength and functional fitness are associated with better mobility, lower fall risk, more independence, and improved quality of life in older adults.

Fortunately, you don’t an expensive gym membership or complicated equipment to age like an athlete. According to James Brady, CPT, a certified personal trainer at OriGym, a few simple exercises can provide valuable insight into how well you’re aging physically.

“There is no single test that determines how well you’re aging, but a few classic exercises can reveal a lot about your strength, mobility, and overall fitness,” explains Brady. “If you can comfortably perform squats, push ups, and planks at 60, you’re demonstrating many of the physical qualities associated with healthy aging.”

Read on for the exercises and detailed step-by-step instructions. Then, when you’re finished, be sure to check out these 6 Bodyweight Moves That Sculpt Your Body Faster Than the Gym After 60.

Squats

Few exercises reveal as much info about your lower body function as the squat. Squats require strength in your quads, glutes, and hamstrings while demanding mobility from your hips, knees, and ankles.

“Squats are one of the best indicators of lower body strength and mobility,” says Brady. “They challenge the muscles used for everyday activities such as climbing stairs, getting out of a chair, and maintaining balance.”

How to do it:

1. Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart.
2. Keep your chest lifted and your eyes looking forward.
3. Engage your core muscles.
4. Push your hips backward as if you’re sitting in a chair.
5. Bend your knees and lower under control.
6. Keep your heels in contact with the floor.
7. Lower as comfortably as your mobility allows.
8. Pause for one to two seconds at the bottom.
9. Drive through your heels to stand.
10. Perform two to three sets of 10 to 15 reps, resting for 60 to 90 seconds between sets.

Push-ups

For adults over 60, push-ups remain one of the most effective indicators of upper body strength and functional fitness. “Push-ups assess upper body strength, core stability, and shoulder function all at once,” explains Brady. “Being able to perform them consistently suggests you’re maintaining muscle mass and movement quality across multiple areas of the body.”

How to do it:

1. Get into a high plank position.
2. Position your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
3. Create a straight line from head to toe.
4. Flex your core and glutes.
5. Slowly bend your elbows.
6. Lower your chest toward the floor.
7. Keep your elbows angled slightly backward.
8. Pause for one to two seconds at the bottom of the movement.
9. Push through your palms to return to the starting position.
10. Aim for two to three sets of 8 to 15 reps, resting for 60 to 90 seconds between sets.

Planks

6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

Core endurance becomes essential as you age because it helps support posture, balance, and spinal health. Additionally, Brady says that “a strong core supports helps transfer force efficiently during daily activities and exercise.”

How to do it:

1. Start on your forearms and toes.
2. Position your elbows directly beneath your shoulders.
3. Keep your body in a straight line.
4. Engage your ab muscles.
5. Tighten your glutes and legs.
6. Avoid letting your hips sag.
7. Keep your neck straight and neutral.
8. Breathe steadily through your nose during the movement
9. Hold for 20 to 60 seconds and repeat for two to three rounds, resting for 60 to 90 seconds between sets.

Single-Leg Stands

Research shows that balance is strongly associated with mobility, fall prevention, and independence in older adults. Fortunately, single-leg stands challenge your stabilizing muscles around your ankles, knees, hips, and core while providing a quick snapshot of balance control.

How to do it:

1. Stand tall near a stable support if needed.
2. Position your feet hip-width apart.
3. Shift your weight onto one leg.
4. Lift the opposite foot a few inches off the floor.
5. Keep your gaze fixed on a point ahead.
6. Maintain an upright posture.
7. Avoid leaning too far to one side.
8. Lower your foot and switch sides.
9. Hold each side for 20 to 30 seconds and repeat two to three times. Rest for 60 to 90 seconds between sets.