As we get older, taking care of ourselves becomes essential — and a big part of that is exercise. Older adults in their 60s and above should aim to make exercise a part of their daily and weekly routines, as it can delay the onset of common health problems. Exercise can also lower blood pressure, decrease the risk of heart disease, help you get better sleep and improve balance.

Just moving your body regularly is enough to feel the positive effects of exercise, but if you're ready to advance in your training, a great way to do that is to build muscle strength. Weight training is one of the best ways to do this, and using kettlebells (or KBs) is a safe, easy way to use weights.

Kettlebell exercises for older adults can increase muscle and bone density, improve grip strength, improve mental health and increase confidence. Kettlebells are convenient, compact and just require a little bit of space, and the five moves below cover all the major muscle groups to ensure you're getting the most out of your kettlebell workout.

It's important to follow instructions so you're using kettlebells properly. There are a few safety precautions for older adults when doing kettlebell exercises: If you've had heart problems, avoid overhead movements that would put strain on the heart; if you have had problems with your wrists or knees, kettlebells may not be the right tool for you. And of course, you should always get medical clearance before starting any new exercise program.

Kettlebells are often labeled and sold in kilograms, so keep an eye on that to make sure you're not picking up too heavy of a weight. When starting a kettlebell training program, the weight recommendation is 8 to 12 kilograms (or 17 to 26 pounds) — but you may want to start even lighter depending on your fitness level.

Squats are a great lower-body exercise for hitting nearly all of the muscles in your legs. Adding a kettlebell helps focus your balance and keep your joints limber. Using a seat as a goal for your squat depth is a great way to get a feel for how low you should be aiming to go.

As soon as you're able to squat below a depth where your hips are parallel with your knees or you've established good balance, you can progress this move by getting rid of the bench.

This single-leg squat takes the seated squat a step further by isolating each leg, building your single-leg strength. Keeping your heel on the ground will help with balance and allow you to focus on using the right muscles (you should really feel this in your quads, glutes and hamstrings).

To make this move work best for you, try lifting the leg off the ground (beginner), lowering the box (intermediate) or removing the box altogether (advanced).

Focusing on upper as well as lower body is important for full-body strength, and this move will help build muscles in your back and shoulders. During the row movement, really focus on drawing your shoulders back. You want the pulling back motion to come from the muscles around your shoulder blades.

To make this exercise easier, you can begin in a staggered stance and break the exercises into two parts. If you want a challenge, go for time with 30 seconds on each side.

The goal of the intensely named "skull crusher" move is to work your triceps, a typically weak muscle. Make sure you start with lower weights and work your way up with this one — you might be surprised at how fatigued your triceps feel after a few reps.

This is the most advanced of these KB exercises. We are working on mobility, power and balance. By itself, it's a total-body move: You'll feel the kettlebell press in your shoulders and the lunge in your quads and hips.

To make this exercise easier, break it up into two separate parts. First, work on the mobility of the reverse lunge. Once that feels strong, work on the knee drive.