Exercise for Seniors

Some folks are finding the fountain of youth, and it's not located solely in Florida, but in gyms and parks all over the world.  It's called exercise.  Seniors are a population that benefit greatly from exercise.  It keeps your bones strong, your muscles from weakening, your metabolism higher.  It keeps your cells functioning at a higher, more youthful and resilient level, which keeps you going stronger for longer!  There are four main types of exercise that seniors need to be getting regularly:

1. Endurance exercise that incorporates an elevated heart rate, like walking, jogging, cycling, rowing or classes like water aerobics or land aerobics.
2. Strengthening exercises that are weight bearing, like weight lifting, or body weight exercises like squats and push ups.
3. Flexibility exercises that incorporate stretching, foam rollers, and slow movements based on range of motion, like yoga, Pilates, and basic stretching.
4. Balance exercises that focus on fall prevention, like those that incorporate standing on one foot, balance pods, BOSU, and other functional activities.

It's important that seniors that want to stay active, youthful, and able to keep up with their activities of daily living participate in some of each of these types of exercise.  Going to classes is an easy way to get a little of each, but you can, of course, have something basic designed by a personal trainer, as well, or you can go to websites that provide samples of what you should be doing.

Stay active, and have fun!