Healthy Aging
Strength for Older Adults
Chair-based strength moves for later life, a 12-week plan and a before-you-start checklist to go over with your family doctor.
C$24.99Buy
Strength Training Basics
Start strength training safely at home, with a simple 8-week plan built around Canada's 24-Hour Movement Guidelines
- 1 hour 15 minself-paced
- 6modules
- 5interactive tools
- Certificatewhen you pass
What you will be able to do
- explain what Canada's 24-Hour Movement Guidelines recommend for muscle strengthening, and for balance if you are 65 or older.
- check whether you are ready to start or should speak to your family doctor or nurse practitioner first.
- warm up and judge your effort using a simple 1 to 10 scale.
- perform 15 home-friendly strength and balance moves with good form.
- tell normal muscle soreness from warning signs, and know when to stop and who to contact.
- follow and log an 8-week plan and progress one step at a time.
- support your training with everyday eating based on Canada's Food Guide.
About this course
Strength training is not just for gyms and gym-goers. Canada's 24-Hour Movement Guidelines recommend muscle-strengthening activities at least twice a week for every adult, yet most of us are not sure where to begin. This course shows you how to start at home, using a sturdy chair, a kitchen counter and things you already own.
You will check you are ready to start, learn the eight basic movement patterns, practise good form and learn the difference between normal muscle tiredness and the warning signs that mean stop. Then you will follow a clear 8-week plan with two simple full-body workouts, log your sessions and learn how to progress safely.
It is for healthy adults of any age who are new to strength training or returning after a long break. If you have a health condition, are pregnant or have recently given birth, the readiness checklist will help you decide whether to speak to your family doctor, nurse practitioner, midwife or obstetric care provider first.
Course modules
6 modules-
1Why strength matters and what Canada's guidelines say
Find out what strength training really is, why it matters at every age, and what Canada's 24-Hour Movement Guidelines recommend.
- What strength training is (and what it is not)
- Canada's guidelines: strength at least twice a week
Your 8-week strength plan
-
2Getting ready safely
Check you are ready to start, set up a safe space, learn how to warm up and judge effort, and adapt for your stage of life.
- Check you are ready: health questions first
- Your space, warm-up and the effort scale
- Adapting for your stage of life
Am I ready to start? Readiness checklist
-
3Learn the moves
Meet the eight core movements behind every strength routine and learn the home-friendly versions on your exercise cards.
- Lower body: squat, hinge, step and bridge
- Upper body and core: push, pull, carry and brace
Exercise card libraryGood form checklist
-
4Good form and listening to your body
Learn the form rules that apply to every move and how to tell normal muscle tiredness from pain that means stop.
- Five form rules for every exercise
- Soreness versus pain: when to stop
Good form checklistWorkout log
-
5Your 8-week plan and how to progress
Understand sets, reps and rest, follow Workouts A and B for eight weeks, and learn safe rules for making things harder.
- How the plan works: sets, reps, rest
- Progressing safely week by week
Your 8-week strength planWorkout logExercise card library
-
6Recovery, food and keeping it going
Support your training with rest, everyday eating based on Canada's Food Guide, and habits that keep you strong after the 8 weeks.
- Rest, food and drink for stronger muscles
- Making it stick: habits for life
Workout logYour 8-week strength plan
Tools included
Saved to your account, downloadable as PDF- CheckerAm I ready to start? Readiness checklistA short set of questions to help you decide whether to start now or speak to your family doctor or nurse practitioner first.
- CardsExercise card libraryFifteen home-friendly strength and balance moves, each with set-up, how to do it, easier and harder options and a form cue.
- PlannerYour 8-week strength planMap out your two or three strength sessions each week for eight weeks, using Workouts A and B from the course.
- TrackerWorkout logRecord each day of your 8-week plan so you can see your sessions add up and spot when a move is ready to progress.
- CheckerGood form checklistRun through this after a set or a session to check your technique and spot habits to fix.
Who this course is for
- Adults new to strength training, or returning after a long break
- People who want to feel stronger for everyday jobs like stairs, carrying groceries, shovelling snow and lifting children
- Adults 65 and older who want to build strength and balance at home, with support to hold
- Anyone who prefers to train at home without a gym membership
Check with a health professional first if
- Anyone who has had chest pain, fainting or severe dizziness, at rest or during activity
- People with a heart condition, or high blood pressure that is not well controlled
- Anyone who is pregnant (speak to your midwife, obstetrician or family doctor), or who has given birth in the last year and has not yet been cleared by their health care provider for this kind of exercise
- People who have had recent surgery, a fracture, a hernia or a joint replacement
- People with a long-term condition such as diabetes, kidney disease, a lung condition or osteoporosis
- Anyone taking medicines that affect heart rate, blood pressure or blood sugar (your pharmacist can also advise)
- Anyone who has had a fall in the last year or often feels unsteady
- Anyone with back, joint or muscle pain that has not been checked
Your certificate
Answer at least 7 of the 10 final questions correctly and your certificate is ready to download straight away, with your name, the course and a verification ID anyone can check.
A certificate of completion shows you finished a general education course. It is not a professional qualification.
Certificate of completion
Your name
Strength Training Basics, 6 modules, completed 6 October 2026
Dr Aqsa Mukhtiar, PhD in Nutrition
Course authorID MNC-4K7Q-2Z9P
Verify at mynutricare.co.uk
Course authorID MNC-4K7Q-2Z9P
Verify at mynutricare.co.uk
Questions about this course
Do I need a gym or any equipment?
No. Every move uses a sturdy chair, a wall or kitchen counter, a mat or towel, and things you already have, such as water bottles or grocery bags. Light dumbbells or a resistance band are optional.
I am over 65. Is this course suitable for me?
Yes, if you are generally well. Canada's 24-Hour Movement Guidelines recommend muscle strengthening at least twice a week and activities that challenge balance for adults 65 and older. The course shows supported versions of every move. If you have fallen recently or have a health condition, speak to your family doctor or nurse practitioner first.
How long does each session take?
About 20 to 30 minutes, including a 5-minute warm-up and a short cool-down. On busy days, a 10-minute version still counts.
Can I do this while pregnant?
Talk to your midwife, obstetrician or family doctor before starting any new exercise in pregnancy. Canada's pregnancy guideline supports staying active, including resistance activities, but some pregnancy conditions mean exercise is not advised, so personal advice comes first.
What do I get with this course?
6 modules with 13 short lessons (about 1 hour 15 minutes in total) and 5 interactive tools, including the Exercise card library, Your 8-week strength plan and Workout log. Your tool results save to My Progress. A 10-question final check ends the course; score 7 or more for your certificate. Written by Dr Aqsa Mukhtiar, PhD in Nutrition. Prices are in Canadian dollars (CAD).