Did you know that The Center for Disease Control and Prevention says that 28% of adults over the age of 50 aren’t getting enough exercise?
Scary!
Establishing daily workout routines can do wonders for a senior’s health. Though sadly, not everyone makes them a priority. You can start changing that today! Come up with daily workout routines to jumpstart your health. After all, the older you get, the more critical it becomes to keep your body strong.
As you age, your heart muscles become stiff, and your ligaments less elastic. This can lead to chronic pain and other health issues. But luckily, there are ways to prevent this from happening.
Instead, you can decrease pain and build your strength by applying simple exercises. If you’re interested in amping up your fitness, here are five daily workout routines designed for seniors like yourself! Age is only a number, and you’re fully capable of exercising and improving your health. Give these workout routines a try today!
1. Stretching
Stretching isn’t a workout routine per se, but it is necessary before working out.
Why is that?
Well, stretching helps keep your muscles flexible and strong. Flexibility is essential at any age, but it’s especially vital for seniors. If you don’t do it, you’re more vulnerable to injury.
Do daily stretches to loosen up your muscles. Muscles tend to tighten up, which never feels good. Stretch to work on your balance and improve your range of motion.
By keeping your muscles healthy, you should be able to handle any type of exercise (just don’t go out and run a marathon unless you train for it first).
2. Swimming
Who doesn’t love to swim? Not only is it fun, but it’s also a fantastic way to get exercise! If you’re looking for a low-impact workout, try a water aerobics class. Or if you’re up to it, swim some laps.
Another way to exercise is by running in the deep end with a pool belt. Make sure you use the right pool running technique to prevent any injuries.
If you already have an injury, swimming can speed up your recovery time. It’s a low-impact workout routine, which is precisely what you need! But still, be careful if you’re injured or have any sore joints. If you’re ever in doubt about any exercise, check with your doctor first.
There’s no question about it — swimming is a great way to work out. You can strengthen your muscles and do some cardio without overworking yourself!
3. Yoga
Why not give yoga a go? Not only is it relaxing, but it works on your core and mobility. As you age, this is important! You want to build up muscle strength as much as possible. Total-body mobility is also essential for older adults. And it just happens that yoga can help with your movement, as well.
If you’re intimidated by yoga, start with the beginning classes. Your instructors can help you get the most out of your routine. One great thing about yoga is that it’s gentle on the body, kind of like swimming. It will help develop excellent posture, which makes it easier to carry around your body weight.
Talk to a yoga instructor or someone at the front desk at a studio. They can give you the scoop on which type of classes would be right for you. People of all different ages do yoga, so have fun getting out there and exercising your core!
4. Strength Training
Once again, strengthening your muscles as you age can do wonders at keeping you healthy. It also fights obesity, which is hard for some seniors.
You can meet with a strength trainer at your local gym, or ask your grandkids to show you some exercises. You can start slow and work your way up to a more intense routine.
And strength training doesn’t mean you have to do hardcore bench presses. Try a few of these exercises to get started:
- Chair squats
- Stair climbing
- Wall pushups
- Single-leg stands
By keeping your body active, you’ll fight off cardiovascular disease. You’ll also feel better knowing that you’re taking good care of your body.
And who doesn’t want to feel amazing as they age? You have the power to take care of your health and improve your fitness, so you should!
5. Walking
Let’s not forget about walking!
Walking is one of the most natural forms of fitness you can do. It takes barely any effort, and it’s free! I know that it’s easy (and fun) to spend the day watching TV on your sofa. And you’ll still be able to do that. But, you should try to schedule at least one walk per day.
Better yet, find a friend to go on walks with you. Exercising is much easier when you do it with a buddy. Walking is excellent for your physical health, and it’s good for your mental health too. There’s nothing as revitalizing as breathing fresh air.
Don’t forget, getting outside is important as you get older. Make a point to take a break and use walking as one of your daily workout routines. If you have a Fitbit or similar device, use it to count your steps! It can help motivate you to walk more each day.
In Conclusion
Daily exercise is vital at any age. And it’s especially important for seniors. As you age, your muscles and joints lose range of motion and can tighten up. To keep your muscles limber and your joints strong, make it your goal to do these routines every day. Over time you’ll experience fantastic results. You’ll also feel good knowing that you’re taking care of your body.
Author Bio:
Leon Grundstein has more than 28 years of experience in real estate development, with over two decades of experience in the retirement industry. He founded GenCare Lifestyle with a game-changing business model to promote a healthy and robust retirement lifestyle for older adults.
