The 5 Best Strength Exercises for People Over 50

One of the most effective ways to combat muscle loss is to build and protect the muscle you already have through strength training. Not only will that help you avoid frailty and falls, but it can also keep you moving with ease through your daily activities.When people ask Charlie Grundas, a certified personal trainer and owner of We, The Collective Fitness in Chicago, why it’s important to strength train after 50, he has an easy reply: “Do you ever want there to be a time where you can’t get off the toilet?” he says. “I don't think there should ever be [a time when] you drop something on the floor, and you're like, ‘Well, forget it, I don't own that anymore.’”You also start losing bone density as you age, and strength training builds healthy bones, which helps prevent falls and fractures. Plus, the muscle you build may offer some insulating protection if you do stumble, says Will Hewitt, certified personal trainer and director of training at Flight House Fitness in Charlestown, Mass.Strength training can help at any age, whether you want to keep improving in your athletic pursuits, be able to pick up grandchildren, or simply bring your groceries inside in one trip, Grundas says. It...