'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The transition into our senior years isn’t a smooth ride for everyone. The need to exercise becomes more evident as we age. Our ability to perform certain tasks that we were otherwise able to do is restricted.
It’s vital to recognize these limitations and learn how to work around them and make the best of what you have, instead of being discouraged by them.
Exercising in your senior years provides lots of benefits, including:
- Maintaining balance
- Maintaining posture
- Retaining flexibility
- Keeping energy levels up
- Relieving stress
- Reducing the risk of osteoporosis
- Reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease
- Regulating blood pressure and sugar levels
- Reducing aches and pains
Trending
Light-to-moderate exercise is always recommended for senior adults once they have crossed 60 years of age. 150 minutes of exercise per week is appropriate for senior adults to stay fit.
The best options are low-intensity steady state (LISS) cardio, with some days of light strength training to retain muscle mass and bone mineral density.
Which are some of the best exercises for senior adults?
Among the workouts which are best suited to senior adults, there are seven which can be especially useful. Let’s take a look at them.
Walking
What comes more naturally to humans (aside from breathing) than walking? Walking seems like a mundane activity but it’s a great way for seniors to keep their endurance and activity levels at a healthy point. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other, it doesn’t get simpler than that!
Squats
Squats can prove beneficial for people of all ages, including senior adults. This is an exercise that will strengthen your glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves. Strong legs allow for more stability overall and strength to carry yourself!
How to perform squats:
- Stand straight with your feet hip-distance apart and your shoulders tall. Ensure your back is straight.
- Make sure your feet are firm on the ground, and push your hips back, lowering them by bending at your knees and hips. Keeping your back straight, lower yourself until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
- Push yourself up by straightening your legs to return to the starting position.
- Repeat this movement for 12 to 15 reps.
Stationary lunges
Stationary lunges are another effective exercise to strengthen the lower body and provide stability to your entire frame, making movements like walking and running a lot easier.
How to perform stationary lunges:
- Start by standing straight with your feet together. Ensure there is enough room ahead of you to take at least 20 regular steps.
- Bring your right leg out and place it about a foot ahead of you. Lower your body into a lunge position while keeping your back straight and shoulders tall. Inhale as you do this.
- Exhale and straighten your legs. As you do this, shift your weight to your right leg and step forward, bringing your left leg and placing it ahead of you, lunging on that leg next.
- Repeat this movement for 12 to 15 reps on each leg.
Wall pushup
This is an effective, yet less strenuous way for seniors to maintain their upper body push strength, without having to bear their entire weight against gravity. It is the base for learning pushups among younger populations.
How to perform wall pushup:
- Stand in front of a wall and place your palms flat on it, keeping your hands in line with your shoulders. Ensure your arms are at a 90-degree angle from your body.
- Bend your arms at your elbows and bring your chest towards the wall slowly, bringing it as close to the wall as your arms will allow you to.
- Push yourself back up to a straight standing position, straightening your arms completely.
- Repeat this movement for 12 to 15 reps.
Seated Rows
This is an easy exercise to strengthen the upper back and improve pull strength for seniors. It can be performed by senior adults with a resistance band looped around their feet.
How to perform seated rows:
- Sit on the ground and straighten your legs out in front of you. Loop the band around your feet and hold either end in your hands. Keep your shoulders tall and back straight.
- Extend your arms out fully, and then pull the ends of the band backward, toward your diaphragm, with both hands on either side of your chest.
- Slowly release the band and let your arms straighten out fully again.
- Repeat this movement for 12 to 15 reps.
Glute bridges
This is an incredibly simple exercise that is effective in strengthening the legs and improving stability in the body. This should help senior adults retain the strength in their legs.
How to perform glute bridges:
- Lie on the floor and bend your legs at your knees, pointing them to the ceiling. Keep your feet hip-distance apart and your hands flat down on either side of you.
- Push your hips up, keeping your shoulders and feet firm on the ground. Allow your hips to align themselves with your knees and shoulders. Use your hands to stabilize yourself and push your knees outward.
- Lower your hips back down and inhale slowly.
- Repeat this movement for 10 to 12 reps.
Deadbugs
This is a core exercise that could take some getting used to, but it’s a good way for senior adults to strengthen the midsection while being able to stabilize your core. This should keep the back pain away in your senior years.
How to perform deadbugs:
- Start by lying on the floor on your back. Keep your lower back flat on the ground and raise your legs up slowly, bending them at the knee, keeping your lower legs parallel to the ground.
- Raise your arms straight out in front of you and point your hands to the ceiling with your palms facing each other.
- Drop your right arm above your head towards the floor, keeping it straight as it goes down. Simultaneously, straighten out your left leg and drop it to the floor. ensure your limbs do not touch the floor, but hover an inch or two above it.
- Raise your limbs back up to bring them to starting position.
- Repeat this movement with your left arm and right leg. Keep alternating sides until you have performed 6 to 8 reps of it on each side.
Although getting into the groove of exercising in senior years might seem to be a challenging feat, it is important that senior adults do so. It’s not wise to let go of your strength and agility just because you’ve grown a little older! Physical fitness has no age limit!
