Fitness for Seniors
Exercise is for everybody. Studies show that people can benefit from regular exercise, regardless of their age. The National Institute on Aging (NIA) found that losing the ability to do regular daily activities on your own, is more likely to be attributed to inactivity rather than age alone. Regular activity improves the quality of life at any age.
Talking with your doctor before beginning a new exercise program is very important, especially for seniors. Your doctor will know what activities will be safe for you. They can also help keep track of your progress and monitor how your new activity is affecting your health.
Your physician can also help you find good exercise programs in your area. Local YMCAs, community centers, parks and recreation centers, senior centers, churches/synagogues, schools, community colleges, hospitals, rehab centers and fitness centers are all good places to look for both individual and group exercise programs. The Internet is also a great place to look for senior exercise groups.
Look for activities that will help meet your needs and also help you set and reach reasonable goals. The areas that are important to consider for staying healthy, active and independent include: strength, endurance, balance, optimal posture, flexibility, maximum capacity for movement and more energy. Look for a program that meets your individual needs. Everyone has different needs and abilities, especially seniors, but there are many activities to try that will help you stay healthy. Here are a few:
Weight/resistance training
CaRDIovascular machine work (treadmills, ellipticals, recumbent and upright stationary bikes, recumbent step machines)
Walking outside or on an indoor track
Yoga and stretch classes
Pilates (supervised)
Gardening
Swimming
Fishing
Bicycling
Golf
Bowling
Tennis
Dancing
Aerobic dancing for seniors
Weight/resistance training:
The foundation of a good resistance program is the same for people of any age, but it is very important that you modify your resistance program to accommodate your individual medical needs and abilities. Experts highly recommend incorporating resistance training into your program. Again, seek out individual or group instruction before you begin your program to ensure that you understand the correct form for all exercise in your routine. Help is out there, and the people who teach fitness classes for seniors are more than willing to help you. Forms of resistance can include free weights, tubing, Therabands, machines, soup cans or body weight exercises. Research has shown that even people in their 90s get the same benefits from a resistance program as those in younger age groups. Start slowly, focusing on exercises that will target all major muscle groups. Start out with 4-6 exercises that you can do safely and that you feel comfortable with, using a resistance level that you are at ease with. One set of 8-12 repetitions is a safe starting point for your resistance training workout, allowing 1-2 minutes of rest between sets. Also, you’ll want to do your resistance program 2-3 days each week with a day of rest in between each session.
CaRDIovascular conditioning:
For Seniors, aerobic exercise is enormously beneficial because it helps the heart and lungs to work more effectively and efficiently. Most of the activities listed above can be considered aerobic depending on the level of intensity. A main key to success with any new fitness program, is finding activities that you enjoy because when you like doing something, you are more likely to do it often. Walking is a very popular choice for people, and it is a great activity. You can walk outside or you can walk indoors on a treadmill. Start out by walking for 10 minutes at a time and gradually increase that to 20 minutes, 3 times a week. Persistently build on your progress.
Always wear comfortable shoes when you are working out. If your feet hurt, you won’t want to workout very often. Try out the shoes first, by walking around in them, indoors, for at least 2 days to make sure they are right for you. Then, if they hurt, just exchange them for some new ones. A heart monitor is also a good tool to have for exercising. Ask your doctor what the right target heart rate training zone is for the different activities that you do.
Non-weight bearing exercises are a great idea for people who have trouble with their knees, hips, or back. Gardening, yoga/stretching, swimming, and riding a stationary bike are all good ones to try.
Studies have shown that exercise can be safely and successfully incorporated into the lives of seniors. Even those who are very sick and fragile can benefit from some sort of regular physical activity. There are many resources available to you; you just need to look for them. Your individual needs and abilities are a primary concern when choosing the right activities for you, but it’s worth it for you to take the time so that you can enhance the quality of your life.
As always, consult with your physician before starting or changing any exercise fitness programs and activities.
