As we age, our ability to recover and stay mobile and flexible declines. While most of us are aware exercise can help ease some effects of aging, starting a program when you're over the age of 50 can be intimidating.

Add in the bombardment of social media "fitness experts" performing seemingly impossible or complex exercises and one can get lost in a sea of disinformation. So, it's important to choose exercises and a fitness program that reduces your risk of injury while improving mobility, endurance, strength and posture.

An at-home, full-body dumbbell workout is the perfect way for people over 50 to increase their overall fitness without the expense, intimidation or inconvenience of going to a gym.

Dumbbell exercises allow for even development of muscle groups on both sides of the body while also engaging smaller muscle groups, tendons and ligaments, which aid in joint stability and balance.

The following full-body dumbbell workout for people over 50 will strengthen the legs, arms, shoulders, back and chest — which helps to combat age-related muscle loss, called sarcopenia — while improving cardiorespiratory fitness, posture and mobility.

If you complete 1 round of each exercise, resting 30 to 45 seconds between sets, this workout should take you about 20 minutes. If you have more time and are up for a challenge, you can complete 2 or even 3 rounds. Because the number of reps per exercise differ, see below for how many to perform for each move.

A set of dumbbells at a weight that will be challenging to you when you reach the last repetition of each set.

An exercise mat is optional, but recommended.

The exercises listed are in order of largest muscle groups to smallest. This progressive order allows you to perform each exercise to the highest level of intensity. This is because working smaller muscle groups first may cause the larger muscle groups to tire prematurely, which may prevent you from obtaining the full benefit of the exercise.

Sumo squats improve overall thigh and glute strength, while also focusing on inner-thigh development.

The lying single-arm chest press increases chest, shoulder and triceps strength while also improving core strength and stability, specifically in your obliques.

Bent-over rows increase upper-back strength and mid-back mobility while also improving endurance in your lower back. Improving upper-back strength can improve posture as well.

Stationary lunges improve stability and strength in your upper thighs while indirectly increasing calf strength and stability, which is important for preventing knee injuries.

Building biceps strength is important for everyday lifting.

Triceps kickbacks help strengthen the triceps while also improving rear deltoid and upper-back stability and strength.

The Romanian deadlift improves lower-back and hamstring strength and hamstring flexibility.

The lateral raise to front raise improves shoulder strength without the worry of shoulder impingement issues that can occur from overhead presses.

The Russian twist strengthens the entire core while also improving torso mobility.

Usually a kettlebell exercise, you can perform this with dumbbells just as easily. Windmills increase shoulder and torso mobility while strengthening your core and shoulders.

​​Check out more of our ​​20-minute workouts here​​ — we’ve got something for everyone.​