Active Aging and Senior Fitness

Simple Senior Fitness: Sit And Stand

Some of the best exercises to promote active aging are those that mimic activities of daily living. Exercises such as the Bench Sit and Stand can be used in a senior fitness routine because the motion is familiar to older adults who might not feel comfortable doing other types of core strengthening exercises. Core strengthening exercises are an important part of a senior exercise plan because they can help improve balance and stability and reduce the risk of falling.

This simple sit and stand exercise can be performed by older adults at home, in a gym or physical therapist’s office.

• Position a chair or bench carefully behind you to prevent hitting the floor by mistake.
• Sit down, consciously contracting your abdominal muscles as you do so.
• Stand up, contracting the abs again, as soon as your bottom touches the chair or bench.
• Try to engage the abs and the quadricep muscles on the front of the thighs, rather than relying on momentum to shift from a standing to a sitting position and back again.

Fitness Balls Benefit Older Exercisers

Exercisers of any age can choose from a range of styles and sizes of fitness equipment. But if you are an older exerciser and you only have room for one exercise item, a large fitness ball may be your best bet.

If you are new to fitness balls, start by just sitting on the ball. You may not feel it right away, but you are engaging core muscles simply by sitting on the ball and trying to sit up straight. If you want or need a little more stability, the EggBall or FitBALL® Peanut are appropriate alternatives that provide a broader base and seating area for a firmer foundation.

Whether you are using a FitBALL® Peanut, EggBall, or traditional fitness ball, a senior health and fitness plan can include this basic balancing exercise:

• Sit on the ball and think about pulling the abdominal muscles toward the spine.
• Sit up straight, keeping your feet flat on the floor,
• Slowly raise the left foot off the floor, then lower the left foot and raise the right, and “march” for 1-2 minutes.
• Make sure you use the correct fitness ball size for your height and weight before beginning any fitness ball exercise.
  
  

Back Up Your Back

Exercises for stretching and strengthening the back are especially important for seniors because they help combat the stiffness that can occur with aging. Someone with a strong back is better able to perform activities of daily living, such as dressing, cleaning and carrying groceries.

This simple back stretch can be done at the gym, at home or at your desk:

• Sit in a chair or on a bench.
• Fold your torso forward, bending from the hips as much as possible, so your torso is resting on top of your thighs (or as close as you can get).
• Relax the muscle of the neck and arms, allow the head to fall forward, and concentrate on releasing the muscles of the lower back.
• Hold for a count of 10.
• This exercise can be done at any time of day, and it can feel especially good if you have been sitting for long periods of time.
• Bonus: This move stretches the shoulders, too.

You're Never Too Old for Yoga

Even older adults who have never been especially active can improve their health and fitness. The concept of “active aging” suggests that older adults who exercise may be more likely to live independently and less likely to develop diseases and other health problems compared with older adults who don’t exercise.

Yoga can be an ideal part of senior fitness programs because it improves flexibility and core strength, both of which are important factors of active aging.

If you want to add yoga to a senior fitness routine, keep these points in mind:

• Class type. If you are new to yoga, start with a beginner class. Also, ask around and do some research—some yoga studios offer classes geared toward older adults.
• Convenience. If you are retired, consider a yoga class in the middle of the day. It’s less likely to be crowded, and you may be able to get more personal attention from the instructor, which is especially helpful if you need to modify some poses due to any old injuries or sore spots.
  

Walk Your Way to Fitness

Don’t underestimate the power of walking as part of a senior fitness routine. Studies have shown that as little as 30 minutes a day of walking can promote a range of health benefits, including:

• Heart health (reduced risk of stroke or heart disease)
• Reduced cancer risk, including breast cancer and colon cancer
• Better brain function
• Reduced diabetes risk

Senior fitness programs can include stretching exercises before or after walking to help promote flexibility. A fitness ball is a useful tool for stretching the back, legs and shoulders.

Fitness Helps Seniors Beat the Blues

The benefits of exercise are psychological as well as physical. Studies have shown that moderate aerobic exercise, such as walking, improves symptoms of depression in older adults. One small study found that 6 of 12 adults with severe depression reported significant improvements in their symptoms after walking on a treadmill for 30 minutes. Although more research is needed, the results are promising, since many older adults suffer from depression (either diagnosed or undiagnosed) and have other medical conditions or take other medications that may hinder them from taking certain anti-depressants.

