Exercise for Seniors

As we age our bodies just don't work the same. They become less efficient and certain functions begin to deteriorate. Muscle begins to atrophy and balance fades. In the past, all of this was just considered part of 'getting older'. Not anymore, there is something you can do to keep your active lifestyle and slow the effects of aging. The purpose of this article is to show you how incorporating resistance training, cardio, and nutrition into your daily life will allow you to play with your grandchildren, travel, golf, or do all of the activities you enjoy longer and easier. And for you who are still on the south side of 60, read this because the more you do when you are younger the easier aging will be for you.

Incorporating resistance training into your life will allow you to maintain and possibly increase muscle strength and endurance, as well as improve balance, coordination, and flexibility. Improving in these areas will allow you to complete simple tasks like getting out of a chair, tying your shoes, or walking down stairs without risk of injury. In addition to improving the function of your body you will help prevent or slow the effects of osteoporosis. Weight barring exercise, resistance training, is the only form of exercise that will strengthen the bones, preventing bone loss which leads to breaks and fractures of wrists, hips, and other bones.

Working with a personal trainer experienced in training with seniors is highly recommended, at the least to get you started. Chances are you have some form of chronic pain, lack range of motion in a joint or two, and/or a variety of health concerns. He/she can help address the specific needs you may have and set up a program that is tailored for you. Regardless of the specific weight barring exercise program you do, there are 3 things that should be included in all resistance workouts designed for seniors. These are: balance training, functional training, and flexibility training.

Balance training will allow you to improve your stability and help prevent falls. It needs to involve both dynamic and static exercises to improve stability and coordination. Most falls occur when you are stepping on/off curbs or walking down stairs, so doing exercises that improve your balance while you are moving is most beneficial. Everyone will lose their balance from time to time, but those who can regain it will stay off the ground and out of the hospital. The progression for balance training is to start with a very stable platform (both feet on the ground) and then gradually make the platform more unstable (1 leg on a Bosu ball). It is important to gradually progress the difficulty otherwise you increase the chance for injury and will not be able to perform the exercises properly.

Functional training involves doing exercises that mimic everyday tasks, like bending over to pick up a box and putting it on a shelf, or getting up off the ground or out of a chair. Functional training will allow you to improve these tasks in a safe and controlled environment. Think of something you may struggle to do and there are exercises that will help you to improve it. The difference between traditional weight training and functional training is the incorporation of all three planes of motion whereas traditional weight training usually only uses one plane at a time. Often it will include an active balance component for an added benefit. Moving in all three planes of motion in the same exercise allows your body to use a lot of muscles together to complete a task, similar to when you are doing something at home.
A lot of people underestimate the importance of flexibility training. Keeping your muscles properly balanced and loose will help improve posture and allow more muscle functionality. If you have poor range of motion then that will affect your ability to perform daily tasks. Improving flexibility will help to correct poor posture, which will result in reduced pain in the lower back, neck, and other body parts. When muscles get tight they pull on your skeletal system causing you to be out of alignment. This causes you to have bad functional posture, which can lead to acute injuries or chronic pain. It takes time to correct but with patience and hard work you can relieve a lot of problems that have been keeping you from feeling great.

Eating a healthy well balanced diet will keep you feeling better and give you an increase in energy. Start by increasing your protein intake. As you become older your body will not absorb protein as well, and in order to insure you get enough, you need to consume more. This doesn't mean to go out and start ordering huge steaks with every meal. The saturated fats will have negative health consequences like increasing cholesterol and risk for heart attack or stroke, and I don't want this to happen to you. Instead stick with lean proteins like eggs, chicken, and fish. Also remember to spread your protein intake throughout the day to ensure maximal absorption.

Increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables you eat will ensure you get most the vitamins, minerals, and fiber you need. In addition, it will help you lose some of that excess body fat that puts extra stress on your joints and requires more energy to move around. Fruits and vegetables are also great at lowering blood pressure and cholesterol as well as helping with some other potentially serious ailments that seem to plague our lives.
Being more proactive in your life will allow you to improve or maintain the quality of your life. There are a lot of things that you can't do anything about in this world. Take control of your health and do something about the things you can influence. Remember, it's never too late to start but the earlier you start the better.

When beginning an exercise program make sure to get your doctor's clearance and follow any restrictions or guidelines set for you.