When people talk about strength training after 60, the conversation often becomes unnecessarily polarised.

It’s usually framed as a choice between extremes:
go to the gym or train at home.

That may change for me in the future. With your help, I quite like the idea of reviewing gyms around the country and exploring which ones actually work best for us older members, not just in theory, but in reality.

For now, though, because of my current lifestyle and where my fitness level is, I train at home.

I aim for 45 minutes to an hour of strength training, three times a week.

To look after my cardio, I try to walk 5,000 to 8,000 steps a day.

Something I’ll be honest about and say I still struggle with, largely because I spend far too much time at my laptop.

So I break it down.

Two 15-minute walks with Poppy, now a little slower than they once were, as she’s 13, and one 30-minute brisk walk to keep my heart rate up.

Nothing extreme, nothing complicated, just what fits my life, and what I can repeat.

Bands or Dumbbells

• resistance bands or
• dumbbells or
• nothing at all because it feels too risky

The reality is far simpler.

I use both resistance bands and dumbbells, for different reasons, and at different times.

Not to chase numbers, not to impress anyone,
but to stay strong, capable, and injury-free.

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What Strength Really Means After 60

Strength isn’t about lifting the heaviest weight possible.

It’s about:

• maintaining muscle mass
• protecting joints
• staying confident in everyday movement
• slowing the gradual loss of strength that comes with age

After 60, the goal shifts from maximising performance to preserving capability.

That’s where choosing the right tool (bands or weights) matters.

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Why Resistance Bands Are So Joint-Friendly

Resistance bands are often underestimated, but they’re incredibly useful.

What Bands Do Well

• Provide constant tension through the movement
• Reduce stress at vulnerable joint positions
• Encourage controlled, slower movement
• Allow easy adjustment without heavy loading

For shoulders, elbows, knees and hips — especially on days when things feel a bit stiff — bands are ideal.

They’re also excellent for:

• warm-ups
• mobility-focused strength
• higher-rep, lower-strain work

This is why bands are a cornerstone of my routine.

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Where Dumbbells Come In

Resistance bands are excellent, but they do have limitations.

If your goal includes maintaining or increasing muscle mass, some external load is helpful.

That’s where dumbbells earn their place.

What Dumbbells Do Better

• Provide clear, measurable load
• Stimulate muscle growth more effectively
• Help maintain bone density
• Improve real-world strength for lifting and carrying

Used sensibly, dumbbells support strength in a way bands alone sometimes can’t.

The key word is sensibly.

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The Joint Question (This Is the Important Bit)

The concern many people have with dumbbells is joint strain, and that concern is valid if they’re used poorly.

In my experience, joints tolerate dumbbells well when:

• weights are moderate
• movements are controlled
• ranges of motion are pain-free
• ego is left out of it

Heavy, fast, sloppy reps are the problem, not the dumbbells themselves.

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How I Combine Bands and Dumbbells

I don’t overthink it.

A typical approach looks like this:

Resistance Bands

• Shoulder work
• Back and posture exercises
• Warm-ups and recovery days
• Higher reps, lower strain

Dumbbells

• Leg work (squats, step-ups, lunges)
• Chest and arm strength
• Controlled compound movements
• Lower reps, manageable weight

Both serve a purpose.
Neither needs to dominate.

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Progress Without Punishment

Improving muscle mass after 60 doesn’t mean:

• training every day
• lifting heavy
• pushing through pain

It means:

• consistency
• gradual progression
• listening to joints as much as muscles

Some weeks bands do more work, some weeks dumbbells do.

That flexibility is what keeps me training, and not injured.

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How This Fits the 1-Hour Rule

This approach works because it’s repeatable.

Two or three one-hour sessions a week.
Some band work.
Some dumbbell work.
Always controlled.

Just like business, strength improves when you:

• stop chasing extremes
• focus on what you can sustain
• make small, deliberate improvements

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Keep It Sensible

If there’s one message worth holding onto, it’s this:

You don’t choose between bands or dumbbells.
You choose what supports your body now, and adjust as needed.

Strength after 60 should feel:

• supportive
• confidence-building
• and sustainable

That’s what keeps you moving, today and long term.

Coming up next week, the actual workout plan I try to follow as strictly as I can, complete with pics of me doing some of the exercises, with the resistance bands I use.

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Everyone’s health situation is different. This content reflects personal experience and general guidance, not medical advice. If you have existing conditions or concerns, it’s always sensible to check with your GP or a qualified professional before changing exercise routines.