Denise Austin, 67, Shares Her Top 4 ‘Low-Impact’ Exercises for Women Over 50

Walking

There are so many benefits to walking every day. It’s “one of the best ways to get moving and get started if you haven’t exercised in a while,” Austin said. “Walking for 10 minutes is a great way to begin and get on a set routine.” Not only is it easy on your joints, but research shows walking for at least 10 minutes per day can reduce lower-body joint pain.

One thing that can make walking even easier on your body is the right pair of shoes. Austin shares that her “favorite walking shoes” are the Easy Spirit Mel Emove Walking Shoes.

She explained that this “top-of-the-line shoe” is her favorite because it offers great shock absorption, cushioning, and arch support. Austin also appreciates that the shoes are “orthotic-friendly” due to the removable arch support that allows you to add your own orthotic insoles.

Knee lifts

Knee lifts are another great move to engage multiple muscle groups (like your core and legs) while staying low-impact. This move can even function as a standing crunch (which Austin previously explained is effective for toning the lower belly) if you add your upper body into the mix. Simply stand upright and march in place, engaging your core muscles while slowly bringing one knee toward your chest at a time.

Heel lifts plus overhead press

Heels lifts, or standing heel raises are extremely low-impact but great for strengthening the calves. Austin suggests combining these with some arm movement to amp up the intensity of the workout while keeping things easy on the body. Austin suggests adding an overhead press to target the arm and shoulder muscles. “The more you work your arms, the more your heart rate gets up,” she explained. “The more muscles you use, the more calories you burn.”

If you’re looking for even more of Austin’s go-to exercises, be sure to check out some of our favorites below!

Shannen Zitz is an Assistant Editor at Prevention, where she covers all things lifestyle, wellness, beauty, and relationships. Previously the Editorial Assistant at Prevention, she graduated from the State University of New York at Cortland with a bachelor’s degree in English. If she’s not reading or writing, you can probably find her frequenting the skincare and makeup forums on Reddit or hogging the squat rack at the gym.