‘I FEARED I WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO LIFT MY GRANDCHILDREN’: THE SIMPLE STRENGTH ROUTINE KEEPING FELICITY KENDAL STRONG AT 79

She made ‘growing your own’ cool in the 70s, but 40 years on, Felicity Kendal’s definition of The Good Life has changed: ‘I was 50 for my first grandchild and I started doing bone density exercises around then. I thought: “Oh, I won’t be able to pick them up out of the car as some of them are quite big and heavy”,’ she has explained. After watching her own mother lose mobility to brittle bone disease, the actor became determined to stay as strong and independent as possible: ‘I took action and started doing more exercise.’

Now 79 and a grandmother to 13 children, she has not slowed down. In fact, she recently told The Telegraph that she’s increased her gym sessions from three times a week to five. Currently starring in the Cole Porter musical High Society, she said she was keeping a pair of dumbbells backstage because ‘there’s no time to get to the gym, and if I don’t get to the gym, I crack.’

Felicity Kendal’s weekly fitness regime

• Strength training
• Dog walking
• Hatha yoga
• 7-8 hours sleep every night

Why does Felicity Kendal lift weights at 79?

‘It’s nothing to do with looks,’ she has said. ‘It’s just if I don’t stay active, I’ll fossilise. You have to keep moving at my age or you run out of energy.’

The benefits of strength training, or lifting weights, are backed by science at any age. But as we get older, keeping our muscles strong and our bones healthy helps us prevent injury and perform everyday tasks like lifting grandchildren.

Menopause brings with it a loss in both muscle mass and bone density. Dropping oestrogen affects the ‘glue’ that binds muscle fibres together and shrinks fast-twitch fibres, explains orthopedic surgeon Vonda Wright, author of Unbreakable. Those fibres are responsible for quick, powerful movements, such as catching yourself during a fall. ‘If we let time, biology and physics go unchecked, we’ll keep losing fibres, making us vulnerable to injury and less able to move confidently and independently,’ she told GH.

Weight training helps to counteract this decline, stimulating muscle and bone cell growth and maintenance. A landmark study found that postmenopausal women with low bone density who started doing 30 minutes of high-intensity resistance and impact training (think deadlifts, overhead presses, jumping chin-ups) twice a week, increased the bone density in their lower spines by an average 2.9 percent after eight months.

By comparison, a control group did stretching and light weight resistance and lost 1.2 percent.

Can you strength train at home?

Yes! ‘I swear by exercise!’ Felicity told The Guardian. ‘It can really change the way you feel and it doesn’t cost anything. That and sleep – and lots of body lotion.’

Caroline Idiens, aka @carolinescircuits, told GH that: ‘Training at home, with simple equipment, is ideal for those finding it hard to carve out time or who prefer not to be in a gym. Rolling out the mat in the comfort of your own home can also give a confidence boost to those feeling gym intimidation. At home, there’s no comparison and you can follow a workout, shower and get back to the daily to-do list all in the space of a lunch break!’

How much strength training do experts recommend after 60?

NHS guidelines suggest that older adults do some type of physical activity every day to improve their health and reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. Adults aged 65 and over should aim to do activities that improve strength, balance and flexibility on at least 2 days a week.

Caroline suggests a 30-minute workout, twice a week, with a series of exercises targeting the upper body using dumbbells, squats, planks and some core work. ‘Slowing the movement down to ensure form and technique are being done correctly is important,’ she advises. ‘This is hugely beneficial to building strength and working the muscle in the way it should be during each movement. Lifting weights in midlife isn’t about how many reps you can do. Instead, the focus is on completing the workout properly so you can see and feel the results as you progress.’

Can you start lifting weights in your 70s or 80s?

Yes, but start gently. The NHS lists the following examples of muscle-strengthening activities:

• carrying heavy shopping bags
• yoga
• pilates
• tai chi
• lifting weights
• working with resistance bands
• doing exercises that use your own body weight, such as push-ups and sit-ups
• heavy gardening, such as digging and shovelling

Want to build strength like Felicity?

The good news is you only need basic equipment. In fact, if you’re starting from scratch, all you really need is a non-slip fitness mat.

Caroline advises that beginners start with 10 minutes of bodyweight, building up to light weights (2kg): ‘Great bodyweight exercises you could begin with would be squats, lunges and press-ups. As a beginner, complete these by doing 10 reps of each, with 20 seconds of rest between each exercise. If you can, aim to complete three sets.’

As your strength builds, you can add a short loop resistance band and two dumbbells to your arsenal (start with 2kg and increase gradually as your strength increases). ‘As you progress and if budget allows, I recommend having a heavier set of dumbbells for lower-body workouts,’ says Caroline.

Fun fact…

In 1981, Felicity Kendal fronted one of the era’s most popular aerobic workout albums. Shape Up and Dance With Felicity Kendal featured high-energy pop covers of hits such as Dancing Queen, YMCA and Making Your Mind Up. If you’re looking for a soundtrack to your strength-training sessions, you can still stream the original audio tracks directly on SoundCloud!

2026-07-07T15:37:36Z