According to a study, it has been discovered that all elderly adults who are routinely working out regularly, even if only for 15 minutes, spend about 25% less time with a disability or injury than those who do not exercise. This finding is sufficient to prove the extreme need for working out for elderly adults. Some of the other benefits include boosting your mood, helping you maintain proper body weight, enhancing flexibility, mobility, and balance, reducing the impacts of diseases and illnesses like Alzheimer’s, along with adding some extra years to your life. Staying active is known to improve any senior’s health to a great extent. Before you start with any physical activity, make sure you talk to your doctor or a personal trainer about your goals for physical fitness.
To start with, wear a comfortable pair of shoes with nice fitting and grip to prevent yourself from slipping and injuring yourself. Keep a partner always with you to help you if you fall or need any kind of assistance. If ready with this, here is the workout program to keep all the older adults out there physically active.
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Indoor Walking
The weather is uncertain- maybe rainy and/or windy. Do not let it stop you from walking; instead, try going to a museum, shopping mall, school, conservatory, or any other place open for public use. Set a target of about 30 minutes of brisk walking or a total of 2.5 hours a week. Consider keeping a pedometer with you to track your performance. It will guide you through each step and the distance you have traveled each day.
Stretching
When you just begin exercising, you will obviously suffer from muscle pain. In order to avoid it and any injuries, it is preferable to do some stretching exercises before and after your workout. Besides, stretching your most important muscle groups for only 10 minutes twice a week will enhance your flexibility and thereby offsetting the effects of normal decline inflexibility of joints while at the same time keeping you independent and active.
Gyms
Gyms can prove to be the most ideal location for exercising, all thanks to the perfect combination of education, training, equipment, and socialization as well. Senior citizens get an added advantage of discounted rates. Any healthcare professional or a trainer will guide you to get your exercise routine created and implemented. Some gyms also offer classes for dancing, tennis lessons, and spinning classes. The best thing is to consider doing cardio exercises- treadmill, elliptical trainer, or a stationary bike.
Indoor Swimming Pool
It is a single low-impact workout with numerous benefits like the very low risk of getting an injury and improving heart health. The flexibility of joints strengthens muscles and reduces stress. You don’t have to worry about your gym not having an indoor swimming pool. You can always contact any hotel, school, or even a recreational center and find out if they have an indoor pool and whether you can get access. Even some of the businesses, institutions, or facilities allow people to use their pool in return for a nominal fee.
Gym at Home
If you do not wish to step out of your house, you have the option of making your gym at home with either all or some of the equipment according to your needs for physical fitness. Cardio equipment can be ordered online or bought from any store. Some other gears of utmost importance include lightweights, workout mats, and a resistance band. If you don’t know what a resistance band is, it is just an elastic band that can be used while stretching. What follows are some of the increasingly amazing in-home gym ideas for adults to keep as fit as possible.
Online Videos
There was a time, somewhere around 1982, when the world was crazy about workout videos of Jane Fonda, and everyone was busy adoring her. Similarly, in the present time and age, you will easily find workout videos online that are specially made, keeping in mind seniors’ energy and health conditions. One of the best videos available on YouTube is from the National Institute on Aging at NIH by the name of “Go4Life,” and they are also absolutely free.
Software and Apps
With the advancement in technology, you can find a large number of fitness apps if you search your App Store. Many of them are specially designed for adults. These types of applications will help you to effectively achieve your daily fitness goals, keep a close track of your performance so that you can make provisions to improve it, lose weight, count your steps in a day, and learn some easy exercises like yoga in the comfort of your home.
Games
If you are assuming that I am going to ask you to go out and play, don’t worry. Everything in this article has been indoor, so you also have to play indoors, not the board games. Go and grab your Nintendo Wii Fit plus system. It is a whole package that involves fitness along with fun and is suitable for people of all ages. The video games in the Wii fit will definitely make you leave the couch, stand up, and move your limbs in a virtual world of fitness and activity.
Balancing
Balance training is the best for older adults who are frequently at risk of falls. This should be done at least for three or more days in a week to strengthen muscles, keep yourself upright, improve stability, and prevent falls. Here are some of the balance exercises that you can do:
Standing on a single foot for a minimum of 10 seconds on each leg.
The next routine is by placing your one foot in front of the other and walking 20 steps heel to toe. You can take the support of the wall if needed. Try walking in a straight line, keeping it as normal as you can.
Another thing that the elderly can try is the seated chair exercise. They put little or no strain on their bodies. Just sit on a chair, and bend your feet up and down, lift your knees or a very light ball over the head, etc.
Strength Exercises
Also known as resistance training, strength exercises serve you with benefits like preventing muscle loss due to aging, strengthening bones, preventing falls, and enhancing mobility as well as balance. It basically comprises push-ups, pull-ups, wall push-ups, and weight lifting.
Conclusion
Now that you have acquainted yourself with all the essential elements of training at home, it is time that you get up and be active. Keep in mind not to overtrain your body; only do as much as your body allows. Stay active, stay fit, stay healthy.
