As senior citizens get older it is very important to stay active to maintain overall health. Some of you cannot exercise like you use to, but you can still workout and keep safe at the same time.
Strength, flexibility, and stamina for the proper functioning of the human body are what seniors require to face the physical challenges of life. As you age you find more and more activities become increasingly difficult to perform. Many seniors become less active in society, not because of poor health or laziness but it’s more to do with the fear of falling or injuring themselves.
Like you already know that as your body’s age many physical changes take place. But just like when we’re younger the need to exercise remains. The problem is that seniors often get caught up on the advice that health professionals suggest which is over their heads. We are told we must exercise 5 times a day, for at least an hour per day. That couldn’t be further from the truth. This information scares some seniors because some people don’t think they can exercise that much so most people end up not exercising at all.
Understanding The Process
The good news is you can start in a much simple way. Health and fitness require proper exercise, nutrition and sufficient rest to recover fully. But seniors don’t need to jump into major changes to improve their lives – even small changes add up over time. Even if you only exercise in some form or another a couple of times a week, it is better than no exercise at all. Any form of exercise will help increase your physical and mental well-being.
It’s a known fact that, in general, individuals who work out and maintain healthy lifestyles are more likely to live longer, happier lives than those who don’t. Staying fit and healthy doesn’t necessarily mean working out several hours a day, but it does mean making a conscious effort to fit in exercise wherever you can.
Before beginning any exercise program it is always best to talk with your physician first and get their opinion. They can help set you on the right path so you choose the exercises that will best fit your physical situation. There are several options for fitness workout for seniors which you can perform based on which is comfortable for you and what benefit you seek.
Guidelines To Follow
Firstly, it is advisable to warm up properly, Starting right is an important element in finishing right. Taking a few minutes to let the body become accustomed to the exercise you are about to put it through comes with great dividends. A body with warm muscles will perform better, be more flexible and is less prone to injury. Just 5 or 10 minutes of stretching and moving is all it takes to prepare the body for the demands of your exercise program. You will notice a performance difference when you warm up properly and if you don’t.
Walking:
Walking is still considered a great form of exercise for seniors. Walking is easy to do and is the most natural form of exercise. This can be done in a gym or just about anywhere outdoors or even a shopping mall. Walking is good for burning calories and cardio fitness and retaining strength in the legs.
There’s no excuse for not being able to complete this exercise daily. Chances are, you are staying fit without even realizing it – as long as you’re not planted on the couch for the majority of the day. Try sectioning off a block of time (preferably at least 20 mins) in the morning or evening (whichever suits your schedule) for a daily walk. If you can do it every day, try going for walks at least 5 times a week. These 20-min exercises will go a long way in keeping you healthy.
Swimming/ Water Aerobics.
Water aerobics is an ideal fitness activity for seniors because the buoyancy of water supports 90 percent of your body, yet due to its density provides enough resistance to promote muscle strength.
It is a great way for seniors to stay fit. This type of exercise will increase your cardiovascular endurance, improve your flexibility, increase your muscle strength, improve your balance and can reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
Do you know that water aerobics can achieve the same results as other strenuous exercises?
The natural buoyancy of water supports the body and relieves the stress on joints, tendons, and ligaments. Water’s gentle support enables easy and effortless movements and can help seniors exercise their full body with low impact fitness exercise routines. With a water aerobics fitness exercise routine, you can work within your comfort zone, without any strain.
Balancing exercises
Balancing exercises are easy and will take up very little of your time. Simple balancing exercises include standing on one foot, jumping jacks and stepping up and downstairs. Staying balanced will help prevent injuries like broken hips or falls.
Weight lifting
The term “weight lifting” can seem daunting, especially for seniors, but it’s not as bad as it sounds. Lifting weights simply means alternating lifting as little as 4 (or even 2) pound weights up and down as you watch your favorite TV show. If you’re feeling really brave, you can carry these small weights while you go on your daily walks! Lifting weights will keep your bones and muscles strong and can help reduce the risk of injury.
Golf
Golf is one that covers both stretching and strength training, as the swing requires both to maximize driving distance and accuracy. Being strong is great, but without flexibility, you will not be able to make a full, tension-free golf swing. And on the other side, if you are flexible but not strong, you will have no protection from over-swinging, and you’ll most likely strain tendons and ligaments, and have no power. With all that being said, Golfing will help you exercise and improve your strength and flexibility.
In conclusion, it is also advisable to cool off properly after exercising. Exercise places stress on the muscles and different kinds of exercise place specific types of stress on them. During exercise, the major muscles used in a particular program are constantly contracting and relaxing. After exercise is over, the muscles need an opportunity to relax and resume natural function again. Light stretching and relaxing just after exercise is the best cool down you can give your muscles and get the desired result.