Exercise Tips For Seniors
We all know it. Exercise is good for you but, if you
are over 60, breeze on by the advertising that touts ‘buns of
steel.’
Recent research indicates that moderate exercise will
give you as much protection from disease as the extensive exercise
regimens touted by those much younger than you.
Experts now tell us to use a two-part exercise program
that includes aerobic exercise like walking or bicycling to condition
your heart plus strength training exercises such as calisthenics and
low-intensity weight lifting to build muscle and cut fat. To begin
you should only exercise two or three times a week but should work
toward at least five times a week.
Easing into a routine like this gradually should be
your goal. By age 60 almost everyone has some degree of osteoarthritis,
osteoporosis, joint irritation or lack of flexibility. Exercising
lightly will not aggravate these conditions, but will actually help
them.
Exercise will also keep your heart young, drive down
high blood pressure, build up good cholesterol, improve balance, enhance
sex life, increase mental acuity, elevate mood, control diabetes,
decrease cancer risk, strengthen bones, ease joint pain and much,
much more.
Get started properly. Get a physical so you know that
your body’s systems can handle additional physical stress.
Warm up for at least 10 to 15 minutes using slow-walking,
stretches or light calisthenics. As you get older you body need to
ease into exercise gradually because your system is down about one
third and takes longer to warm up and cool down.
Exercising more than 30 minutes at a time will help
you lose weight if you do it three to five times a week and follow
a proper diet. But if you don’t need to lose weight, three 10
minute sessions each day will be beneficial for protection against
disease.
Schedule a regular workout time. Dress for comfort.
Have plenty of water along so as not to dehydrate.
Half of your exercise routine should include aerobics
and the best aerobic exercise is walking, especially if you are over
60. Start out by timing yourself and gradually increasing the distance
over time.
Keep your pace constant, slow down on hills and track
the temperature. If it’s hot or humid your workout will seem
harder. As you become more comfortable with your routine, try some
variation like shortening steps, trying weights or swing your arms
as you walk.
Here are some basic guidelines to follow for strengthening
exercises:
Keep it slow – perform exercises slowly spending
two seconds in the lifting phase of each exercise and four to six
seconds in the lowering part. Moving too fast reduces the benefits
and you could actually hurt yourself.
Always inhale before lifting, exhale while lifting
and inhale as you lower the weight to get the best benefit.
Select just a few exercises to begin with, a few for
the upper body and a few for the lower body. You can always increase
as your routine helps you to gain stamina.
Use music to help establish a rhythm.
Pick the right kind of shoes. Walking or running shoes
absorb the shock of your stride because of a slightly elevated heel
that also helps prevent injuries to leg muscles and tendons.
Tennis and other types of athletic shoes absorb impact
of sideways movement and quick turns. Buy new shoes often even though
they may last for years. That is because the shock absorption only
lasts for a few months.
Wear loose fitting clothing for comfort, don’t
drink coffee or any diuretics before or while exercising and exercise
vigorously enough so that you can’t talk and exercise at the
same time!
