91-Year-Old Fitness Star Shares Her Best Workout Tips to Stay Young
These five exercises will help you age powerfully.
It's no wonder that Dalyce Radtke's career as a fitness influencer has taken off—at 60 years old, the mom of seven could put most people half her age to shame at the gym. However, in recent weeks, Radtke has stepped aside as the star of the show to let her mother, 91-year old Edna Giordano, take center stage as a viral fitness sensation in her own right.
Giordano recently caught the public's eye when her daughter posted a video of her age-defying daily workout routine, which she began at the age of 65. For many women, she now represents what it means to age powerfully with fitness and mobility as a priority.
"I think when a lot of people pass middle age, they really act old and they're not—they're still young," Giordano shared in a recent Instagram post, adding that age is a "mindset." The fitness star notes that she feels as good as she did in her 50s, and credits her daily dedication to exercise for her continued good health.
Ready to try Giordano's best workout moves for staying young, both physically and in spirit? These are five of the most impactful exercises she does every day to maintain mobility, independence, and fitness.
RELATED: 104-Year-Old Woman Reveals Her Anti-Aging Skincare Routine.
1
Practice shoulder mobility exercises.
Giordano maintains flexibility in her upper body by getting her shoulders moving. In a recent post, she demonstrated how she uses a tennis ball to increase mobility in those joints.
Taking the tennis ball in her right hand, Giordano reaches behind her back from the bottom up. With her left arm, she reaches up and over her shoulder to meet her right hand in the middle and takes the ball. Staying in continuous motion, she then brings the ball down and repeats the motion on the other side, passing the ball back and forth behind her.
"Limited shoulder mobility can hinder daily activities like dressing, grooming, and reaching for items, potentially compromising our ability to live independently," Radtke explains in the video.
RELATED: 4 Simple Exercises for a Flat Belly at Any Age.
2
Prioritize floor stretches.
Giordano's routine also includes floor exercises that promote flexibility in the hips, glutes, hamstrings, groin area, and lower back. In one Instagram post that demonstrates her stretching routine, she's seen doing a "modified pigeon" yoga pose, lower back twists, groin stretches, and more.
"My mom's incredibly youthful mobility didn't happen overnight," Radtke wrote in the caption. "It's a testament to consistency, beginning with small steps—perhaps just a bit more each day. No frills, no fancy gym, no special equipment."
3
Strengthen your core.
Having a strong core is another crucial element to staying young as you age, the mother-daughter duo says. In that same TikTok video, Giordano is seen doing bridge walks and bird dog stretches, both of which can help build a more muscular middle.
"She manages—somewhat effortlessly—everything from reverse crunches to hip lifts and side planks," Radtke says of her mother's core routine. "This clearly demonstrates that age is merely a number. Who would have guessed a 91-year-old could maintain such flexibility and strength?"
4
Build upper body strength and posture.
Giordano also emphasizes the importance of building muscle in the upper body, which can offset the natural decline in muscle mass that occurs as you age. Using five- and eight-pound hand weights, her routine includes single-arm presses, lateral raises, front raises, bent-over reverse flies, straight-arm abductions, and more.
"They're great for strengthening her shoulders and enhancing her posture, keeping her looking and feeling youthful," says Radtke.
5
Practice sit-stand exercises.
Another way that Giordano is preserving her mobility well into her senior years is by practicing sit-stand exercises. Laying down on her back, she rocks forward with her hands outstretched. Without touching the ground, she stands up from that seated position.
"Being able to perform sit-stand movements without difficulty or assistance contributes to an independent and active lifestyle as we get older," Radtke writes.
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