Getting up....

I was visiting my Mum last weekend.  She is getting older.  Still well enough, although the trials of age are catching up with her.  Noticeably in terms of mobility, basic movements.

It made me think of a comment that someone made on a recent post:

I recently got a daily e-mail from John Wood, of bodyweightbasics.com. It is usually a little sales pitch for an old time strongman book or some cool equipment, but sometimes it's training tips, routines,etc. This days was about the get-up. Not the Turkish get up, just the get up. Lay on the floor, front or back, and stand up. Do this 50 times. Try to make each one a little different. Alternate laying on your back and front. He uses it as a finisher on his workouts. I am terribly out of shape, and I tried it. It did give me a workout. Given what you have noted the importance of being able simply rise from the floor can mean, especially in old age, I am not sure I can think of a more simple, basic and safe exercise that may provide more benefit. Just thought I might share, and who knows, if you revise Hillfitt again, maybe add it to your list of exercises. 

There is something to this, the idea of floor living that I've mentioned before.  You don't need to be doing 50 reps of this, just being capable of getting up from the floor.

In terms of functional training, this is what counts.  I am all for basic, accessible, simple and safe strength training to build muscle and strength.  You need to use that strength though in basic real life moves.  As you get older what will be important is not only the strength to be independent, but the preservation of the skills of independence:  sitting, standing, walking, getting up and lying down.