Exercising is important for people of all ages, but as you begin to get older your body becomes more fragile so you should always make sure that you are careful. If you have exercised most of your life, you may notice that you can move better than other seniors. But this doesn’t mean you should go out and buy a gym membership and start lifting weights either. Exercise should be done in moderation.
For retired seniors, fitness becomes an important consideration if they wish to remain healthy and independent.
Four types of exercises are recommended for an active senior lifestyle. As with anything regarding your health, you should consult with your doctor before taking on any strenuous activity.
At least once a week on any local news channel anywhere in the country there is a color piece on an octogenraian who just completed a marathon or a retired man who went skydiving, or a team of rugby players all over the age of 60. Fitness isn’t exclusive to the young.
Admittedly, age takes a toll on the joints and muscles, but the principles of honing the body’s strength, flexibility, balance, and cardiovascular health still hold true for seniors just as much as the youth. Intense wind sprints and hundreds of push-ups may not be the best route to senior fitness, but there are still plenty of types of exercises for the elderly. Here are some of the best.
Swimming
Can’t sprint? Swim! Swimming combines the intensity of a full body workout (especially the core) with the reduced stressed, low impact environment. One of the best exercise option for seniors who have arthritis. This exercise is a particular draw for a senior woman suffering from chronic back pain or seniors with brittle bones.
Tai Chi
No, this is not a spiced herbal beverage available at starbucks (that’s chai tea). It is an ancient martial art focusing on subtle movement, coordination and balance. As a martial art, it’s much more art than martial. This is a wonderful exercise for the elderly as speed is not a requirement. And regardless of age, many use Tai Chi as a form of stress relied as well as fitness.
Yoga
If you take kindly to Tai Chi, Yoga would be a next healthy step. Yoga can be more vigorous than Tai Chi, but still applicable for senior fitness. It works to strengthen and lengthen muscles, as well as improve flexibility.
Additionally, there are many yoga positions and routines specifically designed to alleviate back pain.
Hiking/Walking
The most primal exercise, and perhaps the best, humans were meant to hike. The human body evolved to endure and thrive from long, low impact walks, and that applies perfectly to elderly. Hiking outdoors encourages adaptability; it is the opposite of the treadmill. Even a slow hike can provide a right amount of cardiovascular exercise without reaching extreme intensive levels for senior citizens.
Rowing
This is not a traditional exercise for the elderly. No one thinks of a 60-and-over rowing team when they think of senior fitness. But, rowing provides a strenuous upper body workout, without the pump and grind of the gym. Rowing works the quads, the core, and even the leg muscles. It also adds the fresh element, essential to senior living. Getting a workout along the lazy shore of a local river can be quite charming.
Finally, endurance exercises are what most people can and probably are doing on a regular family basis. Such as activities like walking, jogging, swimming, and biking. Really anything that acts your heart racing and your breathing more in-depth for a while. But here, it’s important to understand that you shouldn’t jump rigth in to endurance exercises. Gradual is the key word here. Work your way up to a desired level of activity. I recommend starting with 5 minutes of endurance activity when you first start, then move up from there. Again, especially here, it is good to talk with your doctor first.
You need to exercise as you get older, but don’t ever overdo the exercise sp that you hurt yourself and make it impossible to exercise for weeks while you’re healing. You don’t have to be immobile, and you don’t have just to sit around because you’re older either. Never let the fact that you’re getting older slow you down because you will start to feel older too.
Exercise is important for people of all ages, so as long as you can do them, you should. It will help keep your body healthy and extend your life.
