Getting older doesn’t mean slowing down – staying active is one way to prevent the aches and pains that can plague us all. While not every activity is appropriate, with a bit of adjusting and a sense of adventure, you can keep your body healthy and whole for as long as possible.
Give Tai Chi a Try
Tai Chi is one of the best exercises for improving flexibility and stability. A 2017 review showed that practicing Tai Chi can reduce falls by 50%. In traditional Chinese medicine, Tai Chi benefits mental and physical health, helping reduce stress and anxiety. Find a class at your local gym senior center or even a YouTube video to start.
Yoga’s Not Just for the Young
Most people are familiar with yoga. However, it isn’t just for “hippies” or young people who can twist their bodies into pretzel shapes. When done gently, yoga is entirely appropriate for seniors. Benefits include increased mindfulness, muscle strength and flexibility, reduced stress, and better sleep. If getting on the floor is too hard, there are also options for “chair” yoga that can result in the same great benefits.
Cycling For the Win
Riding a recumbent bike is a great low-impact option for seniors who want to increase their mobility. Unlike an upright bike, recumbent biking puts the user in a larger, more comfortable seat, decreasing stress on joints or the lower back. You’ll get the triple benefits of cardio, strength, and mental well-being. It’s also easy to enjoy your favorite TV show or audiobook while biking, making exercise fun.
Don’t Forget About Walking
A gold standard for exercise, you can never underestimate how beneficial a simple walk can be. While you might think of walking as cardio only, it’s a great weight-bearing exercise – strengthening bones and muscles. Having a walking practice also lubricates joints, promoting flexibility and mobility. Aim for consistency rather than pushing yourself to accomplish a particular time or distance. After developing a habit, you can set goals to increase those metrics.
Have Fun With Water Aerobics
If you want to improve your mobility without increasing arthritis pain, try water aerobics. Many gyms that offer water aerobics have classes designed especially for seniors that focus on stretching and strengthening in a low-impact way. You don’t have to know how to swim to enjoy water aerobics, and you may make a few new friends along the way.
Swimming is a Classic
Another low-impact exercise that improves strength and mobility is swimming. Since it’s a full-body exercise, swimming increases flexibility and range of motion. Swimming is very heart-healthy, and because of increased blood flow, brain health can also improve. Give swimming a try because nothing is more refreshing than cool water flowing against your body as you use your muscles to propel you along.
Pilates for Strength
Some might think that Pilates and yoga are the same thing, but that’s just not true. While both can be performed on a mat, pilates focuses on strengthening and lengthening muscles and encouraging proper spine alignment. The pilates exercises will help reduce your fall risk and improve the flexibility of your joints and bone density.
Elliptical Machines Are Not Scary
Have you ever walked into the cardio room at your gym and seen people on machines that make them look like they’re bicycling upright? That’s the elliptical machine, and it’s not as scary as it looks. In fact, it’s a low-impact way to get your heart rate up and build muscle in the legs. Building those lower body muscles improves flexibility and strength.
The Incredible Benefits of Suspension Training
Those straps hanging from the wall or ceiling might look like a trap, but they’re one of the most effective and suitable for all age levels of strength training devices you can find. Since they’re adjustable, the amount of body weight you take on is completely up to you and your abilities. Their adjustable nature also makes it easy to scale up to meet your goals. Whether you take a class or learn from a trainer, try to add these to your exercise toolbox.
Golf for All
Golf is a sport for everyone – it’s you against yourself and it combines many of the exercises we discuss here into one enjoyable afternoon. You’re walking, squatting, bending, and using your brain when you play golf. You’re also getting plenty of vitamin D, which is essential as we age. Golf can also be a great outing with friends, so you benefit from increased connections with others.
YouTube Fitness
I know what you’re thinking: How can YouTube help me stay active? Believe it or not, YouTube has thousands of trainers uploading workout videos that teach seniors how to exercise safely and effectively. By just searching many of the exercise ideas presented so far, you can find plenty of options to keep you busy on workout day.
Dancing Queens
Dancing isn’t just an evening activity. There are tons of dance fitness varieties, from Zumba to ballroom. Dancing is a cardio activity that promotes balance and sharpens the mind. It’s also a great way to spend time with friends, increasing a person’s social circle. Senior Centers often sponsor dances, and gyms offer classes. You can even find dance classes online.
Give Pickleball a Chance
Now, hear me out. Pickleball might be a new-fangled sport, but it’s for everyone, and it’s so much fun. You can take it as easy or as competitive as you want, and the benefits remain the same. Cardio, joint movement, and quick decision-making make this sport great for body and mind. Grab some of your friends and attend a beginner’s clinic for pickleball. You may just find your new favorite activity.
Resistance Band Training
We all know we should aim for strong bodies, but weight training sometimes feels complicated or intimidating. That’s where resistance bands come in. They’re portable, inexpensive, and give an incredible workout by putting your muscles under continuous tension. They’re also easily adjustable according to your abilities and goals.
Rebounding
If you think mini trampolines are for kids only, you’re missing out on an incredible, fun way to exercise. Rebounding has many benefits, including improving strength, cardiovascular health, and more. Many believe rebounding supports the lymphatic system and it’s an excellent way to improve balance. Attend a class or find one online, and if you purchase a rebounder, get one with a safety bar.
