Senior Fitness Exercises - Exercise For Seniors
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Senior Fitness Exercises will show you simple, step-by-step exercises and workout routines to get strong, lose unwanted weight and run with pride again.
Inside This Article
-Give Yourself the Gift of Exercise
-Simple Start Ups
-Flexibility Is the Key
-Maintain Your Endurance
-Two Week Fitness Program for seniors
-Best Leg Exercises for Senior for Strong, Flexible Legs
Give Yourself the Gift of Exercise
There is one thing you can be certain about: if you are over 50 and have a regular workout routine, you will look and feel better than if you weren't involved in any form of exercise.
Exercise is one of the best gifts that you can give your body.
Not only does it guarantee cardio vascular health and ward off type-two diabetes among other ailments, but also the regular movement that you subject your body to will help keep you younger by keeping you more energetic.
In addition, being healthier when you are in old age has a bearing to your level of independence. And even though the earlier in life one starts on an exercise regimen the better, it is never too late to start.
Just doing some simple exercises on a regular basis helps release endorphins that can ease depression, tension and fatigue, and create a more positive sense of well being overall.
Even something as simple as taking a 20 minute walk every day can play a major part in improving your overall attitude every day.
Knowing and understanding the positive impact of exercise is a powerful way to get motivated to sticking to your fitness schedule religiously.
Just because you are over 50 doesn't mean its time to throw in the towel and confine yourself to the house.
In fact, if you have never started exercising, embarking on a structured exercise program when at old age has its advantages thanks to the amount of time senior citizens may have on their hands especially if retired from the job market.
When you start on an exercise program, the four areas that one must target are strength, flexibility, balance {Balance Exercises} and endurance.
Research by health scientists has shown that our bodies start to lose muscle mass from the age of 30 albeit at a slow rate.
The best way to ensure that you maintain significant muscle mass way into your 50's and beyond is to start to build your strength early through weight or resistance training. Remember, you need not be a body builder to feel confident using weights.
Your goal is to start with a weight that is comfortable for you and then increase it gradually.
Using light hand weights, between 2 and 5 pounds, or resistance bands, are both excellent starting points.
At the beginning, do one set of 8-10 reps and increase the number of sets and reps as you get more comfortable.
Of course no matter what your age, but more so for seniors, be sure to consult your doctor so he can advise you on the types of exercises you can and those you cannot do especially if you have an existing medical condition such as arthritis or joint problems.
Another area that senior citizen exercise must tackle is flexibility.
One good example of an exercise form that emphasizes flexibility is Yoga.
Yoga is a gentle yet effective way to stretch and keep you flexible by helping to tone your entire body with particular emphasis on the muscles in your abdominal that help support your back.
Note that not all yoga is suitable for seniors so make certain before you enroll that the particular sessions are meant for senior citizens.
Related Articles -Desk/Chair Senior Fitness Exercises.
Maintaining your endurance through cardio exercises is a definite must for seniors if one is to reduce the risk of heart ailments. There are several fun and unique options for cardio to ensure you never get bored.
Walking is probably the simplest and least exerting cardio exercise. However, swimming, running, cycling, joining a dance class or enrolling for aerobics are all effective cardio exercises.
Even playing golf provides a form of cardio exercise. The type of exercise you go for will depend on your ultimate fitness goal, convenience and the type of exercise that you find most interesting.
For someone with no knee and or hip joint problems, running and cycling provide a higher level of exercise intensity and are great where results are required fast.
Activities like dancing and golf are great ways to stay social while keeping in shape simultaneously. But you can incorporate the social aspect in the other types of exercises by involving your spouse or some close friends.
Cardio exercises often have the dual benefit of not only improve overall circulation and breathing processes, but are also a great way to maintain one's sense of balance.
Overall, the more active you are, the better your metabolism is and the more calories your burn in a day.
It is important never to lose sight of the old adage that you are only as old as your activity level and consistently sticking to an exercise regimen is a sure way to add many more years of an enjoyable and active lifestyle.
It is never too late to start getting fit and the most important tool you can have is a positive attitude. So find a way to make it fun by doing the types of exercises that give you the greatest thrill.
Two Week Fitness Program for seniors
Use this section along with Weight Training For Seniors section and Weight Training Programs for Men over 50.
As a tool to give you some ideas on how to get started, here is a two week fitness schedule. Be sure to always skip a day between strength exercises like weights or resistance training to allow your muscles time to heal. Also, don't try to do it all at once; start slowly with 10 minutes of cardio a day and work your way up to 30 minutes when you're ready. Start small and work your way up. In a month you will feel stronger and find yourself doing every day activities with more confidence and ease. Try dumbbell exercises or equipment training for seniors.
Week One
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Week Two
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