My Four Simple Exercise Routines: Muscles Need More Than Protein

HealthyRetired · Movement · Personal experience by Healthy Retired

We talk a great deal about healthy food on HealthyRetired. But food is only part of looking after ourselves. If we want to keep our muscles as we grow older, eating protein alone is not enough. We also need to use them.

I have developed four small exercise routines for myself. I call them my four “sets,” although here I mean four different activities, rather than four sets of the same exercise.

I do at least one every day. Most days, I do two. Once a week, I do all four.

This is my personal routine, built around activities I can fit into my life. It is not a prescription for everyone, and my distances, weights and repetitions are not targets that readers must copy.

1. Swimming: a short distance that gets me moving

My first routine is swimming. For this part of my routine, I am happy with just 80 metres.

I enjoy being in the water, and being outdoors gives me the opportunity to enjoy the sunshine too. Swimming makes movement part of something pleasant, rather than another chore on a list.

Eighty metres is my chosen amount for this short session; it is not a universal measure of how much swimming is enough for fitness. Pace, ability and the rest of the week's activity all matter.

For readers: choose a distance you can manage comfortably, swim where help is available, and build up gradually. Enjoying daylight does not require sunbathing: shade, protective clothing and appropriate sunscreen help limit ultraviolet damage. Avoid burning, and remember that a cap alone does not protect the rest of your skin. [1]

2. Vertical push-ups: from 10 to 40

My second routine is what I call vertical push-ups, also known as wall push-ups.

I stand about 50 centimetres from my door, place my hands against it, and bend and straighten my arms to move my body towards and away from the door.

I started with 10 repetitions. Now I do 40.

That progression is part of the story. Forty was not my starting point, and it does not need to be anyone else's.

For readers: a solid wall is a safer support than a door that could move or open. Place your hands around shoulder height, keep your body aligned, and move with control. Your distance from the support should suit your strength and balance; 50 centimetres is my distance, not a rule. Breathe throughout instead of holding your breath. Stop before your technique deteriorates.

3. Seated weight presses: two kilograms in each hand

For my third routine, I sit on the sofa with my back straight. I hold two weights of 2 kilograms each and press them upwards. I do 40 repetitions.

The appeal is its simplicity: a seat, two small weights and a little time.

For readers: a firm, stable chair may provide better support than a soft sofa. Keep your feet supported, avoid arching your lower back, and press only through a comfortable range. Shoulder pain is a reason to stop and seek advice, rather than push higher. You can use lighter weights, fewer repetitions, or smaller groups of repetitions with rests.

As with the push-ups, the number alone does not describe the exercise's effect. Resistance, control, effort and progression matter too. [2]

4. The treadmill: five minutes with some variety

My fourth routine is five minutes on the treadmill at 4.5 kilometres per hour.

At that speed I can walk briskly, or use a slow jogging movement to break the monotony. A little variety helps keep the activity interesting for me.

The same speed can feel easy to one person and demanding to another. Walking is a perfectly useful choice; jogging is optional, not a requirement.

For readers: begin at a comfortable speed, use the safety clip, and slow the belt before getting off. Build duration or pace gradually as your abilities allow. Do not copy a jogging movement if it compromises your balance or causes pain.

Why protein alone is not enough

Protein supplies building materials. Resistance exercise gives muscles a reason to adapt and remain capable. Both belong in the conversation about maintaining strength with age. [2]

Wall push-ups and weight presses provide resistance, while swimming and treadmill walking add aerobic activity. My routine is a practical starting point, rather than a complete programme for every major muscle group.

A broader routine should also consider leg strength, pulling movements and balance. A physiotherapist or qualified exercise professional can help choose suitable additions.

General guidance for older adults includes 150–300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week, muscle-strengthening work on at least two days, and varied activities emphasising balance and strength on three or more days. Smaller amounts still count, and people should start within their abilities. My short sessions alone should not be presented as meeting all those recommendations. [3]

Daily movement can be gentle. More demanding strength sessions also need recovery; exercising every day does not mean working the same muscles hard every day.

Movement matters for the brain too

Exercise is not only about muscle. Research links physical activity with brain health, and some trials report benefits for aspects of memory or thinking. It is not a guarantee against dementia, and lasting cognitive effects remain an active research question. [4]

Maintaining strength and mobility also supports something very practical: the ability to keep doing things for ourselves.

Starting the conversation after 60

When I speak with people aged 60 and older about exercise, I sometimes feel they would rather avoid the subject. I understand that it can sound like a demand to join a gym or begin a difficult programme.

My own routine is much simpler. A short swim. Push-ups against a support. Two small weights. A few minutes on a treadmill.

For someone else, the starting point might be entirely different. Pain, disability, illness and fear of falling deserve understanding—not criticism.

The message I want to share is this: nourish your muscles, and give them work to do. Start with something manageable, then build from there.

Before starting or changing an exercise routine: Seek individual advice if you have a heart condition, significant balance problems, painful joints or another condition affecting exercise. Stop and seek medical help for chest pain, faintness or unusual breathlessness. This article describes my experience and does not replace a personalised exercise plan.

Sources

Sources checked on 11 October 2026. The swimming distance, repetitions, weights, treadmill speed and weekly routine are the author's own account.