Senior Exercises for Healthy Aging
Senior exercises are not that much different than other exercises.
The
primary difference is in the intensity, duration and how and where they
are performed.
As with younger adults, exercises for seniors includes
strength training, stretching routines and endurance or aerobic
workouts.
In addition to these types of workouts, as a senior you want
to add some balancing movements as well.
In fact, these four types of
workouts for seniors are recommended by the National Institute of
Health (NIH).
To learn more about each of these types of exercises for seniors, click
on a link below or scroll through this page.
Types of Exercises for
Seniors
Strength Training
Balance Exercises
Stretching
Endurance
Strength
Training
Strength
training has many health benefits for seniors.
These types of senior
exercises helps lower the “bad cholesterol” and raise the good.
It
reduces risk of diabetes, heart disease and osteoporosis.
It also helps
lower blood pressure and increases your immune system reducing your
chances of getting a cold or other illnesses.
Other benefits of
strength training for seniors includes;
Increased
Bone Mineral Density
As we
get older we begin to lose bone mass. This is because your bones
are breaking down faster than new bone can be rebuilt.
With strength
training and getting enough calcium you can minimize the amount of bone
loss.
Increased
Strength
With
increased strength and balance seniors are less likely to injure
themselves due to a fall. You want to keep strong legs and body to be
able to perform everyday tasks without the worry or risk of injury.
Improves Sleep
Exercise
helps improve your ability to get a good nights sleep. With
proper sleep you are more alert, you will have better cognitive
functions and improved state of mind.
Before you begin any strength training routine make sure you know your
limitations. Check with your doctor if you are unsure.
Make sure you
breathe during your strengthening exercises to avoid rising blood
pressure. Avoid jerky moves and instead use smooth, steady movements.
Avoid locking your elbows, knees and other joints to minimize strain on
these joints.
Don't worry if you feel some muscle soreness and slight fatigue as this
is normal. However, if it lasts more than a few days check with your
doctor.
Aches in your joints, painful muscle pulls or exhaustion are
not normal so if you experience these symptoms, check with your doctor.
Here are several
senior strength training exercises with
instructions and an exercise video to ensure you are doing them
correctly.
If you want to exercise in the safety of a chair, then check out the list of
chair exercises on this site.
Back to List
Balance
Exercises
Senior exercises for balance are designed to help strengthen
the legs and improve
your balance. Loss of balance is common in seniors and can cause
injuries to your hips, knees and other areas.

U.S.
hospitals report
about 300,000 admissions for broken hips with most of these due to
falling.
When doing balancing exercises be sure to use a table or chair to hold
onto when using just one hand for the exercise.
As you begin to gain
more balance, try holding on with just a few of your finger tips.
Once you are more comfortable, really challenge yourself and let go of
the
chair or table. Be sure to keep them close by in case you need them to
regain your balance.
Here are several
balance
exercises for seniors which includes step by step
instructions and an exercise video to ensure you are doing them
correctly.
Back to List
Senior Stretches
Stretching as part of your senior exercise routine keeps your
muscles loose and healthy.
With stretching you are
not only lengthening your muscles but strengthening them as well.
Stretching your muscles give you a better range of motion, increases
your flexibility, reduces stress, improves posture and circulation.
Seniors can benefit greatly from adding stretching exercises to their
weekly routine. Check out these
benefits to stretching exercises.
If you are concerned about balance, then try performing stretches while
seated in a chair.
You still get the benefit of stretching your muscles
without risking a fall and injury.
Many stretching exercises can easily
be modified to be performed while sitting in a chair. Check out these
seated
senior stretching exercises.
Back to List
Endurance Exercises(Aerobics)
Aerobics are often thought of as 3 mile long runs, sweating at
the gym
or pounding away on a treadmill. Your senior exercises don't have to be
fast nor do you have to sweat to get a good workout.
Aerobics, also
known as cardiovascular exercises, are those activities that get your
heart pumping and the blood circulating. So your endurance training can
be a brisk walk, swimming, or even gardening and playing golf.
Pick
activities that you enjoy and will stick with.
Start out slow especially if you have been relatively inactive for
awhile.
Try doing an activity that keeps your heart rate slightly
elevated for a duration of 5 minutes.
As you get comfortable with this,
increase your time.
Your endurance workouts should be at a level where you can still talk.
You don't want to be out of breath as this can cause dizziness.
If you
experience dizziness, chest pains or difficulty talking while working
out then you are working at too high of a level. Slow it down.
If you
are still experiencing these symptoms, consult with your doctor. Make
sure you drink plenty of water before, during and after your workout.
Don't forget to stretch your muscles before and after your workouts and
always warm up before and after your senior exercises as well.
Here's a 5 minute chair aerobics video you can use to get
your cardio workout in for the day.
To help you pick the right senior aerobic workouts, check out
these
useful articles.
Water
Aerobics
Walking
for Exercise
Fun
Activities and Calories Burned
Back to Senior Exercises List
Useful Links
Here are some helpful links for seniors
Nursing Assistant Guideswww.walking-canes.net/agingseniors.html
CDC - Healthy Aging
Assisted Living Today
Additional Articles
Warming Up Before Exercise
Find out why warming up your muscles before exercise can help prevent
injuries and make the most out of your workout.
Eating Before Exercise
Getting the proper nutrition before and after exercise is key to
healthy living.
Weight Loss Over 40
Exercising can help you lose weight even after you have turned 40.
Check out these tips for more ways to lose weight.