I'm a PT in my 60s - these are the 5 age-defying exercises I recommend to all my friends

There's no time like the present to pick up a set of dumbbells at home or renew your gym membership. While life's obstacles don't change with age, our ability to handle them does, making it essential to stay fit through the decades.

As a personal trainer with over 25 years of experience, Ema Buckle knows this only too well. "From our 40s to our 60s, we can expect significant changes that impact our muscle strength, flexibility, and endurance," she tells woman&home. "We can also expect changes to our metabolism and a decline in the efficiency of fat and alcohol metabolism, which can lead to slower digestion.

"Research suggests that paying attention to health during these periods is crucial, and this includes incorporating more exercise to protect our hearts and maintain muscle mass, as well as being mindful of diet and alcohol intake," she says.

As well as clocking in a few thousand steps every day (the latest research suggests 6,000 to 8,000 is enough for those 60 and over), resistance training is an excellent way to fire up the metabolism, boost strength, and improve endurance. It can be a helping hand in your back pocket for the good times ahead.

"Strength training in our 60s significantly improves bone density," says Ema, who works for GLL in Cardiff’s Better leisure centres. "That in turn reduces the risk of falls and fractures and enhances balance and flexibility. It also helps to build and maintain muscle mass, making daily tasks easier."

To get started with strength training, all you need is a few simple exercises. These are the ones Ema recommends, suitable for home workout enthusiasts (with and without equipment) and gym lovers alike.

Ema's recommended exercises for 60 and over

1. Sit to stand

• Sit down on a bench or chair, with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Lean forward slightly, push through your feet and come up to standing.
• Keep your arms out in front of you or keep them by your sides to avoid using your arms for momentum.
• Repeat the exercise for 8 to 12 repetitions for 3 sets.

The sit-to-stand is one of the best exercises for 60 and over and best exercises for longevity, but if you already workout, then it'll likely be too easy for you. You could increase the exercise's intensity by holding a weight in either hand, or switch to doing bodyweight squats instead.

2. Wall press ups

• Stand in front of a wall with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Place your hands on the wall in front of you at shoulder height.
• Slowly, bring your body down to meet the wall.
• Push up to the starting position.
• Repeat the exercise for 8 to 12 repetitions for 3 sets.

If this exercise doesn't feel like much of a challenge, take a step backwards. The further you are from the wall, the harder the your push-up will feel.

3. Row

• Take a weight in each hand - you could use cables at the gym, dumbbells, kettlebells, or resistance bands at home.
• Push your hips to the back of the room, bringing your chest to a 90 degree angle with the ground.
• Extend your arms out in front of you, bringing your shoulder blades down and together.
• In a controlled way, bring the weights in towards your hips, squeezing your armpits together at the top.
• Try 8 to 12 repetitions of the exercise for 3 sets.

If you don't have any equipment, don't worry - place some cans from the food cupboard into a plastic bag and use that as your resistance. Your body doesn't know the difference between resistance from purpose-made weights and homemade weights.

4. Reverse lunges

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Take a step back with one leg.
• Drop your back knee to a 90-degree angle with the ground. Your front leg should also be at a right angle to the ground.
• Push through the foot on your back leg, returning to the starting position.
• Complete 8 to 12 repetitions of the exercise for 3 sets.

If you struggle to balance, bring your leg out to the side slightly as you take a step backwards. This widens your stance and gives you more stability. You can also hold onto a chair, as shown by Ema in the video.

5. Overhead press into extension

• Hold a dumbbell in your hands.
• Push up, bringing the weight above your head.
• Pause for a moment before dropping the weight behind your head. Make sure to keep your elbows in line with your ears.
• Reverse the movement by bringing the weight over the top of your head, then bending your elbows and bringing the weight down to your chest.
• Complete 8 to 12 repetitions of the exercise for 3 sets.

If you're doing this as a dumbbell workout at home but you don't have a dumbbell or any weights, remember you can use objects from around the house - such as cans of food from the cupboard or bottles of water (as shown by Ema).

Ema's tips for getting into exercise

• Explore your local area: "I would recommend you visit your local leisure centre and enquire about classes or what they offer in the gym," she says. "Any good PT should be able to provide a program that's suitable to your needs."
• Ask for beginner options: If you're doing exercise classes, introduce yourself to the instructor and let them know that you're new. "Any good instructor should be able to offer some alternatives if some of the exercises are too challenging for you," she says.
• Find what you enjoy: And when it comes to finding an instructor or personal trainer, don't settle for someone you don't feel totally "comfortable" with, she suggests.
• Stick with it: Ema says that she often reminds clients that every movement "has a pattern". Once you learn that pattern, everything feels a lot easier.