To get the most out of your walking, include some strength and stretching exercises in your senior fitness routine. By increasing your strength and flexibility, you'll be able to walk with less stiffness or achiness. The less discomfort you have during walking, the more likely you are to walk regularly, and you’ll enjoy a better mood and a fitter body.

Get on the Ball to Prevent Sports Injuries

Many older adults are engaging in regular exercise to get or stay fit. Nothing can derail a senior fitness routine faster than an injury. When it comes to preventing sports injuries, the same principles apply to seniors as to younger athletes. Workout programs for older adults should include exercises to promote balance and flexibility, such as those done on a fitness ball.

Keep these injury prevention tips in mind as you plan any senior health and fitness program:

• Get checked out. If you have heart disease or other medical conditions, check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program.
• Warm up and cool down. Stretching exercises before or after vigorous exercise can help combat the stiffness that occurs naturally with aging, and may reduce the risk of injury.
• Get the right stuff. It’s worth investing in good shoes, good equipment (weights, bikes, fitness balls), and proper instruction. When you start a new activity, such as weightlifting or yoga, getting the form right from the start can help prevent injuries.

Fitness Ball Sit-ups May Relieve Back Pain

Many older adults suffer from back pain, or they may be recovering from a back injury or back surgery. Senior fitness programs that are focused on relieving back pain and promoting back strength should include abdominal exercises. It sounds counterintuitive, but strong abdominal muscles promote a stronger, healthier back.

Simple sit-ups are still an effective abdominal exercise. Seniors can make sit-ups part of their workout programs in whatever way is comfortable, but it’s worth trying sit-ups on a fitness ball, which can be helpful for older adults who may not want to lie flat on the floor.

• Sit on the fitness ball and roll back carefully, so your back is on the ball. Keep your feet flat on the floor.
• Place your hands beside your ears, and curl up about 6 inches, then lower down.
• If you are new to using a fitness ball, try these sit-ups with supervision first, to be sure that your technique is correct, and start with a fitness ball that is slightly underinflated.
• Repeat 10 times, and work up to 20-30 repetitions as part of a senior fitness routine.

Take a Dive into Water Exercise

Water exercise promotes active aging by encouraging movement without stressing the joints. Older adults can fall into a downward spiral of inactivity when painful joints make exercising too uncomfortable, but water exercises can allow greater mobility because the water holds the body’s weight.

Keep these tips in mind when preparing to add water exercises to a senior fitness routine:

• Get a checkup. Check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program, especially if you have had surgery recently or if you have chronic medical problems such as diabetes or heart disease. Your doctor may have suggestions for target heart rates, or she can recommend a physical trainer or water exercise class.
• Watch your wounds. Yes, it’s common sense. Don’t get in the pool if you have wounds that are draining or not completely healed.
• Bring a friend. It’s not a good idea for seniors (or anyone) to be in the pool alone.
• Check your form. To get the most out of water exercise, learn the correct techniques by taking a class or checking out an instructional book or DVD.

Balance Basics For Seniors

Any senior health fitness plan needs an element of balance training because it promotes core strength and stability that can reduce the risk of falling.

When you first begin balance exercises, try standing on one foot. Follow this progression:

• Start by holding a wall, a steady table or chair for support while standing on one foot. Hold for a few seconds, or try to hold for up to 10 seconds.
• Next, try to support yourself using only a fingertip to touch the wall as you stand on one foot.

When balance training is part of a senior fitness routine, the goal is to develop core strength to improve mobility. For some older adults, standing on one foot and holding a wall for support is a sufficient balance challenge, but even that is enough to improve core strength.

Exercise for a Healthy Brain

Need another reason to develop some new workout programs? Do it for your brain. In a recent study, more than 1,700 adults aged 65 years and older were studied for approximately six years. None of the study participants showed signs of cognitive decline at the start the study.

Over time, the individuals who reported getting at least 15 minutes of moderate exercise three or more times each week were 32% less likely to develop dementia.

Remember, moderate exercise can include a variety of activities. For some people, exercise may be running or playing tennis, but it also can be riding a bike, walking, gardening or water aerobics.

