Exercise at a Senior Health Center is Vital for Elderly Well-Being
Aging is a natural process that every human goes through. Exercise is just as vital for overall health and well being for a senior as it is for younger adults. Whether you’ve been exercising for several years, or you’re just starting out, there is an exercise program that’s right for you.
Improve Your Health
Staying in great shape is important to a longer, healthier life. Not only will your loved ones appreciate your longevity and vitality, so will you. There are many things you can do to improve your health.
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Start by eating the right foods. A solid diet with fruits, vegetables, and protein goes a long way in making you healthier. AARP.org has a miracle diet that details the kinds of foods you should eat to improve your health.
When it comes to getting healthy and staying healthy, regular exercise is just as important as eating right. Exercising improves your muscle strength and balance, reducing the chances of falls that could cause permanent damage.
Exercise With Safety
Whenever you first begin a senior workout program, you should start out slowly and work your way up in terms of speed and intensity. This will give your body a chance to adjust to the exercise and help you figure out exactly where you’re comfortable exercising.
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Senior health centers are often great places to exercise because they are staffed with trained professionals who can help you with an exercise program that’s just right for you. Working with someone who’s knowledgeable about senior exercise takes some of the pressure off you to figure out the exact exercises you should be doing.
The National Institute on Aging is a great place to find information about exercise for seniors. You can get information about benefits of exercise, more safety tips, and even examples of exercises you can do.
Determining Your Exercise Regimen
Your specific exercise routine will depend greatly on your current health. Regardless of your age, it’s always a good idea to consult with your doctor before starting an exercise program. Your doctor will let you know things about your health that will affect the intensity of your workouts.
A professional trainer who’s skilled in working with seniors can help you determine your target areas and work with you to put together an exercise regiment that will keep you in the health you desire.
Exercise Programs You Can Follow
Walking is good for all seniors. If you haven’t been walking regularly, then begin walking at a short pace for a short period of time. Walking for 10-15 minutes is a good start. You can take a short walk around your community, but make sure you don’t go far from your home. That way, you can get back home easily if you get too tired. Take your cell phone with you in case you need to call someone for help.
Bike riding is another great exercise program. Just as with walking, make sure you don’t put too much pressure on yourself the first time. Start out slowly and then build intensity.
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Once you’ve been walking for some time, you might introduce running or light jogging into your exercise program. Running and/or jogging improves cardiovascular health and can reduce the risk of heart attack and heart disease.
Strength training exercises can be done with weights for all muscle groups. Lifting weights also increases bone density, reducing the likelihood of breaking bones in case of a fall.
Some exercises you can fit into your program include:
- Wall push ups can be done by standing a few feet away from the wall with your feet shoulder width apart. Place your hands on the wall at shoulder level, then push back and repeat. Keep your abs tight and your back flat.
- Bicep curls with dumbbells are done standing or sitting. Hold the dumbbells in both hands with your palms facing out. Curl the weight up toward your shoulder by contracting your bicep. Then, lower your arm back down, keeping your elbows in place, slightly bent.
- Hamstring curls are done standing in front of a chair, table or counter. Slowly bend your right knee behind you at a 90-degree angle. Then slowly lower it back down and repeat 10 times. Then do the same thing with your left leg. Try doing these with light ankle weights.
Starting off slow and working up toward a minimum of three times a week, you workout regimen will give you more strength, endurance, energy and vitality for many years to come.