Exercising is not only a means to looking great. Actually, it’s a lot more than that. Exercising regularly strengthens the bones and muscles, improves blood circulation and brain power, helps the body get rid of toxins, improves the quality of sleep, slows down the aging process, and more. Because of all that, exercising should be everyone’s healthy habit, regardless of their age. Of course, what kind of physical activity you will engage in should strongly depend on your current health in general, but that doesn’t mean that seniors cannot work out. Quite the contrary.
Problem areas that aren’t inevitable
Aging can never be stopped but that doesn’t mean that it can’t be slowed down. Most importantly, aging doesn’t have to include problems such as sarcopenia, stiffness of joints, and/or loss of body balance and cardio endurance. At least, symptoms of these issues can be minimized as much as possible. Unfortunately, all these problems and more are part of the aging process and can progress gradually from the age of 30 and onwards. The best prevention in that respect is undoubtedly physical activity, especially for seniors. Even if you got to the mature age and feel symptoms of these issues, starting to exercise slowly can reduce them effectively. The key practice here is not to force your body too much but work on your fitness step by step instead. Essentially, seniors need to engage in various kinds of exercises including cardio, strength training and flexibility exercises in order to get fit, energetic and healthy.
Strength training
Strength training is very important for seniors as it strengthens the joints and muscles. However, it’s essential that you talk with your doctor and personal trainer if you have one. That way, you’ll be on the safe side and effectively make a strength training routine that won’t be dangerous for your current health condition in any way. And remember, warming up is a must before exercising, but especially before strength training.
Cardio exercises
Seniors will benefit a lot from any cardio activity if they make it a habit to engage in it for half an hour daily. Of course, activities that include sudden movements and the possibility to collide with other people (team sports) may not be the best choice. Instead, activities such as walking, light jogging, cycling, aerobics and swimming are perfect for getting your daily cardio workout. Cardio training strengthens the heart and boosts blood circulation and brain power, which is very important when it comes to combating the process of aging.
When cardio is concerned, always make the most out of your location. That said, you can always look up to the Aussie seniors who know how to enjoy the nature they’re surrounded with. Wherever you are in the world, even if you don’t have Australian beaches and forest trails, be sure to utilize your surroundings, scenery and fresh air, especially if your main cardio workout is walking or jogging. On a similar note, if you’re someone who wants to make sure that your elders stay fit and flexible even when they need special care, you can always choose one of the aged care facilities such as NewDirection Care that include various things in their care package, from socializing and pursuing hobbies to staying active and enjoying physiotherapy in the spa. you can always go for local physiotherapy clinic in your own town if you are not into aged care facility.
Flexibility exercises
A lot of people tend to ignore flexibility exercises such as yoga, thinking that cardio and strength training are enough. However, the older you get, the more necessary it becomes to practice flexibility and balance as well. If you don’t have the time or taste for yoga, getting yourself a Swiss ball and using it indoors instead of a regular chair for a certain period of time consistently can help a lot. Maintaining your balance and flexibility is essential as you want to avoid falling and hurting yourself, which can get especially dangerous for seniors.
Keep in mind that exercising is not a form of punishment. It is not something you have to do for a while in order to achieve a certain result and then forget about it. People have to move constantly in order to stay healthy for as long as possible. So, if you don’t enjoy traditional physical activity, do your best to find something that suits and interests you personally.
