It is well known that as our bodies age the wear and tear becomes more pronounced and the pain with it, more frequent. Working out helps strengthen your body and bones, it can help with muscle loss and health problems such as heart disease, and some exercises can even help soothe pain you may have from arthritis. One of the most important things when you exercise as a senior is you have to know your own abilities and make sure you do not partake in workouts that put too much pressure and stress on your joints. In addition to exercise, it is important to maintain a healthy diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, and calcium to fortify your bones and fuel your body. And of course, it is crucial to drink plenty of water at all times.
The idea of getting regular exercise as a senior can be daunting, especially when you are not sure what exercises will be the best for you or when you have not worked out in a long time or have lived a sedentary lifestyle. There is no need to get a personal trainer, unless you would like one, solely because there are many at home exercises that you can do without someone’s assistance. Another good thing is that many gyms and fitness centers have different exercise programs that are tailored specifically for older people and their fitness levels to get them active in a safe manner, like aerobic exercises, strength training exercise classes, balance exercises, and flexibility exercises. Some locations also offer physical therapists to help you stay safe. You can see what your insurance covers, for example the Medicare Advantage Plan includes a membership to SilverSneakers®. SilverSneakers® is dedicated to getting seniors to engage in regular physical activity, teaching them about the benefits of exercise/leading an active lifestyle, and is a great way to meet other people who can hold you accountable.
Walking: Physicians recommend that people take at least 10,000 steps a day or get at least thirty minutes of physical activity in, so a walk is an easy way to get started on that goal and an easy form of exercise. Take a walk in your neighborhood or if you cannot go outdoors because of the weather, you can always walk on a treadmill. The perks of using a treadmill for your walks is that you can add inclines or declines as well as raise the speed so you take more of a brisk walk than you would outdoors. Walking is easy on your joints and is extremely low impact. You can increase the workout by adding in hand weights to pump as you walk or lunges if you feel like your balance is good enough. By walking you can lower your blood pressure and it can help manage type two diabetes. It is important to find the right shoes for yourself and to also maintain a regular schedule. As you feel comfortable, regularly taking brisk walks will end up giving yourself a better work out.
Water Aerobics: If you have access to a pool, you can do water aerobics as another way to exercise. Walking in the pool is a great form of exercise and it helps build muscle strength in your lower body, but in a way that is still easy on your joints. The water adds in resistance that makes this slightly harder than regular walking and builds muscle mass in your legs. Some people add pool weights for curling underwater and kick boards to make swimming around the pool slightly easier. Swimming strengthens your core, arms, and legs which can help with your overall balance.
Strength Training: Strength exercises and training are an important form of exercise that builds muscle strength, which in turn helps with balance. Seniors tend to lose their balance more often than younger adults, which results in more injuries that can be far more serious. Using light hand weights can help build your muscle mass in your upper body by doing curls, arm raises, or rowers for example. Investing in ankle weights can also help to increase your strength in your lower body, and it can be especially important for women since they tend to have weaker ankles than their male counterparts. An example of ankle weight training that also works out your abdominal muscles are called weighted mountain climbers. To do these the starting position is on your hands and knees, ankle weights on, and start by slowly pulling your right knee up towards your belly button, while keeping your left foot and left knee planted on the ground, then you switch with your right foot and right knee planted and pull your left knee up. If you think you can do more, you can do this in a plank position. Strength training exercises and weight training in general are great exercises, but it is important to ask your physician if it is safe for you.
Resistance Band Workouts: Resistance band workouts are another form of strength training that are easy on your joints, can improve your posture by targeting your lower back, help with your range of motion, and can be done in your home. As humans age it is very common that our backs become slightly more hunched as a senior, which can cause some people a lot of pain. Using resistance bands to help fix your posture is therefore important and could be very helpful. You can do seated rowers and the starting position is by putting the band around the bottom of your feet and holding the band with each hand. Slowly pull both your right and left hands back and then hold for 30 seconds. Sometimes finding videos online can be helpful to learn new safe workouts. The bands come in all different levels, so start off with the lower levels and work your way up.
Tai Chi and Yoga: Tai Chi and yoga are two other types of physical activity that focus on helping center one’s breathing and in turn can help improve balance, while also trying to improve your range of motion. Some of the health benefits that comes from doing yoga regularly include lowering your blood pressure, heart rate, and it also helps lower anxiety levels. Tai Chi involves slow and fluid motions, which ends up being very low impact. In addition to helping center your breathing, Tai Chi can help with your overall flexibility as you age, reducing joint pain in your lower back from arthritis, and also keeping you mentally active as you imagine the different positions that you are supposed to do. Balance exercises become increasingly important with age and are some of the best ways to prevent falls that could result in injury. Both yoga and Tai Chi can be adapted for individuals who are wheelchair or bed bound and the good news is that chair yoga and Tai Chi are still great forms of exercise. Both of these activities are popular among seniors for the social aspect of participating in indoor classes with other people or outdoor sunrise yoga, for example.
Stationary Bike: If you want to focus more on strengthening your legs and lower body in general, biking on a stationary bike might be the best option. Using a stationary bike reduces stress on your joints such as on your hips, ankles, and knees. Both road and stationary biking are excellent ways to strengthen your heart, it is a muscle after all, and they can help reduce your blood glucose levels which is especially important for diabetics. Using a stationary bike might be better for some people than going on the road because it is less dangerous, and it does not require you to have great balance. In addition, you can use a stationary bike with a back to support your lower back to prevent possible pain.
Chair Squats: Another method of strengthening your lower body, in particular your lower back and thighs, is by doing chair squats. Our lower body is responsible for all our movement, so it is important to strengthen and support it so you do not lose your mobility. Doing chair squats is an excellent way to tone and strengthen your muscles in your lower body, are very easy on your joints, and require less reliance on balance than regular squats do. To do a chair squat your starting position should be in front of a chair, like you are going to sit down in it, and your left and right foot need to be shoulder-width apart. . When you actually do your squat you want to keep your core tight and engaged, back straight, head facing forward, and you can put your arms out in front to help you keep your balance. Lightly tap the seat when you squat, but do not sit unless you are winded or need to take a break. The feet shoulder-width apart stance is what engages your thighs and core.
Getting regular exercise as part of your daily routine as an older adult is important to leading a healthy lifestyle and increasing your fitness levels. It improves your muscles, cardiovascular health, and helps with disease control. In addition to the health benefits of leading an active lifestyle, there are many mental health benefits such as the endorphins that are released due to exercise. Endorphins give people a feeling of happiness and improve our overall well-being, another important aspect of ourselves that is important to take care. Remember to check in with your physician or physical therapist to see what kind of exercises are right for you and your lifestyle. When it comes to getting regular physical activity, make sure you eat healthy foods and drink plenty of water to keep your body fueled.
References:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/walking/art-20046261
https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/special-topic/aging-changes-in-the-bones-muscles-joints
