What many people don’t realize is that more than 1 in every 4 adults in the United States that are over the age of 50, don’t exercise regularly. As you grow older, it can become increasingly challenging to keep up with a fitness routine. That’s not too hard to understand considering that as we age our bone density, muscle mass, and even our flexibility starts to decrease.
These things though, are all the more reasons to create a workout plan that fits your lifestyle and what you’re able to do. As you age, your body undergoes a variety of changes that make it more difficult to stay active. However, you have to realize that with a regular fitness routine, you can stall or reverse the negative physical effects we may experience with age.
If you have limited mobility or are unable to stand long enough to complete an exercise routine, you may have trouble finding the right kind of exercise. However, there are ways that you can find an appropriate workout routine as a senior living in Florida and it can be a lot easier than you would’ve thought.
Which Exercises Are Best for Seniors?
When creating an appropriate senior-friendly workout routine, 150 minutes should be your target time of exercise per week. This could mean doing a simple workout for about 37 minutes 4 times a week or having a 30-minute workout 5 times a week. Now that you have your target time, you need to know the proper workouts to incorporate into that time-frame.
The goal will be to find exercise options that give you a good combination of strength training and flexibility/mobility-enhancing exercises.
To get you started, consider exercises such as;
- Nature Walks
- Dancing
- Swimming
- Tai Chi
This list could be much longer but this gives you an idea of workouts that can help to improve your strength, and flexibility, and allow you to have fun at the same time.
How to Find the Right Exercises for Seniors with Limited Mobility
When you’re limited in your mobility, you have to modify your workout routine to account for your specific needs and this will differ based on the person. However, with a few simple adjustments, you can continue to build strength and improve your health without doing anything that’s too strenuous or something that just might not be physically beneficial enough for what you need.
The key is to start with low-impact activities and make those activities a regular part of your day-to-day routine. The increased strength will come from consistency. Also, think outside the box. Many seniors will find it beneficial and generally soothing to exercise in water.
If you’re a senior in Florida, this will be easy for you to do with access to beaches, pools, and lakes nearby. Some of the most common exercises for seniors to consider are;
- Walking
- Yoga
- Water aerobics
- Cycling
- Any form of dancing
With limited mobility, you will want to explore exercises that don’t exert too much energy, that you can perform when either sitting or laying down, and workouts that can combine other things to both relax and strengthen your body.
Strength Training for Limited Mobility
A regular strength training routine can help improve your quality of life as you get older. It can help increase your flexibility, and balance, and even improve your mood. Strength training can also help you gain or maintain muscle mass and yes, your mobility can even increase.
The great thing about strength training exercises is that they will help you to prevent certain things like osteoporosis and it’s a great way to prevent falls as well, especially falls that result in significant injuries such as fractures. Also, did you know that strength training can help to improve insulin sensitivity? It even helps with the improvement of glucose metabolism.
To give you an idea of some of the best exercises you can start within this category, let’s list some of them.
- Wall push-ups
- Weight lifting; with weight that you can handle, while sitting down, or with assistance if needed
- Chair squats
- Rowing
- Lying down hip bridges
Keep in mind that 3 is the magic minimum number for seniors looking to do strength exercises regularly. However, you should do your best not to do more than 6 strength exercises in a week as it’s important to have a recovery day and to not over-exert yourself.
Cardio Exercises for Limited Mobility
If you have heart disease, type 2 diabetes, or high blood pressure, you should always consult a doctor before starting a new workout routine but keep in mind that cardio exercises help to reduce the risk of these conditions. Additionally, cardio is a great deterrent for stroke, obesity, and even certain types of cancers.
A few cardio workouts that you should explore as a senior could be;
- Short runs or jogging
- Gardening; yes, this is considered a form of cardio
- Brisk walks
- Rowing
- Swimming
- Arm circles
If you’re a senior living in Florida, you can take advantage of doing cardio on the beach or in outdoor settings to get fresh air and to increase your sun exposure which can help to protect against things like degenerative brain disorders, so starting your new workout routine outdoors might be the way to go.
However, just make sure to always protect your skin with sunscreen while taking in a bit more sunlight.
Stretching Exercises for Limited Mobility
Stretching is a low-impact exercise that can help improve your joint health. Not only that but you can also expect your posture to improve as well. Limited mobility can cause pain in different areas of your body.
Take your hips, for example, if you’re unable to move them regularly, you may notice that you experience back pain consistently. Stretching exercises can help with that by improving your flexibility and helping to decrease muscle soreness and tension.
To get started with the proper stretches, try;
- Hamstring stretches; with guided help
- Different forms of yoga
- Arm raises
- Seated torso twists
- Calf raises
- Wrist and ankle rolls
Also, you should know that seniors can expect an improvement in circulation and a variety of other benefits.
Over Time, You Will Feel a Difference
Exercising regularly is one of the best things you can do for your health, and it is something that you should never let age limit you from doing. With a few modifications to your workout routine that account for your specific needs and abilities, you can continue to build strength and improve your health.
