How older adults and seniors can exercise and stay active

Recent studies have shown that movement, any movement, no matter how old you are or how physically unfit you may seem, is good for your health and general wellbeing. It stands to reason that making the effort to be active, especially for older adults, is a worthwhile endeavor. No matter how much you exercise or want to start exercising, the best way to make the most of your time is to target the four building blocks of fitness. Here are a few simple tips and tricks to get moving, as well as more specifics on how older adults can have the most effective workout. 

For starters, find something you love

Exercise can be found in some of the simplest tasks, and can be particularly useful to older adults who may not be able to perform more grueling regiments. For example, gardening has been shown to have great benefits, specifically for women, when it comes to physical health. (Read more about gardening’s effects here.)

If you don’t have any hobby that requires much movement, there are many ways to incorporate something you love into exercise to make it more enjoyable. Take photographs on a hike, listen to audiobooks while lifting weights, or find an exercise buddy to try new activities with. 

The four building blocks of fitness

To get the most out of your activities, it is best to try to touch upon the following areas: 

Aerobic exercise

Aerobic, or cardiovascular, exercise is important for lessening fatigue and shortness of breath, while increasing endurance and heart capability. Aerobic exercise includes anything that gets your heart pumping and leaves you slightly short of breath, such as walking, stair climbing, swimming, hiking, and dancing. It’s recommended that you aim for two and a half hours a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activities, which is about thirty minutes five days a week.

If you’re someone who doesn’t enjoy or typically perform exercise, try starting with only five or ten minutes everyday and build up overtime. Or, instead of setting time aside for exercising, incorporate it into your daily routine. Instead of taking the elevator, take the stairs. During TV commercials, get up and do a lap around your sofa or maybe go up and down the stairs. As long as you’re up and moving, you can’t go wrong. 

Flexibility

Flexibility has been shown to improve back and joint problems and also allow adults to maintain their independence since flexibility can increase or maintain their range of motion. Range of motion is important for so many daily activities, such as driving, tying your shoes, preparing food, and many more. Yoga and daily stretches are a great way to increase your flexibility. Doing a quick stretching routine in the morning or at night keeps your body limber.

Stretching is especially encouraged before doing any other type of exercise, so you can choose to do it then as well. Here is a list of simple stretches for older adults, including some you can do in a chair. While some may seem difficult now, as you gain more flexibility they’ll become easier. Plus, you should only push yourself to your comfort level and never overstretch or you may pull a muscle. 

Strength

Strength training builds muscle, prevents loss of bone mass, and can improve balance. It’s recommended you aim to perform muscle strengthening activities two days a week, although of course you can modify this to fit your needs. This is the only building block of fitness that requires a bit of equipment, such as resistance bands, weights, or just an object that is heavy such as a book or soda cans.

A simple way to start weight training is to lift something, anything, could be fifteen, ten, or five pounds, and keep lifting it until your strength grows and you can lift more. Again, this is something you can do while you do something else, such as going on a walk, watching TV, or waiting for dinner to finish cooking in the oven.   

Balance

Balance is crucial for older adults, as falling can result in serious injury or sometimes worse. The most common exercise for improving balance is to stand up from a sitting position repeatedly. The goal is to get up while using your hands as little as possible. Even if you can’t get up without at least some help from your arms and hands, practicing this movement will improve your balance. Another good exercise is to practice standing on one foot (you can hold onto a chair if you need to at first). Yoga, which is also good for flexibility, and tai chi, are both good methods for enhancing balance, and there are classes in almost every gym or online. 

No matter what you do or where you go, try to stay active. It can improve your life a great deal, and only gets easier the more you do it. Motivating yourself can be hard, but starting small and working your way up is a great way to make sustainable progress, so go out there and find new ways to enhance your body and mind. 

— Avery Tamura