By Janet Smith, MS, NSCA-CSCS

As we age, maintaining strength, mobility, and balance becomes increasingly important for preserving independence and quality of life. Functional exercise focuses on improving the physical abilities needed for everyday tasks, helping us perform daily activities safely and confidently.

Functional exercises mimic daily tasks and provide intentional practice and training for life. These exercises can be performed in a gym or right in your own home with household items such as canned food, water jugs, and towels.

Let’s first look at the daily tasks of reaching into cabinets or overhead shelves and picking up items from the floor. These movements require shoulder and hip mobility, upper-body strength, and balance. Start by standing or sitting by a wall and sliding your hand up and down, side to side, on the wall. Maintain mobility and strength by reaching overhead with no weight and gradually adding light weights or resistance bands. You can also twist and reach from side to side, or hold a bath towel in both hands and gently stretch and pull to help maintain strength and flexibility.

Getting in and out of a seat — whether it be a chair or a vehicle — and climbing stairs rely on lower-body strength. Start with a seated exercise by looping a towel or resistance band around the bottom of your foot and pushing your leg toward the ground. From a standing position, complete a squat with your body weight or add resistance by holding a weight or household item. Use a repeated stand-to-sit exercise from a sturdy chair with or without using your hands to build strength in your quadriceps and glutes.

Carrying groceries, laundry, or other household items requires upper-body and grip strength. Whether in a seated, standing, or walking position, continue to challenge yourself by simply holding a heavy household item or weight in each hand while maintaining an upright posture. Add to this exercise by bending your elbows to do bicep curls or moving your arms backward to create a rowing motion. These exercises help maintain and improve your ability to safely transport objects throughout the home and community.

Preserving the ability to do personal hygiene activities, such as taking a shower, requires standing with balance and stability, and involves slippery surfaces. Start with single-leg stands and heel-to-toe walking and work toward marching in place and standing side leg raises to help improve balance and strengthen the muscles that support stable standing. These exercises will also assist your ability to maintain balance and strength for climbing stairs, reaching into cabinets, and catching yourself from a potential fall.

Overall, functional exercise helps us maintain independence by improving the physical abilities required for everyday life. By regularly performing exercises that support reaching, standing, bending, climbing, carrying, and balancing, we can continue to complete daily tasks with greater ease and confidence. Consistent participation in these activities not only enhances physical function but also increases confidence and contributes to a healthier, more active lifestyle.

Janet Smith is an assistant professor of health and exercise science at the University of Saint Francis in Fort Wayne, Ind. She is also the LutheRun Cross Country coach for the Fort Wayne Lutheran Schools.