Senior exercise can be highly important for anyone who wants to maintain healthy supple joints and prevent injuries. Many people shy away from the idea of elderly exercise, as they are scared of injuring themselves or doing some kind of permanent damage. In reality, senior exercise is perfectly healthy, and many seniors will benefit from doing it regularly.
Seniors are often reluctant to take part in any form of exercise, but it is still one of the most things you can do to keep your body healthy, along with following a healthy and balanced diet. Research has shown that those who are aged over fifty and still maintain an active lifestyle are less likely to develop diabetes than their less active counterparts are. Senior exercise can also have those who are suffering from age-related health problems, such as rheumatoid arthritis. Ironically, you are far more likely to suffer from health problems if you do not exercise, rather than if you do.
Senior exercise
Senior exercise can help with four essential parts of being healthy: flexibility, balance, endurance and strength. Getting older does not automatically mean that you need to lose out on these. Strength and endurance mean that it is less effort to do everyday activities, such as walking up and down stairs and carrying bags of groceries. Flexibility plays a key role in recovering more quickly from injuries. Generally speaking, senior exercise can have a big effect on your quality of life as you get older. For women over the age of fifty, the chances of developing osteoporosis is much increased, which means the risk of broken and fractures is much higher. Yoga, Pilates and other exercises that encourage you to be more flexible can help to combat this.
Strength exercises are intended to build up the muscles that may be starting to weaken as you get older, as well as raising your metabolism. The latter helps to maintain a healthy weight and keep blood sugar levels constant.
Balance exercises are intended to build up the muscles in your legs, which makes you less likely to fall over. Many hospitals treat countless seniors every year for fractures (mostly hip fractures), but this can easily be avoided if you take the time to incorporate balance exercises into your exercise routine.
Stretching exercises are intended to allow you to move more easily. As you get older, you might find that your muscles stiffen up, and joint conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis often stem from this. While stretching exercises cannot guarantee that you will not develop these in the future, they can help to delay the onset and make it less likely.
Endurance exercises are intended to increase your heart rate and breathing for an extended period of time. It is best to build up your endurance slowly but surely – start with just five minutes of intensive exercise and work up from there.
As well as this, senior exercise can help older people to feel more content with their life and themselves in general, especially in comparison to those who do little or no exercise. Exercise releases natural endorphins, which lift your mood and can even help to combat psychological conditions, such as depression and anxiety.
Before you embark on any kind of exercise plan, you should make sure that it would not affect your health first. For example, if you already have diabetes or a history of heart problems, you should consult your doctor for medical advice. This is also advised if you are overweight. You are also advised to seek medical advice if you experience any chest pain or breathlessness when exercising.
There are plenty of exercise and fitness videos on the market that are specifically aimed at seniors, so if you are looking for a senior exercise video, there are bound to be one for you.
The same is also true of senior exercise equipment. For example, Fit Express is just one of the companies that are eager to cash in on the ever-expanding “baby boomer” market by creating a range of hydraulic fitness equipment that is designed to appeal to the health-conscious sector of the senior market.
Many seniors like to do exercises with a chair to maintain their balance. If you are looking for a senior exercise chair to use, you do not need anything fancy – most chairs will do.
Exercise for women over 50 can be fun. It does not have to involve the usual exercise regimes that can quickly become boring and uninspiring. Trying your hand at something new like yoga or Pilates can be a great way to exercise and improve your flexibility without having to stick to activities such as aerobics or cycling every week. Varying your exercise routine will give you the motivation and enthusiasm to carry on with your senior exercise.
Senior exercise is a great idea for any senior who wants to stay active or resume an active lifestyle in order to maintain good health. Staying fit and healthy can help to ward off some of the health problems that are associated with getting older, as well as improving your quality of life.