By a Pearl Republic editorial staffer

The last time I visited friends in a retirement community, I saw two retirees walking as I drove past. From the front gate to their house was only three blocks. I didn't think much about it. When I left an hour later, there were two different walkers stretching their legs. That caught my attention.

Walking? Does it do any good in maintaining your health and bone density? All of the books and articles and web reports say "yes." These are the pros, so I cannot disagree with them.

But there must be something else in addition to (or as a substitute for) walking. So during the last three months I tested some exercises I could do at home. These were recommended by a physical therapist. These are intended to improve muscle tone and maintain bone mass.

If you work or attend school, you no doubt already get in a lot of walking. I mention school simply because I wish I had known more about bone density and helpful exercises during high school and college. So there were several years wasted, but now I am on track. I want to face aging head-on.

First of all, these exercises are quite easy. But I do anticipate you are in good physical condition. If there is any problem whatsoever (pain!), please seek medical advice. Only you know what you can and cannot do. And while easy, the exercises are going to stress your muscles and bones in body areas you didn't know existed. But it is fun, and it is necessary.

Getting started
You're home. And you roll out of bed in the morning, attending to those details which signal the arrival of sunlight. Now if you are a marathon runner you're on the path before dawn. If you have a young child or young children, you may get all the exercise you can handle. If you are a couch potato, you won't be interested. But if you are active (or want to be), this is for you.

Part 1 & 2
Step to your kitchen counter, move back just so your fingertips on the counter give you support and balance. Lift your left or right knee directly up to a comfortable position, bring it down. Continue with one knee lift 10 times. Repeat with other knee lift, 10 times.

Now swing one leg directly to the side, and then back. Repeat 10 times. Then swing the other leg to the side 10 times. Use a moderate pace, and don't try to break any leg swing records.

Repeat Part 1& 2 above twice. Here is what we are striving for: with the knee lift the thigh should be parallel with the floor. Can't quite get there? That is the reason for the exercises. You will eventually get there. In fact, you may soon do the knee lifts with your hands on your hips.

As for the leg swings, it is a movement you don't use often.

Rest, as you need to. Have a sip of juice, coffee, tea. Then back to your home spa.

Part 3 & 4
Move back from the kitchen counter with fingertips providing support. Keeping body erect, do a short knee bend from the waist down. Decide how deep you can go with only minimal stress and strain. Keep your feet about 9-12 inches apart. Repeat 10 times.

Again keeping body erect, swing one leg directly back a short distance, keeping leg straight. Bring forward, and repeat 10 times. Then swing back the other leg 10 times.

Repeat Part 3 & 4 above twice. The goal: increase the depth of your knee bend as you do the exercises. During this entire exercise program, as you move your leg muscles your bones move also. It is this simple activity which keeps them alive, alert and ticking.

Part 5
Your kitchen chair may work fine for this exercise. Sitting erect, swing one leg forward slowly, and then back. Try to raise your leg until it is about parallel with the floor. Repeat 10 times with each leg. And then repeat the 10 counts again.

You will feel some stress in your upper leg (thigh) muscles. There are four muscles at work here - called quadriceps. This exercise is excellent for shaping your upper legs. To shape your lower legs, do heel to toe pushups using the counter as support.

Part 6 (optional)
During the day how often do you walk backwards?...or sideways? Not often. This is really for balance training. During this exercise wear firm-fitting sandals or slippers, loafers or flats (no flip flops).You need space to take 7-10 steps backwards (hallway?). Go out and back twice, turning around as you need to. Place your hands in back of you to feel the wall, door or counter as you approach.

Sideways is the normal sidestep, similar to No. 2 above. The difference is that when you swing a leg out, you shift your weight to that foot. Draw the other leg together, and sidestep again. Cover the available space two times.

2-minute Workout
This quickie workout can fit into the exercise routine at this point. (Only 2 minutes to go!)

On our website - pearlrepublic.com - you will see posted this 2-minute arm/elbow/shoulder workout (bottom of Pearls of Wisdom). It should help maintain bone density in those areas. It will also tone-up your arms. As you work through this twice-daily (morning and evening) 2-minute Workout you will advance to using 1- or 2-pound weights. (These are weights you grip with your hand, commonly called barbell weights. The photos on the website page display approximately 5-lb weights. Your weights will be much smaller.)

I want to point out there are no carved-in-stone number of times you should do each exercise. Likewise, don't shoot for optimal results when just starting. It is much better to inch toward your goal rather than throw your arms up in failure. Someone must have said "patience is a virtue."

I do the complete exercise routine in the morning. It takes about 17-20 minutes (with rest intervals). And the moment I walk in the door from work, I do the 2-minute Workout so I won't forget. As I began this exercise program I was overwhelmed. But everyday, even if time does not allow the "works," I feel better about myself now, and know I will feel even better about myself as the years progress.