More studies are needed, and more are planned, to assess how exercise itself or other aspects of exercise, such as the social interaction of a fitness class, can help prevent cognitive decline in old age. Meanwhile, get out and move, and you'll exercise your mental muscles, too!

Consistency Counts in Senior Fitness Plans

“Weekend warriors” who don’t exercise during the week but go out on the weekends for a long bike ride or a lengthy pickup basketball game may be more likely to get hurt. Only exercising two days a week isn’t going to do much for your fitness level. Consistency is especially important in workout programs for seniors because their muscles will be less tolerant of sporadic, intense workouts. Workout programs for seniors should encourage listening to one’s body and emphasize that consistent, moderate exercise can help maintain fitness over time.

Research has shown that moderate activity (at least 30 minutes) almost every day can be an important part of a senior fitness plan. Remember that exercise doesn’t have to involve going to a gym. Walking the dog (in comfortable shoes, of course), taking the stairs, walking from the corner of the parking lot to your destination, playing with grandchildren, and working in the yard are all activities that can contribute to 30 minutes of exercise each day.

Triceps Towel Stretch

You may have seen the tip for strengthening the triceps muscle (the muscle in the back of the upper arm) but stretching these muscles is just as important in senior fitness programs.

This easy triceps stretch can also be a core body exercise if you do it while sitting on a fitness ball. Be sure the fitness ball is the right size for you. Your feet should be firmly on the floor when you sit on the ball. It's okay to start with a ball that is slightly underinflated; increase the inflation for a greater balance challenge.

Here’s the triceps part:

• Sit on the ball or on a chair, and hold a small towel in your right hand.
• Drape your right arm down behind your right shoulder, dangling one end of the towel.
• Reach your left arm behind your back and grab the dangling end of the towel with your left hand.
• Move your left hand up the towel, closer to your right hand (if possible). If this is too challenging, hold at a comfortable position and gently pull your right arm down toward your mid-back. You should feel a stretch in the triceps muscle.
  
  
  

Tip Top Triceps

The triceps muscles are the muscles in the back of the upper arm. They are often weaker than the biceps because they are used less often, but it’s important to strengthen them as part of a senior fitness routine.

Try this simple triceps exercise:

• Sit on a bench or a chair with a light weight in your right hand.
• Stretch your right arm up to the ceiling.
• Place your left hand under your right elbow for support, and drop the right hand (holding the weight) down toward the right shoulder.
• Slowly straighten the arm toward the ceiling again, using the left hand for support.
• Repeat the bend-and-straighten sequence 8-10 times, then switch the weight to the left hand and repeat on the left side.

Get Hip to Your Hip Flexors

Strengthening the hip flexors (muscles in the upper hips) is an important part of senior fitness programs because these muscles help promote balance. Keep them strong, and you can reduce your risk of falling and make the activities of daily living easier.

The basic knee lift is a simple way to get hip to your hip flexors.

• Stand up straight, holding the wall or a chair for support.
• Bend the right knee, raise the right leg, and bring the knee as close to the chest as possible without bending at the waist or back. If your knee doesn’t come up too high, that’s okay. Don’t overextend to the point of pain.
• Hold the leg in the bent knee position for about a second.
• Lower the right foot to the floor.
• Repeat on the left side. Alternate lifting the left and right knees until you have done 8-10 repetitions on each leg.

Avoid Injury: Follow the 10-Percent Rule

A senior fitness plan, especially for someone who is new to exercise, should follow the 10-percent rule. No, there’s no heavy math involved. The 10-percent rule just means not to increase your workout by more than 10 percent each week.

Why? In any activity, increasing the intensity gradually will improve fitness while minimizing the risk of an overuse injury.

How does the 10-percent rule work? For example, if you walk 1 mile each day and you want to increase your fitness, don’t walk 4 miles the next day. Start by walking 1 mile each day, and adding 5 minutes of walking twice a week to your 1-mile walks. Next week, add 10 minutes of walking twice a week.

The 10-percent rule also applies to strength training exercises. If you are exercising with 5-pound hand weights as part of a senior health and fitness program, don’t suddenly try to do the same exercises with 10-pound weights. Try one set with 5 pounds, and a second set with 7 pounds, then next week try two sets using 7-pound weights.