Yes. In a Penn State randomized trial published in PLOS One, adults over 65 who did a 4-minute strength routine each day showed meaningful gains in leg strength and balance after 12 weeks.
The FAST-2 trial, led by Christopher Sciamanna of Penn State College of Medicine, enrolled 97 people with an average age of 74. Half did four moves daily: push-ups, chair stands, two-arm rows with elastic bands, and stair stepping. Each move lasted 30 seconds with 30 seconds of rest. Easier versions were allowed, such as wall or countertop push-ups. Compared with the group that did no program, exercisers managed 4.2 more chair stands in 30 seconds, balanced on one leg 3.6 seconds longer, and finished the sit-to-stand test 2.3 seconds faster. They completed the routine on 81% of days.
These tests predict fall risk and future mobility problems, but the study did not measure falls or nursing home use directly. Fewer than one in five older adults meet the advice to do strength training twice a week, so a short routine may be easier to keep up.
Image: Resistance tube, Corn cheese, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.