Senior Fitness

Can Seniors Exercise Safely?

Concisely, YES!  Many studies have been conducted showing that men and women in their 70s and 80s can achieve levels of vigor associated with people 30+ years younger! Assuming no other factors are involved, a person in their 80s can have the strength of someone in their 50s. A person retiring at 65 can have the energy, and fitness level of someone 35 years old! Now that is the way to go into retirement! Can all this happen overnight? No, this is a process and a habit that needs to be formed. Regular exercise can give you these attributes, but the key is the word “regular”.  That means fitness is not achieved one day a week or month; fitness is achieved through dedication to living a better life and doing something about it. Yes, a senior can exercise safely, especially if this is a routine that has been implemented for years, but if you are a senior who is just now understanding the benefits of fitness, you can start safely!  We will offer tips on just how to do that. Read on.

The Fountain of Youth?

Seniors can find the fountain of youth, but it is not a fountain, a pill, or the latest wonder. The fountain can be found in a pair of walking or running shoes, a set of dumbbells, a sidewalk, a pool, a treadmill, or a bicycle (the old saying states we never forget how to ride it!). Looking at the three types of fitness - cardiovascular fitness, strength fitness, and flexibility fitness - each is as important as the other. We are going to talk about all three types of fitness as they pertain to seniors, hang on for the ride!

Senior Cardiovascular Fitness

Cardiovascular fitness refers to exercises like walking, jogging, running, cycling, the treadmill, elliptical exercise and exercises that will elevate heart rate for a period of time. For seniors, a good idea is to work out cardio for approximately 30 minutes two to three times per week. As far as intensity of the workouts, the intensity should be low to moderate, anywhere from 60-75% of maximum heart rate. We talk about heart rates in the heart rate training section.

Senior Strength Fitness

When working out with free weights, (dumbbells or barbells), machines, or other resistance type mechanisms, the emphasis should be on form of movement. Good mechanical form of movement will correctly isolate the muscles being used, and reduce the risk of injury. When starting a strength training routine with form as the focus, the weight should be little or none until the proper form is understood and performed correctly. When the form of the exercise is learned, then weight can be used. A good starting weight is a weight that you can lift with good form for 12-18 repetitions. A good number of sets would be 2 sets for each exercise. Wellness4everyone recommends working with a Certified Fitness Trainer when learning a strength training routine.

Senior Flexibility Fitness

The third area of a complete fitness regimen is flexibility training or stretching. Stretching is important for warming up the muscles and preparing them for activity. A good stretching regimen is important for anyone participating in fitness training and is the same for seniors as it is for anyone else.  A quick stretching regimen is as follows, and more information can be found in the flexibility fitness section of this website. When we are stretching a muscle or muscle group, we want to move slowly, and concentrate on the elongation of the muscle or muscle group. Stretch the muscle until you feel slight tension of the muscle and hold, the tension feeling should subside after a few seconds, if it does not, ease off the tension a little. This process should last anywhere from 15-30 seconds per stretch. As you become used to stretching, you can go one step further and stretch to the original tension, and hold, then after the tension eases, stretch the muscle a little more to go into the advanced form of stretching. This is the type of stretching seasoned athletes partake in - and you can too as you get used to stretching and become more flexible.

A Word of Caution

As with all exercise, when starting a new exercise routine, please consult your doctor to ensure you are in good enough health to start. Each person is different and has different issues affecting their overall health. More great advice is to start slow and easy, never making any jerky movements or bouncing, especially if you are greater than 50 years in age.

More Information on Senior Fitness Routines

More information on Senior Fitness and Exercise and all different types of workout routines for different goals can be found in the articles and “How To” sections of the Fitness section of www.wellness4everyone.com